The Best Craft Beer Of 2019: Beers You’ve Got To Try

Slushy Blueberry Dessert

450 North Brewing

Fruited Sour – 6% ABV

Pure dessert in a glass. This Berliner Weisse is loaded with blueberries, vanilla, cinnamon, and brown sugar. The result is a sweet, tart, thick beer that could satisfy any sweet tooth.

Rodenbach Vintage 2016

Brouwerij Rodenbach

Flanders Red Ale – 7% ABV

While I love variety, some beers make me question if I could drink them every day for the rest of my life. This is that kind of beer. Sour, rich with oak and cherry elements.

Barleywine

West Side Brewing

Barleywine – 10.2% ABV

Don’t let the no nonsense name fool you. This barleywine is as good as I’ve had. Big malt body provides fig-like sweetness and the American hops give it a firm bitter finish.

Boss Tweed

Old Nation Brewing

NE DIPA – 9.3% ABV

This hazy New England IPA has been getting lots of praise for a long time and is now available in my area. And it devlivered in a big way. Hazy, citrus, creamy body, and a touch of resin.

Alpha Squid

Rhinegeist Brewery

New England IPA – 8.2% ABV

Does a New England IPA have to be hazy? It has huge fruit flavors of orange citrus. It still has great body and hides the high ABV very well. What it lacks in haze, it makes up for in flavor!

Citra Nuggest x3

450 North Brewing

Triple IPA – 11% ABV

There’s no denying that Citra is a clear fan favorite and for good reason. 450 North took these hops to a new level in this high ABV juice bomb of an IPA.

No Bake

Aslin Beer Company

Imperial Stout – 16.5% ABV

Fans of super sweet stouts need to try this one. Chocolate and peanut butter with a hint of coconut make this a heavy, thick liquid dessert.

Dragon’s Milk White

New Holland Brewing

White Stout – 6% ABV

White stouts are always fun and Dragon’s Milk White takes it to the next level with barrel-aging. The result is a hint of bourbon in a sweet, creamy stout with a low ABV.

S’mores Stack

450 North Brewing

Imperial Stout – 10% ABV

This stout is exactly as advertised. Lots of chocolate and marshmallow with just a touch of graham cracker. It really opened up once it warmed to near room temperature.

Bodhi

Columbus Brewing Co.

Imperial IPA – 8.3% ABV

In Ohio, this beer has been a legend for years and finally it is starting to get outside of the Columbus area. This DIPA has citrus and pine notes with a sweet, bitter finish.

Tank 7

Boulevard Brewing

Farmhouse Ale – 8.5% ABV

This is a classic. Tons of Belgian yeast character and a peppery finish makes Tank 7 continually interesting. And don’t look past the ABV because it is deceptively easy to drink.

Slushy XL Peach Ring

450 North Brewing

Fruited Sour – 8% ABV

Peach, peach, and more peach. It is like a peach smoothie both in taste and texture. And it is very sweet with just a touch of tartness from the sour beer base. This is made for die hard peach fans.

Yacht Rock II

Listermann Brewing

Milkshake IP – 7% ABV

That moment when the sequel is better than the original . . which says a lot because the first Yacht Rock was amazing.

Just like the original, tons of tropical fruit and island cocktail spices. It is flavorful and sweet; perfect for summer drinking.

BA Liquid Spiritual Delight w/ Coffee & Maple

2nd Shift Brewing

Barrel-Aged Stout – 11.5% ABV

After spending a few days in St. Louis, this was among my favorite beers I had there and at a brewery I highly recommend visiting.

This big stout delivers barrel, bourbon, coffee, and maple but it isn’t too sweet or boozy.

Damocles

Brink Brewing

Milkshake IPA – 7.5% ABV

Black IPAs are hit or miss for me but this Milkshake version is amazing. It is like chocolate milk meets an IPA with a malt roast. Unique and delicious!

Hypernova Vol. One

Almanac Beer Company

Fruited Sour – 5.5% ABV

This delivers everything a barrel-aged sour should with the additional of fruit and just a hint of sweetness. Traditional yet modern; complex yet bold.

BA Port Cincinnatus

Listermann Brewing

Barrel-Aged Stout – 13% ABV

Normally, stouts aged in bourbon barrels get the most attention but this port barrel-aged stout is amazing. The port is very strong giving it a wine-like character on top of the boozy stout.

Slushy XL Dbl Blackberry

450 North Brewing

Fruited Sour – 8% ABV

Blackberries are typically one of my least favorite fruits but this beer just changed my mind. Sweet and very tart with an insane amount of pulpy fruit in the beer.

Barrel Aged Duncan Clan

Brink Brewing

BA Scotch Ale – 14.5% ABV

Brink is the 2018 GABF Small Brewery of the Year . . . so they know beer . . . and this is their best one yet!

The rich, malty Scottish ale is perfectly complimented by barrel and the high ABV. Making the 14.5% seem right at home due to the heft of the base beer. This is a true delight to drink.

