Vertical Epic 10-10-10

Talk about a beer with a story. Stone is trying to brew something like 11 of these beers designed to peak, or at least be drinkable all on the same day ten years after the brewery opened. I don't think I'm going to be doing that. This is an unusual brew, for sure, a Belgian strong pale ale with enough grape flavor to make it almost like a wine. At first a little hard to get into, but then it grows on you. Definitely a good beer once you get into it.

Pacer 5

A pretty solid IPA. Definitely worth trying.

Last Minute Gift Guide for Beer Guys

Ever wonder what you should get a beer guy for Christmas? Beer, of course. But what kind of beer, you may ask? Well, the answer to that is not so simple, is it? There are so many choices, and you may not have any clue about which ones are right for the beer drinker in your life. Well, doubt no more, because I am here to plumb my shallow wisdom with a few suggestions.

Beer Gifts

First of all, beer is the best gift for a beer guy. I can't overstress the point enough. You may think a beer book or a beer cozy or a Coors hat might be the best gift, but unless you've specifically been told this is what he wants, steer clear and head straight for beer.

Best Beer for Foodies

If you have a friend who is really into gourmet cooking and eating, and is looking for the perfect beer to go with his refined diet, then I would recommend Boulevard's Tank 7. Saisons in general are good food beers, but of all the ones I've tried, I still like this one the best, and still think it makes the best pairing with a number of meals, especially hot and spicy meals. Boulevard beers are pretty well distributed, and as their Smokestack series has grown in recognition and respect, this beer is becoming available in the better-stocked liquor stores across the country.

Best Beer to Split with a Buddy

Do you have a friend who loves porters, while you love IPAs (or vice versa)? Can you never get together over a beer? Well, fret no more because I have found your beer: Odell's Mountain Standard Double Black IPA. This is the best example of the style I've had, yes, better than Stone's Sublimely Self-Righteous and better than my pet favorite W'10 from Widmer. Putting aside the brewer's visible and justified pride in its hand-picked Western Slope hops and putting aside controversies about the style and what to call it, this beer does the best job of harmonizing the hops and the dark-roasted malt flavors of any black IPA I've had, which, I think, makes it a beer capable of straddling the divide between porterinos and IPAnimos. As a side note, this beer is also relatively strong, and, as such, has the ability to smooth over any difficulties that may remain about which style of beer is better.

Best Beer for a Wine Drinker

Whether you're buying for a friend who likes both beer and wine, or if you're looking to introduce a wine drinker to the delights of beer, look no further than Stone's Vertical Epic 10.10.10. This beer has a strong enough character of its unusual Belgian yeast that it up front presents itself as a Belgian ale with a decidedly odd aftertaste. That odd aftertaste is Muscat, Gewurztraminer, and Sauvignon Blanc grape juice, added during secondary fermentation. The first couple sips might seem a little off, but give it a glass and you'll be glad you did. With each successive sip, the yeast, rye, and grapes weave an intricate tasty spell, that, I think, can probably entrance even the stuffiest wine drinker.

Best Beer for Getting Drunk

Now, any beer will get you drunk, but if you're looking for the shortest, pleasantest beer trip there, I recommend The Reverend by Avery. At 10% ABV, it's not the strongest beer out there by any stretch, but it is one of the best at tucking the taste of alcohol into the beer. With cherries, currants, and spices, this beer feels festive and celebratory. Like getting drunk is its own special occasion. and needs no further excuse.

Best Beer for Hop-Heads

As an admitted hop-head, I gotta say I love my beers in the upper register of the IBUs. I've never yet met one that was too bitter for me, though I have drunk a number where the hops were just out of control, flopping around like a fish out of water. A truly great hoppy beer isn't just about the biggest hop flavor, it's about taking big hop flavor and putting it into a great beer. That said, the best example of distilling the essence of hops into a superb flavor is Odell's St. Lupulin. It's not the most bitter beer out there, by far, but it has something, the apotheosis of hops that transcends bitter to become an almost spiritual flavor. That said, unfortunately, St. Lupulin is a summer beer, so you may not be able to find it anywhere these days.

If you can't get St. Lupulin, then I recommend Hop Wallop from Victory. I've read people who say this beer is too hoppy--blasphemers all!--but I think this beer, although hoppy, is actually really drinkable, and the hops don't run away with the flavor.

