Best Beers of 2016
I sampled plenty of really good beers in 2016 (and more than a few that weren’t that good). Here’s my annual list of highlights from the beers that were new to me last year. Note: This doesn’t necessarily mean that these are new beers – just ones I tried for the first time in 2016. I look forward to more in 2017. Cheers!
* Rye Barrel Chocolate Porter
Central Waters Brewing; Amherst, WI
The amazing Cassian Sunset stole some of this beer’s thunder, but I liked this porter better. It has a big chocolate flavor and is easy on the booze. I think that Cassian Sunset will age very nicely, but the porter was a revelation in 2016 and another reminder of how skilled Central Waters is at barrel aging.
* R&D American Gueuze
New Glarus Brewing; New Glarus, WI
I have a hard time drinking beers that lean toward tart. This limited release certainly ranked high in the tartness factor, but that flavor was well balanced and likely tempered by the beer being fermented on oak. It was just tart enough, and finding that balance is a testament to how good New Glarus is at what they do.
* Darkness Aged in Rye Barrels
Surly Brewing; Brooklyn Center, MN
This imperial stout is a winner in its standard form. But barrel aging ups the ante. Flavors of dark fruit and dark chocolate are accented by a fair amount of booze. A great beer that I was lucky to get my hands on.
* Melvin IPA
Melvin Brewing Company; Jackson, WY
Sometimes the setting makes beer taste better. Melvin IPA is an outstanding mix of pine and citrus, and I had it at Falling Rock Tap House in Denver. The spot is on the short list of my favorite beer bars in the country.
* Honey Hearted IIIPA
Bell’s Brewing Company; Comstock, MI
Another example of the experience working in conjunction with the beer. I had this while visiting Bell’s Eccentric Café in Kalamazoo for the first time. It’s a potent brew with enough honey sweetness to give it a flavor reminiscent of mead. Despite the big 16% ABV, it goes down fairly smoothly.
* Edward American Pale Ale
Hill Farmstead Brewery; Greensboro, VT
I tried this citrusy and slightly bitter beauty at Armsby Abbey in Worchester, Massachusetts. The classic beer bar pours plenty of Hill Farmstead, but Edward was my favorite of the bunch.
* Galaxy Dry Hopped Fort Point Pale Ale
Trillium Brewing; Boston, MA
Fruity and hazy New England IPAs had their coming-out party in 2016. I’m not sure that anyone does them as consistently well as Trillium. This ale has plenty of grapefruit and citrus flavor with just enough bitterness to matter.
* Swish IIPA
Bissell Brothers Brewing; Portland, ME
Having a brother who lives in Boston is a good thing when it comes to beer. Pat sent me a can of this hard-to-find beer and it was worth the shipping charges. The cloudy concoction mixes tropical flavors with a unique dankness that is almost garlicky (in a good way).
* Honeystone IIPA
Transient Artisan Ales; Bridgman, MI
This small outfit made quite a splash in 2016 because they do everything well. Their sours are outstanding, but the New England-style IPAs are my favorites. This hazy brew combines El Dorado and Mosaic hops with honey to create a big, juicy beer with a fair amount of citrus and even pineapple flavor. It has big, balanced deliciousness.
* Chickow! Barrel-Aged Brown Ale
Listermann/Triple Digit Brewing; Cincinnati, OH
The Best in Show winner at this winter’s Festival of Barrel and Wood-Aged Beers in Chicago uses hazelnut and aging in Heaven Hill barrels to give it a rich flavor that hints at liquid Nutella.
* No Rules Barrel-Aged Vietnamese Imperial Porter
Perrin Brewing; Comstock Park, MI
A decadent porter that combines sweet coconut and chocolate. A bourbon finish is there, but it has a lot less heat than you’d expect from a 15% ABV beer.
Highlights from a Few New Milwaukee Breweries
There was something to like at every brewery that opened in Milwaukee in 2016, but three new beers stood out to me.
– The Fermentorium (7481 Hwy 60, Cedarburg) impressed me with the ability to create really good pale ales. Citra Summer and Underwater Panther were outstanding, but I liked the juicy citrus flavor of Juice Packets American Pale Ale the best.
– Good City Brewing (2108 N. Farwell Ave.) does plenty of things well, but the Galaxy Triple IPA is a revelation. Big, juicy IPAs were the trend in 2016, but this beer harkens back to when IPAs relied on dank bitterness. It’s delicious.
– Happy Place Pale Ale became a flagship brew for Third Space Brewing (1505 W. St. Paul Ave.) The reason? Accessibility. Citrus flavor isn’t overpowering, and there’s enough balance to please any palate.
Other Beer Bests from 2016
It was a great year for craft beer in Milwaukee (understatement of the year). A slew of brewery openings, with many more on the way in 2017, helped return validity to Milwaukee’s Brew City moniker.
• The rise of the New England IPA. These hazy brews are big on juicy citrus and provide a flavor that I can’t resist. Look for breweries – besides East Coast standouts like The Alchemist, Trillium, Bissell Brothers and Tree House – to brew more of the style in 2017.
• Raised Grain Paradocs Imperial Red took home a gold medal at the Great American Beer Fest in October. That’s a really big deal for the Waukesha brewery.
• I like to turn any travel I do into beer tourism. I was fortunate enough to experience the beer scene of Denver (during a weekend of concerts at Red Rocks), hang out at Boulevard Brewing in Kansas City (thanks to a wedding), and see Night Shift’s impressive taproom just outside of Boston (during a trip to watch my brother run – and finish – the Boston Marathon). Travel is made better with beer.
• I have to mention this list of the best beer names of 2016 from Draft Magazine. It includes a not-so-subtle dig at Goose Island for its Bourbon County Rare rerelease fiasco.
