[klickitat jim]

Thanks. I have to wait for my hard copy. Can't remember my password

[nateo]

No pay wall here: http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/pages/community/news/show?title=zymurgys-2013-best-beers-in-america

I'm kind of amazed none of the top imports were from Germany. C'mon!

[mugwort]

Taking nothing away from the quality of the beers on the list, but it is kind of a most famous beers list, isn't it?

And most likely they're famous due to the quality.  I don't see your point.

That's OK.  Any other reasons though?  Maybe some breweries are bigger and more well-distributed than others?  No foreign beers in the Top 50 either.  Does that seem likely?
Is Sierra Nevada Pale Ale really THAT good (multiple top 10's) or does everyone just know it and is willing to throw it on there when filling out their list?  Was Guinness really the 7th best beer in American just three years ago? And those 12 Rahr beers in the Top 50 that same year - seems legit!

cheers--
--Michael

I agree with your point that this list is not a best-of (which implies some sort of semi-objectivity to the whole deal), but simply a list of a relatively small percentage of motivated Zymurgy readers' craft brew favorites.  The claim that this list somehow describes the best brews available in the USA used to annoy me.  To the AHA's credit, this year's title reads "Zymurgy's 2013 Best Beers in America", and the tag line states, "...we've asked Zymurgy readers to share a list of their 20 favorite beers...".  Love that the word "favorite" is in there.

No doubt, the list is highly-correlated with quality (except as a coordinated prank, nothing too crappy will be voted to this list), but as for describing what is best, whatever.  It's a popularity contest and thankfully most people probably realize that.  If nothing else, the list provides plenty of forum posts and casual debate.

[bunderbunder]

No pay wall here: http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/pages/community/news/show?title=zymurgys-2013-best-beers-in-america

I'm kind of amazed none of the top imports were from Germany. C'mon!

Look at the beers that win - they're generally more aggressive styles like American-style IPA and stronger stouts.  In keeping with that trend, 4/5 of the international winners were yeast- and bacteria-forward Belgians.  With the rankings skewing so hard in that direction, it's no surprise that Germany didn't fare well.  Even if there had been a German winner it probably would have been something like a Berliner Weisse or rauchbier.

[tschmidlin]

This list is unscientific.

I think this is a key thing.  Of course it is unscientific, but it's kind of fun.

I have had pliny a bunch of times - it is a great beer.  It is definitely in my list of best 1000000 beers and is certainly in the top 100%.

Now that's commitment, Tom!

What can I say

I can appreciate that people like to rank beers.  I don't.  I know that I would prefer a Pliny over the smoked porter I am drinking right now, because they used cherry wood smoked malt at too high of a level for me and I find it to be harshly phenolic.  That cherry smoked malt doesn't have the smooth smokiness of weyermann rauch malt or my home smoked malt.

But to me a big part of beer enjoyment is situational.  Floating down a river in 105F weather a Coors banquet really hits the spot.  Not the Anderson Valley Boont amber or the 21A Hell or High Watermelon we also had - coors banquet.  if we had had pliny with us . . . no.  I generally despise a light lager and that beer is nowhere in my top 100 or even 1000 beers because under normal conditions it just doesn't taste good to me.  But it probably makes my top 50 beer memories, for whatever that is worth.

[klickitat jim]

It's ok. We understand.

I think I follow your line of thought. If I were asked "what is your favorite beer?" My answer will be whatever I happen to be into at the time. But if I were asked "if you could only drink one beer for the rest of your life, what would it be?" My answer would be that I probably would quit drinking beer all together.

I have not found a beer, nor will I ever, that is so amazing I would give up trying anything new ever again.

I believe this type of random variety beer lover is one reason so many breweries exist.

 I also cannot understand the type that can pound down a 30 pack of the same ol same NASCAR banner beer every weekend and never once try anything new. I think these are people who get grossed out if their corn touches their mashed potatoes.

[vista]

I almost look at it like, 50 most influential, many new homebrewers I've met are all about making some hop bombs or drinkable tar. I don't meet many newbies who say, man, I'd really like to be able to make a great dortmunder export.

So from a home brewing perspective, I take this list as more of a influential perspective. It is amazing how popular the double/imperial ipa style is, alchemist survives alone on just the production of HT. the Pliny, to me, is probably the most influential style to the general homebrew population, largely in part by it a) it's delicious, b) vinny was so generous in giving the ground work for a style that was just picking up steam across the country, c) the legend that it carries which someone on here was pointing out.

Just my take without being negative on the list, I also had some ill feelings at first towards the list as well.

[HoosierBrew]

I agree with Tom - it's a situational thing for me. A list of favorite beers might look different from one time of year to another for me.  I love a good RIS or IIPA, but I'm not liable to drink many of those in the hottest part of the year. I think calling the list the "Favorite Beers Poll" or something similar might make more sense, but it's all subjective anyway. Makes for a lively debate.

[fmader]

I agree with both Jim and Tom. My favorite beer is situational. I think when I voted, Founders breakfast stout was my number one. There is nothing less enjoyable to me than to drink a heavy stout when it's 95 degrees out.

And as referred to earlier, I'm not bashing this beer. I'm questioning the validity of voters who voted for it. Have they actually tried it? What I will bash is how can, on occasion, find Blind Pig in Ohio and not Pliny?

I do feel that the gap in great IPAs is a narrow gap. One of my favorite goto's is Columbus Brewing Co IPA. It's a tiny brewery and this beer is tough to beat. I'm not saying this because I live in Ohio and am one of those biased wave your Columbus flag, Ohio state fans, I'm saying it because its a great beer! And this state produces a lot of great beer!

It's a great day to be a Mountaineer wherever you might be! Happy 150th birthday to West Virginia!

[AmandaK]

It's very situational for me as well. I always get asked "What's your favorite beer?" My answer is usually, "Depends on the weather, my mood, time of day..."

_{But really my favorite beer is Boulevard's Saison-Brett. Shhhh... don't tell!} 

[fmader]

It's very situational for me as well. I always get asked "What's your favorite beer?" My answer is usually, "Depends on the weather, my mood, time of day..."

_{But really my favorite beer is Boulevard's Saison-Brett. Shhhh... don't tell!} 

Kinda like being asked what your favorite band is

[klickitat jim]

That's easy. The best band ever is Oingo Boingo

[HoosierBrew]

 

[bunderbunder]

Or Talking Heads if it's 95 and humid.

[klickitat jim]

True. Danny Elfman is pretty sessionable if its foggy or just after a rain, but if it's warm out nothing beats burning down the house or psycho killer.