2017 was a shitty year in many ways but it was a good year for beer and below I have listed my top ten. Please note, that these are the top beers I drank in 2017, they didn’t necessarily debut in 2017. Also, these do not appear in any particular order (i.e. they are not ranked) and come primarily from the Pacific Northwest since that’s where I live and the beers I have access to.
Matryoshka With Cocoa Nibs & Raspberries by Fort George Brewery (Astoria, OR): This is the dessert beer to end all dessert beers. I have loved Fort George for a long time (their Vortex IPA is a constant contender for my favorite IPA) but this beer is next level. If you love chocolate with raspberry find a bottle of this-you will not be disappointed.
Bourbon Barrel Aged Noggin Floggin by Hopworks Urban Brewery (Portland, OR): Bourbon is my favorite liquor and as such I have a serious predilection toward bourbon barrel ages beers. I sampled this one evening in December at Hopworks’ Vancouver location and the beer list described it thusly: “2009 BA Noggin Floggin – Our Organic Noggin Floggin Barleywine Aged For 7 Years In Heaven Hill Bourbon Barrels Until Absolute Perfection Was Achieved.” An accurate description indeed. This beer is delicious, perfection even, but it is a lot. It comes in a snifter and I would be very impressed by the person who could drink more than one.
Sun Made Cranberry by Oakshire Brewing (Eugene, OR): Of the northwest breweries who have a Berliner Weisse as one of their core brands, Oakshire’s are my favorites. Their Berliner Weisses are on a seasonal rotation, and last years included Raspberry, Cucumber, Blackberry, and Cranberry varieties. I have enjoyed them all but I am including the Cranberry as it was their fall release and was a nice break from the usual fall seasonal one sees. And it you live in the PNW and see a six pack of Oakshire Sun Made next to 10 Barrel’s Crush, pick the Oakshire.
Field to Ferment Centennial by Fremont Brewing (Seattle, WA): Like many other craft beer nerds, I love fresh hop season and the array of fresh hop beers that are made from them. Of all of the fresh hop beers I sampled this year, this one went right to the top of the list. So good!
Cinder Beast by Sunriver Brewing Company (Sunriver, OR): GABF gold medal winner in the house! And man, does it deserve it. Cinder Beast is an imperial red ale and a boozy one at that (hello 9.8% ABV). It is a limited release, however, so try it when you can.
Brett Lager-GoodLife Brewing (Bend, OR): Like many Bend residents I am a big fan of everything GoodLife does but this beer was on another level. This collaboration with The Ale Apothecary is a Dortmunder style lager that was cold-conditioned for two months, transferred to Sokol Blosser Pinot Noir barrels where Ale Apothecary’s wild house yeast was added before the 18-month barrel aging process. You can read more about this great beer here.
Dark Perennial by Urban Family Brewing Co (Seattle, WA): One thing you will quickly discover about me is that I love sours and as PNW girl there are two reigning champs in the sour arena for me and one of them is Urban Family Brewing (the other is Cascade Brewing Company). This brewery is located in the Magnolia neighborhood of Seattle and it is both deeply upsetting and probably a good thing for my finances that they did not move into the neighborhood until after I had moved out of it. Anyways, I have yet to have a beer of theirs I don’t enjoy and Dark Perennial was one of my favorites.
Paso Petite | Batch No. 1501 by BarrelHouse Brewing Co (Paso Robles, CA): Another sour on the list (I warned you). BarrelHouse is one of my favorite breweries not only because their beer is awesome but also because they are in the region of California I hail from (what up Central Coast) and a dude I know in high school is one of the brewers there. This red Foeder sour with local Petite Sirah grapes and aged in oak barrels is complex and wonderful and I can’t recommend beers from Barrelhouse enough.
Oud Bruin by pFriem Family Brewers (Hood River, OR): It only took three visits to Pfriem’s tap room before I actually got inside the door and I was very happy once I did. They’re another brewery who seems incapable of making a bad beer and their Oud Bruin is no exception. This barrel aged Flanders Red Sour is delicious if you’re into that sort of thing (the waitress asked me I knew what I was getting myself into, which I sort of appreciated). Pfirem’s website describes the finish as “tart, jammy, tannic, and lovely” and I couldn’t agree more.
Higgins by Double Mountain Brewery & Taproom (Hood River, OR): This next beer comes from a brewery less than a mile away from the last entry but good beer and proximity is about the only comparison I could make between Pfriem and Double Mountain. While the Belgian influence is strong at Pfriem, Double Mountain is northwest all the way. Higgins is a bourbon barrel aged scotch ale, which was an automatic order for me when I saw that it was aged in Woodford Reserve barrels (my go-to bourbon), and I was very glad I did.
And a few honorable mentions…
Solid Baby by Hop Valley Brewing Company (Eugene, OR): In my opinion, one of Hop Valley’s underrated seasonals for 2017.
Studded Tires Black Lager by Craft Kitchen & Brewery (Bend, OR): Craft Kitchen & Brewery is one of the often overlooked breweries here in Bend and one of my favorites. There are currently in the process of moving locations but I will definitely be there when they’re open again for great beer and some of the best BBQ in town.
Crimes of Passion by Coalition Brewing Co. (Portland, OR): Passion Fruit sour from one of Portland’s consistently great breweries
Summer Thyme Raspberry by Cascade Brewing Company (Portland, OR): One of the summer seasonals from the House of Sour and oh so delicious.
Funky Farmer Ralph by Engine House No. 9 (Tacoma, WA): Again with the sours, I know, but Engine House No. 9 was a recent find for me (recommended by the great people at John’s Market in Portland) and I hope to make a pilgrimage there soon.
