Here we are, yet again, internet friends. The time of year where you’ve wandered over to this dark corner of the internet to skim over a few thousand words about some beers I enjoyed. Take a seat, never mind the dim flickering light bulb swaying above you. Crack whatever fermented ale you’ve been meaning to – we’re in a for a bit of a ride, as usual. So beer is, for me at least, a solid escape from the rigors of life. A cold, carbonated hug from the daily stressors we face in our vocational habitats. A small reward for when my children verbally beat the shit out of me for an hour during bedtime. A defense mechanism as the calamity and chaos of a broken world system continues to swirl. The changes we face together are becoming more apparent as these years quickly progress. This ‘blog’ has been around 10+ years. And the more things change – the more they stay the same. I still find myself longing for well-made beers from well-oiled organizations that have been around for decades (or centuries, even), or from breweries that have shown any type of consistency in pricing, overall quality, and, well, consistency. Consistency in consistency. Strive for perfection. Time is a flat circle.
So it’s no surprise that meandering your retail enviroments’ cold shelves this year has been met with slight curiosity paired with downright disgust. Ube? Butterfly pea something? What’s a thiol? (Note: I’ve learned what thiols are, thanks Jayme). And admittedly I’m in said retail environments more than others. But how many times must we (the ‘royal we’) be burned by brand x triple dry hopped cryo vole-essence double ipa? Do people really clamor for Bourbon barrel aged bakklava double brown ales? Have we come to the point where if it’s not an over-attenuated meconium-lookin pastry stout, that it isn’t interesting? I apologize for that visual. I don’t know. But I do know that I simply am not the target market for most breweries that have sprouted up in the last decade. And now, 9,000+ breweries are existing, or trying to, or will be soon. Brands continue to go out of business or be purchased by outside influences. Some of the ‘best beers’ during the early rise of craft aren’t even on shelves in beer-centric shops anymore. This isn’t news. If you’re looking for innovation, boy have you found it! $9 High Noon vodka sodas have supplanted the Caucasion Talon (that’s White Claw, wish I didn’t have to spell that out) for market dominance. Breweries have beer names that sound like they were picked at random by opening a thesaurus next to the Joy of Cooking. Hop aroma has stumbled into forest-floor-fern territory, with a esophageal burn in the swallow that could show up on the Scoville scale. I’m not angry, I’m just uninterested in overfruited, overhopped, overdone silliness thinly veiled as ‘beer’. This isn’t to say innovation is bad – we can’t be out here just promoting simple ass wheat beers. Alas, Abe Simpson, eat your heart out. Yell at that cloud. Air your grievances in the general direction of the ozone layer.
Bars are an entirely different story. The concept of the ‘beer bar’ is nearly a thing of the past at this point. So many iconic watering holes have sold, reconcepted, or just downright closed that I don’t even like thinking what the future holds. There’s just something about ordering a pint in a quaint space and supplanting your aching dogs on the foot rail. It just feels right, you know? Brewers association numbers will tell you the brewery taproom is the new king of the castle. Responsible for (insert dollar number here), (insert percentages here), (insert local economy numbers here), the neighborhood brewery is a hub for community and continuity. There’s more brands than ever to choose from in the on-premise world, so it seems fitting that so many bars are distracted by the shiny new local toy. Disregard the fact that the $200 1/6bbl’s almost hit its first birthday – it’s NEW to the area! The buzz is huge! Expansions! Extentions! I’m over here just looking for a kellerbier, in a sea of sadness and self-pity. Yes I know I’m in the minority. I’ll wear that, someone’s gotta take a stand. So while the suits shout about innovation, I’ll be over here staring into the eyes of a leaping white plastic goat, hanging on for the days of yesteryear, squeezing the glass bottle neck of tomorrow. I’m just a man, ready to reveal my favorite beers I had over the past 365. Come for the trash takes, stay for the trash takes!
Keeping Together Art of Holding Space
Because why wouldn’t you bring a table bier to a beer share? The palate cleanser of palate cleansers, if you will. A masterclass of brewing subtlety. Grainy, light, and an absolute delight – even between the seemingly-endless 2oz pours of California and Florida dessert swill. This true session beer conveyed light straw, zippy lemon, cereal malt, with an aroma of kosher salt & freshly ground tableside pepper. It might not make sense, but you’ll just have to trust me here. Averie, do your thing. We’re all better off for it.
Odell Myrcenary
I have a major crush on fresh Odell IPA, that malty sweet perfect morsel of hop goodness from CO. It’s no secret – and not an elephant in the room. I’m good for a 6 pack once a quarter at least. But Myrcenary cranks it up to 11 (it’s 9.3%) with its sticky, sweet, aggressive malt backbone and pungent hoppiness. It is clear, strong, and a fun mix of floral/fruity. A one and done for me. Two in one sitting and I’m thinking about stealing some shit and making a fast getaway, as the can implies. Odell made a crazy amount of new beers in 2022, and I’m pretty sure I had none of them besides the old standby IPA and the Myrcenary double ipa seen below. Back on the list again.
