What Were Your Favorite Beers of 2011?

Friday, Jan 13, 2012 at 11:45 am by Sean Buchan

Just about everyone has posted their ‘Top {Insert Number} Beers of 2011′ and rather than throwing another one out into the World Wide Web, we’d like to hear from you. Yes, I’m aware that I’m asking this question after January is more than half over, so what? We all know drinking and procrastination go hand-in-hand so give me a break. Time to speak up and tell us your Top 5 Colorado beers this year and why!

Comments, go.

About Sean Buchan

Sean is a Physical Therapist and Photographer living in (and loving) Denver, Colorado. He enjoys shooting just about anything but his true passion is capturing the craft beer culture here in Denver. If you enjoy his photographs check out Beertographer.

Tags: 2011, beer, craft beer, january, Top Beers of 2011, Top Colorado Beers

http://coloradobeergirl.com/ Leah

I have 12 which I listed on my blog last week:

http://coloradobeergirl.com/2012/01/05/favorite-colorado-beers-of-2011/

If I have to narrow it down to 5, I’ll go with the ones I had on tap here in Denver. The top prizes go to:
Denver Beer Company:
Hey Pumpkin! Porter
Grahman Cracker Porter
Paris Coffee Stout

and Renegade:
Imperial Peanut Butter Stout
Elevation Tripe IPA

Why? Graham Carcker Porter and Peanut Butter Cup Stout are really different flavors–you can’t find beers like these just anywhere. And I don’t often come across a triple IPA on tap. Pumpkin porters and coffee stouts are numerous, but these are some of the best I’ve ever had.
Erik

In no particular order,

Dry Dock’s Wee Heavy
O’Dell’s Friek
Great Divide Oak Aged Belgian Yeti
NBB Lips of Faith La Terroir
Lone Tree Brewing’s Oatmeal Stout
Scott S

Firestone Walker XV did it for me. I wish I could buy 100 bottles of it.
- Scott S
  
  I should probably READ next time…5 CO beers:
  Dry Dock Bligh’s
  Avery Rumpkin
  Odell Myrcenary
  Great Divide Belgian Yeti
  Crooked Stave Fertile Soil
http://twitter.com/alex_karklins Alex K

Off the top of my head, and probably with some glaring omissions:

Great Divide Oak Aged Belgian Yeti
Crooked Stave WWBGreen
Odell Myrcenary
Funkwerks Tropic King
Avery Uberschwein
im_t_wal

In no order:

Dry Dock: Bligh’s Barleywine
Renegade: Elevation IPA
Odell: Mountain Standard
Upslope: Dunkelweizen
Oskar Blues: Deviant Dale’s
- http://www.mackinnonphotography.com/ Sean Buchan
  
  Unfortunately for us to come up with a final rank I need them ordered for your vote if possible. Thanks!
  - http://craftbeersummits.tumblr.com/ im_t_wal
    
    1) Bligh’s
    2) Deviant Dale’s
    3) Dunkelweizen
    4) Mountain Standard
    5) Elevation
    
    But really, I wish I could just vote for “Yay CO brews”.
Holly

Upslope’s 3rd Anniversary
Upslope’s Christmas Ale
Strange’s Kriek
Dry Dock’s Topsail Tripel
Funkwerks’ Saison

All unique and delicious! Cheers to amazing beer in Colorado!
Rex Grant

Deschutes/Boulevard: Conflux #2
- http://www.mackinnonphotography.com/ Sean Buchan
  
  That was a great beer Rex, but unfortunately we’re only doing the Top 10 Colorado Beers right now!
http://coloradobeergirl.com/ Leah

Clearly I did not proofread my post! Sorry about the errors.
Steven

The Busch Beer that comes in the brown camouflage and orange cans. So Good!Best of the year (and every year). Can’t wait till Fall!

http://imgur.com/TSmS7
http://forkly.com Martin May

Tough one, but here are mine:

Bull & Bush Royal Oil – http://fork.ly/6tTTlh
Great Divide Barrel Aged Yeti – http://fork.ly/iBmiXC
Dry Dock Bligh’s Barleywine Ale – http://fork.ly/9gIMo7
Avery Meph Addict Espresso Stout – http://fork.ly/Xu7MTU
Funkwerks Maori King (Tropic King) – http://fork.ly/0f6fRE

I know, lots of “hard to get” stuff
Evan

Some of these may have been released pre-2011, but these are my favorites that I tried this year.

