Ten Canned Beers to Drink Now
It's been 75 years since the world saw its first beer can. Now, led by can-only breweries, we're seeing a renaissance for brews that are colder, brighter, hell, more refreshing. Here are 10 that prove that.
Dale's Pale Ale
Oskar Blues brewery tried its hand at all types of beer — a hefewiezen, a Scotch ale, a stout — but its basic brew is the best: bright and rich, not too bitter. Drink it cold or drink it just below room temperature: tastes delicious either way. And it should, since Oskar Blues has been canning all its beer since 2002 — long before the bigger craft brewers caught on.
Porkslap Pale Ale
Butternuts is an upstate New York brewery that's deep in farm country, and all their craft brews bare proof of that provenance. The best, though, is Porkslap Pale Ale, a cult favorite flavored with a spot of ginger to spice things up. It clocks in at just 4.3 percent a.b.v., though, so you may need to keep this six-pack all to yourself.
Brooklyn Lager 16 oz
Back in 1988, Brooklyn Brewery set up shop in an old matzo ball factory in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, where they taught visitors how to actually talk about hops. It took them two decades to put the stuff in a can, but it was worth waiting: it's just as good as the bottle, but comes in a 16 oz tall boy — much more efficient than 12 oz of glass.
Fat Tire Amber Ale
In Fort Collins, Colorado, the new New Belgium brewery began canning its famous ale last summer, and it was just in time. In a can, Fat Tire tastes crisper, and you start to notice things about it, like its hint of sweet caramel, that explain why it's so popular.
Harpoon IPA
Though this brew has been around since 1993, they just started canning it last month — for this summer only. Supplies are limited, so it's worth a try soon, especially if you pair it with Harpoon's recommendations: grilled hot dogs and toasted marshmallows. Summer?
CynicAle 16 oz
If you're in Minneapolis, head to any good liquor store for a four-pack of Surly Brewing Co tall boys. Surly offers all of its yearly and seasonal beers in cans, but we like the CynicAle the best. It's a Belgian beer, so it's light and crisp and perfect for summer. A note: If you're not in the Twin Cities, it's tough to find, so we suggest you start making friends from Minneapolis now
Boont Amber Ale
Anderson Valley is a little brewing company up in Boonville, California, and unlike Brooklyn Brewery, they've managed to keep their operation relatively small and charming. This spring, inspired by the environmental benefits of a lighter, more recyclable material, they started offering their Boont Amber Ale in cans. The brewery recommends serving this beer between 40 and 45 degrees, which means that, if you take it out of the refrigerator and throw it in a duffel bag, it should be just right by the time you get to the park. Try that with a bottle? No thanks.
Pabst Blue Ribbon
Because it's cheap. Because it's everywhere, because cans are easy at bars, and because that's okay. It comes in glass too, but that just looks
Simpler Times Lager
Even cheaper than the PBR, this beer from Minhas Craft Brewery clocks in at 6.2 a.b.v and is about $3 for a six-pack at your local Trader Joe's. The plus side? It tastes much better — slightly malty, with a twang of bitter hops — than the budget cans of your college past.
One to Avoid? Genesee Cream Ale
Thick but flat, bitter but creamy. It's cheap and it's nostalgic and like so many sorta disgusting things, it's a classic. So if you're going to partake in this oddly named product, first introduced in 1960, do so out of a can, for chrissakes.
Showing posts with label Top Ten Lists. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Top Ten Lists. Show all posts
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Thursday, November 3, 2011
6 Philly Dive Bars To Have A Beer In
Oscar’s
It’s a hellhole, yes, but one that’s barely changed in all the years we’ve been drinking in it. And it’s one where everybody—from the corporate honchos to the hipsters to the skateboard kids to the old men with their behinds glued to the stools—gets along. Always. 1524 Sansom Street, 215-972-9938.
McGlinchey’s
The waitstaff here is surly as hell—and sometimes that’s exactly what we want to be around. Also, it doesn’t hurt that you can smoke inside, because it makes the place feel like an actual bar rather than some fake, politically correct appletini theme park. 259 South 15th Street, 215-735-1259.
Dirty Frank’s
It’s aptly named, the bartenders are angry all the time, they don’t take credit cards, the beer list is nothing special. It’s dark and crowded with people in for a real drink, and it has dartboards. It’s the best dive bar in town. 347 South 13th Street, 215-732-5010.
The El Bar
A Fishtown favorite. We go for the drinks but love it for the Star Wars pinball machine. 1356 North Front Street, 215-634-6430.
McKenna’s Bar
Also known as the Aldine, it’s perfect as ground zero for a Mayfair bar crawl. And with the Mayfair Diner across the street, you never have to wonder where your last-call pancakes will be coming from. 7322 Frankford Avenue, 215-332-3230.
Bob & Barbara’s Lounge
A classic dive, full of PBR, problem drinkers and history. This is where the Citywide Special was invented, and the best way to drink here is to slap $3.50 on the bar, ask for one, drink it down, and repeat all night. 1509 South Street, 215-545-4511.
It’s a hellhole, yes, but one that’s barely changed in all the years we’ve been drinking in it. And it’s one where everybody—from the corporate honchos to the hipsters to the skateboard kids to the old men with their behinds glued to the stools—gets along. Always. 1524 Sansom Street, 215-972-9938.
McGlinchey’s
The waitstaff here is surly as hell—and sometimes that’s exactly what we want to be around. Also, it doesn’t hurt that you can smoke inside, because it makes the place feel like an actual bar rather than some fake, politically correct appletini theme park. 259 South 15th Street, 215-735-1259.
Dirty Frank’s
It’s aptly named, the bartenders are angry all the time, they don’t take credit cards, the beer list is nothing special. It’s dark and crowded with people in for a real drink, and it has dartboards. It’s the best dive bar in town. 347 South 13th Street, 215-732-5010.
The El Bar
A Fishtown favorite. We go for the drinks but love it for the Star Wars pinball machine. 1356 North Front Street, 215-634-6430.
McKenna’s Bar
Also known as the Aldine, it’s perfect as ground zero for a Mayfair bar crawl. And with the Mayfair Diner across the street, you never have to wonder where your last-call pancakes will be coming from. 7322 Frankford Avenue, 215-332-3230.
Bob & Barbara’s Lounge
A classic dive, full of PBR, problem drinkers and history. This is where the Citywide Special was invented, and the best way to drink here is to slap $3.50 on the bar, ask for one, drink it down, and repeat all night. 1509 South Street, 215-545-4511.
12 Bars In Philly With Great Craft Beer Selections
Silk City
There are those among us who would sooner die than drink inside Silk City, but we love sitting out in the beer garden. It’s always a friendly mix of people, and good for large groups.
Triumph Brewing Company
The brunch stout is like drinking a small fishbowl of warm French toast.
Victory Brewing Company
A serious beer drinker living too close to Victory Brewing Company’s bar is like David Duchovny living down the street from a whorehouse: fun, sure, but it’s not going to lead to anything good.
Belgian Cafe
Everyone loves the beer and mussels at Monk’s, but the Belgian has the advantage of being just as good and only half as crowded.
