Most Interesting 2003

[hops99]

So, what's the most interesting beer you sampled in 2003? Not necessarily the best or the worst, but the new beer you tried that really stands out, one you won't forget for a while? Here are my top three:

1) New Belgium Transatlantique Kriek - a beer that I loved one sip, hated the next, then loved again, and so on...

2) New Glarus Hop Hearty - I didn't think they could/would brew a hoppy beer; man, was I ever wrong!

3) Anything from Leopold Brothers in Ann Arbor - the worst beers I have ever sampled in America. Blecchh! I'm still trying to get the taste out of my mouth four months later!

[wortchillergoal]

I have two beers that come to mind.

Moose Drool

Tripel Crown (British Tripel) from Middle Ages here in Syr.

[hopjack13]

i'll second the moose drool
allagash triple and uh...
i'll say the 120, still don't quite understand that brew, it's like no ipa i've ever had.

[mmmBeer...]

The most interesting (and now my favourite) is a magnum of Chimay red.

[newportstorm]

Not all are in my personal top 10 list, but memorable brews nonetheless:

-Heavyweight Two Druid Gruit - amazing that I enjoyed a beer with no hops whatsoever. Love it or hate it - a must try if you see it.

-Dogfish Head Festina Lente - a domestic Lambic-style brew that was complex & interesting even without it being fully carbonated.

-John Harvard's Whiskey Barrel Imperial Stout - enjoyed at the Art of Beer festival. My biggest "Wow!" beer that night.

-The Tap Altbier - locally brewed Alt that I, and many others, just could not get enough of. Alt lovers that think they need to head overseas for a great Altbier need to get their ass to New England and thank brewer Tod Mott for creating this gem.

Cheers!

[brewmonkey]

Since I spent most of the year either in the hospital or on meds that prohibited drinking I did not get to try to much new stuff. I would have to say that my favorite "new" beer was Bell's Expedition Stout followed closely by the 120 minute, both a trade with Ray M. I have found a local supplier of Bell's and he has ordered me a case of the Expedition. MacTarnahan's Black Watch Cream Porter (aged in a Bourbon Barrel) was also a beer that has been added to my "need to grab some more" list. A good beer and a change from the commercially available ones.

Worst beer I tried would have to be the Transatlantique Kriek from NBB. Not bad in the sense that it was an awful beer, just not what I was hoping for. My wife hoever loved it and finished off the 4 pack.

[Tweek]

for me it would have to be Buten Alt, not sure on the spelling and I got it on tap at a german restraunt in SF. Was quite tasty and clean. IMO a great example of what alt can be when brewed correctly.

BM did I miss something? Most of the year in hospitals? Is everything ok now?

[davesarman]

My choice for a commericially bottled beer would be a magnum of Hair of the Dog's Adam I had last spring. That was a sublime beer drinking experience, so much complexity. One of my local "paint" stores was clearing out all the HOD's magnums, selling them for $10 each. I bought all they had. I traded a few, and drank a few, now I'm down to one left....

But the most memorable beer I had this year was from the Town Hall Brewpub in Minneapolis. It was called Jesters Reserve Imperial Porter. Aged in whiskey barrels. Really more like an imperial stout. Man, that was a fun night. They had a beer release party and they only made a very small quantity of it, so there were only something like 10 growlers available. You had to win a drawing in order to buy one. Luck was with me that night and I was able to purchase a growler, which I kept for about a month and a half and opened for my first son's baptism over the Thanksgiving holiday to share with friends and family. What a great beer to go with a great experience!

[brewmonkey]

Check your PM's Tweek.

[beerturtle]

I'd have to list 3 Floyds Alpha King and Rogue's Yellow Snow as 2 of my more interesting beers tried this year. Hope to try more new brews in the new year!;)

[Kiltlifter]

For me, I have to say that my trip down to Tucson, AZ yielded a couple of the most memorable.

Mogollon Brewery Apache Trout Stout (Flagstaff) rivaled the Bell's Expedition Stout. We'll see if it ages as well as the Bell did.

Nimbus Brewery Old Monkeyshine (Tucson) is a big-n-bold strong ale ... gotta love those growlers!

Other beers that I remember fondly:

Belhaven Wee Heavy is a really tasty Scotch ale.

Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout

Fish Brewery Leviathan (Olympia, WA) - a barleywine of truly large proportions!

