American Beers

[PostModern]

My step-mother is going on a round the world trip shortly and has agreed to bring me back some beer from the USA. All up she is willing to carry about 5-6 beers and I've already requested an
Utenos Porter from Lithuania (that article happens to have my AHB beer quote in it!!! OMFG!). So I have 5 spots to fill...

AHBers would have to be right up there in the beer connoiseur stakes, so I'm after your suggestions for up to 5 American craft beers, of fine quality, that would be easy for a beer n00b to find and purchase in New York City.

 

[Stuster]

Rate beer is always a good place to look for info on this. Click on the Best US beers on this page. It's also broken down by state which may help as some beers are not nationally available.

I'm sure that info should be worth a finders fee, say two bottles.

Lucky you. I'm sure you'll enjoy whatever you end up getting. :chug:

Edit: Different page with links to beer reviews

 

[PostModern]

No finders fee, as I'm already a member at ratebeers, but nice try.

 

[neonmeate]

I like
Southampton Imperial porter
Victory Prima Pils
New Glarus Belgian Red
Kalamazoo Expedition Stout
Hair of the Dog Fred

but Ratebeer is a good place to get advice on American beer! Although there is a bit of a bias towards dumb 15% bourbon-barrel-aged throw-as-many-ingredients-in-as-possible double imperial eis IIIPAs.

 

[Stuster]

but Ratebeer is a good place to get advice on American beer! Although there is a bit of a bias towards dumb 15% bourbon-barrel-aged throw-as-many-ingredients-in-as-possible double imperial eis IIIPAs.

[post="129973"][/post]​

Absolutely. The lowest abv for the top 10 american beers is 9%, with most 12% and above. Big beers can be nice, but would you really want an imperial stout on a hot summer afternoon. :blink:

 

[Belgrave Brewer]

Here's a few that I like:
Widmer - A really nice Heffe Weisen
http://www.widmer.com/

Anchor Steam:
http://www.anchorbrewing.com/

Sierra Nevada:
http://www.sierranevada.com/beers/paleale.html

Petes:
http://www.peteswicked.com/

These are mid-sized to large microbreweries so you should be able to get ahold of these. I'm sure you'll be able to find many more and even better advice.

 

[THE DRUNK ARAB]

Hi Po Mo, we will all have differing opinions but for what it is worth:

Stone beers are readily available: http://www.stonebrew.com/

Alaskan Smoked Porter, a classic: http://www.alaskanbeer.com/porter.html

Bridgeport does a lovely IPA and ESB: http://www.bridgeportbrew.com/

Full Sail also nice: http://www.fullsailbrewing.com/default.cfm

Smuttynose Big A IPA is to die for: http://www.smuttynose.com/index.html

Good luck, hope she manages to find something other than MGD for ya! h34r:

C&B
TDA

 

[Trent]

Po-Mo
Pretty sure that ya can get Dogfish Head beers in NYC, but dont quote me on that.
If yer into fruit beers, one of my all time favourites (for fruit beers) was an Apricot Ale called Magic Hat #9, from Magic Hat brewery in Vermont. Should be available in the city.
Yuengling make some pretty nice beers aswell, but it has been a while since I tried em, maybe I only liked em cause they were better than Bud!
I spent most of my time on the west coast, I remember enjoying the Great White Ale by Lost Coast Brewery (www.lostcoast.com, I think) maybe see if ya can get them on the east coast.
I am sure that ya have enough selection to keep you out of trouble from the last few replies, but maybe look into getting Negra Modelo, the best Mexican beer (IMHO). Its a good vienna style brew, and IIRC, it is where the style was bought back from the edge. Drink it with lime juice and a pinch of salt (seriously). Anyway, I recall grabbing a sixer of that last time I was in NYC, so that is something else to help get you more confused.
My best friend just moved from LA (where her local supermarket musta carried at least 100 different beers) to DC, where she is absolutely gobsmacked at the beer selection available there, she reckons it is way bigger on the east coast.
You lucky bugger, make sure ya post some pics and reviews when ya get em.
All the best
Trent
EDIT No one has mentioned Red Hook, for their ESB, I loved that beer. Mate there is seriously that many good beers in the states, you will be really hard pressed to pick just 5. Good luck...

 

[dickTed]

Reckon the Arrogant ******* would be worth a try. I'd just love to have one of them bottles.

 

[Kai]

I have heard good things about Rogue, can't vouch for them myself.

 

[berapnopod]

Hmmm, where to start. I guess it depends on what types of beers you like, since there is so much variety there. Any clues???

Since its NYC, one of the first thigs I would suggest is anything by Brooklyn Brewery. I particularly liked the east india pale ale (EIPA).

Also, as previously mentioned, anything by Dogfish Head is not to be missed, since their stuff is one of the most unique and adventurous stuff around. My favourite is the world wide stout, which usually weighs in at about 18% ABV.

