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[1] Best overall beer in America: Heady Topper (photo © Alchemist Brewery).
[2] Best IPA: Brouwerij West Picnic Lightning IPA (photo © Tavour).
[3] Best lager: Notch Session Pils Czech Pale Lager (photo © Notch Brewing).
[4] Best pilsner: Allagash Truepenny Pilsner (photo © Crystal City Wine).
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October 27th is American Beer Day. There are other beer holidays*, but today’s the day to grab a bottle or can of something all-American—and artisan, may we add. The big brewers get enough attention. Today’s the day to pay respect to the entrepreneurial American brewers who turn out great craft beer.
Brewing beer in America took place long before Europeans arrived. The first Americans, Native Americans, brewed beer from birch sap and corn. However, here’s the history of beer, which began before written history, in the area around Mesopotamia.
Here are recommendations for “The 13 Best American Beers to Drink in 2022,” compiled by Liquor.com. You can read the full article here, including tasting notes.
These beers are available on Drizly, so here’s a great party idea: Get a few of your favorite beer-loving friends for a “best of America” beer tasting. Assume 4 people per 12-ounce bottle.
AND NOW, THE GREAT AMERICAN BEERS
Best Overall: Alchemist Heady Topper (Vermont, ABV 8%)
Best IPA: Brouwerij West Picnic Lightning IPA (California, ABV 6.8%)
Best Pale Ale: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale (California, ABV: 5.6%)
Best Stout: Bell’s Expedition Stout (Michigan, ABV 10.5%)
Best Porter: Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald (Ohio, ABV 5.8%
Best Brown Ale: Cigar City Maduro Brown Ale (Florida, ABV 5.5%)
Best Cream Ale: Gennessee Cream Ale (New York, ABV 5.1% )
Best Lager: Notch Session Pils Czech Pale Lager (Massachusetts, ABV 4%)
Best Pilsner: Allagash Truepenny Pilsner (Maine, ABV 5.5%)
Best Wheat Beer: Lost Coast Great White (California, ABV 4.8%)
Best Saison: Boulevard Tank 7 American Saison (Missouri, ABV 8%)
Best Wild Ale‡: Russian River Consecration Ale (California, ABV 10%)
Best Barleywine: Anchor Old Foghorn Barleywine Style Ale (California, ABV 8.8%)
Beer styles that originated in the U.S. include
American amber ale
American barleywine
American brown ale
American IPA
American pale ale
California common beer
Cascadian dark ale
Cream ale
Double IPA/Imperial IPA
Pennsylvania porter
Steam beer
Here’s more about them.
And who knows what’s forthcoming next from the creative minds of America’s craft brewers.
Hats off to these beer artisans. Long may they malt, mill, mash, and ferment†.
> The different types of beer.
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*National Beer Day is April 27th. American Craft Beer Week is the third week in May. National IPA Day is the first Thursday in August. International Beer Day is the first Friday in August. American Beer Day is October 27th.
†Plus all the other stages of brewing.
‡A wild ale is a sour beer made with wild yeast or some other kind of uncontrolled or atypical microflora. Here’s more about it.
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