[Summer]

For me certainly the most interesting beer I tasted last year would be Samichlaus from Switzerland. It is the stronges lager in the World (alc. content 14%). It had really strong bittersweet taste, for me it tasted like soysauce (don't hit me on the head:eek: ). Noooot my kind of beer. Too much alcohol in my opinion. And too much flavour (I never thought that I'd say that about beer...) But here is more professional opinion of it: http://www.beerhunter.com/documents/19133-000100.html

J

[wortchillergoal]

I now have one more for my list. I just tried Middle Ages Wailing Wench. It is their version of an Imperial IPA. It is one fine beer.

[GunNut76]

The best beer I tasted this year...my 3rd batch of HB

The worst...my first and second!:D (along the lines of a Mr. Beer)

[Beaver]

Probably Anchor's OSA 2003 and Bell's Batch 6000 for me. Both are very interesting beers!

[SoxyinMO]

Mine would have to be a semi-local from Flat Branch in Columbia. It was their Katy Trail Pale Ale. I could have downed a growler without batting an eye. Oh, er, I did down a growler without batting an eye ;)

[My spelling still seems to be affected]

[chazwicke]

Coniston Bluebird, Woodfordes Wherry

[paul84043]

I tried alot of beers this past year and the one that stands out in my mind as the strangest (not necessarily the biggest) was Arrogant Bastard's Smoked Porter.
It's like someone put a smoked turkey right in the fermenter. It doesn't sound very good and I really didn't expect to like it, but it was fantastic.

[fretlessman71]

Three floyds Dreadnaught Imperial IPA and Rogue Imperial Stout. Meals unto themselves! :)

[chazwicke]

Originally posted by paul84043
I tried alot of beers this past year and the one that stands out in my mind as the strangest (not necessarily the biggest) was Arrogant Bastard's Smoked Porter.
It's like someone put a smoked turkey right in the fermenter. It doesn't sound very good and I really didn't expect to like it, but it was fantastic.

Stone makes such "big" beers I can only imagine how they would do with a smoked beer. Rauch is one of my favorite styles.

[newportstorm]

Originally posted by chazwicke
Stone makes such "big" beers I can only imagine how they would do with a smoked beer. Rauch is one of my favorite styles.

I actually find the Stone Smoked Porter to be rather mild and approachable for newbies to the rauchbier realm. Maybe the darker, chocolatey aspect of the Porter helps soften the smoked aspect of the brew. Nothing like a Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Marzen or Urbock.

I'm always looking for new smoked beers. I was disappointed with my only bottle of Heavyweight Cinderbock. Samuel Adams brewed a small batch for BeerAdvocate.com's Extreme Beer Fest this weekend. I hope to get my fill of that. Rogue, supposedly, will also have a smoked beer at the fest.

Cheers!

[hopjack13]

stones smoked porter is pretty subtle not a huge beer.
very tasty imo and is one of my wifes faves, you can usually find one or two or eight in my beer fridge!

[chazwicke]

Originally posted by newportstorm
I actually find the Stone Smoked Porter to be rather mild and approachable for newbies to the rauchbier realm. Maybe the darker, chocolatey aspect of the Porter helps soften the smoked aspect of the brew. Nothing like a Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Marzen or Urbock.

I'm always looking for new smoked beers. I was disappointed with my only bottle of Heavyweight Cinderbock. Samuel Adams brewed a small batch for BeerAdvocate.com's Extreme Beer Fest this weekend. I hope to get my fill of that. Rogue, supposedly, will also have a smoked beer at the fest.

Cheers!

I am a big fan of all three Schlenkerlas. I enjoyed the Weizen they came out with last year as well as the Maerzen and Urbock. The BA fest sounds like it will be great. Especially with those two Rauchs being available. Let us know how they are.

[paul84043]

I had several Stone styles sent to me at the same time, and I have to agree, the Smoked Porter is very approachable (Especially for an Arrogant!) and I would have to say, one hell of a good beer. I found myself wishing I had "ordered" more of it.

Unfortunately, I cannot get ANY Stone beer in Utah.

[Beaver]

I was pretty disappointed with the Stone Smoked Porter. Not much smokiness at all in the taste or smell, and too much bitterness in the taste.

[hopjack13]

Originally posted by Beaver
I was pretty disappointed with the Stone Smoked Porter. Not much smokiness at all in the taste or smell, and too much bitterness in the taste.


BLASPHEMY, SACRLEGE ! GET THE BEHIND ME SATAN!!:p