Alright, after reading through the Draft Magazines’ list of the 25 best beers in 2012, my friend the Beer Counselor and myself thought it would be a fun idea to come up with our top 25 beers in 2012, with the whole idea being they are/were available for our consumption in Eastern Iowa. All the beers on the list are ones that we have tried, there are some out there we wish we could have tried but could not get a hold of.

This will be a list of 25 of the best beers in Iowa, in 5 beer intervals. There is not particular order.

*We both understand Goose Island Bourbon County Coffee Stout and Cherry Rye were out there; unfortunately we were unable to get a hold of them.

COMING ATTRACTIONS
**These beers will be available in Iowa, but were not in 2012. **
-Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout
-Founders Imperial Stout

HERE WE GO!!!!

~Toppling Goliath Pseudo Sue – IPA – 5.8%A unanimous choice to be on our list; an easy pick for me when I’m at Red’s Alehouse or Parlor City this is always I pick I will go with. Sweet pine and citrus from the hops with a hint of caramel to finish it off. Very balanced, refreshing, and highly enjoyable. We as Iowans, lucky to have this fine brewery in our state, and even luckier that they will soon be bottling and we will be able to enjoy these fine brews in our homes. From the brewery:

This single hop ale showcases the Citra hop. Named for the largest T-rex fossil ever discovered, she roars with ferocious aromas of grapefruit, citrus, mango and evergreen. Delicate in body with a mild bite in the finish.

~Stone Enjoy By IPA 12.22.12 – Imperial IPA – 9.4%
If I had to pick my favorite of the year I think this might be the one I would go with. A very complex double IPA that smells just as good as it tastes. Resinous, citrus, hops make this beer one of the best of the year. From the brewery: 

You have in your hands a devastatingly fresh double IPA. While freshness is a key component of many beers- especially big, citrusy, floral IPAs- we’ve taken it further, a lot further, in this IPA. You see, we specifically brewed it NOT to last. We’ve not only gone to extensive lengths to ensure that you’re getting this beer in your hands within an extraordinarily short window, we made sure that the Enjoy By date isn’t randomly etched in tiny text somewhere on the bottle, to be overlooked by all but the most attentive of retailers and beer fans. Instead, we’ve sent a clear message with the name of the beer itself that there is no better time than right now to enjoy this IPA.

~Founders Backwoods Bastard – Scotch Ale – 10.2%
Another heavy hitter this year comes from Founders. I will be the first to tell you that Scotch Ales aren’t usually my thing, but with this beer the balance of the bourbon, coffee, oak, and caramel makes this an absolute home run. Glad to have Founders in Iowa! From the brewery:

Big and delicious for your ’perty mouth. Expect lovely, warm smells of single malt scotch, oaky bourbon barrels, smoke, sweet caramel and roasted malts. A bit of earthy spice and a scintilla of dark cherries. It’s a kick-back sipper made to excite the palate.

~Saison Dupont Vielle Provision – Saison – 6.5%
Something that has been on our shelves for sometime now but a style that is kind of lost amongst the IPAs, stouts, and barrel-ages of the world. Saison style beers are something I’ve started to grow quite fond of. Hennepin by Ommegang and Boulevard’s Tank 7 are good as well, but I still stick with the veteran that is Saison Dupont. Biscuity, black pepper, and lemon citrus makes this a must try beer!

Bottle conditioned.
Saison Dupont is a classic Belgian farmhouse ale. This is a beautifully balanced, complex beer that has a refreshing fruitiness and long, dry finish. It is bottled unfiltered so it may be cloudy or have a slight sediment but this is normal and perfectly natural.

~Green Flash Palate Wrecker – Imperial IPA – 9.5% 
The name of the beer says it all. A slap in the face double IPA. The hops dominate this beer with citrus and tropical fruits shining. A very drinkable imperial ipa that can sneak up on you quick. Not as bitter as the West Coast IPA from Green Flash, and oddly enough, more drinkable for me.

Palate Wrecker was originally brewed for the Hamilton’s Tavern 2nd Anniversary celebration. It’s the most complicated West Coast–inspired IPA we have ever brewed—mashing and sparging with hopped wort, in addition to our hop layering regimen for IPA. We use almost 6 lbs/bbl of Columbus and Centennial hops to create this very bitter hop monster (tested at 149 IBU and no extracts in case you were wondering). By popular demand, it is now released for the world to enjoy (even though this beer isn’t for everyone, only the real hop heads!!!). Cheers! – Chuck Silva – Brewmaster – Green Flash Brewing

Thanks for reading! Keep checking back with the next 5 in the series!

