What's your favorite beers of all time?

I'm on this kick for trying out new beers and thought this would be a good thread start and see what others like. I'm not talking about the typical US domestic swill here. I'll start off with some of my favorites.

Young's Double Chocolate Stout.
This is a pretty good dark beer that was in my top 3 list for a few years now until recently.

Crooked Line Oak Jacked Pumpkin Ale.
I love pumpkin anything (bread, muffins, pies, you name it) and have long looked forward to a good pumpkin ale when fall rolls around. I first discovered this a few months ago and it is one of the tastiest pumpkin ales ever made. It has a strong taste of honey to it and is aged in oak barrels. which adds to the flavor. It's truly amazing.

New Belgium Imperial Coffee Stout
I first tried this a few months ago also on the recommendation of a co-worker. I'd already developed a taste for coffee stouts, thanks to one that Sam Adams put out a couple years ago, and to another by Kona Brewing. This one makes those look like tap water.

Hoppin' Frog B.O.R.I.S. The Crusher Oatmeal Imperial Stout
This is currently my favorite. By far. No contest at all. I like oatmeal stouts (Sam Smith comes to mind) but this is a whole new level of deliciousness. It's aged in whiskey barrels, and you can taste the hint of whiskey in this beer. I HIGHLY recommend it. It has won a couple awards, and it totally deserved them.

Uinta Dubhe
This is a dark IPA brewed with hemp seed. I don't normally like bitter beers, but this one is pretty good once you get past that.

Many years ago while in Japan I drank Sapporo dark and Kirin dark, both of which had a very stout taste. Very similar to Heineken.

Wow, this could get to be a very... very... VERY long subject


In general though, I drink locally. So I have different favorites for each place I've been. Oh also the weather plays into effect..

For instance, on a cold, wet day.. I'll go for a schwarzbier, or a extra stout, on a warm day, a hefeweisen or a good pils.. etc. (hrm, I must be readying myself to be back in Germany)

Oh, and if you happen to be in a brew pub... get the sampler (every one I've been in has one, even if it's not on the menu).

Founders Backwoods Bas***rd Ale.
It's awesome.

The issue is you like English stouts so nothing I could recommend you'd like. German bocks are different than english stouts, You don't like bitter beers so you knock out many varieties of Pils and Keller biers.

Try a Tucher Wiezen if you see one. I like much of the Flying Dog line. I like Founders because I'm from West Michigan, along the same lines I like Old Peninsula and Bells if you in the neighborhood. Good beer comes in all gravities and colors don't limit yourself to the english stouts

Theakston's Old Peculiar

Reverend James

And for warm summer days: Stella Artois or San Miguel

Funny you should mention San Miguel. A great tasting tropical beer if purchased in the Philippines where it was originally brewed. I drank enough of it while in Manila. When exported, it does not have the same taste.

About fifteen years ago I got into Homebrewing and kept it up for a number of years.

The third batch I brewed was awesome, dark and rich and sweet, with a creamy head. I shared some with friends who raved about it and asked me to brew some specially for them.

Unfortunately I was never able to quite replicate it.

About fifteen years ago I got into Homebrewing and kept it up for a number of years.

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I knew some folks in NY where I grew up who used to do the same thing. My dad even experimented in our basement with various mixes and such. Some of what he brewed was pretty good - but not as good as the "White Lightning" stuff I remember buying when passing through Upstate NY many years ago. We used to call it "Apple Jack" but the kick it had was more like a jack-hammer. ;P

I quit drinking completely 7 years ago. When I did drink, it was mainly Guinness Extra Stout interspersed with Glenlivet. Of course I never had a problem "slumming it" with Hamms and Smirnoff when circumstances dictated such. Still, after years of drinking "liquid bread", everything else seemed weak.

Germany_chris said:

The issue is you like English stouts so nothing I could recommend you'd like. German bocks are different than english stouts, You don't like bitter beers so you knock out many varieties of Pils and Keller biers.

