Re-draft or Re-Draught?

Grudingly, I’m willing to submit a list of brews you all should sample. I’m hoping you can find a few of these in that god forsaken place that the civilized world refers to as Fly-over country.

I’ll sort these by brewery.

Bear Republic:
Hop Rod Rye – a great Rye, nice and spicy. Perfect with a well grilled Ribeye.
Racer 5 IPA – I can drink a lot of this stuff

Lagunitas:
Imperial Stout – 9.9% ABV kicks your ass
Wilco Tango Foxtrot – Love the name, nice American Strong Ale, lots of flavor

Russian River:
Pliny the Elder and Pliny the Younger – Sometimes hard to fine, but worth the effort. One is enough, drink responsibly.
Damnation Belgian – the Belgian yeast goes a long way

Ommegang:
Hennepin Farmhouse Saison – Sip it and enjoy
Abbey Ale – the best of the Abbey style ales

If you’re lucky enough to find your self in San Diego, look these ones up – Lost Abbey Devotion Belgian blonde Ale and Hess Ex Umbris Imperial Stout. Very small brewers with very good beer.

Landshark Lager

Harp Lager

Coors Original

Michelob ShockTop

Bud Light

Michelob Golden Light

Special Export Light

MGD

Widmer Brothers’ Hefeweizen

Negro Modelo Especial

(Yes, I know these picks aren’t sexy, nor very expensive. But I prefer my beers cold and gold. I’m not big on hoppy stuff, and I tolerate malty stuff but don’t love it).

1. Stone Brewing Ruination
2. Three Floyd’s Dreadnaught
3. Firestone Walker Double Jack
4. Lagunitas Czech-Style Pils
5. Half Acre Over Ale
6. Half Acre Daisy Cutter
7. Bell’s Two-Hearted Ale
8. Bell’s Hopslam (duh)
9. Bell’s Oberon
10. Boulevard Unfiltered Wheat

1. Left Hand’s Milk Stout
2. Bell’s Two Hearted Ale
3. Three Floyd’s Gumballhead
4. Sierra Nevada IPA
5. Lafayette Brewing Company’s Oatmeal Stout
6. Bell’s Oberon
7. Red Hook’s Longhammer IPA
8. Upland Wheat
9. Yuengling Lager
10. Pabst Blue Ribbon

Yuengling Black ‘n Tan
Yuengling Lord Chesterfield
Shiner Bock
Shiner Black
Flying Dog Doggie Style Pale Ale
Breckenridge Vanilla Porter
Church Brew Works’ Belgian Strong Ale
Magic Hat Circus Boy
Dixie Blackened Voodoo Lager
Wild Blue Blueberry Lager

But my most recent loves have been from Belgium, Canada, and the UK. Unibroue, Belhaven, and Trappist styles.

1. Ommegang Abbey Ale

2. Pliny The Younger – Russian River Brewing Company

3. Pliny the Elder – Russian River Brewing Company

4. Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout

5. AleSmith Speedway Stout

6. Veritas 009 – The Lost Abbey Brewery

7. Abacus – Firestone Walker Brewing Company

8. Cable Car Ale – The Lost Abbey Brewery

9. Yuengling Traditional Lager

10. Fancy Lawnmower Beer – St. Arnold Brewery

Bonus

11. Pryor’s Priors Everybody Does It Tattoo Me Ale – Tressel and Kniffin Brewery

Here goes….

Dogfish Head – Raison D’etre. How many beer adjuncts can you cram into 1 brew and still be able to tolerate it? Quite simply a fantastic brew from one of my favorite brewers!

Bell’s Oberon – What would a summer be without a pitcher of this K-zoo brew at Dominic’s?

Shipyard’s Pumpkin Ale – I think I literally drink about 3 cases of this stuff in the fall watching Michigan football. Of course, I’m in south Florida, and the closest we get to fall colors is leaving a dead palm frond on the coconut tree.

Sam Adam’s Cherry Wheat – Stickin’ with the fruit here. Very few wheat beers can deliver a subtle (read – no sour mash) cherry flavor without ruining the beer. Love this stuff, and the cherries I believe are from Michigan.