Side Project Sakura
Missouri sour brown with cherries and vanilla. It’s Side Project. What more do you need to know? God bless the friends who venture to STL and empty their 401k’s for this nectar. The majority are that good. We won’t have social security in 20 years anyways, live in the moment and drink fun saisons. Or sours of this caliber. Lawyer up, be a goblin. Long live the King.
Westbrook Key Lime Pi
In which I spent an entire paragraph above lambasting brewers who dump nonsensical items into a steel tank and simply pray for positive results. The worst kind of hypocrite is the beer hypocrite. Present and accounted for! Tossing in *actual* key lime pies for pi day seems stupid, but this salty-to-citrus concoction was perfect according to my palate. Been a long time since I’ve had anything from the South Carolina scientists, but if they keep making sodium chloride/Floriduh citrus beers this well, it will not be the last. A math beer. A science beer. Silly – but that’s what pastry sours tend to be.
Miller High Life
The classic champagne of beers. Not from France. But America. And hard-working Milwaukee, at that. You can really pick out the light-stable Galena hops from the PNW in its aroma. A golden hued elixir of the Gods. From Prairie du Chien to Pleasant Prairie, sensible Wisconsinites grab for the best (read: cheapest) carbonated king. The girl on the moon has lassoed my heart with straw-like qualities you’re bound to enjoy. And I’m finally ready to admit it publicly. Best enjoyed late at night in the cozy venue known as the Newport Lounge in beautiful Bay View, (2 words) Wisconsin. Senses are hoisted to the heavens while enjoying the glass bottle format only. The cans or tap beer lessen the effects. It’s my thesis.
Alchemist Focal Banger
Heady (ITS HEDLEY!) Topper gets all the accolades, but honestly this beer is a scoch better in my book. Splish splash & a bath of Citra and Mosaic hops greets you immediately as you pop the top. And whether you take it directly from the can like an unsocialized animal or pour it into a glass like a respectable human being, you’re in a for a clean, pomello-orange duo of bitter perfection. Dank resin on the nose with a skewer of grilled pineapple. What kind of hippie mountain shit goes on in Vermont? I would like to find out.
Russian River Blind Pig
Again, Pliny gets the praise but I think the more drinkable option is Blind Pig. This swine-free brew is in the Criterion collection of west coast ipas. Enjoyed while I dipped my feet in the frigid waters of Jemez Falls in Jemez Springs, New Mexico. A beautiful moment heightened by this absolute delight. Accented by a green paper cup. Pack in, pack out. Honestly, look at this shit:
Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing
Imbibed at the iconic Memorial Union Terrace on a beautiful Madison summer day. Oftentimes it’s not about what I’m drinking, but more where I’m drinking and who is with me sharing the experience. Granted, the beer is still really good, and a huge driving force for the growth of 30+ year old Sierra Nevada. I could take or leave this ‘visual’ style, but the stuff rocks. It’s a showcase of restraint, just enough, not too much, but just right. I love the floral tropical presence in this. Anyways, check the chairs.
Revolution Straight Jacket
Sometimes it feels like you’re gearing up for battle when drinking this barleywine. A colossal punch of raisin, fig, vanilla tannins, and bourbon can put even the savviest veteran slumped down deep into the davenport. Placing your olfactories into the snifter brings a brisk wind of gunpowder heat into your lungs. Sipping notes of candied plum, bark, creme brulee, demerara sugar increase your body’s internal temp by a solid degree. Bet on it. And as Tom Waits said: “Hrrrbbblll grummbbll durblll dobbllee”. It’ll knock you on your ass. An annual purchase made necessary by the big beer gods in Chicago, Il. Barleywine is truth, barleywine is life. Twirl the stache, let the neckbeard grow, you’re in for a long winter. Space out your supply, dip in to the reserves only when necessary. Lace up the boots if you must, cancel your plans for the following day. An aggressive rebrand in the graphics department showcases brown sugar-glazed skeltons emerging from the slumber within their wooden barrel graves. Such intensity, Revolution! Go easy on ’em. (With the opening of the Minnesota market, I must say that I’ve been disappointed with the lack of SJ 4 packs hanging around in the Milwaukee and surrounding areas this year. If you can’t find any, don’t blame me. Or, perhaps, we got as much as we usually do, but I was late to the game. Maybe a bit of both at play here…)
Dovetail Rauchdopplebock
Venturing south of the border again, the lager lads and lasses of Dovetail created the most compact campfire of the year. Easily the beer that surprised me the most from my list, this smoke-filled wheat beer was an example of pure perfection in a style I typically do not like – which makes it all the more enjoyable. This is all chocolate malt wrapped in smoked bacon. 9% horsepower to assault the senses. No extinguishing this one. Chicago, a short trip to beer freedom. I’d be surprised if any of this is still out in the wild, but if so – grab immediately and open your mind to what a rauch can exhibit.