Bridget

2nd Shift Brewing

American Wild Ale – 5.4% ABV

Effervescent, crisp, pear-like fruitiness, and a slight funkiness make Bridget an amazing beer.

All that and it is still smooth and approachable. It is the kind of beer that disappears way too fast; leaving you wanting at least one more can.

Ruby

450 North Brewing

Sour IPA – 6% ABV

It is an IPA? Is it a sour? Yes!

It is more sour fruit beer than anything else as the hops play in the background.

The vanilla and lactose give some balance to the tartness making it finish really easy on the taste buds.

Imperial Grind

Mother’s Brewing

Style – Coffee Stout – 10.5% ABV

When a beer says it contains coffee, this is what I am expecting.

Imperial Grind has the same sweet, bold flavor you’d get from a strong cup of cold brew coffee.

Add in the 10.5% ABV and it can stand up to any coffee stout I’ve had.

Slushy XXL Royal

450 North Brewing

Fruited Sour – 10% ABV

Royal is loaded with blackberries, pomegranates, and raspberries. The result is intense fruit flavors and a pulpy body.

With that much fruit, this is considerably more sweet than tart. And somehow, the ABV isn’t noticeable – not even a little.

Rodenbach Classic

Brouwerij Rodenbach

Flanders Red Ale – 5.2% ABV

For those that might think sour beers aren’t for them, Rodenbach is a great beer to try.

With a solid malt foundation, this beer has a sweet, smooth body with just enough sour and fruit notes to give it depth and character.

And I love that is comes in can now!

Slushmallow – Black Cherry Fluff

450 North Brewing

Fruited Sour – 6% ABV

The trend of sweet beers isn’t slowing down and 450 North continues their onslaught in this territory.

This Slushmallow takes all the great flavor of dark, rich black cherry to make a thick, decadent beer.

Cabana Boy

Grainworks Brewing

Milkshake IPA – 6.7% ABV

Grainworks continually impresses local beer fans with their evolution and Cabana Boy takes it to a new level.

With huge, sweet pineapple flavor this is an IPA that will remind you of sunny days in the tropics.

Peach Tea Berliner

Branch & Bone Artisan Ales

Berliner Weisse – 3.8% ABV

Hailing from Dayton, this young brewery is getting a ton of attention.

And this is a perfect example of why. It brings the perfect balance of peach and sour elements with just a note of earthy tea.

Lundi IPA

Monday Night Brewing

IPA – 7.1% ABV

The evolution of the American IPA has been a lot of fun and Lundi is a great example of that journey.

The mouthfeel is soft with notes of grapefruit and pine. A bitter finish would be expected but instead it is juicy and mouthwatering.

Bushwacker! Rye Caramel

Listermann Brewing

Pastry Stout – 10.5% ABV

Brewed with chocolate, vanilla, coffee, and caramel then aged in rye barrels.

There’s a lot going on and the result is a sweet beer with a nice bite from the rye. Some may say too sweet but I’m not complaining!

Imperial Stout

West Side Brewing

Stout – 11.2% ABV

While it may be popular to add crazy flavors to stouts, there is beauty in simplicity.

This Imperial Stout reminds me of why I fell in love with craft beer. Dark chocolate and a firm roast are the highlights with the ABV providing a warming sensation.

Double Two Hearted

Bell’s Brewery

Double IPA – 11% ABV

Bell’s Two Hearted is the “Best Beer In America” so when a Double version was released, I was sure to get my hands on it.

It has big pine and resin notes with some citrus and finishes quite boozy.

Blissful Ignorance

Lupulin Brewing

Double IPA – 9% ABV

Double IPAs continue to be a style that I crave on a regular basis.

Blissful Ignorance has huge citrus flavors with just a touch of bitterness and nearly no sign of the 9% ABV.

Brews Traveler

Narrow Path Brewing

Coffee Stout – 7.4% ABV

Coffee stouts are a lot of fun because depending on the coffee used, the beer can have a number of different flavors.

This one uses Vietnamese coffee which adds a sweet coffee flavor. It reminds me of cold brew coffee. Needless to say, this beer was impeccable.

Polarnattens paradis

Lupulin Brewing

Imperial Stout – 10% ABV

This stout delivers a rich heavy body. The viscosity is really exceptional in this stout.

Then the flavor brings rich roast and bold coffee. It is slightly sweet both from the ABV and the coffee. It is a real treat – especially for coffee lovers.

French Toast Bastard

Founders Brewing

Scotch Ale – 11.1% ABV

I can’t get away from rich, sweet beers and this one is one of the best I’ve had.

Syrup and cinnamon are the dominate flavors and mimic French Toast in a beautiful way.

Make sure to let it warm up a bit to let the flavors really come through.

Utopias

Sam Adams

Strong Ale – 28% ABV

I’ve wanted to try Utopias for years and was fortunate that someone recently shared their 2019 and 2017 bottles with me.

Just an ounce or so is all you need to really indulge and enjoy this one.

While the high ABV is evident, there’s also lots of sweet syrup and deep oak and barrel flavors. This is a beer I won’t ever forget!