The Pineville Tavern
The place was built in 1742, and it still feels like if you squint just right, you can see Ben Franklin and George Washington hoisting tankards in the corner—only without all the cheesy Disney World fakeness of drinking at City Tavern.
McKenzie Brew House
A microbrewery and restaurant for Malvern beer snobs and burger-seekers.
Monk’s Cafe
Because when that bus drove through it last year, our first worry was actually the beer collection.
Sidecar
It’s mostly a hipster gathering place these days, but the beers are still great, the menu is killer.
Standard Tap
As good for draft beers on Saturday night as it is for brunch on Sunday morning. If they put out cots, some of us would just live here on the weekends.
Dock Street Brewing Company
If you’re a fan of Dock Street’s brews (and we are), you can’t get any closer to the source than this. Obviously, you’re coming for the beer, but the menu is surprisingly good, too.
Grace Tavern
With a great beer list and a full menu served till 2 a.m. (which means frites and sausages right up until last call), Grace is the neighborhood bar you wish was in your neighborhood. It might also be the only place in town that makes us excited to eat green beans.
South Philly Tap Room
Great craft beer selections at reasonable prices, that comes with a nice ambience.
Bartenders have good beer knowledge.
There are those among us who would sooner die than drink inside Silk City, but we love sitting out in the beer garden. It’s always a friendly mix of people, and good for large groups.
Triumph Brewing Company
The brunch stout is like drinking a small fishbowl of warm French toast.
Victory Brewing Company
A serious beer drinker living too close to Victory Brewing Company’s bar is like David Duchovny living down the street from a whorehouse: fun, sure, but it’s not going to lead to anything good.
Belgian Cafe
Everyone loves the beer and mussels at Monk’s, but the Belgian has the advantage of being just as good and only half as crowded.
The Pineville Tavern
The place was built in 1742, and it still feels like if you squint just right, you can see Ben Franklin and George Washington hoisting tankards in the corner—only without all the cheesy Disney World fakeness of drinking at City Tavern.
McKenzie Brew House
A microbrewery and restaurant for Malvern beer snobs and burger-seekers.
Monk’s Cafe
Because when that bus drove through it last year, our first worry was actually the beer collection.
Sidecar
It’s mostly a hipster gathering place these days, but the beers are still great, the menu is killer.
Standard Tap
As good for draft beers on Saturday night as it is for brunch on Sunday morning. If they put out cots, some of us would just live here on the weekends.
Dock Street Brewing Company
If you’re a fan of Dock Street’s brews (and we are), you can’t get any closer to the source than this. Obviously, you’re coming for the beer, but the menu is surprisingly good, too.
Grace Tavern
With a great beer list and a full menu served till 2 a.m. (which means frites and sausages right up until last call), Grace is the neighborhood bar you wish was in your neighborhood. It might also be the only place in town that makes us excited to eat green beans.
South Philly Tap Room
Great craft beer selections at reasonable prices, that comes with a nice ambience.
Bartenders have good beer knowledge.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
10 Signs You Drank Too Much
10. Your donated blood is only given to recipients over the age of 21
9. You’ve ever stepped on your own fingers
8. Your birthday is a holiday in Ireland
7. You start your mornings by picking up the phone, hitting the redial button, and apologizing to whoever answers
6. Your cab driver is making a nice second income off of the cell phones, lighters, and other things that fall out of your pockets
5. You drank so much last night you dissolved a urinal cake all by yourself
4. You know how to say, "Where are my pants?" in at least 4 languages
3. You can see your own breath - in July
2. You install shag carpet because it’s easy to hang on to
1. Your idea of "sobering up" is to switch to beer
9. You’ve ever stepped on your own fingers
8. Your birthday is a holiday in Ireland
7. You start your mornings by picking up the phone, hitting the redial button, and apologizing to whoever answers
6. Your cab driver is making a nice second income off of the cell phones, lighters, and other things that fall out of your pockets
5. You drank so much last night you dissolved a urinal cake all by yourself
4. You know how to say, "Where are my pants?" in at least 4 languages
3. You can see your own breath - in July
2. You install shag carpet because it’s easy to hang on to
1. Your idea of "sobering up" is to switch to beer
Sunday, October 16, 2011
America's Top Ten Beer States In 2011
Some states will let insults about their air quality, road conditions, beaches, cities or even accents pass without blinking an eye. Insult their beer, however, and it's go time.
Even as the Treasury Department's Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau reports that overall U.S. beer sales decreased 1% by volume last year, the number of breweries in the U.S. jumped to 1,759, according to the Brewers Association. That's the highest count since the end of the 19th century.
That number rose to 1,790 by July and doesn't include the 725 breweries in the planning stages.
According to Paul Gatza, director of the Brewers Association, that puts the majority of Americans within 10 miles of a brewery. Excluding only Tennessee, Rhode Island, Ohio, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Alaska, Illinois, Louisiana and Washington, D.C., the amount of beer being brewed in those nearby breweries only increased within the past decade, according to figures from Washington-based industry group The Beer Institute's 2010 almanac.
Just as some states are being left out of the beer bash, some companies are getting to the keg just as it kicks. Anheuser-Busch InBev(BUD) and MolsonCoors(TAP) each saw business drop 3% last year and continue a downward trend as such importers as Diageo-Guinness USA(DEO) (whose sales increased 3.9% last year) and craft brewers including Samuel Adams producer Boston Beer(SAM) (which increased sales nearly 12%) siphoned off their market share.
Sales of imported beers were up 5% on the whole last year, while craft beer led the charge with 11% growth by volume and 12% growth in revenue. Those gains only continued for hyperlocal craft beer, with a 14% jump in sales volume and 15% in their take through June, according to the Brewers Association.
That said, beer has become an increasingly local point of pride that states will defend to the bitter, hop-flavored end. But what states can most legitimately call themselves "beer states?"
We took a close look at stats provided by the Brewers Association and Beer Institute and, based on four key criteria -- production, consumption, breweries and breweries per capita -- came up with the 10 top beer states in America.
There were some tough omissions, and we're sure the inbox will be filled with a lot of hate from strong producers such as Pennsylvania (8.9 million barrels last year alone) and strong supporters such as North Dakota (whose three breweries rank dead last in the U.S., but whose nearly 30 gallons a year in per capita consumption rank third), but these 10 laid out strong arguments for their spot on the tap wall.
10. Montana- Number of breweries: 27
Capita per brewery: 36,645
Production in 2010: 971,947 barrels
Consumed per capita in 2010: 30.5 gallons
The output of Montana breweries including Big Sky, Great Northern and Bitter Root isn't all that impressive, especially considering that Mike's Hard Lemonade alone rolled out roughly 200,000 more barrels last year and D.G. Yuengling & Son more than doubled the entire state's production on its own. Yet Montana's beer production has increased 1.8% in the past decade, which ties Montana for the most brewing growth of any state in the U.S.
How Montana pours out that production and that of other states is much more awe inspiring. At 30.5 gallons of beer per year, the average Montana resident's beer consumption is second-highest in the nation, almost a full gallon ahead of third-place North Dakota and a whopping three gallons ahead of South Dakota.
