In 2010, the Beverage Testing Institute/Tastings in Chicago evaluated almost 400 beers and ciders in nearly 80 style categories. For each style, here are the top three entries (more in the case of tied scores) of those that scored in the platinum (96-100 points) or gold (90-95) ranges.
Every beer listed here is worth seeking out as an individual example of the best of its style. Each year, however, we look at the breweries that deserve mention for producing outstanding beers in a number of categories: this year, Boston Beer topped the rankings with 12 medals, with Rogue Ales and Deschutes just behind with 10 and nine, respectively.
American micros Full Sail and Goose Island each took seven medals, competing in a wide range of brewing traditions. Yorkshire brewery Samuel Smith and Quebec’s Unibroue, both with seven, each specialize in particular brewing traditions, and have clearly mastered their areas of concentration.
The Brooklyn Brewery won five medals by demonstrating skill in a range of styles, as did Capital, with four medals. By contrast, Munich’s Hofbräuhaus submitted five traditional German beers for evaluating, and made this “Best of” list with four of them.
Warmest congratulations to all these outstanding breweries.
British Style Pale Ale
Pendle Witches Brew, Moorhouse’s Brewery (England). 5.1% ABV (93)
Pale Ale, Samuel Smith’s Old Brewery (England). 5% ABV (90)
American Style Pale Ale
Track Town Triple Jump Pale Ale, Eugene City Brewery (OR). 5.5% ABV (93)
Mirror Pond Pale Ale, Deschutes Brewery (OR). 5% ABV (92)
Red Chair NWPA, Deschutes Brewery (OR). 6.4% ABV (91)
Piper’s Pale Ale, Vancouver Island Brewery (Canada). 5% ABV (91)
Full Sail Pale Ale, Full Sail Brewing Co. (OR). 5.4% ABV (91)
Dale’s Pale Ale, Oskar Blues Brewery (CO). 6.5% ABV (91)
India Pale Ale
IPA, Goose Island Brewing Co. (IL). 5.9% ABV (94)
Full Sail IPA, Full Sail Brewing Co. (OR). 6% ABV (94)
Yellow Snow Ale IPA, Rogue Ales (OR). 6.5% ABV (93)
India Ale, Samuel Smith’s Old Brewery (England). 5% ABV (93)
Imperial IPA
Hop Henge Experimental IPA, Deschutes Brewery (OR). 8.75% ABV (96)
Imperial I.P.A., Garrison Brewing Company (Canada). 7% ABV (92)
I2PA Imperial India Pale Ale, Rogue Ales (OR). 9.5% ABV (92)
Amber Ale
Irish Red Ale, Garrison Brewing Company (Canada). 5% ABV (91)
Captain Sig’s Northwestern Ale, Rogue Ales (OR). 6.2% ABV (91)
Ripon Jewel Ale, Daleside Brewery (England). 5.8% ABV (90)
Green Lakes Organic Ale, Deschutes Brewery (OR). 5.2% ABV (90)
Blonde Bitch, Moorhouse’s Brewery (England). 4.5% ABV (90)
Scottish Style Ale
Traquair House Ale, Traquair House Brewery (Scotland). 7.2% ABV (94)
Old Chub Scottish Style Ale, Oskar Blues Brewery (CO). 8% ABV (94)
Samuel Adams Scotch Ale, The Boston Beer Co. (MA). 5.4% ABV (93)
Red MacGregor Ale, Orkney Brewery (Scotland). 4% ABV (93)
English Style Brown Ale
Nut Brown Ale, Samuel Smith’s Old Brewery (England). 5% ABV (93)
Hazelnut Brown Nectar, Rogue Ales (OR). 6.2% ABV (92)
Nut Brown Ale, Goose Island Brewing Co. (IL). 5.3% ABV (90)
Monkey Wrench, Daleside Brewery (England). 5.3% ABV (90)
Flavored Ale
Alba Scots Pine Ale, Williams Bros. Brewing Co. (Scotland). 5% ABV (93)
Raisin Hell Ale, Bastone Brewery (MI). 6.5% ABV (92)
Kelpie Ale, Williams Bros. Brewing Co. (Scotland). 4.4% ABV (90)
Porter
Taddy Porter, Samuel Smith’s Old Brewery (England). 5% ABV (93)
Black Butte Porter, Deschutes Brewery (OR). 5.2% ABV (93)
Chelsea Moylan’s Porter, Moylan’s Brewing Co. (CA). 5.1% ABV (92)
