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3 Flowers IPA
Marin Brewing Company (Larkspur, CA) Beer Style: Rye IPA ABV: 6.5 IBUs: 63 Hops: Citra, Cascade, Chinook York: If you are anywhere near as unclear as I am about whether you like ‘rye’ beers, I urge you to try this one. Very complex, very fresh, and very fun. Baby Genius
Bissell Brothers Brewing (Portland, ME) Beer Style: Session IPA ABV: 4.0% Hops: Citra, Ella, Topaz Pete: SO CRUSHABLE. It’s a 4% hop bomb, really surprising. Beelzebub
The Alchemist (Stowe, VT) Beer Style: Imperial Stout ABV: 8.0% York: Not quite like any other dark beer I've had. Hits on every single characteristic I know and look for, plus a few extras I didn’t even realize I love in a brew. Blaze
Foundation Brewing Company (Portland, ME) Beer Style: Farmhouse IPA ABV: 6.5% IBUs: 68 Hops: Cascade, Centennial, Chinook, Simcoe York: This beer is exactly what I envisioned this Worth a Shot section being all about. It’s different than anything I’ve had, and though it wasn’t my favorite, as a fan of beer and learning new flavors, combos, and tastes, this one was a lot of fun. Bucolia
Bissell Brothers Brewing (Portland, ME) Beer Style: American Amber/Red Ale ABV: 5.6% Hops: Simcoe, Centennial, Chinook York: Very interesting execution of an amber/red. Definitely has a heavy drink to it, but would be a great experience for any good beer fan. Pete: Either of these Russian River Sours. Honestly, they are so hard to find. That alone should get you interested, and they are absolutely delicious.
Continental Drift
Alvarado Street Brewery (Salinas, CA) Creature Comforts Brewing Co. (Athens, GA) Beer Style: Pilsner ABV: 5.5% IBUs: 25 Hops: Mosaic, Saphir York: Continental Drift and Let’s Get Tropical both qualify for this one. Each is a beer that made a major shift in my opinions of a style and what that style could be. Dirty Little Freak
DuClaw Brewing Company (Baltimore, MD) Beer Style: American Brown Ale ABV: 5.8% IBUs: 30 Hops: Columbus, Fuggle Pete: It's just such a unique take on the brown ale. Dobis
Cellarmaker Brewing Company (San Francisco, CA) Beer Style: Pale Ale ABV: 5.7% IBUs: 38 Hops: Citra Pete: This beer is hard to find and it lives up to the hype. Both things to consider. If you ever find Cellarmaker cans, you should get them. Fading Light
Foundation Brewing Company (Portland, ME) Beer Style: American Wild Ale ABV: 8.5% Hops: Columbus York: This is the exact type of beer we designed this category for. For Pete's Sake
DuClaw Brewing Company (Baltimore, MD) Beer Style: Imperial Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter ABV: 9% IBUs: 45 Hops: Nugget, Galena York: This might be the most fun beer we’ve had to-date. Grapefruit Nectar
RaR Brewing (Cambridge, MD) Beer Style: Grapefruit IPA ABV: 6.7% IBUs: 65 Pete: For everyone else who is skeptical about a Grapefruit beer, please go try this. Excellent proof that grapefruit can be a wonderful addition when done right. Grumpy Bear
Schilling Cider (Seattle, WA) Beer Style: Nitro, Cold-Brew Coffee Cider ABV: 6.0% Shane: If you love Guinness and cider, this is for you. If you've never had Guinness and cider, try this. The combination of rich and fruity is perfect. Hardywood Gingerbread Stout
Hardywood Park Craft Brewery (Richmond, VA) Beer Style: Imperial Milk Stout with Fresh Local Ginger and Honey ABV: 9.2% IBUs: 55 Pete: Gingerbread Stout has become a little bit more available so you don’t have to stand outside to get it. This is purely so you can satisfy the itch to find out what the deal is with this beer. York: I think the Gingerbread Stout is unlike any beer I’ve had. It’s far and away the best beer that claims to taste like cookies and christmas. Hopslam Ale (2016)
