beers of conviction

In the midst of the discussion about the Wine Enthusiast list of top 25 beers, Jeff Alworth posed a question:

Stan, just to throw a hot potato back at you: if, under penalty of death, you were compelled to come up with a list of the world’s 25 best, what would it be? Actually, I don’t care what the list is as much as I wonder what criteria you would apply to come up with it.

I’d probably rather Jeff provide the criteria and I do the list, but that’s not the real question is it? So, understanding I’m bound to overthink this, here you go.

It’s not a matter of starting with some list, say 10, of the best pilsners from the Czech Republic and hauling them fresh to a judging arena. You must go there and taste them where they are brewed. Same with wheat beers in Bavaria (though not all 1,000 or so available). Timothy Taylor Landlord is not going to be the same on cask in Chicago (site of the next World Beer Cup) as it is anywhere in the U.K. Drink multiple pints or half liters or chalices. If it’s one of the best 25 beers in the world you should rip the arms off of somebody who tries to keep you from finishing your glass.

Did I answer your question? This is another fool’s errand, so feel free to add what I left out in comments.

Curiously, the exercise has helped me focus on why I find trying to identify the very best in the world pointless. If you love beer, on any given Sunday the 343rd best in the world may be better than the 14th.

I haven’t done a very good job of explaining why I occasionally seem to be a crazy old beer drinker, dashing out onto the lawn (perhaps with a beer in my left hand, shaking my right fist) and shouting, “You kids with the beer lists get out of here.”

I don’t hate lists. In fact, we love them in our family. We compiled many during our grand journey, each year will write down our favorite recordings, periodically our favorite places for green chile, the best hikes we’ve ever taken, the worst airline flights, whatever. But, aside from what we posted in our trip blog, those lists are just for our own amusement. The context is our lives and best kept private.

Context and authority determine the value of a list. For instance, it makes a nice press release for the breweries that made PASTE magazine’s “25 Best American Breweries of the Decade (2000-2009),” but why would you rely on PASTE for your beer recommendations?

I bother to point this out because I enjoy posting lists (though usually not best of) of my own and I’m certain that in the next several weeks I’ll be commenting on the slug of best of the year and best of the decade tomes that will be upon us. I don’t want you to be surprised when I like some of them.

For instance, even though Tom Auer introduced his “Top 5 New Beers of 2009” by explaining he would “flip Stan’s bad attitude about beer lists a bird” I’d call it a good list. The context is clear, new beers a single drinker tried in 2009. He explains his choices in the sort of detail you can provide in a blog and when you stick to a few beers. You don’t have to agree with every characterization (like “so few American craft breweries do lagers well”) to enjoy reading the list.

Now about the advent calendar. We’re also big on them in our house. Jon Abernathy has been posting a Advent Beer Calendar since 2006 and this year he invited other bloggers to contribute. My words are up today, while Jay Brooks and Lew Bryson have also pitched in. What’s turned into a bonus I didn’t think of when he sent the invitation is so far everybody’s writing about a local beer.

Quick disclaimer: Jon’s one of the first bloggers I emailed with when we decided to start The Session. He also was kind enough to let us sleep in his cul-de-sac last July. Yes, we had some fine beer, but no we didn’t pass out in the street. We were safely tucked in our beds in the motorhome.

All of you thinking about posting lists — best beers of the year, best holiday beers, best beers sold in large bottles, best beers sold in cans, best beers [fill in the blank, context preferred] — can rest easy. I promise not to pick on any more lists until . . . I do again.

You can thank Lauren Buzzeo of Wine Enthusiast, who took the heat for all of you and got it out of my system.

And just to prove how I’ve made my peace with lists, I’ll point you to a couple from the current issue of DRAFT magazine. First, a nice simple one with fifteen holiday beers, supplemented with comments from somebody at the brewery. For instance, Jeff Williamson of Flat Earth Brewing Co. on his Winter Warlock: “This beer pairs nicely with calamari, ham, and quail. It’s perfect for when all the toys are assembled and the presents are wrapped or ringing in the New Year with that special someone.”

Then The 10 (Most Interesting Belgian) Beers of Christmas from Joe Stange, which can make for painful reading unless you already have passage booked to be in Essen next weekend for the Kerstbierfestival.

Brasserie de la Senne’s Zinnebir X-Mas doesn’t make the list, but does get a passing mention (good read the story). I picked it up last night at Whole Foods ($12.99 for a 750ml) and eventually will let you know how it tastes. One of the best labels out there. Perhaps I should start a list.