The Final Tabulations

So here’s the final tabulations on a year spent drinking like royalty. While we may not have always remembered with perfection all of the beers we had (after all, any list like this is in some sense subjective), this is our best recollection. And if you don’t agree with our selections, remember: our knowledge of what we enjoyed is 100% accurate. NASA tests their instruments against our drinky-drink hi-jinx, and they always come up short. In other words, if you don’t like our list, go buy yourself a spritzer (sound of coin bouncing on the ground). And remember, these are listed in no particular order. We could have ranked them, but we didn’t want to confuse you with our awesomeness.

Top 10 Worst of the Year:
Finally, a beer from Great Divide that I don’t like. And yes, we realize that there are only 9 beers here—if you force us to choose another one, we’re just gonna choose your mother. We considered dropping the Heinnieweisse and the Lazy Boy, as our dislike was more based upon something having gone tragically wrong in the brewing process—after all, I’ve had Lazy Boy before, and it was much much better—but we decided to leave them in until they send us some free samples of better tasting beers.
Elysian Avatar Jasmine IPA
Trade Route Ginger Pale Ale
Saranac Summer Brew
Upland Helios Pale Ale
Great Divide Wild Raspberry Ale
Stegmaier Oktoberfest
Kona Wailua Wheat
Heinnieweisse Weissebier
Lazy Boy IPA

Top 10 Best Labels of the Year:
Some of these labels are downright classic—I’m talking to you, Long Trail. Thankfully, nothing this year really registered as one of the worst labels of all time. You remember that label, right? While Elli and I didn’t always agree on the sheer awesomeness of labels (ahem! she hates the Grifter label—ahem!), we did reach a general consensus that required some give and take. I’m just sad that we’ll never see the El Chupalupalo label ever again. Now that’s tragic.
Lagunitas El Chupalupalo Pale Ale
Long Trail Blackbeary Wheat
Bruery Saison de Lente
Genesee Bock Beer
Avery 17 Dry-Hopped Black Lager
Three Floyds Gumballhead Wheat
Southern Star Buried Hatchet Stout
New Glarus Fat Squirrel Brown Ale
French Broad 13 Rebels ESB
MacTarnahan’s Summer Grifter IPA

Top 10 Best of the Year:
While there were many, many beers that could have been in the top ten, statistically it just wasn’t possible to fit them all in. I know, I know: math. So cold and logical and unfair. I blame Copernicus. Or maybe Pythagoras. Whoever. But if you’re really worried about math and you’re reading this blog, I only have one piece of advice for you—shut the hell up and drink another beer. It’s our list.
New Belgium La Folie
Bell’s Two Hearted
Panil Barriquée 2005
Bruery Saison de Lente
Cuvée De Ranke
Russian River Pliny the Elder
Alaskan Baltic Porter
Port Brewing High Tide Fresh Hop IPA
Fantôme Biére de Saison Pissenlit
Brasserie à Vapeur Saison de Pipaix

So that’s what we got for you this year. Hope you enjoyed it. We sure did. Damn, is beer tasty stuff.