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There is no "issue". I've had a few bocks over the years and like them perfectly fine. The only one I can specifically name at the moment is Aass Bock. Aass (pronounced like "house" minus the "h", iirc) is a Norwegian brewery. About 10 years ago, I decided to look into Norwegian brews out of curiosity, being of Norwegian descent. It was very hard to come by then (I found a single place I could order it from and have shipped), and currently appears to be unavailable in the US. That's a shame because I recall liking their bock a lot and would like to try it again.

At any rate, my list was by no means comprehensive... just what was on my mind at the moment. I also intended for this thread to be a general sharing of what we all like, not just what I might like.

RavingMac said:

About fifteen years ago I got into Homebrewing and kept it up for a number of years.

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I've been telling myself for the past 15 years that I want to try homebrewing. I'm pretty sure I'd suck at it though.

lifeisabeach said:

I've been telling myself for the past 15 years that I want to try homebrewing. I'm pretty sure I'd suck at it though.

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I enjoyed it. Can be very labor intensive, and the results are HIGHLY variable with small variations in technique and ingredients.

My plan is to someday (after retirement) try it again. Gave it up before because we had gotten involved in a ministry of our church helping folks struggling with substance abuse and didn't seem to be an appropriate hobby given that.

chscag said:

When exported, it does not have the same taste.

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Exported beers never seem to taste really good. I'm starting to believe that myth about Guinness (that it tastes better the closer one is to Ireland) applies to all beers.

I have a really hard time picking a few. I'm notorious for going to a pub and picking beers on the menu that I've never heard of which happens a lot since there seems to be a few decent pubs around me that have decent selections. I usually end up liking most but some do require a bit of patience. For instance, it took me some time to "grow into" Guinness and Steam Whistle (a microbrew pilsner out of Toronto).

I will admit though that I really can't do light beers. And don't get me started on these beer/fruit hybrids...

Hoegaarden

I prefer the dark beers, so I suspect lifeisabeach and I would get along famously were we to meet up. I particularly enjoy Oatmeal Stouts but haven't had the one he mentions.

I definitely second the notion that beer is best fresh and local ... I had a Sam Adams in Boston many years ago and was QUITE AMAZED at the inferior quality of the one I had in Florida later.

Here on Vancouver Island we have a few breweries and I've grown fond of Phillips Blue Buck, an amber ale. When I can't get local or don't want one, I tend to stick to Guinness, McEwan's, and Samuel Smith choices so as not to waste money, but if there's a local dark beer around I'll take a chance on it.

I decided to make it my mission to pick up a couple bocks today. I'm drinking one now straight from Germany and I have to say this is one of the more interesting beers I've ever had. It's a... well heck if I can say the brewery name. It's a dopplebock and says "Schlenkerla Oak Smoke". And I'll be danged... it really tastes like it was smoked with oak chips.

Found it:
Aecht Schlenkerla Eiche - Brauerei Heller-Trum / Schlenkerla - Bamberg, Germany - BeerAdvocate

lifeisabeach said:

I decided to make it my mission to pick up a couple bocks today. I'm drinking one now straight from Germany and I have to say this is one of the more interesting beers I've ever had. It's a... well heck if I can say the brewery name. It's a dopplebock and says "Schlenkerla Oak Smoke". And I'll be danged... it really tastes like it was smoked with oak chips.

Found it:
Aecht Schlenkerla Eiche - Brauerei Heller-Trum / Schlenkerla - Bamberg, Germany - BeerAdvocate

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Well at least you went for Bavarian beer..

I have tried so many in the last few years, it is hard to remember. My local liquor store has a Growler Wall with 40 taps. They are all sold by the growler and by the taste. There is something new every week as the taps run out and new beers come in. I have had some great micros and imports, so many I cant keep track anymore.

However, my all time favorite is Belhaven St. Andrews out of Dunbar in Scotland. Also up at the top is Rodenbach Grand Cru.

Germany_chris said:

Well at least you went for Bavarian beer..

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Here, I just order 'pils', 'weiße', 'schwarzbier', etc.. I get whatever is poured most that way

viele Grüße aus Mainz

I thought this was about beer !
Living in " Beer " country myself, Chimay, Orval, Maredsous are a couple of my favourites.

Difficult to decide with more than 200 local beers to choose from.

Cheers ... McBie