Brews and Blues Beer and Smokin’ Blues

Tried

Here's a list of beers that I have tried since December 22, 2008... Scroll to the bottom to have a look at my TOP PICKS list of beers that I believe are truly fantastic...

Count: 165

Abita Brewing Company - Abita Springs, LA - Amber - 09/01/2009
Abita Brewing Company - Abita Springs, LA - Turbodog - 04/05/2009
Anchor Brewing Company - San Francisco, CA - Liberty Ale - 01/19/2010
Anchor Brewing Company - San Francisco, CA - Steam - 07/23/2010
Anderson Valley Brewing Co. - Boonville, CA - Summer Solstice Cerveza Crema - 07/30/2009
Avery Brewing Company - Boulder, CO - The Reverend - 12/13/2009
Avery Brewing Company - Boulder, CO - White Rascal - 05/30/2009
Big Boss Brewing Company - Raleigh, NC - Angry Angel Kolsch - 01/02/2011
Bear Republic - Healdsburg, CA - Big Bear Black Stout - 02/09/2010
Bell's Brewing, Inc. - Comstock, MI - Bell's Amber Ale - 01/02/2009
Bell's Brewing, Inc. - Comstock, MI - Bell's Hop Slam Ale - 02/18/2011
Bell's Brewing, Inc. - Comstock, MI - Bell's Kalamazoo Stout - 04/19/2009
Bell's Brewing, Inc. - Comstock, MI - Bell's Two Hearted Ale - 10/21/2009
Bell's Brewing, Inc. - Comstock, MI - Bell's Oberon Ale - 01/14/2009
Bell's Brewing, Inc. - Comstock, MI - Bell's Oktoberfest Beer - 09/11/2009
Birra Peroni - Rome, Italy - Peroni Nastro Azzurro - 06/30/2009
Boston Beer Company - Boston, MA - Samuel Adams Black Lager - 03/01/2009
Boston Beer Company - Boston, MA - Samuel Adams Cherry Wheat - 06/10/2009
Boston Beer Company - Boston, MA - Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock - 02/28/2009
Boston Beer Company - Boston, MA - Samuel Adams Coastal Wheat - 08/21/2010
Boston Beer Company - Boston, MA - Samuel Adams Cream Stout - 02/02/2009
Boston Beer Company - Boston, MA - Samuel Adams Honey Porter - 5/24/2009
Boston Beer Company - Boston, MA - Samuel Adams Irish Red - 02/25/2009
Boston Beer Company - Boston, MA - Samuel Adams Octoberfest - 09/24/2009
Boulder Beer Company - Boulder, CO - Sweaty Betty Blonde - 01/07/2011
Brewery Ommegang - Cooperstown, NY - Hennepin Saison Farmhouse Ale - 08/04/2009
Brewery Ommegang - Cooperstown, NY - Three Philosophers - 12/24/2009
Brooklyn Brewery - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Brown Ale - 08/14/2010
Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat NV - Belgium - Duvel Belgian Golden Ale - 12/29/2010
Brouwerij van Hoegaarden - Hoegaarden, Belgium - Hoegaarden Original White - 01/14/2011
Brouwerij Huyghe - Melle, Belgium - Delirium Tremems - 02/15/2011
Carlow Brewing Company - Carlow, Ireland - O'Hara's Irish Red - 08/16/2009
Carolina Beer Company - Mooresville, NC - Carolina Blonde - 10/05/2009
Carolina Beer Company - Mooresville, NC - Cottonwood Low Down Brown - 04/16/2009
Chimay - Abbaye Notre-Dame de Scourmont, Belgium - Chimay Tripel - 12/18/2009
Clipper City Brewing Company - Baltimore, MD - Peg Leg Imperial Stout - 04/25/2009
Clipper City Brewing Company - Baltimore, MD - Small Craft Warning - 06/08/2009
Dixie Brewing Company - New Orleans, LA - Dixie Blackened Voodoo Lager - 01/15/2010