Those little more than two dozen breweries may not seem like much in more established craft brew states, but it's the third-best ratio of brewers to citizens in the U.S. There are some hard winters in Big Sky Country, but there's plenty of beer to warm those cold nights.
9. Delaware- Number of breweries: 11
Capita per brewery: 81,630
Production in 2010: 735,442 barrels
Consumed per capita in 2010: 25.4 gallons
Delaware only wishes it could brew as much beer as Montana, but it has one item in its backyard Montana can't match: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery.
The Milton-based brewer produces roughly 17% of Delaware's beer and has a brewpub in Rehoboth Beach that still faithfully pours out its brews to the summer vacation crowd. Founder Sam Calagione's commitment to experimentation and forensic archeology has produced beers such as Midas Touch, based on residue found in the drinking vessels of King Midas' tomb in Turkey, and helped bring Dogfish Head to national attention through his short-lived Discovery Channel series Brew Masters.
Even Dogfish Head needs some help from other locals, including Old Dominion Brewing, Twin Lakes Brewing and Evolution Craft Brewing in quenching the average Delaware drinker's 25.4-gallons-a-year thirst for beer, which is the eighth-highest consumption rate in the nation. Fortunately for the tiny First State, Delaware's 11 breweries are enough to give it the 10th-best ratio of brewers to population in the U.S.
8. New Hampshire- Number of breweries: 16
Capita per brewery: 82,279
Production in 2010: 1.4 million barrels
Consumed per capita in 2010:32.7 gallons
The "Live Free" part of New Hampshire's "Live Free or Die" motto seems to have the state's beer drinkers covered.
That 32.7 gallons of beer consumed by the average New Hampshire resident last year is the highest level in the land, and the state gives its beer lovers a whole lot of freedom to choose when it comes to its tap selections.
Want a small brewpub? Portsmouth Brewery still keeps that "kettles in the back" aesthetic that drove the original craft boom in the '90s. Want a local craft brew, but something with a broader palate? Even the Portsmouth Brewery keeps fellow Portsmouth brewer and regional favorite Smuttynose's Old Brown Dog and Old Shoals Pale Ale on tap. If all that's just a little too local and specialized, the Craft Brewers Alliance's(HOOK) Redhook cranks out ESB, Wit and Copperhook at its large Portland-based brewing facility and brewpub while hosting special events on the brewery's sprawling grounds throughout the year.
New Hampshire has the 11th-best capita-per-brewer ratio in the U.S., but even that's not enough to keep up with both in-state demand and that of thirsty neighbors who drive over the state line to New Hampshire State Liquor Stores just to avoid the sales tax. That's why Anheuser-Busch InBev helps bulk up the total by churning out its macrobrews at the brewery in Merrimack that serves as the hub of its New England operations. If you're going to take it, you may as well dish it out.
7. Wisconsin- Number of breweries: 72
Capita per brewery: 78,986
Production in 2010: 4.8 million barrels
Consumed per capita in 2010: 26.3 gallons
The state roots on a first-place team named the Brewers, was the birthplace of iconic brands such as Pabst and is still home to not only the Miller cooling caves, museum and brewing facility, but MillerCoors' division offices. Combine that with a growing and increasingly vocal craft beer community and you have a state that's been a beer state since before the great-grandparents of University of Wisconsin freshmen were born.
Wisconsin residents drink the fifth-most beer per person in the U.S. and have the ninth-best ratio of residents per brewer in the country. Their commitment to Old World-style brewing is so great that Sprecher Brewing still adheres to the original German formulas, New Glarus brews in a facility that looks like an Alpine lodge nestled in the predominantly Swiss town of the same name and Miller still keeps Leinenkugel's "Leinie Lodge" facility intact after buying the brewer 23 years ago.
Why isn't Wisconsin ranked higher, then? Partly because of production that doesn't even crack the Top 10, but partly because of legislation passed this summer that protects Miller from A-B InBev encroachment that combines the brewer's permit and wholesale and retail licenses given out by municipalities into a single permit under state control and prohibits brewers from buying wholesale distributors. That's great for Miller, but just made life a whole lot more difficult for the more than 70 brewers in the state that aren't Miller who now have a much more difficult path to getting licenses and getting their product on shelves.
Wisconsin's total beer output grew only 0.2% during the past decade. Making life harder for most of your brewers for the sake of one doesn't seem like the best way to create growth.
6. New York- Number of breweries: 59
Capita per brewery: 328,442
Production in 2010:10.3 million barrels
Consumed per capita in 2010: 16.5 gallons
This is an easy choice to knock. Only Connecticut (16.2 gallons) and Utah (12.4) drink less beer per capita than New York does. Those two states still have a higher capita per brewery ratio than New York, which ranks ahead of only 10 other states and trails Rhode Island and South Dakota despite each of those states having only four breweries apiece.
So what's New York doing here? It comes down to two factors: outcome and potential. New York produces the fourth most beer in America, but the two states directly in front of it -- Florida with 12.7 million barrels and Texas with 19.4 million -- have even worse brewery-to-human ratios. Texas, despite having Anheuser-Busch InBev and MillerCoors facilities and a cool 431,000 barrels a year from Shiner Bock producer Spoetzl, still has less than one brewery for every 500,000 Texans.
New York, meanwhile, gets a big boost from the A-B plant in Baldwinsville and from Labatt's U.S. headquarters in Buffalo but also has a lot of help from Rochester-based North American Breweries. The holding company is based out of Genesee Brewing headquarters and still produces cans of Genny Cream Ale, but also includes Dundee Brewing, Vermont-based Magic Hat, Seattle-based Pyramid and Portland, Ore.-based MacTarnahan's in its portfolio. Collectively, the NAB brands grew 6.8%, to nearly 2.3 million barrels worth of production in 2010.
That's just the frothy head on New York's big brew, as F.X. Matt Brewery, which produces the Saranac line, contributes another 182,000 barrels and Brooklyn Brewery has nearly doubled its output from 58,000 barrels in 2006 to 108,000 last year. With smaller players like Brooklyn's Six Point and Long Island's Blue Point quickly gaining consumers and craft credibility, New York seems the most likely among the big-brewing states to slide its production up above the 0.2% growth of the past decade.
5. Washington- Number of breweries: 123
Capita per brewery: 54,671
Production in 2010: 4.15 million barrels
Consumed per capita in 2010: 19.1 gallons
Bud and Coors aren't brewed here and much of Washington doesn't seem to mind. Craft beer alone holds 25.5% of the beer market in the Seattle area, according to Beer Marketer's Insights, which is more than MillerCoors' 25.3% share and A-B's 23.8%.
That's what can happen when your state has the second-most breweries in the country and the eighth-best capita per brewery in the nation. It also helps to have some old friends such as Pyramid Breweries and Redhook Ale Brewery still calling your state home, even if their corporate masters are based elsewhere.
Perhaps the most surprising contribution comes from a brewer that few beer enthusiasts would deign to call "craft": Mike's Hard Lemonade. The Seattle-based brewer has turned its colorful, fruity malt beverages into a 1.2-million-barrel-producing beast last year after pushing out only 805,000 just four years earlier. In the geographic cradle of craft beer where no macro dares to tread, Mike's is the closest Washington comes to a big brewer.
