Glasses waiting to be filled at the Beermongers, Portland OR, September 2011
This is the fourth year of compiling a Top Tastings list and I’ve stuck to the same self-imposed rules as previously. Here are 30 beers I’ve tasted during 2011 which particularly stuck in my mind as the sensory highlights of the year, and a reaffirmation of why I spend so much time seeking out examples of the brewer’s art. They’re mainly beers new to me but not necessarily new beers – indeed some have been around for a very long time – and a few are resamplings of beers I’ve tried before.
They’re all seriously good beers but I wouldn’t say they’re necessarily the “best” I sampled – I’ve aimed for variety and beers that represent various beer travels and activities I’ve been involved with, and as before I’ve limited myself to one beer per brewer. There are a number of London beers, reflecting the work on my London guide; souvenirs of trips to Glasgow, Lille, Portland (OR) and San Francisco; unblended lambics tasted on my first Toer de Geuze; and yet another Fuller’s Vintage Ale from an astonishing vertical tasting.
Finalising the list is always painful but this year’s was particularly challenging, with so many excellent and memorable beers I simply didn’t have room for. So I’ve indulged myself for the first time with another 30 honourable mentions, listed briefly at the end. Both lists are in alphabetical order, with no further ranking intended, and the clickable links will take you to detailed tasting notes and background information.
- Bayerischer Bahnhof Gose Original Leipziger Bier Spezialität 4.6% Leipzig, Sachsen, Germany
- Bend Hop-Head Imperial India Pale Ale 9% Bend, Oregon, USA
- Boon Oude Lambik 3 jaar oud 6% Lembeek, Vlaams-Brabant, Vlaanderen
- Box Steam Funnel Blower 4.5% Colerne, Wiltshire, England
- Broumov Opat Kvasničák Pepper 5% Broumov, Králové Hradecký Kraj, Czech Republic
- Bruery Saison Rue 8.5% Placentia, California, USA
- Carlton & United Sheaf Stout 5.7% Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Full Sail Session Lager 5.1% Hood River, Oregon, USA
- Fuller’s Vintage Ale 2001 8.5% London W6, England
- Fyne Jarl 3.8% Cairndow, Argyll & Bute, Scotland
- Goose Island Bourbon County Coffee Stout 2010 13% Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Harveys Christmas Ale 8.1% Lewes, East Sussex, England
- Kernel Imperial Brown Stout London 1856 10.1% London SE1, England
- Kinshachi Nagoya Akamiso Lager 6% Nagoya, Chūbu, Japan
- Marble Old Manchester Ale 7.3% Manchester, England
- Mighty Oak Oscar Wilde 3.7% Maldon, Essex, England
- Moncada Notting Hill Amber 4.9% London W10, England
- Moonlight Death & Taxes 5% Santa Rosa, California, USA
- Nynäshamns Ångsbryggeri Bedarö Bitter 4.5% Nynäshamn, Södermanland, Sweden
- Orkney Dark Island Reserve (draught) 10% Quoyloo, Orkney, Scotland
- Pays Flamand Anosteké Brune Imperial Smout 8.5% Blaringhem, Nord, France
- Plzeňský Prazdroj Kvasnicový 4.4% Plzeň, Plzeňský kraj, Czech Republic
- Proef/Craig Allan Cuvée d’Oscar 7.5% Lochristi, Oost-Vlaanderen, Vlaanderen
- Redwillow Ageless Double IPA 7.2% Macclesfield, Cheshire East, England
- Steam/Epic Mayhem 6.2% Otahuhu, Auckland, New Zealand
- Texels Bock 7% Ouderschild, Texel (Noord-Holland), Netherlands
- Theillier Bavaisienne Ambrée 6.5% Bavay, Nord, France
- Tilquin Gueuze à l’ancienne 2011 6% Rebecq-Bierghes, Brabant-Wallonie, Wallonie
- Tryst Drovers 80/- 4% Larbert, Falkirk, Scotland
- Wells & Young’s Courage Imperial Russian Stout 2011 10% Bedford, Bedfordshire, England
Honourable Mentions: Adnams Tally-Ho 2007, Belhaven/Innis & Gunn Canada Day 2011, BrewDog Avery Brown Dredge, Brodie’s Red, Bouillon Médiévale Ambrée, Caldera IPA, Camden Town Show Boat, Deca/Struise Black Albert, Hardknott Vitesse Noir, Hopshackle Extra Special Bitter, Lambrate Imperial Ghisa, Lindemans Lambic 2 jaar oud (Tilquin), Logsdon Seizoen, Magic Rock Cannonball, Molen Hout & Hop, Moor Unfined Confidence, Murray’s Nirvana Pale Ale, Nøgne-Ø Imperial Stout, North Coast Merle, Olde Saratoga/Shmalz He’Brew Messiah Bold, Port/Lost Abbey Angel’s Share 2009, Rogue XS Old Crustacean, Sharp’s Turbo Yeast Unspeakable Abhorrence from Beyond…, Smuttynose Wheat Wine, Southern Tier 2xIPA, Stone Smoked Porter, Stowey Nettle Beer 2009, Thornbridge Italia Pilsner, Williams Brothers Profanity Stout, Windsor & Eton Conqueror 1075 Black IPA
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