Schneider-Brooklyner Hopfen-Weisse
USA/Germany
The product of a transatlantic collaboration between New York’s Brooklyn Brewery and Germany’s Schneider Weisse, Hopfen-Weisse has an aroma of citrus tang and coriander with flavors of melon and tropical fruit, all of which add up to a hefty, outdoor-drinking beer.
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Sinebrychoff Porter
Finland
Mud-black and deeply satisfying, this 53-year-old Finnish recipe sets the international standard by which all other Baltic porters — extra-strong dark ales originally intended for shipment over long sea voyages —————————————————————————— are judged.
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Sam Calagione, founder of Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Best Beer Town
Brussels
So says Sam Calagione, founder of Dogfish Head Craft Brewery and star of the Discovery Channel’s upcoming series Brewed. He’s had a pint in just about every city where you can do such a thing, but Belgium’s capital stands out because, he says, “They use whatever they want in their beer: wild yeast and fruit and different types of wood.”
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Hitachino Nest Beer XH
Japan
A Belgian-style brown ale brewed in Japan and aged for three months in shochu casks? Though it may sound like some sort of beer-world curiosity that’s tastier in concept than in execution, this strong, spicy, frothy oddity from Japan’s most famous craft brewery reveals delicious, complex flavors of cinnamon and wood with a gin-like aroma — from its time in the rice-wine barrels — that are far more appealing than one might expect.
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Kostritzer Schwarzbier
Germany
Dark beers, as a rule of thumb, aren’t light-bodied, but this olive-black lager’s malt manages to add color — not thickness — while also giving it a slightly creamy, toasty touch.
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Best Canned Beer
Sly Fox Pikeland Pils
Pennsylvania, USA
A canned beer should be one that you want to string along beside the canoe and then crack open on a 95-degree day — which is why the aluminum-sheathed Sly Fox pilsner, a refreshing yet substantial straw-colored, artisanal-quality beer, gets our vote for the best damned can in the land.
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Ninkasi Total Domination IPA
Oregon, USA
Oregon’s Ninkasi is one of the nation’s fastest-growing breweries, thanks in large part to this unsubtly named beer (Ninkasi was the ancient Sumerian goddess of brewing) — a potent, aggressive IPA with pungent hops and flavors of citrus rind and caramel.
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Samuel Adams Noble Pils
Massachusetts, USA
It’s not just a commercial: Brewmaster Jim Koch actually does visit Germany’s Stanglmair Farm every year to check on his crop of “noble” hops — the five most esteemed strains of the approximately 100 hop species. All five go into this crisp, slightly bitter German-style pilsner — the most delicious new beer to come out of the now-venerable Boston Beer Company in years.
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October 5th, 2010 at 10:15 am
Personally I think that most of these beers were featured because of their exclusivity and not their taste quality. I’ve had a few of these and of those the majority literally overwhelmed the palate. There’s alot to be said about a beer that you can drink more than one of in a single sitting without having to scrape your tongue when you’re done.
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October 6th, 2010 at 7:41 pm
I really think this is one of the best “best beers” lists I’ve read… very nice job to the author. The list contains some of my favorite west coast (Pliney), east coast (dogfish 90 min IPA) and Belgium (Rochefort). And hats off for recognizing whole foods as a top beer store… it really is the best place I’ve found to find some really interesting and great beers.
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October 7th, 2010 at 11:10 am
No way is this the top 25. I don’t know how this writer got their info, but with the exception of a couple, most of these would make the top 25 according to most craft beer afficionados. I would suggest the writer go to Beer Advocate for research and correct this injustice.
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Kevin Reply:
October 7th, 2010 at 12:33 pm
How do you define a “top 25″? If you were to go by BeerAdvocate then the top 25 beers in the world would all be Imperial, Double, or Quad, and most would be so rare and difficult to come by for the vast majority of the population that the list would be pretty much worthless except to the most hardcore beer fans who must try them all. For an example, only 4 of the top 25 on BA are available in my market.
I think MJ did a good job of picking some great representations of different styles, while making sure the majority of them were reasonably obtainable for a wide audience.
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Rick Reply:
October 7th, 2010 at 12:38 pm
Hey Rick, I wouldn’t disparage this list too much. The magazine is not for the uber-beer geeks among us, and that’s a good thing. These beers are great beers, the bars listed too. Honestly, these lists are often buying guides for casual drinkers – and if a casual beer drinker buys any of these beers, they won’t be disappointed. Nice variety – some light, some dark, strong and sessionable beers listed. Well done, MJ.
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Ike H. Reply:
October 12th, 2010 at 12:37 am
That’s right! No one can make a list of 25 best beers that all the men would be happy with. Probably not even list of 1000 best beers. We have a saying in Finland: “It is a matter of taste, said the dog when licking his ass.” It means that everybody has their own taste and others has to appreciate it.
However my own list is pretty close to this. I really love Belgian Trappist beers. I learned to drink them in Belgium. Although not all of them are my favorites. Some have been big disappointments when I have learned that the same beer brand tastes much more sweet here in USA. I guess they are adjusted for the casual drinkers who want to have some exciting experiences in between of their nr 100 000 and 100 0001 Bud light. I hope they open occasionally a bottle of Samuel Adams and feel the taste of a good lager beer.
This, one more thing I have to say. I know that Sinebrychoff’s Porter is imported in USA, but I have never seen it here. I have to bring it every time I visit my home country. Three bottles are waiting for the holidays…
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Barm Reply:
October 7th, 2010 at 6:15 pm
The truth is of course that there are more than 25 superb beers in the world and they can’t all be covered in a magazine article. I think it’s a decent list with some great beers on it, certainly better than most lists of this type in magazines.