Best Beer for Animal Lovers

Do you have a friend who's a sucker for every animal cause? Well, do them a favor and get yourself in good with Silverback Pale Ale from Wynkoop. Not only does it have a cool picture of a gorilla on the can, and not only does it artfully feature grain of paradise--a gorilla staple, so you can drink like a gorilla--but 50% of all profits from the beer go to theDenver-based Mountain Gorilla Conservation Fund. How much of that actually goes to the gorillas I couldn't tell you, but I would bet that in order to keep your eco-cred you'll still have to make sure you're recycling the cans.


Best Beer for Someone Who Hates Frou-Frou Craft Beers

I know there are people out there who think that drinking these small beers is at definitely un-American, probably subversive, and potentially communist. Don't try to tell these people that Budweiser is now owned by the Belgians and Coors by the Canadians (talk about communists--I heard they have universal health care!), they don't listen to that kind of talk. What they might listen to, though, is the taste of a truly historic American beer. For these people I recommend Utica Club. Utica Club was (according to its label and no other research done on the subject) the first beer brewed in the US after prohibition was lifted. It's a relic of the time before the big brewer era when every region had its own beer, and everybody drank locally crafted beers because there was just no reliable way to ship beer from state to state. Share with him this tasty variant on the American pilsner, just different enough from the standard that it is distinctive, but not so different that it risks rejection.

Best Variety Pack

Don't know exactly what your beer buddy drinks? Then it's best to buy a scattershot of beers to increase your odds of hitting something your friend likes. If you're going to go this approach, I recommend Schmaltz's Coney Island Variety Pack. Yes, it's lacking anything too stout, but otherwise, it's got a great variety, from a hoppy lager (which'll be favored by any IPA-drinker) to a rye pilsner to a white lager. Plus, most of the bottles have sweet pictures of busty babes on them--always a plus!

Sam Smith Nut Brown

For imports, you just can't go wrong with Sam Smith. Okay, so this has a little bit of the skunkiness that characterizes British imports, but it's really tasty nonetheless. Definitely recommended, especially as a winter beer. I'm not a big fan of brown ales, generally, but this one is great.

Tumbler

This is an okay stout. Drinkable even for someone who's not a stout fan (like me).

Sunshine

It used to be I couldn't stand this wheat beer from New Belgium, but now it doesn't seem so bad. A decent wheat beer.

Lemon Pepper Saison

A nice little saison from Sam Adams' Longshot series. A decent saison.

Avalanche

Breckenridge Brewery is my most local brewer, and Avalanche is my standby beer from them. Not necessarily anything too remarkable, but still good and tasty, especially if you like malty beers.

Boont

An okay amber ale.

IPA Nouveau

This IPA is a delicious surprise from Tommyknocker, the first really good beer I've had from them, and a really distinct hoppy flavor, sweet, strong, and spicy. This is a highly recommended beer--if you can get it, definitely try it.

Dead Guy

This is a light, tasty beer. Not as flavorful as I wished, but decent, and probably a really good summer beer.

Warrior

I'd been looking forward to this bomber for quite a while. Left Hand's IPA made with local hops, sounded like a good idea, but the actual beer is just okay.

Glacier

This lager from Tommyknocker is okay. It's not anything I'd really recommend over even corporate lagers.

Ruination

Another great IPA from Stone. I'm often tempted to diss on Stone, but on beers like this they sure know their stuff. Delicious, hoppy, without being out of control, and strong without being overly so--a glass will give you a good, clean-feeling buzz. Highly recommended.

Levity

When they say this is a light amber ale, they're right. It is almost like you're about to float away after drinking it, not from high alcohol (it's only about 5%), but from the incredibly light flavor. A refreshing beer for a summer day.

Mama's Little Yella Pils

A great name, but just an okay beer. A drinkable pilsner.

Jubelale

My second winter warmer. Nothing quite so memorable as the last one.

