DME's Top 20 Beers

Yes, yes, this is a sports blog, but in addition to baseball, I do enjoy a few other things in life. Shocking, right? I know. For example, as an ex-film critic, it might be obvious that I love films. One of those loves, made possible via my brief tenure as a Binny's Beverage Depot employee and routine exposure to new brews, is beer (which I also periodically (and poorly) brew in my spare time). For new years eve, I made sure to purchase a few of my favorite bombers and in deciding what to drink, I made a list of what I would like to have most if available for purchase at the local liquor selling establishment. Rather than throw this used napkin carefully crafted list away, I present it to you thusly (though keep in mind, that I only rank what I have drank, that I hate Borbon/Whiskey flavors, and that I am not a real beer connoisseur, even if I periodically hold myself out as one):

1. Kentucky Breakfast Stout. Thick, heavy, complex. A brilliant mix of Vanilla, Oak, Tobacco, Chocolate and Coffee hides the alcohol well, and creating nothing but smooth flavor and only a taste of bitterness. This beer is very hard to find, and only comes out once a year. Equally tasty is the regular Breakfast Stout, which tends to be easier to find, though it is also a once-a-year brew.
2. Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout. The Old Rasputin XII, a one-time brew, is infinitely better, but infinitely more expensive (and hard to find).
3. Three Floyds Alpha King Pale Ale. Simply delicious, this brilliant year-round pale ale is perfectly bitter.
   
4. Wild Little Sumpin'. This stuff is ridiculously drinkable for an 8.5% ABV beer. It's a limited brew, but I am stocked up. After I run out, I'll have to regulate myself to the regular Little Sumpin'.
   
5. Three Floyds Dreadnaught IPA. A malty hop bomb of the highest order. A must drink for imperial IPA lovers everywhere, though it's hardly cheap...
6. Great Divide Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout. Like Dreadnaught, this beer is a bit pricey ($10-15 dollars a bomber), but well worth the cost. This Russian imperial stout has a smooth/subtle coffee flavor to complement the dark chocolate/roasted malts flavor and the finish is to die for.
   
7. Southern Tier Unearthly Imperial IPA. An aggressive hop bomb that always hits the right spot. Not for those who hate bitter flavors.
8. Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout. The guy who brews this stuff wrote my favorite beer book of all-time, the only beer book I have ever read, The Brewmaster's Table.
9. Goose Island Imperial IPA. One of my favorite beers by one of my favorite breweries.
   
10. Great Lakes Glockenspiel Weizenbock. This full of alcohol, wheat flavor and some bitterness, but is smooth to the taste. Incredibly drinkable.
    
11. Three Floyds Gumballhead. My favorite wheat ale. Refreshing, with a perfectly bitter bite.
    
12. Unibroue La Fin Du Monde. Can only be described as banana bread beer. It always hits the spot.
13. Port Brewing Co.'s Santa's Little Helper. This drink is ridiculously delicious and drinkably boozy, with a huge malty nose. This beer captures the perfect blend of dark fruit and chocolate flavors with a roasted malts balance. The after taste is to die for.
    
14. Sam Adams Dopple Bock. I can't particularly explain why, but this beer is brilliant. It is even better slightly warm.
15. Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary. I just had this beer for the first time earlier this week, but it impressed me enough that I was sipping on it exclusively for the evening. This is a darn good dark-chocolate-fused-with-coffee-flavored beer.
16. Founders' Devil Dancer Imperial IPA. This beer is as bitter and alcoholic as they get. Not for the casual beer drinker.
    
17. Goose Island IPA. A staple and a classic. My six-pack of choice when I can't decide.
    
18. Three Floyds Robert The Bruce. Normally, I hate scotch ales. But this is the exception to the rule.
19. Unibroue Éphémère (Apple). I am probably the only person on this planet that truly enjoys this beer. It is what weened me off of Miller Lite and my college-beer days.
20. Dogfish Head 90 minute IPA. Infinitely better than both the 60 minute and 120 minute IPAs.
    

Runners Up:

• Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. A perfect blend of citrus aroma and hoppy flavor. It is my "oh you have this at your bar?" staple when all else fails and the second best beer on tap is Guinness or Fat Tire, which is like 50% of the time.
  
• Sierra Nevada Kellerweis Hefeweizen. A sweet beer with a crisp, refreshing banana and bread flavor.
• Goose Island 312. Ol' Reliable. This is what you drink at a bar, when you have no clue what anything else in bottle at a bar tastes like or when a bar only otherwise has miller/coors/bud on tap.