4. Colorado- Number of breweries: 118
Capita per brewery: 42,620
Production in 2010: 3.6 million barrels
Consumed per capita in 2010: 22 gallons
While we're sure the Colorado brewing community is very proud of New Belgium Brewing and the 661,000 barrels it turned out last year, Oskar Blues and its pioneering of craft beer in cars and of other big contributors such as Avery and Great Divide, Colorado's brewing success isn't based in craft alone.
Colorado is still Coors country, and as long as Pike's Peak stays on the cans, a Miller Coors division office stays in Golden and the Colorado Rockies' stadium is still called Coors Field, it's going to stay that way. Also, as much as Fort Collins seems to love New Belgium's bike-in theater and scavenger hunts and Odell Brewing's potent concoctions, it's still home to an Anheuser-Busch plant and distributes 30 packs of macro far and wide.
Yet this is what makes a beer state: a little something for everyone. With the fourth most breweries in America and the fourth best capita per brewery in the country, Colorado has plenty of IPA and witbier for the craft collective and enough Bud and Coors Light for the Tim Tebow jersey-wearing Broncos faithful.
3. Oregon- Number of breweries: 121
Capita per brewery: 31,622
Production in 2010: 2.8 million barrels
Consumed per capita in 2010: 22.7 gallons
Oregon's beer empire is built on craft, and anyone who's found themselves amid too many brewpubs in Portland with too little time to see all of them knows it can take quite a while to explore that empire.
Deschutes Brewery is a good place to start and produces by far the most beer of any Oregon brewer -- 203,000 barrels last year alone. Full Sail has the better view from its brewpub and produced 101,000 barrels last year while staring up at Mount Hood or gazing down at the kitesurfers along the Columbia River.
The key to Oregon's success doesn't lie with Rogue Ales, BridgePort Brewing, Widmer Brothers Brewing, MacTarnahan's Taproom or even at Craft Brewers Alliance headquarters. It's in the state's variety of breweries that give it the third-most facilities in the nation and second best capita per brewery. The state's smart drinking public is matched only by its solid brewing community.
"The states that have high number of breweries or a low number of people per brewery (capita per brewery) I consider as areas where there is a high level of beer knowledge, interest in small, local companies and an entrepreneurial streak," the Brewers Association's Gatza says. "For every brewery that starts up across the country, there is a person willing to strike out on her or his own and go through all of the steps needed to get the brewery going."
2. Vermont- Number of breweries: 21
Capita per brewery: 29,797
Production in 2010: 528,469 barrels
Consumed per capita in 2010: 26.2 gallons
Vermont's a tiny state with a population of 626,000 that's only slightly larger than the city of Boston. Its brewing culture, however, is enormous.
This isn't about Vermont's output. The Craft Brewers Alliance alone produced more beer than Vermont did last year. It's about the state's love of beer and its access to it.
Vermonters drink the sixth-largest amount of beer per capita in the United States and have plenty of great options to choose from. Meanwhile, each of Vermont's 21 breweries serve a crowd smaller than the capacity of Fenway Park and give the Green Mountain state the best capita per brewery in America.
Despite NAB's purchase of Magic Hat last year, Burlington still embraces Magic Hat as one of its own and puts out nearly 160,000 barrels of it.
Windsor's Harpoon, meanwhile, produced 150,000 barrels last year between its cozy brewery in the mountains and its slightly more industrial home along Boston Harbor. Bridgewater's Long Trail Brewing is still all Vermont and produced 117,000 barrels in the state last year. Otter Creek, Rock Art and other Vermont breweries bolster the numbers a bit, but when you're pouring for such a small crowd, even out-of-state skiers and leaf peepers don't drain too much out of the keg.
"One common trait in the Top 5 states that have the fewest capita per brewery is that self-distribution is allowed under the laws of the state," Gatza says. "It is easier to open a microbrewery when you can go to retailers on your own to build sales of your beers up to a level that carrying your brands become attractive to a beer distributor".
1. California- Number of breweries: 245
Capita per brewery: 152,057
Production in 2010: 22.2 million barrels
Consumed per capita in 2010: 18.4 gallons
For beer lovers, it doesn't get any bigger than California.
Though it ranks only 21st in capita per brewery, its 245 breweries and 22.2 million barrels of production are No. 1 in the U.S. Much like Colorado, though, California has enough love for brewers big and small.
MillerCoors has a home in Irwindale, Anheuser-Busch Inbev has a brewery in Fairfield and North American Brewing's Pyramid Brewers maintain a presence here as well. California's vaunted craft brewing community is no slouch either, with Sierra Nevada taking the lead by producing 786,000 barrels in its Chico headquarters alone last year. Brewers that have been household names to craft fans for years are finding bigger followings as well, with Escondido's Stone Brewing increasing production from 49,000 barrels in 2006 to 115,000 last year and Lagunitas-based Lagunitas Brewing jumping from 39,000 to 106,000 during the same span.
But shouldn't a state with this much beer love its beer a little more? The amount of beer Californians consumed per capita last year was the seventh-lowest in the country, but California seems to have no problem pouring a few rounds while everyone else picks up the tab.
Even as the Treasury Department's Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau reports that overall U.S. beer sales decreased 1% by volume last year, the number of breweries in the U.S. jumped to 1,759, according to the Brewers Association. That's the highest count since the end of the 19th century.
That number rose to 1,790 by July and doesn't include the 725 breweries in the planning stages.
According to Paul Gatza, director of the Brewers Association, that puts the majority of Americans within 10 miles of a brewery. Excluding only Tennessee, Rhode Island, Ohio, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Alaska, Illinois, Louisiana and Washington, D.C., the amount of beer being brewed in those nearby breweries only increased within the past decade, according to figures from Washington-based industry group The Beer Institute's 2010 almanac.
Just as some states are being left out of the beer bash, some companies are getting to the keg just as it kicks. Anheuser-Busch InBev(BUD) and MolsonCoors(TAP) each saw business drop 3% last year and continue a downward trend as such importers as Diageo-Guinness USA(DEO) (whose sales increased 3.9% last year) and craft brewers including Samuel Adams producer Boston Beer(SAM) (which increased sales nearly 12%) siphoned off their market share.
Sales of imported beers were up 5% on the whole last year, while craft beer led the charge with 11% growth by volume and 12% growth in revenue. Those gains only continued for hyperlocal craft beer, with a 14% jump in sales volume and 15% in their take through June, according to the Brewers Association.
That said, beer has become an increasingly local point of pride that states will defend to the bitter, hop-flavored end. But what states can most legitimately call themselves "beer states?"
We took a close look at stats provided by the Brewers Association and Beer Institute and, based on four key criteria -- production, consumption, breweries and breweries per capita -- came up with the 10 top beer states in America.
There were some tough omissions, and we're sure the inbox will be filled with a lot of hate from strong producers such as Pennsylvania (8.9 million barrels last year alone) and strong supporters such as North Dakota (whose three breweries rank dead last in the U.S., but whose nearly 30 gallons a year in per capita consumption rank third), but these 10 laid out strong arguments for their spot on the tap wall.