Silverback Pale Ale

This is my second beer from Wynkoop, and a much better one. I'm glad they decided to make a pale ale version of this charitable beer, since I don't think I'd drink the smokey porter one. This is a really nice beer, a nicely balanced pale ale that provides a good backdrop for the grains of paradise, a really unique-tasting spice that makes this a tasty beer. Plus, research shows that the spice reduces the rate of heart disease in the gorillas that make it a part of their diet. There's no research to show that it does the same in humans, but there's no research to show that it doesn't, either, so drink up for your heart!

Did I mention that this is a charitable beer? Fifty percent of the profits from this beer go to support the Mountain Gorilla Conservation Fund.

So, a tasty beer that saves gorillas and just might be good for your heart? Sign me up!

Railyard

Now this is an unusual idea: malts and hops of a German Marzen, but with English ale yeast. The result? Well, just as mixed. Not bad, and definitely worth trying if you find yourself in LoDo, but I wouldn't go too far out of my way.

Utica Club

This is a surprisingly refreshing and tasty pilsener. It boasts that it was the first beer licensed and sold after Prohibition, and it has an unusual, old-timey feel and taste to it. It makes me feel like there is some truth to what people say. If this is what an everyday beer was like, maybe beer did have more taste in the days before I started drinking it. This is a good beer that feels mainstream but yet has so much flavor--for me, one of the better examples of the pilsener variety.

Naughty Scot

After the bad experience at Hops, I was a little wary of trying a pub brew, but this one was really pretty tasty. Definitely will not steer away from Rock Bottom next time. It also makes me eager to try Free State again.

Sierra Nevada Porter

Sierra Nevada just seems to be very uneven to me, and this one definitely lost me.

True Blonde Dubbel

This is an okay dubbel, but it didn't seem like anything special, certainly not after the Little Sumpin. My enjoyment might also have been diminished because it came out of a can--why are so many craft breweries starting to put their beers in cans? I guess a can is more portable and recyclable, but I love my bottles, dammit!

A Little Sumpin Wild

Wow, this was really a great beer, combining the best elements of a Belgian and IPA. Extremely drinkable and refreshing, despite its relatively high alcohol content (just shy of 9%). Pale in color, sweet in smell and taste, this immediately became one of my favorite beers. With every sip I marveled at the complex flavor, especially at how well the yeast came through with an extra-delicious undertone. From first blush to the last lingering aftertaste, I enjoyed everything about this beer. A limited offering, so I may have to run out and grab another before it's gone. Highly recommended.

Bully!

This is a pretty fair porter from Boulevard. I guess I've come around to a lot of porters.

Telemark

This is my first beer from the Backcountry Brewery in Frisco, Colorado, and I pronounce it a fair and tasty IPA.

Blue Paddle

A better pilsner than Joe's, IMO. At least it knows what it is.

Joe's Pilsner

This one claims it's not your old man's pilsner, which it's not--it's definitely different, but not necessarily for the better. I'm not a fan of pilsners generally, but this one didn't improve by being not quite a true pilsner.

Mile High Barley Wine Ale

My first example of the style, I didn't know quite what to think of it at first. But for as high as the alcohol content is, it drinks pretty easily, and by the end I was nicely toasted and enjoyed the last of the beer.

Black Lager

This lager is indeed very black, and it's really pretty tasty, too.

Lion Stout

Hoppy Boy

A good IPA with a nice piney flavor.

Avery IPA

Old Jubilation

A beer with a lot of complex flavor that never ends up completely coming together. An okay beer.

Salvator Double Bock

Pretty tasty German beer.

Alligator Ale

A pretty weak ale from the brewery restaurant Hops.

Hoptoberfest

A pale, not very tasty (and especially not very hoppy!) beer from the brewery restaurant Hops.

Coney Island Lager

I found this relatively flavorless lager to be a great disappointment after Coney Island's other great successes, including the Sword Swallower, Mermaid Pilsner, and, of course, Albino Python. This further establishes that Shmaltz is a very uneven brewery.

60 Minute IPA

This is my first beer from Dogfish Head. A solid IPA with a nice even flavor, probably due to the continuous-hopping process that Dogfish Head uses.

Mojo

A good IPA, especially after drinking other types of beer earlier in the evening.