Beer Advocate doesn’t represent craft beer aficionados. It’s a hangout for a bunch of nerds who judging by the way they cream their pants over anything flavored with coffee, vanilla, oak or whiskey, don’t actually seem to like plain old beer very much. Most craft beer drinkers ignore Beer Advocate.
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Nate Reply:
October 10th, 2010 at 7:49 am
Excellent list. Being in the Craft Beer profession, I can’t relay the importance of education enough. And though this article didn’t explain the intricacies of how each beer is brewed, it did a fantastic job of showcasing important styles. I may disagree with one or two selections, but overall this is a great and non-biased selection. The masses (like those who read Men’s Journal INSTEAD of Beer Advocate) need to be told about Helles Lager, and Baltic Porter, and beers like Pliny. A fine review, and a tip of my hat. Nice job on the Kostrizer btw, I would love to drown in that beer.
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October 8th, 2010 at 3:11 am
Goog Beer
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October 13th, 2010 at 7:30 pm
Manush is the best beer of south america!! I drink many times An american pale ale style in Bariloche patagonia argentina.
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October 14th, 2010 at 4:42 pm
Had a Guiness dark with my meal the other day, WOW! What a good beer.
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Emma Reply:
October 1st, 2011 at 12:26 am
Guinness is a stout
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October 24th, 2010 at 12:16 am
Maybe the best way to get a true “best beers” result would be to have an online vote, which is advertised in the magazine and online. I have tried all of the beers in your list and find most of Southern Tier’s brews to be superior to almost all of them. Unfortunately I am fond of American micro’s, hate German beers, like a Scottish ale every now and then, avoid Ireland’s brews but will take a Sam Smith Winter Warmer above anything during the cold months. As some people have already said, it is almost impossible to make an accurate top 25 list.
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November 12th, 2010 at 6:34 am
I recently went to a beer festival and I can confirm that belgium definatly do have some of the finest ale’s and beers in the world. You should try it out.
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February 21st, 2011 at 6:07 pm
Agreed: no way anyone can make a list of the “25 Best Beers,” and we’ll give the headline writer his chance at hyperbole. On the other hand, these are 25 superior beers – at least the 12 or 15 on the list that I’ve tried have been excellent, including the Rochefort, which I tried in Belgium, very probably the beer capital of the world: almost any bar in Belgium in the most obscure town has brands and types you’ve never seen before and the best thing you can do is say, “Give me the local brew,” and be ready to have your socks knocked off. That said, American microbreweries are turning out superior beers – Avery’s Maharajah IPA “will kick your ass” a barmaid told me; and it did. The Dogfish 60 and 90 on draft are likewise superior, as is Connecticut’s Hooker IPA. Fullers ESB, from England, when you can get it in the US, is amazing. There are tons of others, and the best thing a beer drinker can do, in an unfamiliar bar, is to ask for something local. Chances are it will be far far superior to to anything advertised on Super Bowl.
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March 16th, 2011 at 5:14 am
I HAVE TASTED A LOT OF BEERS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD, BUT WOULD RATE KINGFISHER BEER FROM INDIA AS THE BEST BY A LONG WAY.
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June 3rd, 2011 at 5:53 pm
I agree that this is an excellent list – intelligent and eclectic without the snobbishness. Brews from both Boston Brewing and Sierra Nevada were wise inclusions.
However, as an eight-year resident of San Diego, I lament the absence of any SD brews on the list, especially after this very journal named it America’s Best Beer Town. If pressed, I’d nominate Ballast Point’s Sculpin IPA as a necessary inclusion; I think even the Russian River and Dogfish Head guys would agree with that.
I’d also nominate Alpine Brewery’s Nelson IPA, Alesmith’s Speedway Stout, and Port Brewing’s Pseudo IPA, the last itself a gold-medal recipient at the 2010 Great American Beer Festival. Just some names to keep an eye out for if you find yourself drinking in San Diego.
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October 6th, 2011 at 11:34 am
“21st Amendment has released the first year-round version available in cans, and it’s true to its name: It’s got all the righteous bite of AC/DC during the Bon Scott era.”
Well, that era was actually over, as ‘Back in Black’ was the 1st album released with singer Brian Johnson after Bon Scott’s untimely death.
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January 5th, 2012 at 3:26 pm
Flavored beer doesn’t make it with me. I want to taste BEER and not a lot of extra stuff, and I don’t want the taste to overwhelm me.
My favorites:
Samichlaus – Austria
LaChouff – Belgium
Stella Artois – Belgium
Heineken – Holland
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January 5th, 2012 at 4:06 pm
I went through this article twice and I guess I missed the Czech beers, you know, the country that drinks the most beer in the world per captita, the home of the real Budweiser beer and Pilsner Urquel. How is that possible?
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January 5th, 2012 at 10:22 pm
i am sorry the writing is excellent but the choices are total and utter BS . As a belgian i can say i absolutly adore american culture but NO way do you have the majority of best beers in the world. Beer in a can is a big nono as they change the palet . i could go on for a lenghty comment but i won’t bother , just buy a ticket to Brussels and visit belgium for 10 days , i can garantuee you ll redo the entire list . And those are only 300+ beers if you then continue to germany , slovakia and many other east european countries you ll see this list is as silly as the knights who say ni !
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January 6th, 2012 at 12:52 pm
Sorry dudes, but coming from a country which produces such dog-piss as Bud, Coors and Miller Light, I don’t think you are qualified to make any sort of judgment on the best beers in the world. I have no argument with Belgium but c’mon, all those boutique American and Canadian brews no-one has ever heard of when Czechoslovakia,Denmark and Australia don’t even rate a mention and Germany barely so?
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April 13th, 2012 at 1:29 pm
What a load of rubbish beers, try some of the real English ales and then comment on quality (-:
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