Top 10 beers in the world press

Soulless, Red Willow

Michael Bates, of the York Press, writes, “Soulless is rich, dark, and velvety smooth, but is also assertively hopped. So yes, you caught me, it’s another black IPA, a style whose name gets no less silly each time you spell out ‘black India pale ale’, and a particularly fine one at that.

“Hop bitterness is assertive, yet held well within the confines of drinkability, balanced well with sweet and toasty malt.

“This is a black IPA done right: Soulless flaunts the extent of its hopping at every turn, with its appreciable malt and roast character bringing complexity, drinkability, and character to the table.”

Black IPA, 7.1% abv

Imperial Porter, Ten Ninety Brewing Co

Beer-man Todd Haefer, of USA Today, writes, “The pomegranate in its Imperial Porter was prominent in the aroma, followed by chocolate and coffee notes. The head fell quickly — a common occurrence when dealing with oils from peppers — yet it still left lacing on the glass.

“The body of the imperial porter was especially creamy and, despite its 10.6% ABV, differed from imperial stouts by having a lighter body. It was not thin or watery, however.

“The tart fruity flavour of the pomegranate dominated the flavour, giving it a sour character. The cayenne quickly tingled the throat without burning and provided a peppery dryness. The chocolate and coffee notes were in the background.

“I liked the uniqueness of this beer, especially the cayenne kick, but the coffee notes were an odd coupling with the pomegranate. Chocolate and caramel malts generally work well with many fruits, but flavours of tart, sour fruit and roasted coffee, not so much.”

Imperial Porter, 10.8%

B.Man Pilsner, Invercargill Brewery 

Matthew Martin, of the New Zealand Herald, writes “Marketed as a strong New Zealand pilsner styled to complement authentic Indian cuisine, the B.man is much stronger on the hops than the Galbraith’s and the all-malt brew is quite woody and full of fruity flavour.

“According to brewer Steve Nally, the beer was named after the brewery’s first customer, the Bombay Palace, which wanted a beer designed to drink with spicy food. It was named after the restaurant manager’s father – Biman.

“I drank it with a rich and spicy Hungarian-style sausage found at my local butcher and some tasty cheese.

“I loved it. Being a fan of strongly hopped IPAs, I found it really hit the spot. It’s certainly not a traditional pilsner, but it’s very drinkable at 5.2 per cent.”

Pilsner, 5.2% abv

Incredible Pedal IPA, Denver Beer Co.

Natasha Gardner, of 5280 Magazine, writes, “While the aggressive hops mean that this isn’t a lawnmower beer, it is light enough to fill in as a summer-y brew on a warm evening (or on a cold one when you want to forget the chill).

“The nose has a delightful lemon-y scent and there’s ample carbonation to keep the brew light.

“There’s a whopping amount of bitterness on first sip, but that should dissipate and balance out as you drink. All of which means that, once again, Denver Beer Co. got it right.”

IPA, 7% abv

Mayberry IPA, El Segundo Brewing Co.

John Verive, of the LA Times, writes, “Mayberry demonstrates a mélange of tropical fruit aromas and flavours, from the brightness of pineapple and citrus zest to the more earthy flavours of guava and even a distinct blueberry twang.

“There’s an assertive bitterness that lingers on the palate and enough subtle malt character to provide contrast to the pervading hop character, but that luscious hoppy essence is the core of Mayberry IPA.”

American IPA, 7.2% 

Nectarous, Four Winds Brewery

Jan Zeschky, of The Province, writes, “The first flavour to hit the tongue is a bracing, bright, grapefruit-lemon tartness backed by richer notes of peach, nectarine, apricot and the tang of underripe passionfruit, which reveal more depth as the tartness peels away to leave a bold, chewy, almost malty astringency and gentle bitterness.

“There’s a light chewiness in the tropical-fruit aftertaste.

“It’s a masterful beer, a dizzying cornucopia of fruit that doesn’t even contain any fruit. But even at 5.5%, it’s a slow drinker. It’s best to pour this in short measures – it was pretty great in a flute and not too much aroma was lost – to keep each serving nicely chilled.”

Sour Beer, 5.5% abv

Bourbon Barrel Timmie, Sun King Brewing

Jim Vorel, of Paste Magazine, writes, “On the palate, Timmie is very rich, quite boozy and just a touch hot for its 10%, but in the appreciable sort of way you likely expect from a barrel-aged stout. There’s plenty of fruitiness, with notes of figs, raisin and sherry/whiskey booziness that doesn’t quite overpower things.

“If it’s lacking in any one expected flavor note, there’s not a ton of roast, which pushes it further in the direction of richness/sweetness, but it stops short of cloying. In the end, this BA stout is actually a bit more well-balanced than I would initially have thought, and will certainly appeal to drinkers who enjoy the richer, fruitier side of this spectrum.

“And at the very least, it will probably remain the best barrel-aged imperial stout I’ve had from an aluminium pint can for quite a long, long while.”

Imperial Stout, 10% abv

Hop Hunter IPA, Sierra Nevada 

Michael Paull, of The Columbus Dispatch, writes “The flavour of freshly harvested, or wet, hops is traditionally an autumn treat, but the new Hop Hunter IPA offers the flavor year-round through a unique steam-distillation process.

“The result is a fresh, bitter session IPA with a rich, sweet, malty balance; and an assertive citrusy, hoppy bite that builds and builds.

“It pours a clear golden with a tight, fizzy head and some lacing; and gives off a huge aroma of specific American hop varieties. With lower alcohol (6.2 percent by volume) and a full malt character, it is refreshing and remains balanced until an unabashedly bitter, hoppy finish takes hold later.”

Black IPA, Sanitas Brewing Co.

Emily Hutto, of 5280 Magazine, writes, “I would have to agree that Sanitas nailed the “rich, complex maltiness,” and “great body with creamy mouthfeel” that Zach Nichols [Sanitas co-founder] described to me as the perfect Black IPA.

“Their rendition, which is brewed with five different types of hops, is one of just three beers brewed year-round by Sanitas.”

Black IPA, 6.5% abv

Lorenzini Double IPA, Maui Brewing 

Graham Averill, of Paste Magazine, writes, “It’s zesty and tropical as hell, which makes sense because Maui Brewing uses tangerine and blood orange in this beer. You get soft orange and mango notes up front, and a full, creamy mouthfeel throughout the sip.

“You can definitely detect some blood orange – it’s sweet, but not cloying the way some fruit beers tend to be. The use of the adjunct fruit here is restrained, and a really good addition that compliments the tropical nature of the hops.

“There is a bitterness that follows all that tropical fruit punch, but it feels like it comes more from the rind of an orange than from the El Dorado and Sorachi Ace hops that Mauis uses.”

IPA, 7.6% abv