Top Tastings 2009

Aromatherapy... Photo: Tom Stainer

Here are 30 beers which really stood out from the many others I tasted during 2009. They’re not necessarily new beers, just beers I hadn’t tasted before, or for a long time, and that from the first taste made me want to laugh, jump, shout or simply chill out in a warm dark corner with a satisfied smile on my face, contemplating the riches of international beer culture and the pleasures it can deliver. They’re not necessarily the “best” beers I tasted during the year, though all of them scored on the high side for quality, but they’re all rich in interest and speak of the skill, dedication, imagination and urge for self-expression of their creators.

The selection inevitably reflects my personal tastes but I’m still pleased it’s quite varied. There are some big hitters from the USA in there — I’ve been really impressed with the variety and quality of American beers this year — and some decent stuff from Franconia. One great evening I spent in the Monk’s Kettle in San Francisco where I tasted two astonishing brews, Hair of the Dog Adam and North Coast Brother Thelonious, in succession, but even more memorable was a tasting at Fuller’s that included three variously aged samples of the incomparable Vintage Ale.

The beers are in alphabetical order — picking thirty was challenge enough, ranking them would be too much! Click on the links for detailed tasting notes and background information.

• [intlink id=”317″ type=”post”]Ale Smith Speedway Stout[/intlink] 12%, San Diego, California, USA
• [intlink id=”323″ type=”post”]Amager Imperial Stout[/intlink] 10.1%, Kastrup, Hovedstaden, Denmark
• [intlink id=”329″ type=”post”]Binchoise / Belgoo Luppoo[/intlink] 6.5%, Binche, Hainaut, Wallonie
• [intlink id=”335″ type=”post”]Bryncelyn Buddy Marvellous[/intlink] 4%, Ystradgynlais, Powys, Cymru
• [intlink id=”341″ type=”post”]Concertina Bengal Tiger[/intlink] 4.5%, Mexborough, South Yorkshire, England
• [intlink id=”344″ type=”post”]Dogfish Head 90 minute Imperial IPA[/intlink] 9%, Milton, Delaware, USA
• [intlink id=”348″ type=”post”]Dolle Cosmos Porter[/intlink] 8%, Esen, West Vlaanderen
• [intlink id=”353″ type=”post”]Fuller\’s Vintage Ale 1999 / 2005 / 2009[/intlink] 8%, Chiswick, London, England
• [intlink id=”358″ type=”post”]Glazen Toren Saison d\’Erpe-Mere Speciaal Eindejaar[/intlink] 9%, Erpe-Mere, Oost Vlaanderen
• [intlink id=”362″ type=”post”]Grasser Huppendorfer Vollbier[/intlink] 5%, Huppendorf, Franken/Bayern, Germany
• [intlink id=”366″ type=”post”]Hair of the Dog Adam[/intlink] 10%, Portland, Oregon, USA
• [intlink id=”373″ type=”post”]Hobsons Postman\’s Knock[/intlink] 4.4%, Cleobury Mortimer, Worcestershire, England
• [intlink id=”377″ type=”post”]Hopshackle Historic Porter[/intlink] 4.8%, Market Deeping, Lincolnshire, England
• [intlink id=”383″ type=”post”]Molen Bloed, Zweet en Tranen (Bruichladdich)[/intlink] 8.1%, Bodegraven, Zuid Holland, Netherlands
• [intlink id=”390″ type=”post”]Neder Schwarze Anna[/intlink] 5.2%, Forchheim, Franken/Bayern, Germany
• [intlink id=”395″ type=”post”]North Coast Brother Thelonious[/intlink] 9.4%, Fort Bragg, California, USA
• [intlink id=”398″ type=”post”]Orkney Dark Island Reserve[/intlink] 10%, Quoyloo, Orkney, Scotland
• [intlink id=”402″ type=”post”]Port Old Viscosity Ale[/intlink] 10%, San Marcos, California, USA
• [intlink id=”416″ type=”post”]Red Squirrel IPA in the USA[/intlink] 5.4%, Hertford, Hertfordshire, England
• [intlink id=”419″ type=”post”]Rodenbach Vin de Céréale[/intlink] 10%, Roeselare, Oost Vlaanderen
• [intlink id=”422″ type=”post”]Russian River Temptation[/intlink] 7.3%, Santa Rosa, California, USA
• [intlink id=”425″ type=”post”]Theakston Old Peculier[/intlink] 5.6%, Masham, North Yorkshire, England
• [intlink id=”442″ type=”post”]Thiriez Vieille Brune[/intlink] 5.8%, Esquelbec, Nord, France
• [intlink id=”464″ type=”post”]Thornbridge Alliance Strong Ale Reserve 2007[/intlink] 11%, Ashford-in-the-Water, Derbyshire, England
• [intlink id=”451″ type=”post”]Traquair House Ale 1000th Brew 2001[/intlink] 10%, Innerleithen, Scottish Borders, Scotland
• [intlink id=”454″ type=”post”]Troch Chapeau Oude Lambik[/intlink] 5%, Wambeek, Vlaams Brabant, Vlaanderen
• [intlink id=”480″ type=”post”]Weltons Pridenjoy[/intlink] 2.8%, Horsham, West Sussex, England
• [intlink id=”482″ type=”post”]West Dunkel[/intlink] 4.9%, Glasgow, Scotland
• [intlink id=”487″ type=”post”]Westmalle Extra[/intlink] 4.8%, Malle, Antwerpen, Vlaanderen
• [intlink id=”490″ type=”post”]Whitewater Belfast Ale[/intlink] 4.5%, Kilkeel, Dúin, Northern Ireland