10. Montana- Number of breweries: 27
Capita per brewery: 36,645
Production in 2010: 971,947 barrels
Consumed per capita in 2010: 30.5 gallons
The output of Montana breweries including Big Sky, Great Northern and Bitter Root isn't all that impressive, especially considering that Mike's Hard Lemonade alone rolled out roughly 200,000 more barrels last year and D.G. Yuengling & Son more than doubled the entire state's production on its own. Yet Montana's beer production has increased 1.8% in the past decade, which ties Montana for the most brewing growth of any state in the U.S.
How Montana pours out that production and that of other states is much more awe inspiring. At 30.5 gallons of beer per year, the average Montana resident's beer consumption is second-highest in the nation, almost a full gallon ahead of third-place North Dakota and a whopping three gallons ahead of South Dakota.
Those little more than two dozen breweries may not seem like much in more established craft brew states, but it's the third-best ratio of brewers to citizens in the U.S. There are some hard winters in Big Sky Country, but there's plenty of beer to warm those cold nights.
9. Delaware- Number of breweries: 11
Capita per brewery: 81,630
Production in 2010: 735,442 barrels
Consumed per capita in 2010: 25.4 gallons
Delaware only wishes it could brew as much beer as Montana, but it has one item in its backyard Montana can't match: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery.
The Milton-based brewer produces roughly 17% of Delaware's beer and has a brewpub in Rehoboth Beach that still faithfully pours out its brews to the summer vacation crowd. Founder Sam Calagione's commitment to experimentation and forensic archeology has produced beers such as Midas Touch, based on residue found in the drinking vessels of King Midas' tomb in Turkey, and helped bring Dogfish Head to national attention through his short-lived Discovery Channel series Brew Masters.
Even Dogfish Head needs some help from other locals, including Old Dominion Brewing, Twin Lakes Brewing and Evolution Craft Brewing in quenching the average Delaware drinker's 25.4-gallons-a-year thirst for beer, which is the eighth-highest consumption rate in the nation. Fortunately for the tiny First State, Delaware's 11 breweries are enough to give it the 10th-best ratio of brewers to population in the U.S.
8. New Hampshire- Number of breweries: 16
Capita per brewery: 82,279
Production in 2010: 1.4 million barrels
Consumed per capita in 2010:32.7 gallons
The "Live Free" part of New Hampshire's "Live Free or Die" motto seems to have the state's beer drinkers covered.
That 32.7 gallons of beer consumed by the average New Hampshire resident last year is the highest level in the land, and the state gives its beer lovers a whole lot of freedom to choose when it comes to its tap selections.
Want a small brewpub? Portsmouth Brewery still keeps that "kettles in the back" aesthetic that drove the original craft boom in the '90s. Want a local craft brew, but something with a broader palate? Even the Portsmouth Brewery keeps fellow Portsmouth brewer and regional favorite Smuttynose's Old Brown Dog and Old Shoals Pale Ale on tap. If all that's just a little too local and specialized, the Craft Brewers Alliance's(HOOK) Redhook cranks out ESB, Wit and Copperhook at its large Portland-based brewing facility and brewpub while hosting special events on the brewery's sprawling grounds throughout the year.
New Hampshire has the 11th-best capita-per-brewer ratio in the U.S., but even that's not enough to keep up with both in-state demand and that of thirsty neighbors who drive over the state line to New Hampshire State Liquor Stores just to avoid the sales tax. That's why Anheuser-Busch InBev helps bulk up the total by churning out its macrobrews at the brewery in Merrimack that serves as the hub of its New England operations. If you're going to take it, you may as well dish it out.
7. Wisconsin- Number of breweries: 72
Capita per brewery: 78,986
Production in 2010: 4.8 million barrels
Consumed per capita in 2010: 26.3 gallons
The state roots on a first-place team named the Brewers, was the birthplace of iconic brands such as Pabst and is still home to not only the Miller cooling caves, museum and brewing facility, but MillerCoors' division offices. Combine that with a growing and increasingly vocal craft beer community and you have a state that's been a beer state since before the great-grandparents of University of Wisconsin freshmen were born.
Wisconsin residents drink the fifth-most beer per person in the U.S. and have the ninth-best ratio of residents per brewer in the country. Their commitment to Old World-style brewing is so great that Sprecher Brewing still adheres to the original German formulas, New Glarus brews in a facility that looks like an Alpine lodge nestled in the predominantly Swiss town of the same name and Miller still keeps Leinenkugel's "Leinie Lodge" facility intact after buying the brewer 23 years ago.
Why isn't Wisconsin ranked higher, then? Partly because of production that doesn't even crack the Top 10, but partly because of legislation passed this summer that protects Miller from A-B InBev encroachment that combines the brewer's permit and wholesale and retail licenses given out by municipalities into a single permit under state control and prohibits brewers from buying wholesale distributors. That's great for Miller, but just made life a whole lot more difficult for the more than 70 brewers in the state that aren't Miller who now have a much more difficult path to getting licenses and getting their product on shelves.
Wisconsin's total beer output grew only 0.2% during the past decade. Making life harder for most of your brewers for the sake of one doesn't seem like the best way to create growth.
6. New York- Number of breweries: 59
Capita per brewery: 328,442
Production in 2010:10.3 million barrels
Consumed per capita in 2010: 16.5 gallons
This is an easy choice to knock. Only Connecticut (16.2 gallons) and Utah (12.4) drink less beer per capita than New York does. Those two states still have a higher capita per brewery ratio than New York, which ranks ahead of only 10 other states and trails Rhode Island and South Dakota despite each of those states having only four breweries apiece.
So what's New York doing here? It comes down to two factors: outcome and potential. New York produces the fourth most beer in America, but the two states directly in front of it -- Florida with 12.7 million barrels and Texas with 19.4 million -- have even worse brewery-to-human ratios. Texas, despite having Anheuser-Busch InBev and MillerCoors facilities and a cool 431,000 barrels a year from Shiner Bock producer Spoetzl, still has less than one brewery for every 500,000 Texans.
New York, meanwhile, gets a big boost from the A-B plant in Baldwinsville and from Labatt's U.S. headquarters in Buffalo but also has a lot of help from Rochester-based North American Breweries. The holding company is based out of Genesee Brewing headquarters and still produces cans of Genny Cream Ale, but also includes Dundee Brewing, Vermont-based Magic Hat, Seattle-based Pyramid and Portland, Ore.-based MacTarnahan's in its portfolio. Collectively, the NAB brands grew 6.8%, to nearly 2.3 million barrels worth of production in 2010.
That's just the frothy head on New York's big brew, as F.X. Matt Brewery, which produces the Saranac line, contributes another 182,000 barrels and Brooklyn Brewery has nearly doubled its output from 58,000 barrels in 2006 to 108,000 last year. With smaller players like Brooklyn's Six Point and Long Island's Blue Point quickly gaining consumers and craft credibility, New York seems the most likely among the big-brewing states to slide its production up above the 0.2% growth of the past decade.