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery - Milton, DE - 60-Minute IPA - 09/22/2010
Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery - Farmville, NC - Duck-Rabbit Amber Ale - 12/25/2008
Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery - Farmville, NC - Duck-Rabbit Brown Ale - 01/15/2009
Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery - Farmville, NC - Duck-Rabbit Milk Stout - 09/09/2009
Flensburger Brauerei - Flensburger, Germany - Flensburger Dunkel - 07/09/2009
Flensburger Brauerei - Flensburger, Germany - Flensburger Pilsener - 06/21/2009
Flying Dog Brewery - Denver, CO - Tire Bite Golden Ale - 05/27/2009
Fordham Brewing Company - Dover, DE - Copperhead Ale - 07/19/2009
Fort Collins Brewery - Fort Collins, CO - Chocolate Stout - 11/04/2009
Fort Collins Brewery - Fort Collins, CO - Retro Red - 01/11/2009
Fort Collins Brewery - Fort Collins, CO - Z-Lager - 02/07/2009
Founders Brewing - Grand Rapids, MI - Breakfast Stout - 11/15/2009
Founders Brewing - Grand Rapids, MI - Harvest Ale - 11/06/2009
Fuller, Smith & Turner PLC - Chiswick, London, England - Fuller's ESB - 07/25/2010
Gordon Biersch Brewing Company - San Jose, CA - Blonde Bock - 06/18/2009
Gordon Biersch Brewing Company - San Jose, CA - Märzen - 07/23/2009
Great Divide Brewing Company - Denver, CO - Denver Pale Ale - 03/02/2009
Great Divide Brewing Company - Denver, CO - Samurai Ale - 04/11/2009
Guinness - Dublin, Ireland - Guinness Draft - 12/31/2008
Guinness - Dublin, Ireland - Smithwick's Irish Ale - 05/03/2009
Hambleton Ales - Yorkshire, England - Nightmare Yorkshire Porter - 03/08/2009
Highland Brewing Company - Asheville, NC - Black Mocha Stout - 02/26/2009
Highland Brewing Company - Asheville, NC - Clawhammer Oktoberfest Lager - 09/29/2009
Highland Brewing Company - Asheville, NC - Gaelic Ale - 02/10/2009
Highland Brewing Company - Asheville, NC - St. Terese's Pale Ale - 08/07/2009
Hook Norton Brewery - Oxfordshire, England - Double Stout - 02/17/2009
Kingfisher Brewing Co. - Saratoga Springs, NY - Kingfisher Premium Lager - 07/03/2009
Kona Brewing Company - Kona, HI - Longboard Island Lager - 07/01/2009
Left Hand Brewing Company - Longmont, CO - Sawtooth Ale - 01/13/2010
Lion Brewery - Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka - Lion Lager - 5/22/2009
LoneRider Brewing Company - Raleigh, NC - Shotgun Betty Hefeweizen - 02/16/2011
Lost Cost Brewery & Cafe - Eureka, CA - Alleycat Amber Ale - 12/29/2008
Magic Hat Brewing Company - South Burlington, VT - Wacko Summer Seasonal - 07/31/2009
The Matt Brewing Company - Utica, NY - Saranac Black Forest - 07/07/2009
Mendocino Brewing Company - Saratoga Springs, NY - Red Tail Ale - 12/26/2008
Mendocino Brewing Company - Saratoga Springs, NY - Eye of the Hawk Ale - 01/06/2009
Michelob Brewing Company - St. Louis, MO - Shock Top Belgian White - 06/19/2009
Moreland Brewery - Suffolk, England - Old Speckled Hen - 05/31/2009
Mother Earth Brewing - Kinston, NC - Weeping Willow Wit - 01/04/2011
Moylan's Brewing Company - Novato, CA - Kilt Lifter Scotch Ale - 07/07/2010
Natty Greene's Brewing Co. - Greensboro, NC - Guilford Golden Ale - 11/24/2010