Flavored Porter
Black Butte XXI, Deschutes Brewery (OR). 11% ABV (93)
Smoked Porter, Stone Brewing Co. (CA). 5.9% ABV (92)
Samuel Adams Honey Porter, The Boston Beer Co. (MA). 5.5% ABV (91)
Imperial/Baltic Porter
Bourbon Barrel Baltic Porter, Browning’s Brewery (KY). 8% ABV (93)
Badder Elmer’s Baltic Porter, Upland Brewing (IN). 6.6% ABV (92)
Imperial Porter, Breckenridge Brewery (CO). 7.5% ABV (90)
Dry Stout
Kujukuri Ocean Beer Stout, Kankiku Meijyo Co. (Japan). 5% ABV (90)
Sweet Stout
Samuel Adams Cream Stout, The Boston Beer Co. (MA). 4.85% ABV (91)
Lion Stout, Lion Brewery Ceylon PLC (Sri Lanka). 8% ABV (91)
Oatmeal Stout
Oatmeal Stout, Samuel Smith’s Old Brewery (England). 5% ABV (93)
Shakespeare Stout, Rogue Ales (OR). 6.5% ABV (90)
Flavored Stout
Brooklyn Black Ops Stout, The Brooklyn Brewery (NY). 10.7% ABV (97)
Strong Stout
Obsidian Stout, Deschutes Brewery (OR). 6.4% ABV (93)
San Quentin’s Breakout Stout, Marin Brewing Co. (CA). 7% ABV (92)
Imperial Stout
Siberian Night Imperial Stout, Thirsty Dog Brewing Co. (OH). 9.7% ABV (93)
Russian Imperial Stout, Rogue Ales (OR). 11% ABV (93)
Imperial Stout, Samuel Smith’s Old Brewery (England). 7% ABV (93)
Black Chocolate Stout, The Brooklyn Brewery (NY). 10% ABV (93)
Winter Ale
Weizen-Bock, Ayinger (Germany). 7.1% ABV (94)
Jolly Pumpkin-Nogne Ø-Stone Special Holiday Ale, Stone Brewing Co. (CA). 9% ABV (94)
2009 Festive Ale, Sweetwater Brewing Co. (GA). 7.56% ABV (94)
Strong Ale
Imperial Red Ale, Rogue Ales (OR). 9% ABV (94)
Gordon Imperial Red Ale, Oskar Blues Brewery (CO). 8.7% ABV (94)
Double Dead Guy, Rogue Ales (OR). 9% ABV (94)
Old Ale
English Owd Ale, Moorhouse’s Brewery (England). 5.9% ABV (94)
Barley Wine
Old Bawdy Barley Wine, 2007 Bottling, Pike Brewing Co. (WA). 10% ABV (94)
Old Crustacean Barley Wine, Rogue Ales (OR) 2006. 11.5% ABV (93)
Skullsplitter Barleywine, Orkney Brewery (Scotland). 8.5% ABV (92)
Alt
Samuel Adams Boston Ale, The Boston Beer Co. (MA). 5.1% ABV (90)
Kölsch
Summertime, Goose Island Brewing Co. (IL). 4.7% ABV (90)
Bière de Garde
Terrible, Unibroue (Canada). 10.5% ABV (93)
Saison
Sofie, Goose Island Brewing Co. (IL) 2010. 6.5% ABV (93)
Le Merle, North Coast Brewing Co. (CA). 7.9% ABV (90)
Belgian Style Golden Ale
La Fin du Monde, Unibroue (Canada). 9% ABV (96)
Demolition, Goose Island Brewing Co. (IL). 7.2% ABV (92)
Belgian Style Amber Ale
Maudite, Unibroue (Canada). 8% ABV (93)
Matilda, Goose Island Brewing Co. (IL) 2010. 7% ABV (92)
Belgian Style Red Ale
Samuel Adams Stony Brook Red, The Boston Beer Co. (MA). 9% ABV (94)
Belgian Style Specialty Ale
Anniversary 17, Unibroue (Canada). 10% ABV (97)
Samuel Adams American Kriek, The Boston Beer Co. (MA). 7% ABV (93)
He’Brew Rejewvenator Ale, Shmaltz Brewing Company (NY) 2009. 7.8% ABV (93)
Belgian Style Strong Ale
Local 1, The Brooklyn Brewery (NY). 9% ABV (94)
Abbey Single
Noire de Chambly, Unibroue (Canada). 6.2% ABV (91)
Abbey Dubbel
Pere Jacques, Goose Island Brewing Co. (IL) 2010. 8% ABV (94)
Abbey Tripel
Tripel Dipsea Belgian Style Ale, Marin Brewing Co. (CA). 9.2% ABV (92)
Pale Lager
Captain Fred Pale Lager, Grumpy Troll Brewery (WI). 4.5% ABV (92)
Pilsner
Organic Pilsner, Neumarkter Lammsbräu (Germany). 4.8% ABV (92)
Coldfoot Pilsner, Silver Gulch Brewing & Bottling Co. (AK). 5.8% ABV (92)
Premium Pilsener, Privat Brauerei Bischoff (Germany). 4.7% ABV (91)
Dortmunder
Dortmunder Gold, Great Lakes Brewing Co. (OH). 5.8% ABV (92)
Flavored Lager
Black Giraffe Coffee Lager, Burleigh Brewing Co. (Australia). 5% ABV (94)