Rogue’s Double Dead Guy – I reserve this wonderful ale for the first beer at noon prior to a 3:30 game time. Why not the more available single Dead Guy? Because in this case double is more than 1+1

Dogfish Head Burton Baton – Okay, this is the rarer of the group mostly b/c it’s only brewed occasionally. A mix of two traditional beers (one hopped out badass, and a traditional English bitter), this is absolutely one of the finest beers in the high ABV category that you could drink a mini-keg of without a problem. That is of course, until you fell off the barstool. Then you need someone to pour it in your gullet.

Oskar Brewery’s Ten-FIDY Stout – This is not your father’s Guinness. No bottling by this CO brewery, just good old aluminum cans to stop those evil UV rays from destroying your cold tasty beverage.

Pete’s Wicked Ale – It’s been awhile since I’ve had this as I can’t get it where I live, but this was my staple at UofM. Just an easy drinkin’, wonderful ale.

Anchor Steam – Again, another staple of my refrigerator. Love this easy drinkin’ brew.

Great Lakes Brewing Company’s Christmas Ale – One I can only get up North, but oh how I love the complexity of this brew. Not sure if the label influences me, but it does remind me of cold Michigan wintery days.

Too bad we can’t include anything from across the pond – but if you want to treat yourself to a magical brew → Young’s Double Chocolate Stout is the best representation I’ve had of how to get a chocolate flavor in a stout without sweetening up the stout or making you feel like you are a woman when you drink it.

Great. Now I’m thirsty!

That way I can put it in the top right Box for highest rec’d posts and it’s easy to access going forward.

Like SlingStone, my love of european booze is a tad bit of a hinderance here. Still, there are plenty of tasty malty, hoppy, domestic treats to choose from.

New Holland Brewery’s Mad Hatter IPA
Bell’s Two Hearted Ale
Half Acre Daisy Cutter
Capital Brewery Tet Doppelbock
Capital Brewery Blonde Doppelbock (yes, I’m claiming two doppelbocks. And no, I can’t live without them.)
Great Lakes Oktoberfest
Omegang BPA
New Belgium Fat Tire
Three Floyds Gumball Head
Great Lakes’ Christmas Ale

As a separate, I love the Sam Adams and Leinenkugel Oktoberfest are great as well. Would also throw in the Goose Island Green Line as an additional.

but I’m bored, so here are my top ten. Numbers one and two are the frontrunners, whereas the rest just sorta mishmash together and could take any of the 3-10 spots depending on how I’m feeling on any given day.

1. Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA – Try to beat it. You can’t.
2. Abita Andygator – A light yet high-gravity pilsner that comes in a 22oz bottle. Many an odd night in New Orleans have started with Andygator.
3. Sam Adams Noble Pils – Hoppy but not too bitingly bitter.
4. Abita Amber – Probably the most well recognized beer produced in the dirty dirty.
5. Session Lager – Sharp lager that has a very traditional taste.
6. Lazy Magnolia Southern Pecan – I had to educate y’all on Lazy Mag. This stuff is brewed in a tiny town on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and has developed a bit of a cult following in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. It’s a unique brown ale which has a bit of a nutty flavor and aroma. It might be a bit on the sweet side for some, but if only having a beer or two with a meal, it’s a good choice. It’s not something to get drunk off of. They don’t distribute it any further north than Memphis, and they don’t plan on changing that anytime soon.
7. Ommegang Abby Ale – Fantastic.
8. Bell’s Oberon – Also fantastic.
9. Great Lakes Lake Erie Monster – Hoppy and sweet. Great to accompany red meat. Drinks more like a wine than a beer.
10. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale – A classic.

There are like a gajillion others that I could include because I am sorta obsessed with craft brewed American beers. After living in Germany and having Germans tell me that our beer is shit (even though they’ve never set foot in the States), I made it my personal mission to discover as much about American beer as I can. What I learned was that the variety and regional variation we have here is as diverse as anywhere in the world, if not more so, and our craft brews are entirely to thank for that.

I’ll go ahead and nominate the casual Abita Strawberry Harvest Lager during these sweltering summer months for the win.

My regards.

1. Four Peaks 8th Street Ale: This is a tiny brewery in Tempe, Arizona and boy does this beer rock.
2. Magic Hat #9: Being from Vermont, I think this beer is amazing. I flew out a case in my suitcase last summer because they don’t sell it west of Texas yet.
3. Bell’s Oberon: I’ve seen some love for this beer so far and it’s well deserved. Very drinkable, a good quality beer whether you’re poolside or in a tavern.
4. Left Hand Sawtooth Ale: For some reason I like this beer, but it’s hit or miss. I’m not sure the brewery has the flavor on lockdown yet.

