Zach’s 2008 Beer of the Year Awards
That’s right: it’s time for the BOTYs!
Let me first explain how I’m ranking the botys - because it’s actually very simple:
a + b/c = n
a) Awesomeness of beer
b) How much of it I drank
c) General availability of the beer
n) BOTYness!
You’ll quickly realize that I like hoppy beers… but hey: this is the Zach BOTYs, not the You botys. If you want your own… well, just post them! Actually that’d be awesome- please do.
Anyway- let’s dive right into it.
#5 Ithaca Beer Co’s Casca Zilla
Link to Beer: Ithaca Brewing (halfway down the page)
Link to Beer Advocate review: B+
Number Consumed: 18 - 24
Awesomeness: 88
General availability: Relatively Difficult
Notes: As advertised, this beer truly is a “Monstrously Hoppy Red Ale”. It’s like nothing I’ve had before - it’s as if you dropped a Killians into a bowl of hops - but instead of sounding gross, it tasted amazing.
#4 Sixpoint Craft Ales’ Bengali Tiger IPA
Link to Beer: Sixpoint
Link to Beer Advocate review: A-
Number Consumed: 10 - 20
Awesomeness: 94
General availability: Moderately difficult - found at The Kinsale in Boston
Notes: my year long go-to beer at The Pub has never disappointed. It’s smooth and very good with a spicy dish. Incredibly light for any beer, let alone one so hoppy. Fantastically drinkable.
#3 Sierra Nevada’s Southern Hemisphere Fresh Hop Ale
Link to Beer: Sierra Nevada
Link to Beer Advocate review: A-
Number Consumed: 5 (big ones)
Awesomeness: 95
General availability: Very difficult
Notes: It’s amazingly hoppy - but incredibly smooth. I generally don’t like my beer too cold - but for some reason this one just always tastes cold, but in a delicious way. It just hit the spot through the month of June… just waiting for more to show up next year.
#2 Victory Brewing’s Hop Wallop
Link to Beer: Victory Brewing
Link to Beer Advocate review: A-
Number Consumed: 120 (so far)
Awesomeness: 99
General availability: Incredibly difficult - fall seasonal
Notes: As evidenced by the multiple pictures on the BuzzonBeer this has recently swept me off my feet. It’s pretty much everything I love in a beer, all in one delightfully adorned bottle. It’s deliciously hoppy but with the smoothest (slightly sweet and very mildly fruity) aftertaste. At $12.50 per six pack I have now spent $125 to drink this beer. And you know what - if I can find more I’ll keep buying it. For any IPA drinker I cannot recommend the Hop Wallop highly enough.
#1 Bear Republic’s Hop Rod Rye
image credit to Thom’s awesome beer blog!
Link to Beer: Bear Republic
Link to Beer Advocate review: A
Number Consumed: 8 - 10
Awesomeness: 98
General availability: Way too difficult
Notes: Bear Republic’s Racer5 has long been one of my all time favorites - but after my introduction to the Hop Rod Rye I had my mind blown. It never occured to me that there could be a tastier beer than the Racer5; it was difficult to accept and although I fought the urge - Hop Rod is just a better beer. Sidenote: I love Rye - and I love beer. What Hop Rod does so well is infuses my two favorite beverages into one amazing bottle. And because of that - it receives my top BOTY slot!
And that’s it! Thanks for coming - it’s been a great year. Who knows what next year has in store - but I’m excited for the opportunities to try some new brews.