Buffalo Gold

It's really hard for me to not think of "Buffalo Gold" as a euphemism for manure in the new green economy, but I decided to give this beer a try, partly because the sales rep was on hand, giving out brewery schwag and free beers if you bought a six pack. Plus, with company coming over, I thought this seemed like a mild beer that mainstream beer drinkers could enjoy. I was right, this is a light-tasting, mild beer, not too hoppy or malty, and, therefore, not my taste, exactly, but good nonetheless.

My beer-drinking friends didn't show, so I was the only one trying it, and I was happy to trade the rest of the six-pack with my sister for one of Dogfish Head 60 Min IPA, a really pretty good IPA.

The Reverend

I decided to give quadrupels a second shot with this one, but as with the first one (The Sixth Glass) I didn't want to dive in on my own, so instead waited until I had some friends to help me out. I ended up splitting the bomber three ways, so it wasn't too much to drink. Even though it began strong, and I initially disliked it, by the end it wasn't such a chore to drink, and I even felt this kind of high alcohol beer might have a place in my regular line-up. Since shortly after finishing it off, we began one of the most spirited and exciting games of Twilight Imperium I have yet played, I can definitely vouch for its power as a social lubricant. (And I won, which goes to show it never hurts to liquor up your opponents.)

Saison du Buff

When Victory, Dogfish Head, and Stone get together to brew a beer, you know it's got to be good, right? Well, not necessarily. This one was okay. Not my favorite saison.

Torpedo

According to Beer Advocate, I have tried five out of the top 8 American IPAs, and looking at the list, I would definitely say this beer deserves the company it keeps. In the past, I have not been happy with Sierra Nevada beers, but this one was really, really tasty. Another picnic beer, I really enjoyed just sipping this one slowly on the bench while talking to Tracy. If you're a fan of IPAs, this is highly recommended.

Hades

Another Belgian style ale. I was very disappointed in this one because I was looking forward to Great Divide's take on this style, since I have mostly been very impressed with their work. But in this case they just didn't create a tasty product. Maybe it's me, maybe this isn't the style for me.

Blue Moon

A beer that has long been among my least favorite of the commonly available options. I think I first tried it on a brewery tour at Coors, and I didn't like it then. Still don't like it now.

It's always one of the ones they pick up at work, and, though I know beggars can't be choosers, I think I'll take about anything over a Blue Moon. Another Belgian style ale.

Karma

Another Avery beer, a Belgian ale, which I thought was not very tasty. There are a lot of Belgian-style ales that lean heavily on their spices, and you have to try a lot of them to find the right balance of spices for you.

Fumator

This beer is pretty unique. When I ordered it at The Rackhouse, the manager on duty, who was checking up on us, said it would "blow my mind," and looking back it seems he probably had a mischievous grin on his face. I was looking forward to it--here was a beer that was a completely different style I'd never tried before, a rauchbier. I was a couple beers in, but it was supposed to have a strong flavor so I could hopefully still enjoy it. Apparently, the beer is aged in barrels that had been previously used to age Stranahan's whiskey, giving it a unique whiskeyesque flavor.

When it came, I was surprised because it came in a little snifter. And it stank. It was so smoky, I could barely drink it. Really, it was disgusting. The Lapsang Souchong of beers. I did manage to work three-quarters of the way through what must have been an 8-ounce serving (or less!). Maybe some of y'all would like it, but me . . . definitely not.

Modus Hoperandi

After the kolsch, this was a great-tasting beer. I really appreciated the extra-hoppiness. Definitely recommended for anyone who likes a nice hoppy IPA.

Keel Haul Kolsch

An okay beer. I guess I just don't get kolsch as a style--it always seems like a bland, almost flavorless beer. Maybe it's just me, but I would certainly welcome anyone who can give me some advice on this style.

Denver Pale Ale

Bright & balanced, it promises, and it delivers. Nicely balanced malty middle and hoppy finish. Not overwhelming in either part, but good all around. Although I normally pour my beers into a glass, I drank this one from the bottle at our picnic, and therefore didn't get to see the color.

Oktoberfest

This is one of the tastier traditional German-style lagers I've had. Really good beer. Nice color. A better-than-average product from Left Hand.

duganA

A bomber on a Tuesday? Now we're getting wild. Seriously, this is a really good beer, if you like hops, as I do. According to its label, it strives to do what St. Lupulin does, tease out the essence of hoppy flavor via its distilled oil, but it doesn't succeed quite as well. While it's easy to get strong hops in a beer with bitterness, it's a lot harder to get the kind of flavor that St. Lupulin does with remarkably little bitter aftertaste. That doesn't mean duganA is not a great beer. Still highly recommended.