Avery Bad Karma
2010 GD Hibernation (I know, I know…2010 beer..but the beer sat for a year before being tapped at the GD taproom in 2011, so I count it)
Avery Rumpkin
Strange Brewing Le Bruit de Diable
Crooked Stave WWBR
Paul Falling Rock

Funkwerks White
Avery Meph Addict
Crooked Stave WWBGreen
AC Golden American Wild Ale
Great Divide Tripel
Seth

Hmmm..this is tough. Here goes:

1) Strange Brewing’s Fresh Hop IPA (the fresh aspect made their normally awesome IPA just plain outstanding)
2) Renegade Brewing’s Ryetous Rye IPA
3) Denver Beer Co’s 5th Horseman
4) NB klutch. (unexpectedly amazing)
5) SKA’s Hoperation Ivy (this list is IPA-heavy, but it’s been a great year for em!)
Justin

I’d have to say:

1) Twisted Pine Bough Breaker Barleywine
2) Twisted Pine Northstar Imperial Porter
3) Dry Dock Signature Series Bligh’s Barleywine
4) Twisted Pine Hoppy Knight
5) Upslope Cabernet IPA
Patrick Temming

Renegade brewery: Elevation ale (triple ipa).
catinco

Only 3 that really stood out, in no order…

New Belgium kick
Crooked stave fertile soil
Avery rumpkin
Jennifer Fowler

1. Great Divide Barrel Aged Yeti
2. Crooked Stave Fertile Soil
3. Great Divide Oak Aged Belgian Yeti
4. Avery Mephistopheles
5. Avery Maharaja
http://www.row14denver.com Jensen Cummings

1. Dry Dock Bligh’s
2. Avery Rumpkin (don’t drink now, but once it ages two years look out)
3. Bull n Bush Captain Midnight (I’m biased)
4. Great Divide Oak Yeti
5. Crooked Stave WWBR
6. Funkwerks Maori King
7. Dry Dock Wee Heavy
8. Odell’s Friek
9. Steamworks Fresh Hop
10. Odell’s Mountain Standard

This year CO really ventured out of its usual session heavy hits and got some big boys out there that can hang with some of the top tier breweries around the country. Next year bigger, faster stronger CO!
jan c

1) 2011 BA yeti
2) Oskar Blues One hit Wonder
3) GD Grand Cru
4) Strange Cherry Kriek
5) Rocky Mountain Da Yoopers
http://billybrew.com Billy Broas

1. Bligh’s Barleywine
2. Odell Myrcenary
3. Crooked Stave WWBO
4. New Belgium Kick
5. Denver Beer Company Graham Cracker Porter

Other states are so jealous…
Tim F

1) Great Divide Grand Cruz
2) Renegade Hammer & Sickle Imperial Russian Stout (diverse spices melded amazing with malt bill)
3) Renegade Ryetious IPA
4) O’Dell Myrcenry DIPA
5) Breckenridge Imperial Pils
6) New Belgium / Elysian Kick
7) Dry Dock Apricot Blonde
8) Renegade Trippel
9) Renegade Una Mas
http://www.gcamtour.com/denver C

1. Renegade – Ryetous IPA
2. Oskar Blues – One Hit Wonder
3. Renegade – Elevation
4. Strange – Fresh hop IPA
Carey

Renegades peanut butter cup milk stout because it is the absolute perfect winter brew
Doug S

In no particular order.

1. Dad’s and Dudes Buzzed Weasel Stout
2. Left Hand Milk Stout Nitro
3. Copper Kettle Mexican Stout
4. Great Divide Barrel Aged Yeti
5. Bull & Bush Legend of the Liquid Brain Imperial Stout
@BeersForAll

~ Renegade Elevation TIPA
~ Renegade Imperial Peanut Butter Stout
~ Twisted Pine Bough Breaker Barleywine
~ Left Hand Ambidextrous
~ Odell Mountain Standard
http://www.beerincolorado.blogspot.com Chris

I’m not sure if all of these are 2011 beers but I drank them all in 2011.

-Pretty much everything in the Odell 4-pack series (Myrcenary, Double Pils, and Mountain Standard).
-The pumpkin porter from Denver Beer Co.
-Hoopla from Boulder Beer (mostly because I got to interview Kyle Hollingsworth about the beer’s creation).
-Left Hand’s Fade to Black Vol. 3
-Zeke’s Belly Up from Golden City (exclusive to Mile High liquor store in Belmar).
- http://www.beerincolorado.blogspot.com Chris
  
  Oh, let me also add Una Mas from Renegade. I wish they would can THAT one instead.
  - Tim F
    
    Chris,
    
    I know they are working on canning one of their regular offerings. Just don’t recall if it’s Una Mas or Ryetious.
Scott

Strange – Cherry Kriek
Strange – fresh hop IPA
Dry dock – hefeweizen
Avery – Orange IPA
great divide – rumble

Out of towners….
Schell’s – hopfenmalz, snowstorm
New glarus – road slush oatmeal stout
- Kory
  
  Twisted Pine’s Ghost Face Killer!
Tom T

1) Twisted Pine’s Reilly’s Oak Whiskey Red
2) Twisted Pine’s Ghost Face Killah
3) Avery’s Meph Addict
4) Left Hand’s Fade to Black
Shana

1) Ghost Face Killah – Twisted Pine

2) Ghost Face Killah – Twisted Pine

3) Ghost Face Killah – Twisted Pine
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