Sante Adairius Rustic Ales Reverence
13.4% caramel~raisin~leather~barrel. Well-used catchers’ mitt aroma with a hint of bourbon chocolate ganache, for those nuanced folks. An English style barleywine which thought about it’s decision-making skills for 2 years in a bourbon barrel. An exquisite blend of rich fig with light vanilla, slight graham cracker. My first SARA and hopefully not the last. Cali beer has spoiled the entire western seaboard, I honestly don’t know how you guys can even decide what to buy. Pro tip: enjoy beers outside.
La Cumbre Elevated IPA
From the teat, one of the OGs of the New Mexico beer scene. Annual boys trip found us in Albuquerque – a place with a rather impressive beer underworld, to be honest. Was not ready to experience the breweries-per-capita that we visited in this beautifully multicultural city over a September weekend. La Cumbre been around for awhile, and whether it be from the can or the keg, Elevated IPA is such a banger. Check out the shopping list for the hop bill: Hallertauer Herkules (C02 extract), CTZ, Chinook, Centennial, Simcoe, Mosaic, Citra, Nelson Sauvin. A literal who’s who of the cool kids table. No you can’t sit with us.
Dangerous Man Danger Zone – Brett and the Giant Peach
Peach cobbler left out on the barn windowsill too long. Clocking in at 9%, the brett bugs and fruit components highlighted each other well, in this scary drinkable mixed culture Belgian-y brew. My favorite from my trip to the cities in the fall with the wife. A balanced brettanomyces beverage with sour patch kids peach infusion. A masterclass of euro-centric blending between the pastry-caffeinated monsters available on the excursion. Seriously, over half of the beers were adjunct dessert things that day. See for yourself:
New Glarus Weizen Dopplebock
Consider this to be Gyrator from last year, but meatier, breadier, and well – better-er. Banana, clove, caramel, toffee double-decocted mashy monster. The more of them I have, the more I like. And to find out this will (could?) be the base beer of an eisbock to be released in 2023? Chef kiss! Spotted Cow saunters so that Weizen Dopplebock can run. This 8.5% Germanic Goliath is an obvious nod to the Schneider Aventinus’ of the world, without ascending price tag. This will get me through the next 2 weeks to 5 months of Wisconsin winter.
Tree House Nomad
I like what I like. Well-made American IPAs, showcasing a balance of malt and hops. Baltic Porters, cuz they’re weird and never taste the same. (Sidenote: Schells BA Cave Ale this year was fantastic, and technically since I’m writing about it here…should become an honorable mention. Additionally, Jacks Abby Framinghammer – reg. and BA version – is slowly appearing in our state, which I’m happy to see). I enjoy barrel aged stouts that don’t throw the candy shop in or get blended simply to be extreme. And this year – I found myself seeking that familiar hoppy-spice blend of czech dark lager. Deep malt tones accented with a rye-like hoppy characteristic in the swallow. And go figure the Trub-Tyrants from the east coast could create such a delectable version. Glad I took a somewhat expensive chance on a 4 pack of this deliciousness. Did not disappoint and almost exhibited a classically-trained prowess about it. I’m not the only one on Czech dark’s – I seem to see more and more available lately, and I’m here for it. Every other ‘best-of’ list I’ve seen contains some iteration of czech dark as well. I just didn’t expect this to be good, and sure enough – it was.
Half Acre Benthic (4×2 variant)
Stupid expensive. Broke my own rules (AGAIN) in procuring this like, 100x over. I’m a psychopath who looks at $/oz and rarely will spend double digits on beer. Rum, gin, bourbon, fine – I’ll splurge for a bottle; it’ll last me a year and I can share it multiple times and do fun shit with it. But beer? Please, I’m no peasant, but there comes a time where I refuse to be taken for $22 a 4 pack of something that – let’s be honest – is just not that good. Same goes for these $8 singles I’m seeing. So I ain’t spending $20 on a bottle of beer that’ll pass through me in an hour. Unless it comes to the Benthic series, in which my dumbass mode is on full display. Gonna sign up for TikTok and do a little dance with a $175 mixed 12pack box of midnight stouts that are jacked up on coffees, coconuts, barrel treatments, and a general disregard for human life. Once again my buddy Ben won the lottery and thus so did I. The beer is akin to a metal band backed by an orchestra – the whole experience is a complex screenplay. So while the price is Beth Mowins voice; the end product sings like Adele. Or something. The barrel programs at Half Acre (and Rev) are not only 2 of the best in the midwest, but also the nation. I can’t get enough of the viscosity, the complexity, and the cash grab waltz. I’ll be back next year I’m sure.
That’s it. Please feel free to tell me what I got wrong, what I got right, and the 2022 jams that I missed.
Wisconsuds 