Sam Adams Octoberfest

In contrast to a couple of other Eastern Breweries I have mentioned, Sam Adams generally provides a consistently good product. This is no exception, a really tasty amber lager. If Shipyard and Sarnac represent the competition, no wonder Sam Adams was able to get the lion's share of the beer market in the East.

Octoberfest Lager

Kind of gross--I almost didn't finish this one. Sarnac, like Shipyard, made a really good pumpkin beer. Is that all these Eastern Breweries can make, or does my taste just not mesh with them for some reason?

Polygamy Porter

A tasty-ish porter. A little strong at first, but settles in nicely.

Hoptober

Not bad. Not as hoppy as one would expect, but pleasantly so. If I were a real connoisseur, I'd start learning the names of the different strains of hops, because it's getting pretty normal for brewers to put them on the bottle.

Shipyard IPA

Blech--this is another disgusting Shipyard product with a really horrid aftertaste that just doesn't go away. Apparently, they only know how to make pumpkin beers.

Colorado Native Lager

Pretty nasty. Everyone I know who's tried this has had the same opinion, so it's not really recommended. And guess what, it's actually a MillerCoors product, trying to masquerade as a craft beer, or actually is a craft beer, financed and managed by the megacorp. I didn't know that until now, but I think it explains a lot about the beer.

Hop Rod Rye

This was just an awesome beer. Totally delicious. A strong, full flavor, but not overwhelmingly bitter. Probably one of my top ten beers at this point--renews my faith in rye beers. Kind of strong (8% abv), but you don't taste the alcohol at all, just the delicious hops and rye. Not too pricey, and it's pretty, to boot.

Pumpkinhead

Another really good pumpkin beer, probably the best of the three I've tried--Highly recommended. And really a delightful surprise after the terrible Export Ale

Black Jack

An okay porter

Pumpkin Ale

This is more like it--a really tasty beer, not too squashy, a little spicy, but still mostly a tasty ale.

St. Bridget's Porter

A pretty good porter. Middle-of-the-road beer for Great Divide. One of St. Bridget's miracles, apparently, was turning her bathwater into beer. When Tracy heard the story, she said, I can believe she turned her bathwater into something, but I don't think it's beer.

Skinny Dip

A nice summer beer. Refreshing blonde ale.

Pumpkin Lager

Being as how it's getting on toward autumn, there were a number of seasonal beers out last time I went to the liquor store, and having gotten a recommendation for a pumpkin beer, I decided to try a few different ones. This one was disgusting. You pretty much have to keep at it to take the edge of the squashy taste, and any time you stop it comes back.

Imperial Russian Stout

This is another really strong beer--over 10% abv. Not very tasty, and makes me think that I just don't like beers with this level of alcohol--they don't taste like beers, more like hard liquor, which isn't what I want when I drink a beer.

Pipeline Porter

Coffee-infused porter. Not bad for a porter.

Beck's

Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout

Bob's '47 Oktoberfest

Boulevard

State Pen Porter

A great porter. I took this with me on a bike ride / barbecue and truly enjoyed it. Maybe I'm not a porter-hater after all. I'm going to have to try some more and make a decision.

Summerbright

As the summer is winding down, I'm trying to catch all the summer seasonals before they disappear. I really do like some of the beers Breckenridge produces. This one, though, is just OK.

The Sixth Glass

Boulevard. I had looked forward to trying this other year-round product of Boulevard's Smokestack Series after getting entranced by its awesome allusion. After receiving a couple of recommendations, I decided to save it for a day I was really pissed off at work. The day I went to buy it, though, my local store was sold out and I had to put it off.

I don't think it was worth the wait. You can really taste the alcohol in this beer, something I don't generally enjoy in a beer. I like to taste the beer and have the alcohol be an added bonus. If I want to drink hard liquor, I'll drink hard liquor. That said, it gets better as you go, so maybe it'd be ideal as a second beer, once your taste buds have already loosened themselves up.