5. Washington- Number of breweries: 123
Capita per brewery: 54,671
Production in 2010: 4.15 million barrels
Consumed per capita in 2010: 19.1 gallons
Bud and Coors aren't brewed here and much of Washington doesn't seem to mind. Craft beer alone holds 25.5% of the beer market in the Seattle area, according to Beer Marketer's Insights, which is more than MillerCoors' 25.3% share and A-B's 23.8%.
That's what can happen when your state has the second-most breweries in the country and the eighth-best capita per brewery in the nation. It also helps to have some old friends such as Pyramid Breweries and Redhook Ale Brewery still calling your state home, even if their corporate masters are based elsewhere.
Perhaps the most surprising contribution comes from a brewer that few beer enthusiasts would deign to call "craft": Mike's Hard Lemonade. The Seattle-based brewer has turned its colorful, fruity malt beverages into a 1.2-million-barrel-producing beast last year after pushing out only 805,000 just four years earlier. In the geographic cradle of craft beer where no macro dares to tread, Mike's is the closest Washington comes to a big brewer.
4. Colorado- Number of breweries: 118
Capita per brewery: 42,620
Production in 2010: 3.6 million barrels
Consumed per capita in 2010: 22 gallons
While we're sure the Colorado brewing community is very proud of New Belgium Brewing and the 661,000 barrels it turned out last year, Oskar Blues and its pioneering of craft beer in cars and of other big contributors such as Avery and Great Divide, Colorado's brewing success isn't based in craft alone.
Colorado is still Coors country, and as long as Pike's Peak stays on the cans, a Miller Coors division office stays in Golden and the Colorado Rockies' stadium is still called Coors Field, it's going to stay that way. Also, as much as Fort Collins seems to love New Belgium's bike-in theater and scavenger hunts and Odell Brewing's potent concoctions, it's still home to an Anheuser-Busch plant and distributes 30 packs of macro far and wide.
Yet this is what makes a beer state: a little something for everyone. With the fourth most breweries in America and the fourth best capita per brewery in the country, Colorado has plenty of IPA and witbier for the craft collective and enough Bud and Coors Light for the Tim Tebow jersey-wearing Broncos faithful.
3. Oregon- Number of breweries: 121
Capita per brewery: 31,622
Production in 2010: 2.8 million barrels
Consumed per capita in 2010: 22.7 gallons
Oregon's beer empire is built on craft, and anyone who's found themselves amid too many brewpubs in Portland with too little time to see all of them knows it can take quite a while to explore that empire.
Deschutes Brewery is a good place to start and produces by far the most beer of any Oregon brewer -- 203,000 barrels last year alone. Full Sail has the better view from its brewpub and produced 101,000 barrels last year while staring up at Mount Hood or gazing down at the kitesurfers along the Columbia River.
The key to Oregon's success doesn't lie with Rogue Ales, BridgePort Brewing, Widmer Brothers Brewing, MacTarnahan's Taproom or even at Craft Brewers Alliance headquarters. It's in the state's variety of breweries that give it the third-most facilities in the nation and second best capita per brewery. The state's smart drinking public is matched only by its solid brewing community.
"The states that have high number of breweries or a low number of people per brewery (capita per brewery) I consider as areas where there is a high level of beer knowledge, interest in small, local companies and an entrepreneurial streak," the Brewers Association's Gatza says. "For every brewery that starts up across the country, there is a person willing to strike out on her or his own and go through all of the steps needed to get the brewery going."
2. Vermont- Number of breweries: 21
Capita per brewery: 29,797
Production in 2010: 528,469 barrels
Consumed per capita in 2010: 26.2 gallons
Vermont's a tiny state with a population of 626,000 that's only slightly larger than the city of Boston. Its brewing culture, however, is enormous.
This isn't about Vermont's output. The Craft Brewers Alliance alone produced more beer than Vermont did last year. It's about the state's love of beer and its access to it.
Vermonters drink the sixth-largest amount of beer per capita in the United States and have plenty of great options to choose from. Meanwhile, each of Vermont's 21 breweries serve a crowd smaller than the capacity of Fenway Park and give the Green Mountain state the best capita per brewery in America.
Despite NAB's purchase of Magic Hat last year, Burlington still embraces Magic Hat as one of its own and puts out nearly 160,000 barrels of it.
Windsor's Harpoon, meanwhile, produced 150,000 barrels last year between its cozy brewery in the mountains and its slightly more industrial home along Boston Harbor. Bridgewater's Long Trail Brewing is still all Vermont and produced 117,000 barrels in the state last year. Otter Creek, Rock Art and other Vermont breweries bolster the numbers a bit, but when you're pouring for such a small crowd, even out-of-state skiers and leaf peepers don't drain too much out of the keg.
"One common trait in the Top 5 states that have the fewest capita per brewery is that self-distribution is allowed under the laws of the state," Gatza says. "It is easier to open a microbrewery when you can go to retailers on your own to build sales of your beers up to a level that carrying your brands become attractive to a beer distributor".
1. California- Number of breweries: 245
Capita per brewery: 152,057
Production in 2010: 22.2 million barrels
Consumed per capita in 2010: 18.4 gallons
For beer lovers, it doesn't get any bigger than California.
Though it ranks only 21st in capita per brewery, its 245 breweries and 22.2 million barrels of production are No. 1 in the U.S. Much like Colorado, though, California has enough love for brewers big and small.
MillerCoors has a home in Irwindale, Anheuser-Busch Inbev has a brewery in Fairfield and North American Brewing's Pyramid Brewers maintain a presence here as well. California's vaunted craft brewing community is no slouch either, with Sierra Nevada taking the lead by producing 786,000 barrels in its Chico headquarters alone last year. Brewers that have been household names to craft fans for years are finding bigger followings as well, with Escondido's Stone Brewing increasing production from 49,000 barrels in 2006 to 115,000 last year and Lagunitas-based Lagunitas Brewing jumping from 39,000 to 106,000 during the same span.
But shouldn't a state with this much beer love its beer a little more? The amount of beer Californians consumed per capita last year was the seventh-lowest in the country, but California seems to have no problem pouring a few rounds while everyone else picks up the tab.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Top Ten Oktoberfest Beers
1. Ayinger Oktoberfest Marzen-Full-bodied, flavorful March (Märzen) beer is brewed and lagered to celebrate Bavaria's famous Oktoberfest. In September and October, these rich beers fuel German beer festivals -- served in big mugs, alongside sauerkraut, roasted meats, lederhosen, and brass bands.Oktober Fest-Märzen is a full-bodied, rich lager with a malty bouquet and a hint of sweetness. Color is deep gold and the flavor is a perfect balance: malt backbone with depth & richness; complimented by perfect conditioning from long maturation; and alcohol of 5.6% by volume. Fest-Märzen is spiced with enough hops to make it snappy and thirst-quenching, but in the classic Bavarian style it's not highly bitter. And remember, Oktober Fest-Märzen is seasonal . . .so get it while you can or you may have to wait until next year.
2. Beck's Oktoberfest- This Oktoberfest by Beck's is quite a tasty devil. The only thing missing is a bit more punch on the ABV. Most Marzens are in the 6% range but this one weighs in a a scant 5%. No matter,It is such a delicious and easy to drink Oktoberfest style beer, that the lighter alcohol content will keep you going.
