Top 10 beers in the world press

Woody Creek White, Flying Dog, Maryland, USA

The York Press reports on “another seasonal release from Flying Dog, and another fantastic label from Ralph Steadman.”

“This is an American wit that adheres more closely to the traditions of the style. Not as assertively hopped, nor as alcoholic, as the Poperinges, this is a traditional 4.8 per cent witbier spiced with orange peel and coriander seed”, enthuses the reviewer for the English journal.

With aromas of “walnuts and creamy porridge, run through with baked bananas, and a subtle orange zestiness”. The flavour is the clincher for this beer, as it is lead by a “zingy lemon sharpness that builds rapidly into a verdant meadow-scented bitterness, buffered by cream soda, a touch of vanilla sugar, and creamy oats.”

All of this “renders Woody Creek incredibly refreshing; a wonderful bracing beer to be drunk with gusto on warm, muggy days.”

Witbier 4.8 %

Banana Bread Beer, Wells & Young, Bedford, England

James Stafford, writing in Paste Magazine, is thrown by the knowledge that “beer can be made from anything that will ferment,” asking, “but should it?

As for this Banana Bread Beer, “unless you drink your banana bread on a regular basis, “novelty” is a reasonable place to start.”

However, the beer is “seriously fruity, yes.

“This beer definitely delivers bananas. The nose is bananas. The flavour is bananas. The aftertaste is pine resin. Okay, it’s bananas, too.

And while it may be easy to relegate this beer to sheer novelty … here’s the thing: It’s delicious.”

Fruit Beer, 5.2%

Northwest Ale, Spinnakers, British Columbia, Canada

Jan Zeschky, reports in Canadian publication The Province on Spinnakers new brew, created by the fair hand of Kala Hadfield, daughter of co-founder Paul Hadfiel.

Zeschky writes: “this is a blockbuster of an ale that marries a massive maltiness to a heap of hops and weighs in at a respectable 85 IBUs.

And “it’s in the mouth that this beer really blooms.”

“A full, lovely maltiness of honeyed, slightly scorched caramel and treacle is tempered by lighter hops notes of subtle lemon, almost tangy berry and a piney, bracken backbone. A hefty bitterness swells under the tongue before rising through the mouth.

“A thick dryness coats the tongue in the finish.”

Ale 6.2%

Blueberry Ale, Blue Point Brewing Company, Long Island, New York

Matthew Levine, for Paste Magazine, reports on a berry-ful offering from this New York brewer.

“When pouring, the beer quickly forms a medium snow-white head atop an amber body. A quick sniff reveals malty aromas momentarily, but the smell of the 732 pounds of fresh blueberries added to each batch eventually overtakes the nose.

“If you can imagine shoving your face in a newly blossomed blueberry bush, it smells just like that, right down to the freshly trimmed leaves”, he says.

Thankfully, the taste of the berry doesn’t dominate, as he reports “shortly after the initial hit of blueberry, the fruity notes recede to let the sweet malty flavours take the spotlight.”

“The beer has a light and clean finish that goes down easily, perfect for cooling off after a sweltering summer day.”

Fruit beer, 4.6%

Berliner Weisse Ale, Crabtree Brewing Company, Colorado, USA

Emily Hutto, in Denver’s 5280 Magazine talks about this beer that is “tart and light in body,” with its “dominant characteristic” being its “sourness, both in aroma and flavour.”

“Crabtree’s Berliner Weisse satisfies Denver’s cultish craving for sour beer, especially in the heat of the summer” she writes.

And would she buy it again? “Over and over again, if it’s in stock.”

Berliner Weisse, 4.3%

Lychee Beer, Matso’s Brewery, Broome, Western Australia

Chris Shanahan, writing for GoodFood.com, reviews Matso’s brewery’s Broome, a “mixed marriage” derived from the various long-term influences on local culture – “Chinese, Japanese, Koepangers and Ghans”.

He continues, writing that this beer is “slightly reminiscent of the Belgian wheat style,” offering “fresh, light, delicate flavours with a little sweet kiss, courtesy no doubt of the lychee and elderflower in the brew.

Fruit beer, 4.5%

Quadrotriticale, Stone Brewing, California, USA

Ian Cheesman, writing for San Diego CityBeat, says thatbeing handed a new Stone Brewing beer to review is “kind of like running into an ex after a breakup that was a little nasty. Despite knowing we shared some good moments together, when I see that familiar logo, the only memories that return are of my hurtful words (and obscure references to the troubling career choices of Garth Brooks).”

He goes into the beer itself, writing that “this beer has a rosy amber hue and a unique malty tone to the aromatics that reminded me of Wonder Bread and cereal grains.

“The flavour is layered and robust with a strong peppery and fruity character that favoured dried papaya.

“It finishes with a sweep of Belgian funkiness, dark rum, faint florals and more peppery spice. These are all good things.”

Belgian Quadrupel, 9.3%

Devil Dancer IPA, Founders Brewery, Michigan, USA

Matt Miller, for EverythingOnTap.com goes into his renowned depth for this IPA offering.

He writes that the “first aroma to touch the nose is ethyl alcohol, which I personally find to be a good sign in an IPA”, and similarly the flavour ticks the boxes, as he writes that the taste of “lightly-roasted, malted grains” balances an IPA’s usual bitterness.

IPA, 12%

Pako’s IPA, Snake River Brewing, Wyoming, USA

Bonnie Horgos writes in the Santa Cruz Sentinal abiut an IPA named after the brewery’s mascot, Pako the dog, “so you know it has to be good.”

The brewers used “Simcoe and Columbus hops to create this strong golden ale… giving it an explosive bitterness.”

IPA 6.8%

Troublesome, Off Color Brewing, Illinois, USA

Jason Baldacci in The Chicagoist reviews a “Gose-style beer from the good gentlemen of Off Color Brewing.”

“The nose is a nice balance of freshly milled grains and tangy lactobacillus, or wild, bacteria. That tanginess translates to the palate in a very approachable way, as other brewer’s representations of this style are a lot more sour than Troublesome.”

He goes on to say that “this beer comes with very balanced acidity and active carbonation that’s almost soda-like in the way the bubbles dissipate on your tongue.”

“Staying true to the style, Troublesome is brewed with salt and coriander. The former gives the beer wonderful minerality, while the latter gives it a little lingering spice on the finish. “

Gose beer, 4.5%