New Belgium Brewing - Ft. Collins, CO - 1554 Enlightened Black Ale - 04/06/2009
New Belgium Brewing - Ft. Collins, CO - Fat Tire Amber Ale - 02/24/2009
New Belgium Brewing - Ft. Collins, CO - Hoptober Golden Ale - 09/16/2009
New Belgium Brewing - Ft. Collins, CO - Mothership Wit - 02/14/2009
New Belgium Brewing - Ft. Collins, CO - Skinny Dip - 07/24/2009
Olde Hickory Brewery - Hickory, NC - Bardstown Brand Ale - 02/20/2009
Olde Hickory Brewery - Hickory, NC - Piedmont Pilsner - 02/26/2010
Olde Hickory Brewery - Hickory, NC - Ruby Lager - 02/05/2010
Olde Hickory Brewery - Hickory, NC - Table Rock Pale Ale - 11/11/2009
Olde Hickory Brewery - Hickory, NC - Weizen Bock - 02/22/2009
Orkney Brewery - Quoyloo, Scotland - Dark Island - 12/23/2008
Orkney Brewery - Quoyloo, Scotland - Red MacGregor - 06/02/2009
Pabst Brewing Company - Milwaukee, WI - Pabst Blue Ribbon - 01/01/2011
Paulaner Brewery - München, Germany - Hefe-Weizen - 01/04/2009
Paulaner Brewery - München, Germany - Original Munich - 02/06/2009
Pennsylvania Brewing Co. - Pittsburgh, PA - Penn Weizen - 02/22/2010
Pyramid Breweries - Seattle, WA - Haywire Hefeweizen - 08/06/2009
Redhook Ale Brewery - Portsmouth, NH - Redhook ESB - 06/23/2009
Ridgeway Brewing - Oxfordshire, England - Lump of Coal Dark Holiday Stout - 01/01/2010
Rogue Ale - Newport, OR - American Amber Ale - 04/10/2009
Rogue Ale - Newport, OR - Captain Sig's Northwestern Ale - 12/3/2010
Rogue Ale - Newport, OR - Chatoe Rogue First Growth Wet Hop Ale - 08/17/2010
Rogue Ale - Newport, OR - Dead Guy Ale - 02/01/2009
Rogue Ale - Newport, OR - Double Dead Guy Ale - 2/8/2009
Rogue Ale - Newport, OR - Morimoto Imperial Pilsner - 02/15/2009
Rogue Ale - Newport, OR - Mocha Porter - 01/07/2009
Rogue Ale - Newport, OR - Mom Hefeweizen - 03/26/2009
Rogue Ale - Newport, OR - Santa's Private Reserve - 12/25/2009
Rogue Ale - Newport, OR - Shakespeare Stout - 06/09/2009
Rogue Ale - Newport, OR - St. Rogue Red Ale - 02/12/2010
Rogue Ale - Newport, OR - XS Imperial Stout 2008 - 10/12/2009
Rogue Ale - Newport, OR - XS Imperial Younger's Special Bitter - 12/08/2009
Rogue Ale - Newport, OR - Yellow Snow IPA - 1/3/2011
Samuel Smith Old Brewery - N. Yorkshire, England - Oatmeal Stout - 6/15/2009
Samuel Smith Old Brewery - N. Yorkshire, England - Nut Brown Ale - 12/12/2009
Shmaltz Brewing Company - Saratoga Springs, NY - Coney Island Freaktoberfest - 10/27/2009
Shmaltz Brewing Company - Saratoga Springs, NY - Coney Island Lager - 07/15/2009
Shmaltz Brewing Company - Saratoga Springs, NY - Jewbelation Twelve - 12/1/2010
Shmaltz Brewing Company - Saratoga Springs, NY - Human Blockhead - 11/08/2009
Shmaltz Brewing Company - Saragota Springs, NY - Sword Swallower - 12/22/2009
Sierra Nevada Brewing Company - Chico, CA - 2009 Summerfest Lager - 04/12/2009
Sierra Nevada Brewing Company - Chico, CA - 13th Release Harvest Wet Hop Ale - 09/30/2009
Sierra Nevada Brewing Company - Chico, CA - Celebration Ale - 11/25/2010
Sierra Nevada Brewing Company - Chico, CA - Glissade Golden Bock - 07/03/2010
Sierra Nevada Brewing Company - Chico, CA - Kellerweis Hefeweizen - 12/31/2009
Sierra Nevada Brewing Company - Chico, CA - Porter - 06/01/2009