That’s all for now.

Cigar City Brewery Jai Alai IPA.

If you can find the White Oak version even better.

/begins working extra feverishly to carve out decent time for a response this afternoon.

Lot’s of good ones mentioned above but these are local (to me) beers I like:

Thirsty Goat Amber-Thirsty Planet Brewin Co. Austin, TX
Fireman’s 4 – Real Ale Blanco, TX
Stash IPA-Independence Brewing Co. Austin, TX
512 Pecan Porter-512 Brewing Co. Austin, TX
Live Oak Pilz- Live Oak Brewing Co. Austin, TX

1.) Great Lakes Brewing Co. (OHIO) – Edmond Fitzgerald
2.) Breckenridge (COLORADO) – Vanilla Porter
3.) Bells (MICHIGAN) – Amber
4.) Upland (INDIANA) – Wheat
5.) Bells (MICHIGAN) – Oberon
6.) Goose Island (ILLINOIS) – 312
7.) Great Lakes Brewing Co. (OHIO) – Burning River (also a nice history reference to the polluted rivers of Ohio!)
8.) Flying Dog (MARYLAND) – Gonzo Imperial Porter (Very Potent stuff, but good none the less!)
9.) Leinenkugel (WISCONSIN) – Summer Shandy/Sunset Wheat (I have to be in a certain mood for these… especially good after a long days work on Hot Summer Days!)
10.) Great Lakes (OHIO) – Oktoberfest (I tend to like all Oktoberfest beers, but this is my favorite… other than the German breweries, of course!)

Really, I like anything from Great Lakes, Bells, and Breckenridge… All three make a variety of delicious brews. I also went through a Leinies phase… But I think I finally grew out of it (except for on hot days!)

But here are my 10.

Breckenridge Brewery Avalanche Ale
Alaskan Brewking Co. Amber – It kills me the closest place I can get this is Denver
Key West Sunset Ale
Kona Brewing Co. Lavaman Red
Waimea Brewing Co. Canefire Red – Very hard to find, only sold at the Westernmost Brewpub in the world, but incredible.
Sam Adams Oktoberfest
Shipyard Brewing Pumpkin
Yuengling Lager
Upland Brewing Co. Rad Red
Kona Brewing Co. Fire Rock pale

Don’t know how available some of these are, but up here in great state of Washington, we get some of the best beer in the country in our state. Some of these are from Seattle, but most are from the Portland area. It’s pretty much the only thing Oregon does better than us. Well, except for play college football. But whatever.

- Rogue Dead Guy Ale
- Pike Brewing Scotch style Pike Kilt Lifter Ruby Ale
- Ninkasi Total Domination IPA
- Ninkasi Tricerahops Double IPA (I haven’t actually had this yet, but so many of our readers have recommended it, that I put it on the list anyway)
- MacTarnahan’s Amber Ale
- Widmer Hefeweisen
- Widmer Drop Top Amber Ale

For seasonals, pretty much nobody beats Deschutes in my book. All are excellent.
- Red Chair Northwest Pale Ale
- Twilight Summer Ale
- Jubelale

That’s off the top of my head. I’ll try and send some of my readers over for more.

Official beer-talk thread! Sorry guys, I’m going to have a tough time compiling the list as is, keeping the thread clear of divergent topics will be hugely helpful…(sigh) I’m such a dad.

Yuengling Porter
Yuengling Lord Chesterfield Ale
Porter and Chesterfield in the same glass
Victory Hop Devil IPA
Stoudt’s Oktoberfest
Bell’s Cherry Stout
Celis Raspberry Wheat
Saranac Pilsner
Saranac Black Forest
Gordon Biersch Märzen
…and an alternate in case the mixing is disallowed: Avery’s The Beast

1) Sam Adams Oktoberfest
2) Pyramid Hefeweisen
3) Widmer Hefeweisen
4) Widmer Drop Top Amber Ale
5) Alaskan Amber
6) Goose Island Honker’s Ale
7) Mack & Jack’s African Amber
8) Deschutes Obsidian Stout
9) New Belgium Abbey Ale
10) Blue Moon Harvest Pumpkin Ale

As I’m only a little beer snobby I often can’t remember the names of the “really good” beers I’ve had the last few years, but these 10 are what I usually get if I see them on tap.

