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Just like a TV sitcom, we’ve moved from Christmas on to New Year’s before Christmas really even got started. So in spirit of the New Year’s tradition of reflection, we’ve looked back on the year in beers.
It’s been a good year: trying new brews and finally getting to some of the classics shamefully missing from our list. What follows is the top five beers (as far as we can remember) we tasted in 2008 and several notable mentions. The decision making process was difficult and surely we have missed some worthy beers. We hope that you will try some of the new-to-you brews on the list and also let us know what some of your favorites of 2008 are.
Top beers tasted in 2008:
Founder’s Breakfast Stout: while the name may be off-putting, the beer can certainly be labeled an eye-opener. It’s brewed with loads of coffee and chocolate and oats creating a warm, chocolate-oatmeal and mug of coffee aroma. The taste is just as pleasant. And, despite the formidable head you can easily have more than one at a sitting.
Mayflower’s IPA: These pints pack a punch at 7.0% ABV, but miraculously avoid any biteyness or bitterness that could accompany such a strong brew. Instead, the flavor is piney and hoppy beneath a fruity aroma fit almost for a double.
Photo by iShot71 on Flickr, used with Creative Commons License. More favorite beers after the jump.
Dogfish Head’s Palo Santo Marron: Founder Sam Calagione hacked through the jungles of Paraguay to get the wood to build the barrels this beer would age in. If that’s not enough for you, the taste is equally exotic: fruit, chocolate, even caramel flavors mingle in each sip of this “extreme beer.” It’s high in alcohol, but it’s taste makes you want to savor each bottle anyway.
Rogue’s Smoke Ale: Patterned after the Rauchbier Style, this beer shares many attributes with the German style including, of course, the in-your-face smoky smell that assaults when you near the glass. The taste, however, is not like eating an ashtray, but rather similar to enjoying some smoked meats or cheeses.
Cambridge Brewing Company’s Audacity of Hops: Belgian style meets IPA meets very clever and politically relevant name. Brilliant!
Berkshire Brewing Company Coffeehouse Porter
Brooklyn Brewery’s Black Chocolate Stout
Clipper City's Hop Cubed
Flying Dog's Imperial Porter
Cisco Brewer's Indy Pale Ale
Sixpoint's Bengali Tiger
Southern Tier’s Imperial Oatmeal Stout
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palo santo marron sounds good! i liked double bastard... and one eared monkey, against all beer advocate reviews http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/123/16586