Bell's Brewery, Inc. (Kalamazoo, MI) Beer Style: Double India Pale Ale with honey ABV: 10.0% Hops: Simcoe dry hop, proprietary 6 hop blend Shane: If you’re a beer lover who appreciates the evolution of the craft beer movement, Hopslam is absolutely worth drinking for its place in history alone. You can only find it once a year, and, while it might not be worth standing in line for anymore, it’s definitely worth picking up if you can find it. Hop Swap (2016)
Sebago Brewing Company (Portland, ME) Beer Style: American IPA ABV: 6.7% IBUs: 88 Hops: Idaho 7, Mosaic, Simcoe Shane: It’s not that this particular iteration of Hop Swap is of particular note (although I do like it very much), but the idea of brewing the same beer using different hops each year is fascinating, and gauging each year’s version against the last will be very cool. Kook
Pizza Port Brewing Co. (Solana Beach, CA) Beer Style: Double IPA ABV: 8.5% Hops: CTZ, Amarillo, El Dorado, Melon, Chinook Shane: It’s a West Coast IPA that strikes a number of East Coast notes, making it something of a refreshing anomaly no matter which coast you enjoy it on. Let’s Get Tropical
Local Brewing Co. (San Francisco, CA) Beer Style: Blonde Ale ABV: 6.1% IBUs: 18 Shane: This beer straddles so many styles and flavor profiles that I feel like I have to give it the "must try" label. It’s sweet, it’s tart, it’s tropical, it’s funky...just an all-around great beer with a ton going on. Mayan Mayhem
Earth Eagle Brewings (Portsmouth, NH) Beer Style: Gruit ABV: 5.3% Shane: Whether you love the combo (like me) or hate the combo (like York), this beer is guaranteed to be like nothing you’ve ever tried before. More Moro Blood Orange IPA
Funky Buddha Brewery (Oakland Park, FL) Beer Style: Fruit Ale ABV: 7% IBUs: 80 Pete: Funky Buddha is really hard to get your hands on, so, if you are lucky enough to see this...grab it. Not Your Bro, Dawg
Eagle Rock Brewing (Los Angeles, CA) Beer Style: IPA ABV: 6.5 IBUs: 58 York: Really neat take on the coastal IPA differences. Great to have in a lineup with something representative of each coast if you can. Shambolic
Tired Hands Brewing Company (Ardmore, PA) Beer Style: Saison ABV: 6.5% Hops: Nelson Sauvin, Simcoe Pete: I don’t care if you think saisons are god’s gift to the drinking world or if you've never had one you liked, this beer is a MUST try. Space Juice
Long Trail Brewing Company (Bridgewater Corners, VT) Beer Style: Double IPA ABV: 8.7% IBUs: 82 Hops: Galaxy, Mosaic, Citra, Columbus, Ella Pete: The juice is loose, get you some. Subliminal Message
Grimm Artisanal Ales (Brooklyn, NY) Beer Style: American Sour Red Ale ABV: 5.0% York: Sometimes sour beers are sour just for the sake of it. This one does the style right on every level and even adds a few extra layers in the process. Swirly
King Harbor Brewing Company (Redondo Beach, CA) Beer Style: American Brown Ale ABV: 4.7% York: This beer is too fun to not try out once. Craft beer quality on a fun flavored brew. Truthful Statement
Almanac Beer Co. (San Francisco, CA) Style: Dark Sour ABV: 9.0% York: I’ve never had anything quite like Truthful Statement and it’s definitely a beer that’ll start a conversation with you and whoever you drink with. Wakatu Sour
Almanac Beer Co. (San Francisco, CA) Beer Style: Hopped Sour ABV: 7% Hops: Wakatu York: One of my top sours ever tried. HIGHLY recommend if you are on the fence about sours or appreciate a great one. |
Worth a ShotThese beers may not be our favorite beers, but they are the beers we think everyone should try at least once. Some are unusual. Some are downright weird. But they're all worth a shot.
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