Beer Year In Review #4 (2022): Diminishing Returns

 Made it through another year. And honestly this was the second (maybe first!) most challenging year since 2020. So what are the five best brews that helped get me through it? Well let's look at 5 to 1!

#5:

Name: Lagunitas Sucks

Type: Dry Hopped Brown Ale

Brewer: Lagunitas Brewing Co.

Availability: Limited. Currently not available.

ABV:9.0%

Grade: S

From the Brewer: The fall of 2011 brought with it the sad realization that we could not make the annual plan to wrangle with our most difficult brew, the Brown Shugga’ Ale. E.K. Ross would have enjoyed our suffering as we moved through her stages toward acceptance final, but in that time of our deepest despair, as is common to artists everywhere; broke, hungover, abandoned by the muse and prepared to take a job at Arby’s, we found in that darkness the spark of inspiration that would yield up the nearly sanctified recipe for the tragically named beer that we call the Lagunitas Sucks Ale. This is that beer. In the tale of the farmer with a lost ox, the last stages of are all that matter and in those desperate final moments, salvation is found. Having named the beer in that moment of darkness we are now bound to it and it to us as an act of supplication and this name we now wear with a heart full of gratitude, humble and penitent before the recipe’s creator; the muse of brewers everywhere.

#4:

Name: Victress

Type: Cranberry Lime Kettle Sour

Brewer: Flying Dog

ABV:6.8%

Grade: S

From the Brewer:: Brewed by Flying Dog's craft beer queens, Victress is a delicious fusion of sweet and tart flavors that create a super drinkable explosion of juicy hop filled goodness. Proceeds benefit the Pink Boots Society which supports women in the craft beer industry.

#3:

Name: Punkin Ale
Type: Brown Ale
Brewer: Dogfish Head
Location: Milton, DE

ABV: 7%

IBUS: 28

Availability: August - November
Grade: S
From the Brewer: A full-bodied brown ale with smooth hints of pumpkin and brown sugar. We brew our Punkin Ale with pumpkin meat, brown sugar and spices. As the season cools, this is the perfect beer to warm up with.

#2:

Name: High Pines

Type: Imperial IPA

Brewer: Highland Brewing

Location: Ashville, NC

ABV:9.0%

Grade: S

From the Brewer: Highland brewer, Jesse Lapinski, said “High Pines was made in the tradition of old-school West Coast IPAs. While it does not shy away from big bitter, resinous hops, it has a good malty body to balance that bitter, piney flavor.” Lapinski continued, “My wife loves the label and I think this is the perfect beer for a bonfire or a winter warmer into springtime.”

My Thoughts: Holy crap. This beer is delicious! IPA bitterness with a blueberry undertone? You can't do much better.

And finally number 1!

#1:

Name: The Truth

Brewer: Flying Dog

Location: Maryland

Type: Imperial IPA

ABV:8.7%

Grade: S

What Makes it Unique: Over 3 years in the making, The Truth was scientifically engineered to be the holy grail for IPA lovers. With big pine notes and stone fruit underpinnings, our brewers concocted a hop blend so aromatic, so complex, that you’ll almost forget you’re drinking an 8.7% Imperial.

So smooth and delicious. Easy to drink with a nice mellow IPA bite. It's just one of those beers that you taste and it hits your tongue in the best way possible. One of my new favorites!

21 posted beers for the year! A new record. But that's it for 2022. Good year! Minus the autumn anyway. Good year for beers at least! Soon we will hit 2023 and we will see what beer adventures we can get into! Stay tuned!