Coney Island Albino Python Lager, Shmaltz Brewing Company (NY). 6% ABV (90)
Munich Helles
LTD 03, Full Sail Brewing Co. (OR). 5.6% ABV (93)
Hell, Privatbrauerei Hofmühl (Germany). 4.9% ABV (93)
Hofbrau Original Lager, Hofbräuhaus München (Germany). 5.1% ABV (91)
Vienna Märzen
Volksfestbier, Privatbrauerei Hofmühl (Germany). 5.6% ABV (93)
Hofbräu Oktoberfest, Hofbräuhaus München (Germany). 6.3% ABV (93)
Vienna, Theresianer (Italy). 5.3% ABV (92)
Oktoberfest, Deschutes Brewery (OR). 5% ABV (92)
Brooklyn Oktoberfest, The Brooklyn Brewery (NY). 5.5% ABV (92)
Amber Lager
Samuel Adams Boston Lager, The Boston Beer Co. (MA). 4.9% ABV (93)
Elliot Ness Lager, Great Lakes Brewing Co. (OH). 6.2% ABV (93)
Mañana Mexican Style Amber Lager, Del Norte Brewing Co. (CO). 5.2% ABV (90)
Brooklyn Lager, The Brooklyn Brewery (NY). 5.2% ABV (90)
Dark Lager/Dunkel
Hofbräu Dunkel, Hofbräuhaus München (Germany). 5.5% ABV (94)
Dunkel, Privatbrauerei Hofmühl (Germany). 4.9% ABV (93)
Black Beer/Schwarzbier
Premium Black Lager, Privat Brauerei Bischoff (Germany). 5.2% ABV (95)
Chatoe Dirtoir Black Lager, Rogue Ales (OR). 6% ABV (91)
Shiner Bohemian Black Lager, Spoetzl Brewery (TX). 4.9% ABV (90)
Samuel Adams Black Lager, The Boston Beer Co. (MA). 4.9% ABV (90)
Bock
Samuel Adams Longshot Traditional Bock, The Boston Beer Co. (MA). 6.8% ABV (92)
LTD 01, Full Sail Brewing Co. (OR). 6.4% ABV (92)
Sudworth Bock, Blue Tractor Brewery (MI). 6.7% ABV (91)
La Rossa, Birra Moretti (Italy). 7.2% ABV (91)
Maibock
Hofbräu Maibock, Hofbräuhaus München (Germany). 7.2% ABV (95)
LTD 02, Full Sail Brewing Co. (OR). 6.4% ABV (92)
Maibock, Capital Brewery (WI). 6.2% ABV (91)
Doppelbock
Blonde Doppelbock, Capital Brewery (WI). 7.8% ABV (98)
Celebrator Doppelbock, Privatbrauerei Aying (Germany). 6.7% ABV (97)
Imperial Doppelbock, Capital Brewery (WI). 9% ABV (94)
Eisbock
Capital Eisphyre, Capital Brewery (WI). 9.8% ABV (94)
Hermannator Ice Bock, Vancouver Island Brewery (Canada). 9.5% ABV (91)
Hefeweizen
Julius Echter Hefe-Weiss, Würzburger Hofbraü (Germany). 5.6% ABV (93)
Dunkelweizen
Leavenworth Biers Boulder Bend Dunkelweizen, Fish Brewing Co. (WA). 4.7% ABV (90)
Weizen Bock
Weizen Bock, Bastone Brewery (MI). 7.75% ABV (93)
Wheat Ale
Point Horizon Wheat, Stevens Point Brewery (WI). 4.6% ABV (90)
Edelweiss, Hofbräu Kaltenhausen (Austria). 5.5% ABV (90)
Flavored Wheat Beer
Blue Ridge Blueberry Wheat, Top of the Hill Restaurant & Brewery (NC). 4.6% ABV (93)
Grozet Gooseberry & Wheat Ale, Williams Bros. Brewing (Scotland). 5% ABV (90)
White Beer
Samuel Adams Imperial White Ale, The Boston Beer Co. (MA). 10.3% ABV (94)
La Trappe Witte Trappist, Bierbrouwerij de Koningshoeren B.V. (Holland). 5.5% ABV (92)
Blanche de Chambly, Unibroue (Canada). 5% ABV (92)
Fruit Beer
Whole Hog Raspberry Saison, Stevens Point Brewery (WI). 7.2% ABV (92)
Raspberry Ale, Thirsty Dog Brewing Co. (OH). 3.9% ABV (92)
Quelque Chose, Unibroue (Canada). 8% ABV (91)
Fruit Lambic
Raspberry Lambic, Upland Brewing (IN). 6% ABV (91)
Specialty Beers
Samuel Adams Utopias, The Boston Beer Co. (MA) 2009. 27.5% ABV (93)
Samuel Adams Triple Bock, The Boston Beer Co. (MA) 1994. 18% ABV (92)
Ginger Beer, Granville Island Brewing Co. (Canada) 2010 Limited Release. 5% ABV (90)
Draft Cider
Wyder’s Dry Pear Cider, Wyder’s Cider Company (VT). 4% ABV (91)
Perronelle’s Blush Cider, Aspall (England). 5.7% ABV (90)
Organic Cider, Samuel Smith’s Old Brewery (England). 5% ABV (90)
merci