Birra Moretti La Rossa

Heineken. A pretty reasonable beer. I'd probably pick it over Peroni if I'm in a ristorante with only themed beer choices.

Sofie

Goose Island. This was my second saison. Not quite as tasty as the first, but it grew on me after a couple of sips to become an enjoyable beer. I haven't quite become a real fan of the form, but I wouldn't steer clear of it. I enjoyed this beer on August 31, 2010.

7 Seas Double IPA

Dry Dock Most of you will not get the pleasure of enjoying this delicious, unfiltered double IPA. Dry Dock is a tiny microbrewer, more properly a brew pub, that has recently begun bottling some of its product. Not quite as small as the Shmaltz Smallest Brewery in the World, it is still producing very tiny quantities, which is a shame because this one, at least, is a knockout. Truly, it is one of my favorite beers, and probably the first unfiltered IPA I have had the pleasure of enjoying. I always enjoy an unfiltered beer. Unfiltered beers look and taste muddy, gruff, and extra-yeasty. This is fairly light in color for a double IPA, but its taste is by no means light. Highly recommended. I enjoyed this beer on August 30, 2010.

Dam Straight Lager

Dam Brewery. The Dam Brewery reportedly has a great winter brew, which is probably why so many skiers rave about it. Visiting in the summer, I tried this variety, and found it to be just okay, maybe a little bland.

Arrogant Bastard

Stone. This is a very good ale, exactly the right tastiness for its reputation. If it were any better, it'd have to be called, "Justifiably Smug Ale," and that doesn't sound nearly as good. Yes, this is a good beer. But it doesn't sit head and shoulders above its competition. It is, however, a great beer to slug from a bomber while cooking over a roaring campfire.

Twisted Thistle IPA

Belhaven. This is my first imported IPA, and I dunno whether the Brits just have a very different sense of the form (of course they're right, just like with English), or mine was off because it was definitely stanky.

Green Lakes Organic Ale

Deschutes. Some people never learn, huh? I just keep going back to the well. But in this case, I'm rewarded, because I really enjoyed this one. And it's not only organic, but salmon-safe as well!

Shipyard Export

Shipyard

Samurai

Great Divide. I had thought they could do no wrong--and I'm not just saying it because they're local. Claymore, Titan, and Hoss were great beers, but this Samurai was bland as all get-out.

Baker Street Brown

Blech. It's hard for me to find a beer I don't want to finish, but I left a third of this one behind.

Black Butte Porter

Deschutes. I have heard from its fans that this is one of the best porters around, but I just didn't like it. Either I just don't like porters or, as I guessed before, the brewmasters at Deschutes and I just don't mesh.

Drop Top

Widmer Brothers. An okay entry from this brewery. Not nearly as tasty as their IPAs, this is a smooth refreshing amber ale.

Inversion IPA

Deschutes. A disappointing IPA, continuing a long string of less-than-stellar entries from Deschutes. I guess my taste just doesn't match with that of their brewmasters.

HopDevil

Victory. A really good IPA. Definitely recommended for fans of the form.

Prima Pils

Victory. Now this is how to do a pilsner so that it's more traditional and less tasty, imo. Probably the worst beer I have had from this brewery.

Mermaid Island

Shmaltz. A rye pilsner? Now that's the way to do it right. I'm not generally a huge pilsner fan, but this one is delicious. At this point, I'm beginning to think Shmaltz can do no wrong with its Coney Island lagers.

Boulevard Pale Ale

Boulevard--I'd thought this beer (which was my regular favorite when living in Lawrence) would fade, but it remains a tasty example of the form.

Twilight Summer Ale

Deschutes.

Sword Swallower

Shmaltz. Malty-hoppy balance. They're both strong, but neither is overwhelming, and the combination is surprisingly smooth. Truly a fantastic beer. With this beer, Shmaltz overcame my initial reluctance (inspired by He'Brew) to become one of my favorite breweries.

Albino Python

Shmaltz. This is a delicious beer. Truly a delightful blend of spices, not too strong, but very smooth.

Mañana Cerveza Oscura

Del Norte--A really good amber lager. Super tasty and a great accompaniment to pork skins!

