Ok, so now the newest list has been put out for public display, and guess what? Pliny the Elder is number 1 again. I am in the Midwest and don’t often have the chance to try this beer. In the recent past though, during the Swaptoberfest, I was lucky enough to get a fresh bottle sent to me by @surfin.mikeg (thanks again Mike.) Even more recently, like this past Tuesday afternoon, I was able to try it fresh on tap at Toronado in San Francisco’s Haight district. I really can’t say anything bad about the beer, but I will take my house IPA any day over it. To me most recently, it came off as clean tasting, yet a little boring. There was just nothing exciting there, except the experience of saying I had it fresh and on draft, to allow me to understand the hype. I know I obviously must be in the minority as it keeps winning, but I would never go out of my way to have it again. Its just another IPA to me and nothing to chase. I always see comments on here that tend to agree with my sentiments, yet it still keeps winning. I guess the majority of the folks who vote for it do not post here on the forum often. As for the rest of the top 10, minus BCBS and Heady that I have not tried, all are great beers that I would never hesitate to order anywhere I could find them. The next time I am on the west coast, I will stick to experimenting with stuff I have not tried, or go with a stand out beer like Sculpin or almost anything by Stone when available. Just my thoughts, but the way this top ten goes every year leaves me wondering who is voting for it, and/or what I am missing with this beer. Not really trying to start a Pliny bashing thread, just leaving my thoughts, so don’t beat me or Pliny up too bad, it is a good beer, just nothing special to me except the chase. rant over
It’s a shame that this list is just another popularity contest. You’d hope that homebrewers would have more discretion, but I might as well be reading RateBeer.
Agreed. ‘Best’ is totally subjective and arbitrary. ‘Favorite Beers List’ would at least have a little more traction. I still maintain that 80+% of people who vote Pliny and Heady have never had it.
Well rate beer has more “Whalez bro”. Says so in the comments below the list, or something like that.
It is just a list sub,it tied by homebrewers like you and me.
I got a chance to try Pliny the Elder at the NHC in San Diego during Pro Night, and I had the same thought of it. It was good, but it didn’t light my world on fire. I think the hype gets up to the point of this being a “life changing” beer and honestly, nothing will stand up to that kind of hype.
I don’t have to wait in line for Boneyard RPM…
I am also disappointed. There are so many excellent, satisfying beers that are not loaded up with hops. For example, I think a good German Pilsner is an amazing beer, when done well. But, it will never win any popularity contest.
The thing that bothers me about these lists is that you will never find a sub-8% beer in the top ten.
Same thread, different year.
My German friend have a saying for things like this “Every year, same procedure.” That is from some obscure British movie that was popular in Germany.
3 of the top five are 7%. The Sculpins and Two Hearted.
A 7-8% beer is near enough to imperial/double strength that it’s picking nits, IMO. I guess very well-made beers in the 4.5-5.5% range just don’t have the wow factor that a big beer does to stick in people’s memory.
I’d have a lot less trouble with it if they’d call it “Homebrewer’s Favorite Beers” instead of “Best”. To me “best in America” implies every beer in America was tasted and evaluated.
I am an Engineer, 7<8.
For the record, most of the beers I have been drinking are <6%, with the majority around 5, and even some 4% and less thrown in there.
I brought a tmavý ležák to club night. That is a dark Czeck lager. Mine was at 4%, as my club had all session beers at the both.p
Agreed. Making tasty low(er) alcohol beer is a fun challenge - and they’re wonderful to drink in quantity. I gave my mother-in-law a pour of Denny’s Mild (FYI Denny: I went with 10% flaked oats and it is awesome) that sits at a petite 2.9% and she was floored by the flavor in that low of an ABV.
A well done Mild is a beer to behold. A 4% dark Czech lager is on my list of brews to make this year. I had one at the lunch hour of a comp in Wisconsin and the judges killed the keg in half an hour.
Yes, some of the beers in the top of the rankings have me scratching my head. But I do agree with the AHA list more than other websites “best” lists. There are enough of us to ensure the list isn’t like other websites, but not enough to get some good session beers on the list.
I do blame the craft industry for that a bit. I have a friend from work who’s a committed Bud Lite drinker. Why? He says he likes IPAs, but you can’t have more than a couple or you’ll end up ****faced. If you’re going to have a good session and drink a six pack or so over the course of the afternoon you need a lower alcohol beer. He’s not Many more people would get turned on to craft beer if somebody would finally start to make some good, accessible (as in on the shelf at the corner store, not as in bland) session beers.
On that note, I’m rebrewing my Tetley’s Mild-derived American Mild tomorrow. Can’t wait till it’s done. Should be about 3.6% abv, and several imperial pints can be enjoyed each session.
The list is what it is. I cannot complain because I didn’t vote. I don’t vote mostly because I don’t buy much beer, I drink primarily what I brew. That said, I don’t really think the list adds anything to Zymurgy…
There are often some brewery supplied Homebrew recipes that accompany the article. That has been an add for me over the years.
The Homebrewers’ Favorite Beers vs Best Beers In America gets discussed every year. Everyone here realizes what it is, but on other sites there is annual outrage. Whatev.
I would like to see a list of our faves though, if we all actually filled it out.
Good point- recipes do help. I think it would also be interesting to tally all of the bjcp scores from the commercial calibration column and see what up there from those- particularly if the beers were more widely available.
I agree that I hate that these popularity contests call themselves “Best Beer” lists.
Podunkbrau can never gain the votes that a very well known but lesser quality beer gets.
Go to the World Beer Cup and GABF winners lists for a more accurate representation of what the best beers really are.