Leinenkugel’s Creamy Dark. It’s awfully good for something you can usually pick up (here) for $6.99 a sixer, and isn’t nearly as heavy as going DOUBLE CHOCOLATE IMPERIAL OATMEAL all the time.

From the Omaha/Lincoln area:

Empyrean Ale’s Vanilla Porter; not nearly as vanilla-y as Breckenridges, but has enough of a touch that you taste it.
Empyrean Ale’s Burning Skye Scottish Ale. Oh, heavens, is this good. It’s got a lovely smoked aftertaste that I can bore people with like scotch drinkers do when they start talking about peat.

From farther west, but highly available:

Big Sky Brewing’s Moose Drool Brown Ale – all the flavor of a Guinness without the weight.

Leinenkugal’s Sunset Wheat – It is like nectar from the teet.
Hanger 24 Orange Wheat - Southern California micro-brewery that is spreading. It is making its way up the coast. Good stuff.
http://www.hangar24brewery.com/

Another Washingtonian here, so these might not be easy to find unless you find yourself in the PNW:

1)Diamond Knot IPA (Mukilteo, WA)
2) Diamond Knot Industrial IPA (Mukilteo, WA)
3) Maritime Pacific Jolly Roger (Ballard, WA)
4) Mac n Jacks African Amber (Redmond, WA)
5) Manny’s (Seattle, WA)

That’s not necessarily a bad thing, as Bells, Great Lakes, and Founders are three of the most notable craft brews in America, but so many craft beers are only available regionally.

If RCR were hosting this, the responses would heavily favor Abita, Sweetwater, Lazy Magnolia, Diamond Bear, and others. If this were hosted by, say, Testudo Times you’d see Dogfish Head, DC Brau, Flying Dog, and others. If this were hosted by CougCenter, just because I see Jeff right above this comment, there’d be a lot of Oregon and Washington beers represented. And so forth.

I think this is an awesome idea, and you should totally run with it, but keep in mind the distinct regional flare many American breweries possess.

Imperial Stout – Mendocino Brewing – Robust malty flavor, creamy
Grizzly Ale – Snowshoe Brewing – Slighlty hoppy and semi-creamy dark ale
Velvet Merlin Oatmeal Stout – Firestone Walker – Creamy choclatey coffee flavor, slightly sweet

Various Varities – Costco Beer (Brewed by Gordon Biersch in the west); it’s cheap and if your not a fan of big brew American Lager, check it out. $17/case (24).

1 Shiner Hefeweizen – Much love for the Bock, but I’d give this a higher ‘drinkability’
2 Shiner Smokehouse (Specialty, Mesquite flavor)- My wife put it best, “It tastes like Texas”
3 Upland Wheat Ale – good enough to make me overlook the word “Bloomington” on the label
4 New Belgium Fat Tire (Amber Ale) – A nice beer to pair with a good meal
5 Bell’s Oberon Ale – It’s not summer in Michigan without Oberon. Always worth the wait.
6 Blue Moon Belgian White Ale – Always a good stand-by, always with a slice of orange
7 Lafayette Brewing Company Star City Lager – Boiler UP!

Diamond Bear (Little Rock, AR) IPA, Pale Ale, and Southern Blonde are outstanding.

New Belgium and Boulevard will get my vote every time also.

I’m kidding guys, take it easy.

I’m not as learned in the ways of the brew as many of you, but my leaders are – not necessarily in order:

1) Yuengling Traditional Lager - Maybe the best all around beer I’ve had
2) Lazy Magnolia Southern Pecan - As described by Ghost above, you don’t want to get drunk off of it due to the sweetness, but damn is it good.
3) Sam Adams Winter Lager - Nice and rich, and winter is my favorite season
4) Budweiser – Shut up. I like it.
5) Blue Moon Summer Honey Wheat - Great stuff
6) Abita Amber - Delicious
7) Lazy Magnolia Reb Ale - Another beer by the Lazy Magnolia brewery down in Mississippi. It’s really rich and full of flavor.

That’s all I got. Great topic. Now I’m thirsty.