Victory Hop Devil is a nice IPA.

Smuttynose Imperial Stout is great!

Geary's Hampshire Special Ale is an excellent strong english style ale

Ommegang does some nice belgian styles

Thats my five (or six). You can clearly see my tastes in there, but if you're after hints of other styles, lemme know.

Berp.

 

[PostModern]

Thanks for the ideas so far.

I'm one who delights in all manifestations of Bacchus' muse, so a nice broad spectrum would work well for me. So far I think I'd looking at these:

Anchor Steam (gotta try the legend)
Brooklyn EIPA (on berp's recommendation)
Arrogant ******* (for the "embarass the step" factor)
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale (another legend of craft beer)

Leaves me one spot open. I'm leaning towards the Alaskan smoked porter... but I'm not generally a fan of smoked beer. The Arrogant ******* is just a "maybe" as well, as I'm thinking it's probably a beer sold on its name rather than its taste... but then again... I wouldn't mind a big stout so that might tip out the ******* too.

Will certainly post pics and reviews once I get them! I have to finalise the list today as she flies out tomorrow!

Cheers,
PoMo.

 

[sinkas]

Hi there Postmodern,
Unfortunlatey NYC is not that easy to find good (bottled) beers in, My friend who is a local didnt find even the local Ommegang beers easily, ended up getting a few nice ones for me at a beer shop in Brooklyn.(Beirkraft) Having said that last time I was there, I got a bottle of Jenlain (frenchbeer de garde) in a shitty little shop in Harlem @2 for $5.00

http://www.nycbeer.org/stores.html


Here is the list I have

Beer Stores:
(ordered by weighted rank)

Bierkraft
191 Fifth Ave., Park Slope, Brooklyn
New Beer Distributors
167 Chrystie St., New York
American Beer Distributing Company, Inc.
256 Court Street, Brooklyn
Happy Deli
750 8th Ave, New York
Eagle Provisions
628 Fifth Ave., Brooklyn
Pioneer Supermarket
289 Columbus Avenue, New York
Key Food Supermarket
369 Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn
B & E Quality Beverage
32-31 57th Street, Queens
Whole Foods Market
250 Seventh Ave, New York
Ace Supermarket
75 7th Ave, Brooklyn

 

[Finite]

any of the following breweries:

Dogfish
Rouge
AleSmith Brewing Company
Victory Brewing Company
Stone Brewing Co
Russian River Brewing Company

Heres a list of the top US craft brews:
http://beeradvocate.com/top_beers?c_id=US&style=

 

[PostModern]

Thanks everyone for your input. This is the list I've settled on:

1. Anchor Steam Beer.
2. Brooklyn East India Pale Ale
3. Alaskan Smoked Porter
4. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
5. Smuttynose Imperial Stout
6. Utenos Porteris

With a note to the dear old thing not to go to trouble finding them. She's over 70 now and travelling right the way around the world again, so I didn't want to put her to trouble dragging them around.

I've also passed on your list of shops, sinkas. That should make her shopping task easier. Much appreciated.

 

[deebee]

It may have been a little old but the SNPA I had was somewhat underwhelming especially after all the hype. On the other hand I would definitely try to get hold of arrogant ******* or ruination IPA again.

 

[jimmyjack]

My Dream Team if you can find them where your travels take you

Liberty Ale, Anchor steam Brewery
Bigfoot Barleywine, Sierra Nevada
Rogues Coffee Stout, Rogues brewery
Piney the Elder, Russian River
120 IPA, Dogfish head brewery
Full Sail Amber, Full sail brewery
Pyramid wheat
Bert Grants fresh hop Ale


Cheers, JJ

 

[sinkas]

In all honesty,
I would suggest just giving your mum a list of 50 beers you want in order of preference, so she can hand it to the clerk at the store, and they can go find what they have, othersie she will likely get told, NO at a few shops and give up, out of the 50, you'll likely easily get 5-10, most of th beers in those short lists people made, are hard to find at the best of times.

 

[PostModern]

Honestly, I would have been happy with just the Utenos Porter (which I know she'll have no trouble finding in Vilnius). If only one or two make it from the rest of the list, I'd be very happy, and feel less guilty about having her carry the six pack around the planet with her. She's a sensible lady, if she can't find them, she'll most likely get the shop staff to recommend something.

deebee, I've heard others disappointed with SNPA, but I'd like to see what the hype is about.

 

[neonmeate]

if i were you i wouldn't bother with SNPA or Anchor steam. they might still get 4 stars in the michael jackson book but they're pretty damn boring beers. - get them from the IBS in perth and get some real micros in the states.
here's an article that i pretty much agree with on this point
http://www.ratebeer.com/Beer-News/Article-618.htm

but i guess you have to see the mona lisa when in paris. just to say you've seen it.