Agree or disagree? How many have you had? Here’s how they judged this years’ list.  From draftmag.com:

To narrow it down, this time around we tweaked the rules: We focused only on bottled or canned beers that were released or made available for the first time in the United States this year. With the criteria set, we dug into our notes. We remembered some of the stunning new Belgian releases that arrived from Chimay, St-Feuillien and Westvleteren. We reminisced about the way Hangar 24 and Stone elevated the IPA with ingredients from the farm. And, most of all, we couldn’t forget the variety of exceptional farmhouse ales, from Cigar City’s Cucumber Saison to Ranger Creek’s smoke-infused Small Batch Series No. 2. It didn’t take long before a clear set of front-runners emerged, all defining the new look of craft beer.

Looking at this group as a whole, it’s evident that innovation is on equal footing with classic styles. Some releases reminded us that beer doesn’t have to be fancy to be awesome, while others weren’t just outside the box; they were nowhere near it. Brewers formed new partnerships that furthered the relationship between beer and the worlds of food and farms. Fruits, vegetables and specialty grains like oatmeal and rye reimagined old styles. Brewers perfected novel techniques, and found new ways to harness the power of wood aging and smoke. This list is about groundbreakers, and these are the top 25 new beers of 2012. -Christopher Staten

Onto the list:
– Cigar City Cucumber Saison

–Bières de Chimay  Speciale Cent Cinquante – Belgian Golden Strong

– Sun King Brewing The Velvet Fog – Belgian Dark Strong

-Firestone Walker Wookey Jack – Speciality Beer

-Hangar 24 Essence – Imperial IPA/Fruit Beer

-Russian River Row 2 Hill 56 – Pale Ale

-Rogue Brewing Bacon Maple – Speciality Brew

-Fort George Sunrise OPA – Specialty Brew

-Ranger Creek Brewing Small Batch Series No. 2 – Smoked Beer

-Maui Brewing/Dogfish Head Collaboration  Liquid Breadfruit – Specialty Beer

-Brewery Vivant/New Belgium Collaboration Escoffier – Belgian Specialty Ale

-Funkwerks Brett Dream – Saison

-4 Hands Brewing Prunus Saison

-DuClaw Brewing X-1 – Speciality brew

– Ölvisholt Brugghús Lava – Smoked beer

-Drake’s Brewing Alpha Session – Bitter

-Stone Brewing 16th Anniversary IPA

– Brouwerij Westvleteren Trappist Westvletern 12 – Belgian Dark Strong

-Founders Bolt Cutter – Barleywine

-Boulevard Brewing Lovechild No. 2 – Wild Ale

-Left Hand Brewing Nitro Milk Stout – Sweet Stout

-Urban Chestnut Brewing Zwickel – Zwickelbier

-Heavy Seas Plank II – Wood-Aged beer

-Mikkeller 19 – American IPA

– Brasserie St-Feuillien Grand Cru – Belgian Golden Strong

Anything you think is missing? I would like to have seen Stone Enjoy By on this list as well.

Agree or disagree? How many have you had? Here’s how they judged this years’ list.  From draftmag.com:

To narrow it down, this time around we tweaked the rules: We focused only on bottled or canned beers that were released or made available for the first time in the United States this year. With the criteria set, we dug into our notes. We remembered some of the stunning new Belgian releases that arrived from Chimay, St-Feuillien and Westvleteren. We reminisced about the way Hangar 24 and Stone elevated the IPA with ingredients from the farm. And, most of all, we couldn’t forget the variety of exceptional farmhouse ales, from Cigar City’s Cucumber Saison to Ranger Creek’s smoke-infused Small Batch Series No. 2. It didn’t take long before a clear set of front-runners emerged, all defining the new look of craft beer.

Looking at this group as a whole, it’s evident that innovation is on equal footing with classic styles. Some releases reminded us that beer doesn’t have to be fancy to be awesome, while others weren’t just outside the box; they were nowhere near it. Brewers formed new partnerships that furthered the relationship between beer and the worlds of food and farms. Fruits, vegetables and specialty grains like oatmeal and rye reimagined old styles. Brewers perfected novel techniques, and found new ways to harness the power of wood aging and smoke. This list is about groundbreakers, and these are the top 25 new beers of 2012. -Christopher Staten

Onto the list:
– Cigar City Cucumber Saison

–Bières de Chimay  Speciale Cent Cinquante – Belgian Golden Strong

– Sun King Brewing The Velvet Fog – Belgian Dark Strong

-Firestone Walker Wookey Jack – Speciality Beer

-Hangar 24 Essence – Imperial IPA/Fruit Beer

-Russian River Row 2 Hill 56 – Pale Ale

-Rogue Brewing Bacon Maple – Speciality Brew

-Fort George Sunrise OPA – Specialty Brew

-Ranger Creek Brewing Small Batch Series No. 2 – Smoked Beer

-Maui Brewing/Dogfish Head Collaboration  Liquid Breadfruit – Specialty Beer

-Brewery Vivant/New Belgium Collaboration Escoffier – Belgian Specialty Ale

-Funkwerks Brett Dream – Saison

-4 Hands Brewing Prunus Saison

-DuClaw Brewing X-1 – Speciality brew

– Ölvisholt Brugghús Lava – Smoked beer

-Drake’s Brewing Alpha Session – Bitter

-Stone Brewing 16th Anniversary IPA

– Brouwerij Westvleteren Trappist Westvletern 12 – Belgian Dark Strong

-Founders Bolt Cutter – Barleywine

-Boulevard Brewing Lovechild No. 2 – Wild Ale

-Left Hand Brewing Nitro Milk Stout – Sweet Stout

-Urban Chestnut Brewing Zwickel – Zwickelbier

-Heavy Seas Plank II – Wood-Aged beer

-Mikkeller 19 – American IPA

– Brasserie St-Feuillien Grand Cru – Belgian Golden Strong

Anything you think is missing? I would like to have seen Stone Enjoy By on this list as well.

