Following up on last week’s top 10 breweries of 2018, here are my favorite beers from this past year. I use Untappd to keep track of everything I’ve had, and these ratings and ranking come from my list of beers I drank in 2018. So, without further ado, here is my top 10 list of favorite beers from this past year!
- Double Canopy IPA – 3 Sheets Brewery, Albany, Oregon
I was blown away by this IPA coming from such a small brewery. Floral with a hint of citrus and oh so smooth, this double IPA manages not to overpower your taste buds with a hop bomb.
- Cocoa Cow Milk Stout – Sunriver Brewing Company, Sunriver, Oregon
This beer manages to meld cocoa and chocolate malt together without becoming overpoweringly sweet or syrupy. The lactose gives it an added silkiness that goes down smooth. One of my favorite chocolate stouts ever.
- Macadamia Nut Porter – Six Rivers Brewery, McKinleyville, California
Another chocolatey beer, this one balances the sweetness of the chocolate with the subtler roasted malt and nutty characteristics. More of a dessert beer, it was delight to drink.
- Casanova Crunch Stout – Barsideous Brewing, Lebanon, Oregon
Another dessert style beer, this one is heavy on the sweetness and a bolder peanut butter flavor without being too cloying. I had this one at a local brew fest and loved it.
- Pumpkin Pie Beer – Block 15 Brewing, Corvallis, Oregon
A pumpkin beer that tastes like a pumpkin pie, I’m sad that this is a seasonal beer and not available the rest of the year. They do an excellent job of balancing the many flavor elements without letting one become too overpowering.
- Foggy Scotsman Porter – Plank Town Brewing Company, Springfield, Oregon
The figs and honey blend together to create an incredibly complex and smooth drinking porter. A subtle smokiness on the back of your tongue works well with this beer.
- Shalom Y’all Milk Stout – Gilgamesh Brewing, Salem, Oregon
Another well done milk stout, this one adds cinnamon and cardamom for an added complexity that balances out the sweetness really well. The lactose makes it so smooth that you can finish a pint in no time.
- Jai Alai IPA – Cigar City Brewing, Tampa, Florida
A well-balanced IPA that won’t overwhelm your senses with hops. Very crushable, you can have a few of these in one sitting without burning out your taste buds.
- 1554 Dark Lager – New Belgium Brewing Company, Fort Collins, Colorado
A beer I have drank countless times, I always come back to this one when I’m at New Belgium. With more bold malt choices, this beer has more mouthfeel and body than a typical lager.
- Coco Jones Porter – Black Raven Brewing, Redmond, Washington
Incredibly rich with bold caramel and chocolate flavors, they add in some toasted coconut that blends well with the other flavors. This brewery is on my list to visit this year based on how much I liked this one.
Honorable mention: La Calavera Catrina Stout – Crafty Bastard Brewery, Knoxville, Tennessee
An imperial milk stout that also manages to blend ancho pepper, cinnamon, and vanilla. All those flavors have the potential to overwhelm, yet they harmonize quite well. You will want a growler of this beer to take home with you.
And there you have it! How many of these have you had? Feel free to leave your thoughts or recommendations in the comments section, I’d be more than happy to try any beers you thought were good in 2019!
Brews Alert 