Sierra Nevada Brewing Company - Chico, CA - Torpedo Extra IPA - 10/28/2009
Sierra Nevada Brewing Company - Chico, CA - Tumbler Autumn Brown Ale - 08/15/2010
Sierra Nevada Brewing Company - Chico, CA - Unfiltered Wheat - 05/01/2009
SKA Brewing - Durango, CO - Pinstripe Red Ale - 12/22/2008
Smuttynose Brewing Co. - Portsmouth, NH - Farmhouse Ale - 11/23/2009
Spaten-Brau - Munich, Germany - Spaten Premium - 06/20/2009
Spoetzl Brewery - Shiner, TX - Shiner Bock - 05/28/2009
Stella Artois Brewery - Leuven, Belgium - Stella Artois - 05/29/2009
Sterkens Brewery - Meer, Belgium - St. Sebastiaan Grand Reserve - 09/22/2009
Sterkens Brewery - Meer, Belgium - St. Sebastiaan Golden Ale - 10/29/2009
Stone Brewing Company - Escondido, CA - Arrogant Bastard Ale - 07/17/2009
Stone Brewing Company - Escondido, CA - Double Bastard Ale - 01/10/2011
Stone Brewing Company - Escondido, CA - Levitation Ale - 01/05/2011
Stone Brewing Company - Escondido, CA - Smoked Porter - 02/05/2009
Stoudt's Brewing Company - Adamstown, PA - Scarlet Lady Ale - 01/18/2011
Terrapin Beer Co. - Athens, GA - Terrapin Golden Ale - 08/22/2010
Terrapin Beer Co. - Athens, GA - Side Project Maggie's Farmhouse Ale - 11/09/2009
Thirsty Dog Brewing Company - Akron, OH - Old Leghumper Robust Porter - 01/30/2010
Thirsty Dog Brewing Company - Akron, OH - Siberian Night Imperial Stout - 08/12/2009
Unibroue - Chambly, Quebec, Canada - Don De Dieu - 09/25/2009
Unibroue - Chambly, Quebec, Canada - La Fin Du Monde - 10/29/2009
Unibroue - Chambly, Quebec, Canada - Maudite - 10/04/2009
Unibroue - Chambly, Quebec, Canada - Trois Pistoles - 07/11/2010
Victory Brewing Company - Downingtown, PA - Baltic Thunder - 02/13/2009
Victory Brewing Company - Downingtown, PA - Golden Monkey Tripel - 07/19/2010
Victory Brewing Company - Downingtown, PA - HopDevil Ale - 01/29/2010
Victory Brewing Company - Downingtown, PA - Storm King Imperial Stout - 01/06/2011
Wells & Young's Brewing Company - Bedford, England - Double Chocolate Stout - 08/02/2009
Weyerbacher Brewing Company - Easton, PA - Slam Dunkel - 06/11/2009
Wolf Beer Company - Wilmington, NC - White Wolf Golden Ale - 08/23/2009

Home Brews

Apfelwein - 03/20/2009
January Marzen - 03/29/2009
Orange Blossom Special - 05/14/2009
CiderBock - 05/25/2009
ESYFB - 09/05/2009
Two Fingers Amber Ale - 09/06/2009
Vienna Blonde - 01/06/2010
Yellowjacket Hefeweizen - 01/20/2010
Roktoberfest - 09/25/2010
Dark Warrior Imperial Stout - 09/27/2010

Truly Exceptional Beers:
There is no real rhyme or reason to this list, but out of all these beers I have tasted during the course of this blog, some have stood out as being truly exceptional beers.  As with anything deemed exceptional, these are simply my opinions...  This list is also not in any particular order.  I might try to categorize it in some way though... not sure how just yet...

* indicates that I would recommend this beer to someone who is not used to drinking craft and microbrews...

Session Beers (usually light colored, lower alcohol content, not too hoppy)

Sierra Nevada Brewing Company - Chico, CA - Kellerweis Hefeweizen - 12/31/2009 *