That being said, I really have enjoyed Goose Island’s Matilda. I’m not proud of this, but MGD 64 if I just want something light to toss back.
That being said, I was in Milwaukee and just picked up some Dale’s Pale Ale from Oskar blues which might be my new favorite. Distribution is obviously the problem there. And speaking of distribution, I also really enjoyed Matacabras from Dave’s Brew Farm.
DAMN YOU excellent microbrews who don’t have distribution yet!

Rogue – Double Dead Guy
Rogue – John John
Rogue – Morimoto Imperial Pilsner
Ninkiasi – Tricerahops Double IPA
Alameda – Black Bear XX Stout
Deschutes – Black Butte Porter
Pelican – India Pelican Ale
Full Sail – Black Gold Imperial Stout
Hopworks Urban – Ace Of Spades
Mac and Jacks – African Amber
Chimay – Première (Red)

1. shorts (bellaire). the bellaire brown, nicey spicey, or pandimonium pale ale are good starters
2. right brain brewery (traverse city). literally anything here. menu changes.
3. great lake brewing company (ohio) i love their commodore perry.
4. goose island (illinois) green line ale
5. Half acre (illinois) pretty much everything from them is good. daisy cutter is a good start.
6. Three Floyds (indiana) alpha king
7. Bells (kalamazoo) best brown or oarsman ale
8. Dark Horse Brewery (Marshall) the crooked tree or amber ale
9. Founders Brewery (grand rapids) Dirty Bastard scotch ale
10. MIchigan Brewing Company (webberville) The nutbrown and mackinaw pale ale are both good.

The availability criteria is going to be thrown to the wind, at least, for a couple of these:

Bear Republic — Hop Rod Rye
Deschutes — Black Butte Porter
Dogfish Head — Punkin’ Ale
Lagunitas — IPA
Lost Abbey — Judgment Day
Russian River — Pliny the Elder
Stone — Imperial Russian Stout
Stone — Oaked Arrogant Bastard

And to finish off with the selections without any regard to availability:
Russian River — Deification
Moonlight Brewing — Death and Taxes (black lager that is keg-only, and sadly impossible to find outside of Nor Cal). For whoever was asking up thread, their Reality Czech is great, but even harder to find than D&T.

Tuba Charlie’s Allegro Abbey Ale- This may not fare well in a draft since I don’t think it’s available outside of the “Traveler’s Club International Restaurant and Tuba Museum” in Okemos so few have probably had it, but I found it outstanding. Next time you’re in East Lansing, head down the road and check out this bizarre place for good food and several crafts on tap (and hundreds of other beers in bottle).

Leinenkugel Sunset Wheat- I recently got the summer sampler pack, and by far this beer was my favorite.

Bell’s Oberon Ale- The ubiquitous beer of Michigan summers. Tasty and refreshing.

Shiner Bock- Had my first a few weeks ago and I’d have to say I’d definitely drink it again.

Blue Moon- A Belgian style wtibier, it is definitely a favorite, though it does take second place in the summer because of Oberon

New Holland Dragon’s Milk: One of my favorite beers, though it’s been a while since I’ve had one and admittedly I was new to beer when I first tried it

I have to admit, there’s a lot of foreign brews I’d like to put on here. One that I found interesting was Well’s Banana Bread Beer.

I forgot to mention this to you earlier, but a buddy of mine runs a craft beer review website, the greatest beer of all time. Knowing your love and knowledge of beer, I thought you might find some useful information.

In absolutely no particular order
Troegs Hop Back recently was able to sample from a very fresh dry hopped firkin maybe the best tasting draught I have ever had. Have a Troegs Pale Ale firkin coming up next week. I like most of Troegs offerings
Bell’s Two hearted ale mmmmm great draught beer
Founder’s centennial IPA
Lancaster Rumspringa
Stoudt’s Red’s Rye and many more of Stoudt’s beers
Dogfish Head 90 min IPA, if I could afford it more often it would always be at the house. I buy growlers of it at my local tap room to soothe the craving
Stone IPA and Arrogant Bastard
Atwater’s Vanilla Java Porter best coffee beer I have ever had
My cheap stand by beer always at the house Wolter’s Pilsner, Munich brewed pilsner under $21 a case
Favorite Belgian is Duvel, could drink this all the time but again, cost is a drawback.
Best Can Beer, Sly Fox 119 IPA

