Top 5 Beers

I'm a Brown, therefore I drink.  I consider myself a beer connoisseur... I know various beers fairly well, I enjoy sampling new ones, and I definitely love them for their taste.  There's nothing quite like a cold beer after a long day, a cold beer on a hot summer day at the lake, a beer on the porch in the peacefulness of Quincy, or a beer accompanied by ribs in the company of family and friends.  Beers go great with baseball games, with BBQ's, with pizza, with picnics, with celebrations, with birthdays, and with a thousand other events and occasions.  Different people have different preferences, and different occasions represent different beers -- Coors goes quite well with NASCAR, Guinness is the epitomy of St. Patrick's Day, etc... We all have our favorites.  And many of us have our top 5, which I am quite fascinated by.  I love hearing people's top 5 -- particularly because they often represent very distinct beers.  Unless you're my brother Chad, whose top 5 would be Coors Light, Coors, Bud, Bud Light, and dirty water... I mean Michelob.  Which brings me to this post -- I'm going to share my top 5, at this moment -- these are subject to change at any time.  Please comment with your top 5, I'd love to hear!

 

1. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale -- a classic!  Sadly, I cannot remember the first time I had one, but it is a staple in my beer diet.  It has the perfect combination of smoothness and crisp flavor, a timeless beer. Well done Sierra Nevada, well done. 

* P.S. Their brewery rocks!  They have an awesome outdoor patio and great food... check it out. 

Charlie Brown's Liberty Ale -- a sensation for the taste buds! This is a refreshing, tasteful beer with a hint of citrus flavor. My dad is an outstanding home-brewer and this one tops them all (in my opinion).  Perfection in a bottle. 

3. Stone IPA -- solid. I distinctly remember that Tim's uncle Leo introduced me to this beer. 

It has a strong hoppy flavor, the bitterness of an IPA, and the smoothness of a solid beer.  The best IPA around. 

* Cafe Bernardo's serves this on tap... amazing. 

4. Sierra Nevada ESB -- Sierra Nevada does it again.  Their Early Spring Beer has the hops and the spice to make a lovely beer to enjoy on a nice spring day.  It's seasonal, so enjoy it while you can. 

5. Firestone Union Jack -- wowza, this one's got a bite!!  This is a serious IPA, lots of hop and citrusy flavors.  Watch out, could be dangerous. 

 Ok, these are my top 5 for right now.  There are honorable mentions, however.  Firestone Pale Ale, Stone Pale Ale, Anderson Valley IPA, and Sudwerks Dragonfly are all some of my next best picks.  Duvel is not bad either, but not for the weak at heart. 

So many beers, so little time.  Enjoy.