World Beer Awards 2012

Seaneh

http://www.worldbeerawards.com/2012/


Which of the winners have you tried?

I've been lucky enough to have both the Red Chair and Abyss form Deschutes and I can confirm they are (in spirit of the other thread right now) "Amazeballs".

Redchair being named best pale beer and world best beer.

Have had the Carolus too, which is yummy.


Fran Well's Shandon Export Stout was named Europe's best Dry Stout.

matrim

I don't think I've had any of those beers

I'm also surprised Sam Adams got so many of the Americas top results. I've only had a the boston lager and one other beer from them and only counted them average

Seaneh

matrim wrote: »

I don't think I've had any of those beers

I'm also surprised Sam Adams got so many of the Americas top results. I've only had a the boston lager and one other beer from them and only counted them average

They currently make about 90 beers between regulars and seasonal's.

There are bound to be a few stinkers.

kevohmsford

Weihenstephaner is quailty stuff. Have the original and dunkel the odd time.
Have not tried the wheat version yet though.

ASJ112

Thornbridge's Raven won World's best Black IPA

http://www.worldbeerawards.com/beer/thornbridge_raven-7997.html

It is an amazing beer, would love to try more BIPA's. Should be able to get it in a good off license here.


I don't think I've seen Franciscan Well's Shandon Export Stout in any shops here before. I've tried some previous WBA winners before, they've never really amazed me

Seaneh

ASJ112 wrote: »

Thornbridge's Raven won World's best Black IPA

http://www.worldbeerawards.com/beer/thornbridge_raven-7997.html

It is an amazing beer, would love to try more BIPA's. Should be able to get it in a good off license here.


I don't think I've seen Franciscan Well's Shandon Export Stout in any shops here before. I've tried some previous WBA winners before, they've never really amazed me

The awards are like any industry award and some of them choices are a bit surprising.

Like, Porterhouse plain has won that other award twice as best stout in the world, it's a nice beer but it's nothing special, it's just a nice "plain" stout.

Martyn1989

Seaneh wrote: »

I've been lucky enough to have both the Red Chair and Abyss form Deschutes and I can confirm they are (in spirit of the other thread right now) "Amazeballs".

I may be the only one but I would be a supporter of 'amazeballs' being the colloquial term for an amzeballs beer. I may be ahead of my time though....

matrim wrote: »

I'm also surprised Sam Adams got so many of the Americas top results. I've only had a the boston lager and one other beer from them and only counted them average

Would the judging of awards like this lean towards putting a few household names to make it more accessable to an everyday discerning beer drinker rather then just craft beer nuts?

I've had....
Thornbridge Raven - Best Black IPA
Rogue Shakespeare Oatmeal Stout - Best Oatmeal Stout
Weihenstephaner Vitus - Best Strong Wheat Beer
I've got alot of work to do.

Might see about getting a few Thornbridge Ravens for tonight...

Saruman

I've had a number of them but never anything from Deschutes which is something I clearly have to rectify.

Seaneh

Saruman wrote: »

I've had a number of them but never anything from Deschutes which is something I clearly have to rectify.

Good luck with that, unless you know someone in a state where it's sold who will ship you a bottle or two.

Their Black butte porter, obsidian stout and mirror pond pale ale are their 3 "classic" beers and probably the most widely available, I'd suspect if those 3 are gettable then getting a Redchair wouldn't be an issue either.


Not a chance in hell will you find a bottle of the Abyss though...

Saruman

I am in the US a fair bit. I will be back for Christmas so will keep an eye out.

noby

Martyn1989 wrote: »

Would the judging of awards like this lean towards putting a few household names to make it more accessable to an everyday discerning beer drinker rather then just craft beer nuts?

I can't speak for this particular one, but many awards are judged blind so I wouldn't think household names are intentionally favoured.

Seaneh

Little video about the history of Deschutes up until about 2007 I found on youtube.

Since then (in 2010) they have more than doubled the production by adding several new tanks even bigger than the ones in the video, when I was in bend in march 2010 they were just in the middle of the expansion.

They had to expand to meet their demand and will be expanding again in the next year so they can try get their beer to every state in the us (they currently only hit the west coast and mid west).

It's probably my favourite brewery.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nx8yeTCj_6s

Seaneh

And a video review of the 2010 release of the abyss, which I was lucky enough to taste on the same visit.
A friend had 6 of them in his cellar and decided to share

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zyb-D7tATpA

Saruman

noby wrote: »

I can't speak for this particular one, but many awards are judged blind so I wouldn't think household names are intentionally favoured.

They are certainly done blind. The judges, most of them heavyweights in the beer world are the most respected writers & brewers in the world. So they know what they are doing and will not be picking household names. Nor will they exclude them because they have no idea what they are tasting.

kindalen

It's a bit silly really. Have tried a few of them and they are class, but its simply a personal choice.
For me it changes all the time too. Today it is augustiner helles.

Blackjack

matrim wrote: »

I don't think I've had any of those beers

I'm also surprised Sam Adams got so many of the Americas top results. I've only had a the boston lager and one other beer from them and only counted them average

To be fair, their Boston Lager is probably one of their least impressive - however it appeals to the mass market and offends no one.

I've tasted quite a few of the Sam Adams varieties and i have to say, there are very few I could say that I don't find pretty damn tasty.

They've gone a bit mass market and are no longer anything close to a Micro, but they're a fine example of how it can go if its all done well.