Anywho…

Deschutes Black Butte Porter
Deschutes Mirror Pond Pale Ale
Full Sail Session Lager
Pelican Kiwanda Cream Ale
Rogue Shakespeare Stout
Rogue Dead Guy Ale
Ninkasi Total Domination IPA
Double Mountain Vaporizer
Hair of the Dog Fred
Hair of the Dog Doggie Claws

1. Leinenkugel’s Sunset Wheat…the rest is just window dressing
2. Leinenkugel Honey Weiss
3. Schlafley Pale Ale
4. Shock Top by AB
5. Blue Moon
6. Fat Tire
7. Schlafley Hefeweizen
8. Sam Adams Boston Lager
9. Sam Adams Winter Lager
10. Leinenkugels Summer Shandy

Since some of my CA brethren have been giving some great CA brews, I’ll throw in one I haven’t seen yet. After transplanting myself from California to the awesome mugginess of northern VA, I had to get used to new regional beers….and having to buy hard liquor at different stores than beer. That said, I have become a huge fan of the Starr Hill’s Northern Lights IPA out of Charlottesville, VA. Their “Lucy” a spiced golden ale is pretty nice as well.

I’ll give it a whirl. My top 10 go-to beers (that are from the US, AFAIK widely available, and not too expensive):

New Belgium 1554
Big Sky Moose Drool
Bell’s Oberon Ale
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
Sam Adams Boston Lager
Shiner Bock
Pete’s Wicked Ale
Goose Island Honker’s Ale
Sam Adams Oktoberfest
Rogue Dead Guy Ale

It has a fucking Blue Ribbon on it.
Any of these other beers win a Blue Ribbon?
Check-and-Mate.

Besides below average to frankly bad football (yes, I realize the hypocrisy coming from a U.C.L.A. guy…), the state of Colorado also offers some incredible craft beer.

90 Shilling – Odell Brewing Co
5 Barrell – Odell Brewing Co
Hazed ’n Infused – Boulder Beer Co
Avalanche Ale – Breckenridge Brewery
Sunshine Wheat – New Belgium Brewing

and my other favorites…

Alaskan Amber Ale
Alaskan Smoked Porter
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
Sam Adams Oktoberfest
Sam Adams Noble Pils
  
I saw the debate above whether Sam qualifies as a craft. Since my kegerator is currently armed with the Boston Lager, I will stick with my loyalties.

And as an aside, if anyone ever makes it out to Denver for the Great American Beer Fest (4 amazing individual words, yet proof that the whole is indeed greater than the sum of the parts) look me up.

Coors In case a banquet breaks out, this is what you need.

Sam Adams Octoberfest I hate their commercials so much, but they have good stuff.

Sam Adams Summer Ale Love the wheat stuff.

Michelob Amber Bock I have found memories of downing pitchers of this stuff from college. Pretty good for the price.

Pyramid Hefeweizen Wheat makes good beer.

Capital Brewery Munich Dark It looks like it might be called Capital Dark now though. It’s been a while, but you have to respect the Rheinheitsgebot.

Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barleywine Gotta have one super-strong one on here.

Turoni’s Thunderbolt Red Ale Availability is limited to three restaurants, but I love some Altbier.

Lafayette Brewing Company Black Angus Oatmeal Stout

Lafayette Brewing Company Marley’s Very Special Old Porter Aged in bourbon barrels. Pretty smooth for a fairly high alcohol content. Fails the availability test, but it’s too good not to have on my list.

In no particular order:
Bruery Tradewinds Tripel
Strand 24th Street Pale
Brouwerij West 9 Tripel
Stone Imperial Stout

Breweries:
Hangar 24
Green Flash Brewing
Stone Brewing
Firestone Walker Brewing
Port Brewing / Lost Abbey
Ballast Point Brewing
Alesmith Brewing
The Bruery

And as an inside joke to anyone living in the LA area; If you haven’t tried the Red Fire Hydrant Ale at Father’s Office, you’re just not living life.

I tend to be on the malty and/or fruity (hey-yo!) side of things, so no IPA’s on this list:

Breckenridge Vanilla Porter. So good, if you’re into vanilla. I tried to make something similar, with some Jack Daniel’s added to the fermenter. Wasn’t too shabby.