Bard's

Bard's

Dale's Pale Ale

Oskar Blues

Dundee Stout

Dundee--A remarkably light-tasting stout. For as dark as it is, the taste is incredibly airy.

Franziskaner Weissbier

Franziskaner

Hop Stoopid

Lagunitas

Lucky 13

Lagunitas. I took a bomber of this with me to a poker game, thinking it might improve my odds, but it was not at all lucky for me. Tasty, though.

Molson

Molson-Coors. When you look at a big brewery these days, the contrast is sad. Little breweries are all about their beer and, to some extent, their shtick, but something like this is all about their "Brands." They don't even have a tab to look at their beers--the beer is secondary to the brand and brand identity, and they're more concerned with impressing their investors than reaching beer drinkers.

St. Pauli Girl

St.Pauli Germany's Funtime Beer. They promote the girl as much as the beer and encourage you to download and share the poster, so here it is:

Long hammer

Redhook

Lunar Ale

Boulevard

Upslope IPA

Upslope

Compass

Bristol Brewing Company

Old Chub

Didn't quite live up to the expectations set by Claymore for a Scotch Ale.

Golden Monkey

Victory

Hop Ottin IPA

Anderson Valley

1554

New Belgium

Mirror Pond

Deschutes

Paulaner Hefeweizen

Paulaner

Santa Fe Hefeweizen

Santa Fe

Hop Wallop

Victory. A very hoppy beer, but doesn't feel out of control. Surprisingly tasty, but very strong flavor.

Vitus

Weihenstephaner

Fat Tire

New Belgium

Copperhook

Redhook

Graham's Home Brew

Mighty Arrow

New Belgium

Alaskan Amber Ale

Alaskan

Hardtail amber lager

Hardtail amber lager

Colorado Kolsch

Steamworks

Easy Street Wheat

Odell. At this point, my favorite wheat beer.

Dundee IPA

Dundee

Maximus

Lagunitas An OK beer, but after the St. Lupulin, the hops felt out of control. I don't mind a lot of hops and a lot of bitterness, but sometimes, as in this beer, they feel out of control and they overwhelm the overall taste.

St. Lupulin

Odell. This is currently one of my favorite beers. I love the way it seems like the essence of the hops has been squeezed out, purified, and delivered as pure, summery flavor without overwhelming bitterness.

Newcastle

Heineken

Dundee Kolsch

Dundee

Red Chair

Deschutes

Bass

Blackberry Wheat

Samuel Adams

Shiner Bock

Spoetzle

Lucky U

Breckenridge

Milk Stout

Left Hand

Chocolate Stout

Fort Collins Brewery

Hoss Lager

Great Divide Brewing Company

Ranger

New Belgium

Titan

Great Divide Brewing Company

Mothership Wit

New Belgium

Broken Halo

Widmer Brothers

Audacious Apricot Ale

Pyramid

Red Ale

Odell

Ellie's Brown

Avery

W '10

Widmer Brothers

Summerfest

Sierra Nevada

Guinness

Levitation

Stone

He'Brew Messiah Bold

Shmaltz

Claymore Scotch Ale

Great Divide Brewing Company. A delightful brew--my first introduction to this style and this brewery: a perfect synergy. This beer has wonderful color and taste, and lead me to rhapsodic study of its delightful properties. This beer was when I truly became excited about the possible delights that lay in store for me during the rest of this year.

Single Wide IPA

Boulevard Brewing Company

400 Pound Monkey

Left Hand Brewing Company

New World Porter

Avery

Modelo Especial

Shiner Blonde

Spoetzl Brewery

Stone IPA

Tank 7

Boulevard Brewing Company My first saison. Delicious. Good spice, but not overwhelming. Still one of my favorites.

Pacifico

5 Barrel Pale Ale

Odell

Coors Light

Killian's Red

Samuel Adams Boston Lager

Maple Nut Brown

Tommyknocker

Dos Equis Amber

Tecate

Heineken

Peroni

Negra Modelo

300 Beer Year

That's right: this year, from April 15, 2010 to April 14, 2011, I'm planning on drinking 300 different beers.

Eventually, this post will talk more about where this came from and what I hope to gain from it, but for now, this is just a place holder. After this comes the list of beers in chronological order (although not necessarily with their actual dates).