3. Spaten Marzen Oktoberfest- ABV 5.9%- It is amber in color, medium bodied and has an impeccable taste due to the perfect balance of roasted malt flavor and the perfect amount of hops. Spaten Oktoberfest has a rich textured palate with an underlying sweetness true to tradition. Available in the fall.
4. Flying Fish Oktoberfish- ABV: 5.5%
Style: Marzen/Oktoberfest
Trivia: According to the Flying Fish website, “Back for its ninth year, our take on this classic German style, the O’Fish uses German malts, hops and yeast. A beautiful reddish color, a savory malt profile and nice hop flavor make this Fest beer quite drinkable. OktoberFish is great with food and especially great with lederhosen.”
5. Paulaner Oktoberfest Marzen- ABV: 5.9% If there’s one thing that you should know about Paulaner, it’s the fact they brew one of the world’s very finest Oktoberfest beers. Paulaner Oktoberfest is a rich and malty brew perfect for cool fall weather. Paulaner Oktoberfest, along with other beers in this style, is a rich, smooth, clean malty brew that balances the sweet malts with a light noble hop. The brew has a hint of alcohol warmth as the beer warms, yet it does not detract from the character of the beer. In fact, it adds to the finish as the one area Paulaner Oktoberfest may be slightly weak in in the finish. If you like beers, and enjoy rich, malty brews, you’ll enjoy this beer.
6. Victory Festbier- ABV: 5.6% Malty aroma with tea and bread and nuts. Flavors start out with a very prominent toasted bread experience. There are caramel flavors as well and the nutty is nice. Rich and sweet beginning. Just enough bitter comes along to challenge that sweetness, though it was never able to completely suppress it. Smooth texture, good body and decent carbonation. This was a very enjoyable beer. Check it out when you can!
7. Hacker-Pschorr Oktoberfest- It is a traditional Bavarian Amber Oktoberfest that strictly follows the Reinheitsgebot Purity Law of 1516 and brewed with natural Spring Water, caramelized Barley, a traditional Hacker-Pschorr Yeast and noble Hallertau Hops for an alcohol content of 5.8% ABV. Hacker-Pschorr Oktoberfest is one of the best examples of a traditional Bavarian Oktoberfest created for the spirit of the season. Its amber color and bold flavors exemplify the style and enhances the feelings of old world life and tradition.
8. Avery The Kaiser Imperial Oktoberfest- An 9.3% ABV punched up version of the traditional brewed annually in August and released the following year. Like all Oktoberfest beers, The Kaiser has a big malty backbone, amber-brown color and bone-white head. It wafts like caramels, marshmallow fluff and assorted dark malts. But where The Kaiser really stands out is in the taste as it is filled with powerful candied-apple flavors, underlying hints of lime peel, subtle floral notes and a very pronounced, spicy finish. The combination of red-apple flavors and a peppery finish really makes The Kaiser a unique beer with a lot of complexity when you want it and a good old fashioned drinking beer when you don. Plus, with a manageable price tag, it’s one that you can revisit throughout the season. Its worth noting that The Kaiser does pack an obvious presence of alcohol but seeing how it has already aged a year before it hits the shelves, I think aging it further would only mute the unique pepper notes and is not worth the trade off.
9. Brooklyn Oktoberfest- ABV: 5.5% The aroma is mostly malty, yet there is an interesting floral character to it too. The flavors start out nutty with malty caramel and butter, and not too sweet. There is a very nice hop and orange citrus balancing the flavors of this beer. You will also taste some bread flavors and a hit of spicy cloves toward the end. Carbonation is pretty high, but makes for a refreshing and not heavy mouthful. Very good beer
10. Sam Adams Octoberfest- Sam Adams Octoberfest is a 5.3% ABV Märzen. Overall, not bad. Perhaps the Sam Adams Octoberfest is not the excellent Ayinger Oktoberfest (the best of the style I’ve ever tried), but its certainly good enough for me to buy again this season, or recommend to you to give a try. Pretty good, but not great
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Top Ten Fall Beers
Top Ten Fall Beers
1. Founders Breakfast Stout- Founders Brewing Company (8.30% ABV) - If you love coffee, you will love this very thick, strong autumn stout. Very dark, rich flavors of coffee and chocolate combine with a roasted malt for full, rich flavor from beginning to end. Finishes with a dry bitterness.
2. Anchors Porter- Anchor Brewing Co. (5.6% ABV)- Anchor is one of the oldest craft breweries in the US and their porter is one of the beers they've been brewing the longest. But that doesn't mean that the recipe or the beer has gotten boring or bland. Instead it pops with flavors of chocolate and coffee and delivers a wonderful richness and complexity.
3. Sierra Nevada Tumbler Autumn Ale- Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.(5.5 ABV)- As the nights grow cool, the leaves on the valley oaks begin to turn and fall. Sierra Nevada honors this yearly dance with Tumbler. To capture a smooth roasted character, the brewery uses malt within days of roasting to get it at the peak of flavor. Notes of sweet toffee and some woody pine in this ale almost remind us of pecan pie.
4. Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale- Dogfish Head Brewing Co.(7.2% ABV)-Forget about the car companies, this is the original hybrid, a cross between a Scotch Ale, an India Pale Ale, and an American Brown.Indian Brown Ale is well-hopped and malty at the same time (magical). The beer has characteristics of each style that inspired it; the color of an American Brown, the caramel notes of a Scotch Ale, and the hopping regiment of an India Pale Ale. We dry-hop the Indian Brown Ale in a similar fashion as our 60 Minute IPA and 90 Minute IPAs. This beer is brewed with Aromatic barley and organic brown sugar.
5. The Bruery Autumn Maple- The Bruery Beer Co.(10% ABV)- Skip the dessert of sweet potato pie this Thanksgiving and go straight for this dark Belgian-style ale, which is brewed with 17 pounds of yams per barrel along with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, vanilla, molasses and maple syrup. At 10% ABV, this sugary, spicy brew's the perfect nightcap to a cold autumn evening.
6. Autumn Fest- Weyerbacher Brewing Co. (5.4% ABV)- Each sip imparts a wonderful roastiness of malt on the tongue followed by a smooth, consistent finish. Wonderfully balanced with a clean, velvety, slightly fruity taste, AutumnFest is the perfect beer for the Fall- a nice transition between the lighter beers of summer and the darker, heavier winter brews. It’s a favorite of many Weyerbacher aficionados, who anticipate the end of summer with this wonderful beer.
7. New Belgium Saison Harvest Ale- New Belgium Brewing Co. (5.2% ABV)- This slightly sour ale style has been recreated by New Belgium brewery as well. NB's saison is bright and crisp with the sour bite but full of flavor and quite enjoyable. This style might not be for everyone but it is certainly worth a try.
8. Bell's Kalamazoo Stout- Bells Brewing Co. (6.0%ABV)- Among Bell's line of excellent beers is their Kalamazoo stout. It's not hard to heap praise on this beer. Within the dark depths of this stout you'll find hints of coffee, chocolate, toffee, berries, and just enough balancing bitterness to round out the package. This stout is very approachable and remains another of my favorites.