Boulevard is adding a new beer to their Smokestack Series. Grainstorm Black Rye IPA will be hitting shelves after the new year. The following news comes from http://www.beerpulse.com.

(Kansas City, MO) – Boulevard Grainstorm Black Rye IPA, a new seasonal Smokestack series release, “will be bottled this Friday and ready for distribution shortly after the new year,” says Boulevard Marketing Communications Manager, Julie Weeks. “Also, for all of you Rye-on-Rye lovers, Central States plans on distributing the beer throughout Kansas City starting next Tuesday.”

Here is the Grainstorm copy per the back label:

“Just when you thought it was safe to come out of the root cellar, along comes Grainstorm, a big, wet wallop to the sense. Dark clouds gather on the horizon of your glass. A high-pressure system of pungent hops collides with a stationary front of barley, oats, wheat, and rye. The froecast: a monsoon of flavor with surges of roasty malt, microbursts of fruity notes, and a chance of golfball-sized hail. The extended outlook calls for unseasonably pleasant enjoyment.”

Look for the beer on draft and in 750ml bottles in January.

I haven’t had the Iowa IPA yet but the Imperial Red is a fine oak aged brew. The following comes from Madhouse Brewings’ newsletter!

2012 Holiday Release Party

Thursday, Dec. 6th from 6-9pm

Jasper Winery in Des Moines

 

This is the official Release Party for our 2012 Iowa Hops IPA.  This beer is made with 100% locally grown Cascade and Centennial hops.  This beer comes in at 7.5% alc. and 65 IBU with tons of piney and citrus hop aroma. 

 

There will be free beer and wine samples, and as well as free food provided by Gusto Pizza Co. and Taste to Go. Live music provided by Brian Congdon and DJ Brodacious. The first 100 people to arrive will receive either a free Madhouse pint glass or Jasper corkscrew. All wine and beer will be 25% off cases the night of the event only!

Oak Aged Imperial Red

Madhouse Venture Series

 A second batch of Imperial Red will be bottled and ready this week.  This beer has been very popular, and is currently in stores.  Our Oak Aged Imperial Red has intriguing aromas of oak and mocha. Creamy malt flavors of caramel and chocolate create a complex flavor balanced with hop bitterness.  If you haven’t tried this beer yet, it is highly recommended.

If you are interested in getting some of California’s finest craft brews delivered to your front door step; Craft Beer Connect might be what you’ve been waiting for. There are 4 monthly packages that you can check out here: http://www.craftbeerconnect.com/packages. Each package allows you to add different beers to your “que”. If you are currently a member please shoot a comment my way letting us know if you enjoy it. Packages range from $25-$50.

Will Iowans be able to get their hands on any of the sought after Goose Island products coming out? According to beerpulse.com, Iowa will be one of the states receiving both Goose Island Cherry Rye Bourbon County Brand Stout and Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Coffee Stout. Both products have been arriving in Chicago last week and should be making their way to liquor stores in Iowa. My recommendation would be to call ahead and reserve a bottle for yourself before trying to get their before the rush.

From beerpulse.com.

(Chicago, IL) – Some information just in from Goose Island HQ…

Goose Island Cherry Rye Bourbon County Brand Stout and Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Coffee Stout arrived in the greater Chicago market last week and will soon hit out-of-state markets.

A brewery spokesperson said that shipment dates vary based on location but that the two beers will be available in the following states: NY, CT, DE, MA, MD, NJ, PA, RI, VA, WI, IN, MI, KY, IA, MO, NE, MN, ME, VT and AR.

Two exceptions are New Hampshire and D.C.. Neither will get Cherry Rye but both will get Coffee.

While Cherry Rye is a brand-new release, Coffee has a rating of 100/99 on RateBeer.

Please shoot an email updating where this product can be found. John’s Grocery in Iowa City will be carrying them.

It only makes sense doesn’t it? Oskar Blues is in Illinois and Ohio, Odell in the Dakotas, Iowa is the next logical choice right? From a credible source it sounds like it is only a matter of time before both of these breweries will be showing their products on our shelves. Nothing can be confirmed as of yet, but it sounds like it will be happening soon and I will keep you posted! Excellent news going into the weekend and Thanksgiving holiday!