Well it's that time of year again and I must say a much better beer year than 2021! I'm splitting this post into two sections again (just in case something spectacular comes along in the next week or two) and this one outlines my 11th to 20th best craft beer experiences this year. Lot's of new beers ticked off and a trip to New England where I sampled, perhaps, the best beers I've ever had in my life, obviously the list reflects this, however, there were also some splendid brews produced right here in the UK that gave the yanks a good run for their money that are worthy of mention.
11. Twists from Siren (DIPA - 7.40%) - Part of a birthday pairing celebrating the 9th anniversary of my local craft brewery Siren. A delicious West Coast IPA oodles of grapefruit and citrus notes with a satisfying and lingering bitterness and at 7+% ABV plenty of body to boot. A fitting brew for a great achievement in these challenging times for small businesses.
12. Strata Dry Hopped Fort Point Pale Ale from Trillium (IPA - 6.60%) - Consumed at the Trillium tap-room in Seaport Boston, USA this Strata infused pale ale was outstanding, saturated in tangerine/orange vibes, smooth and hazy as f**k it was delicious on a hot Summer day, this style of brew, fresh from source is hard to beat.
13. First Light from Four Quarters (IPA - 6.50%) - I had this one at a restaurant in Burlington, Vermont. Not a brewery I'd heard of before but boy was this one a banger! Mosaic for days which is one of my favourite hops, stone fruits and citrus with light bitterness this high-end IPA went perfectly with traditional American/Mexican food, outstanding.
14. Pale Ale Nelson Sauvin Meridian from The Kernel (Pale Ale - 5.50%) - One of a series of pale ales from The Kernel in Bermondsey, this one stood out for me. I love Nelson hops and this was a perfect example of what they can bring to a beer, white wine, lychees and tropical fruits a classic combo done to perfection with superb balance from this top UK brewery.
15. Unconventional Tactics from Verdant (DIPA - 8.00%) - Another master class in Nelson hops and balanced beer! This stunning DIPA from Cornish maestros Verdant shows just how good this NZ hop can be, rich and creamy with gooseberry and white wine flavours to spare, great stuff.
16. Daily Serving: Strawberry & Blueberry from Trillium (Sour - 4.20%) - Not my usual go-to style but this Berliner Weisse from Trillium was irresistible. It didn't look or smell like beer at all, more like a fruit milkshake but it tasted fabulous. Obviously berries dominated but the smoothness and balance were amazing, perhaps a fruit lemonade would be the closest descriptor I can think of, splendid effort.
17. Sold My Soul For Azacca from Siren (IPA - 7.20%) - Another IPA series from Finchampstead wizards Siren, this one gave the stage to Australian hop Azacca. Oranges and Mango for weeks in this one, a delightful weight and smoothness to it and well balanced, as predicted at the time it hits the 2022 list at number 17.
18. Double Barrel Here Be Monsters from Cerebral Brewing (Imperial Stout - 15.10%) - A real monster of a beer this one, drunk at the Mikkeller bar in Viktoriagade in Copenhagen it looked like engine oil but tasted of blackberries soaked in single malt, a stunner of a barrel-aged stout, lethal!
19. Summer Ale - Galaxy from DEYA (Pale Ale - 4.50%) - This one has been on my list before (at #2 no less!) and features on the DEYA menu every Summer (clue's in the name!) anyway, it was just as good this year as it has been in previous years, maybe I'll get tired of this sometime, but not yet!
20. Paulaner Oktoberfest Bier from Paulaner (Pilsner - 6.00%) - A real surprise for me this one. Paulaner is what you'd call a "macro-producer" i.e. they make beer in vast, industrial quantities and can hardly be labelled "craft" but this one just had to make the list. My first try out for an Oktoberfest brew and I wasn't expecting much, however, this one delivered in spades, weighty, malty, balanced, slipped down as easy as you like and the subtle bitterness kept you coming back for more, a really good beer.
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