9. George Washington's Tavern Porter (Ales of the Revolution)- Yards Brewing Co. (7.0% ABV)- Rich and warming with a deep garnet hue, the molasses-based Tavern Porter™ reflects Washington's admiration of Philadelphia-style porters and follows a recipe Washington used himself, when brewing beer to satisfy his thirsty field officers.
10. New Belgium Lips Of Faith Wild Ale- New Belgium Brewing Co. (8.5% ABV)- This Belgian-style dubbel is a harvest ale brewed with Schisandra berries, an enigmatic fruit said to contain all five types of taste -- sweet, savory, salty, bitter and sour. Wild yeast give the beer an earthy funk that plays off fruity flavors of bananas and plums.
Top Ten Pumpkin Beers Brewed In The U.S.
The time is upon us now for the fall and pumpkin beer selections to come out. To help with some of your fall beer choices here is a list of the top ten pumpkin beers brewed in the United States.
1. Punkin' Ale - Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
A full-bodied brown ale with smooth hints of pumpkin and brown sugar. Perfect to warm-up with, as the season cools. Food Pairing recommendations: Turkey, roasted duck, lamb, stuffing, dessert dumplings. 7% abv. 24 ibu.
2. Imperial Pumpkin Ale- Weyerbacher Brewing Co.
Like a pyramid for a pharaoh, we set out to make a bold monument for The King of the Pumpkins! This 8.0% ABV pumpkin ale is the mother of all pumpkin ales. It is heartier, spicier, and more “caramelly” and “pumpkiny” than its faint brethren!
3. Harvest Pumpkin Ale- Boston Brewing Co.
Harvest Pumpkin Ale is brewed with over 11 pounds of real pumpkin per barrel, adding a full body and sweetness to this dark reddish amber brew. Deep roasted malts, including a smoked malt, lend a distinct roasted character while traditional pumpkin pie spices give the beer a subtle spice note.
4. Post Road Pumpkin Ale - Brooklyn Brewery
The smell had aromas of malt and spices. The taste had a full malt body, a medium hop profile, and a bit of pumpkin flavor. Also present, especially towards the aftertaste were many spices. Detected at least cinnamon and nutmeg, and perhaps some ginger as well.
5. Pumpkinhead Ale - Shipyard Brewing Co.
Butterscotch was present in the aroma and very noticeable in the taste. Some nice pumpkin is also present but in a very creamy way. Kind of a mixture of Cool Whip and pumpkin paste. Not a lot of spice is present but sweet malt is. A bit of toffee and vanilla come to mind.
6. Schlafly Pumpkin Ale - Saint Louis Brewery
A full-bodied, deep reddish amber beer made with pumpkin and butternut squash and spiced with nutmeg, clove and cinnamon. Celebrate the bounty of harvest with this rich, malty ale and invoke the season of plenty.
7. Buffalo Bill's Pumpkin Ale - Buffalo Bill's Brewery
A seasonal favorite made only in autumn, as it's brewed with fresh-roasted pumpkins, and accented with cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.
8. Blue Moon Pumpkin Ale - Coors Brewing Company
Blue Moon Pumpkin Ale is a clear amber color, well-carbonated, and produces a creamy head. The complex estery aromas are due no doubt to the yeast strain used. This medium-bodied brew offers a full mouth-feel along with an overall malty flavor with just hints of any pumpkin in its ingredient list.
9. Wild Goose Pumpkin Patch Ale - Wild Goose Brewery
Wild Goose Pumpkin Patch Ale is slow-brewed with 9 special malts, 100% British Fuggle hops, nearly 300 pounds of pumpkin, and a secret blend of spices. Deep orange and amber in color, rich malt flavors and a subtle spiciness this beer is Wildly aromatic and bold.
10. Saranac Pumpkin Ale - Matt Brewing Company
Saranac Pumpkin Ale is brewed with Pumpkin, Cinnamon, Allspice, Cloves, Ginger and Vanilla. Look for a full-body and amber color. We're sure you'll enjoy this special brew! 5.4% ABV. Malts: Maris Otter, Wheat. Hops: Cascade Hops.
1. Punkin' Ale - Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
A full-bodied brown ale with smooth hints of pumpkin and brown sugar. Perfect to warm-up with, as the season cools. Food Pairing recommendations: Turkey, roasted duck, lamb, stuffing, dessert dumplings. 7% abv. 24 ibu.
2. Imperial Pumpkin Ale- Weyerbacher Brewing Co.
Like a pyramid for a pharaoh, we set out to make a bold monument for The King of the Pumpkins! This 8.0% ABV pumpkin ale is the mother of all pumpkin ales. It is heartier, spicier, and more “caramelly” and “pumpkiny” than its faint brethren!
3. Harvest Pumpkin Ale- Boston Brewing Co.
Harvest Pumpkin Ale is brewed with over 11 pounds of real pumpkin per barrel, adding a full body and sweetness to this dark reddish amber brew. Deep roasted malts, including a smoked malt, lend a distinct roasted character while traditional pumpkin pie spices give the beer a subtle spice note.
4. Post Road Pumpkin Ale - Brooklyn Brewery
The smell had aromas of malt and spices. The taste had a full malt body, a medium hop profile, and a bit of pumpkin flavor. Also present, especially towards the aftertaste were many spices. Detected at least cinnamon and nutmeg, and perhaps some ginger as well.
5. Pumpkinhead Ale - Shipyard Brewing Co.
Butterscotch was present in the aroma and very noticeable in the taste. Some nice pumpkin is also present but in a very creamy way. Kind of a mixture of Cool Whip and pumpkin paste. Not a lot of spice is present but sweet malt is. A bit of toffee and vanilla come to mind.
6. Schlafly Pumpkin Ale - Saint Louis Brewery
A full-bodied, deep reddish amber beer made with pumpkin and butternut squash and spiced with nutmeg, clove and cinnamon. Celebrate the bounty of harvest with this rich, malty ale and invoke the season of plenty.
7. Buffalo Bill's Pumpkin Ale - Buffalo Bill's Brewery
A seasonal favorite made only in autumn, as it's brewed with fresh-roasted pumpkins, and accented with cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.
8. Blue Moon Pumpkin Ale - Coors Brewing Company
Blue Moon Pumpkin Ale is a clear amber color, well-carbonated, and produces a creamy head. The complex estery aromas are due no doubt to the yeast strain used. This medium-bodied brew offers a full mouth-feel along with an overall malty flavor with just hints of any pumpkin in its ingredient list.
9. Wild Goose Pumpkin Patch Ale - Wild Goose Brewery
Wild Goose Pumpkin Patch Ale is slow-brewed with 9 special malts, 100% British Fuggle hops, nearly 300 pounds of pumpkin, and a secret blend of spices. Deep orange and amber in color, rich malt flavors and a subtle spiciness this beer is Wildly aromatic and bold.
10. Saranac Pumpkin Ale - Matt Brewing Company
Saranac Pumpkin Ale is brewed with Pumpkin, Cinnamon, Allspice, Cloves, Ginger and Vanilla. Look for a full-body and amber color. We're sure you'll enjoy this special brew! 5.4% ABV. Malts: Maris Otter, Wheat. Hops: Cascade Hops.
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