Blue Point Toasted Lager. Has become one of my favorites, even though there’s very little distinctive about it. Just a really smooth, flavorful beer’s beer.

Victory Whirlwind Wit. I’m a wheat beer guy for sure, and this is probably the best I’ve had of that style. Like drinking a cloud. Their Yakima Glory and Summer Love (which is as hoppy as I’ll get) are also fantastic.

Sly Fox Incubus tripel. Only comes in 750ml bottles, and one of those enough to do just about any job. They also make a quadrupel, Ichor, which is just a slight notch below for me.

He’Brew Rejewvinator. Billed as a half doppelbock, half dubbel. On tap at a local bar, and delicious.

But here is a favorite Wisky beer of mine, Spotted Cow by new Glarus Brewing Co. http://www.newglarusbrewing.com/beers.cfm?BeerID=7

Sadly, it turns out my #1 all time favorite, the Aventinus Wheat DoppleBock, is a German brew by Schneider Weisse, http://www.schneider-weisse.de/index.php?lang=en&tpl=brauerei.spezialitaeten.aven&sid=72721360335821855260336054054727

Discovered it originally at the Red Coat on WW in Royal Oak

Paulaner Oktoberfest Marzen
Weihenstephaner Weiss Beer
Avery 16th Anniversary Saison
Bells Oberon
O’Dell’s 5 Barrel Pale Ale

Beer – bringing Spartans and Wolverines together since 1837

Old Rasputin Imperial Stout
Bell’s Oberon
Flying Dog Snake Dog IPA
Sam Adams Summer Ale
Landshark Lager
Long Trail Double Bag
Magic Hat Vinyl
Yuengling Lager
Left Hand Milk Stout
River Horse Hop Hazard

1. St. Arnold’s Fancy lawnmower/ Weedwacker
2. Abita harvest Lager
3.LONESTAR
4. Boulevard Unfiltered Wheat
5. Real Ale Rio Blanco
6. Deschutes Twilight
7. Breckenridge Hefe Proper
8. Southern Star Blonde Bombshell
9. Left Hand Milk Stout
10. Shiner Dortmunder

Three Floyd’s: Alpha King
Ska: Modus Hoperandi
Surly: Furious
New Belgium: Trippel
Stone: Arrogant Bastard
Sierra Nevada: Celebration Ale
Bell’s: Two Hearted Ale
Lagunitas: IPA
Dogfish Head: 90 Minute Imperial IPA
Founder’s: Porter

Give me hops, or give me death… or a really good stout or porter would work too.

(i.e. the biggest place no one has ever heard of, along the buccolic banks of the Mississippi River between Iowa and Illinois) I have a few local brewery recommendations:

Bent River Brewing in Moline (one of the five Quad-Cities, no, that’s not a typo) probably has the best overall quality. It also has, IMO, the best single beer in the area, which is called Uncommon Stout. They also make a decent pale ale and an interesting jalapeno-infused beer. Unfortunately, Bent River only seres on premise or in growlers.

The new kid on the block, on the other hand, has a full canning operation. It is called Great River Brewing and they make a few good beers, although they can be somewhat hit or miss. One solid contributor is their Roller Dam Red (cleverly named after the red rollers on Lock and Dam 14 which is right outside the front windows of the brewery). Stay away from their Jefe Mexican Lager though.

An oldie but goody is Blue Cat Brew Pub. They make an outstanding porter, but it is seasonal. Their best “everyday on tap” beer is probably the Big Bad Dog Old English Ale. Like Bent River, Blue Cat also only serves on premise or in growlers.

Last, and somewhat least is Front Street Brewery. They have the best food out of all the brew pubs, and a great atmosphere, but their beers tend to be pretty pedestrian and conservative for my tastes. They do make a pretty tasty cherry ale that is a nice summer beer. They are in the process of also starting a canning or bottling operation at the new Quad-Cities Food Hub. Should be interesting.

Not many people know it, but Davenport (the largest of the Quads) was once a big regional brewing center, due to its very large German population. It’s nice to see some of that old tradtion coming back.

In no particular order:

Live Oak Hefeweizen
Duvel
Unibroue Trois Pistoles
Unibroue La Fin du Monde
Ommegang Three Philosophers
Westvleteren 12
DFH 120-Minute IPA
Real Ale Devil’s Backbone