Mikee's Top 6 Best Beers

 

1. Old Chimneys Good King Henry Special Reserve

This beer is from a small brewery about 100 miles North East of London. It’s pretty hard to get unless you travel to the brewery or know someone that can mail order it for you in England.

It is an Imperial Stout that has a hefty 11.0 ABV(Alcohol by Volume) and has notes of chocolate, coffee and caramel. 

2. Midnight Sun M

This beer is from one of my favorite craft brewers. Far off the beaten path in Anchorage, AK. most people will never get to this great place. Luckily, they do send some beer down to the lower 48 and it can also be purchased at some online retailers. You will have a tough tome getting the M though… it has been retired for some time. So let us hope Midnight Sun brings this beer back! M is a Barley Wine with 11.6 ABV

 

3. Lost Abbey Isabelle Proximus

This was a one-off(only done once) collaboration between Dogfish Head, Avery, Russian River and Lost Abbey. The brewing was done at Lost Abbey, so they got the name. This beer is an American Sour Ale, so it isn’t for everyone. It has a very tart fruit and woody flavor. The wood is because this was aged in American Oak barrels. This beer is becoming difficult to find as well, so don’t look in the local beer store.

This beer clocks in at 7% ABV

4. AleSmith Barrel Aged Speedway Stout

This is a Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout brewed by Alesmith Brewing in San Diego, CA. There are several vintages… 02, 04, 06( 2 separate releases) and 07. Another beer that isn’t easy to get; your best bet is to find someone close to the brewery for the next time it is offered, which may not be for a couple years.

This beer is 12 % ABV and has big coffee and chocolate flavor. The Bourbon is pretty mellow and imparts some vanilla sweetness.

5. Flossmoor Station X-IPA

Brewed in Flossmoor, IL, this is a great example of an American IPA. It has nice bitterness but is balanced by a good amount of sweet malt. The aroma is what put this beer so high for me… it is a beautiful combination of citrus, pine, flowers and earth.

Flossmoor make a lot of great IPA’s and this is one of them. It is 8% ABV.

 

6. Russian River Pliny the Elder

Another beer from Russian River, this one is an Imperial IPA. Pliny is the same thing as an IPA, just much more hops and malt. This is the easiest to get from my list… it is available at many online retailers and all over California and a couple other Western States. Pliny the Elder is 8% ABV.