Oz 'n' Mike's Top Beer of the Year

It's been (just over) a year since the birth of our beer blog. I know the title promises beer AND music, we just happen to play music together so when we beer, we music too. Don't think about that one too much. Anyway- here are our top picks for the year (in this list only Oz & Mike's scores count.)

Average Score:
1. Bell's Hopslam - 9.90
2. Dogfish Head Sah'tea - 8.95
3. Jolly Pumpkin Ordo de Calabaza - 8.90
4. Weyerbacher Double Simcoe IPA - 8.75
5. Unibroue Trois Pistoles - 8.55
6. Heavy Seas (Clipper City) Winter Storm - 8.45
7. Brooklyn Brookyler-Schneider Hopfen Weisse - 8.40
8. Dogfish Head World Wide Stout - 8.30
Stoudts Winter Ale - 8.30
Rogue Santa's Private Reserve - 8.30
11. Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale - 8.25
12. Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA - 8.15
13. Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout - 8.00
14. Lagunitas Brown Shugga - 7.95
15. Great Lakes Christmas Ale - 7.90
Stoudt Double IPA - 7.90
Dogfish Head Immort Ale - 7.90
18. Rogue Dry Hopped St Rogue Red Ale - 7.85
19. Dogfish Head Punkin - 7.70
20. Troegs Mad Elf Ale - 7.65
21. Great Lakes Oktoberfest - 7.55
Bell's Christmas Ale - 7.55
23. Weyerbacher Zotten - 7.25
Corsendonk Christmas Ale - 7.25
25. Founders Centennial IPA - 7.20
Sierra Nevada Torpedo - 7.20
27. Jolly Pumpkin Lucienrnaga - 7.15
28. Jolly Pumpkin Bam Bière - 7.05
29. Founders Old Carmudgeon - 6.90
30. Great Lakes Glockenspiel - 6.90
Magic Hat Roxy Rolles - 6.90
32. Stone Sublimely Self Righteous Ale - 6.85
33. Bell's Expedition Stout - 6.75
34. Heavy Seas (Clipper City) Holy Sheet - 6.70
Blue Moon Full Moon - 6.70
35. Bell's Sparkling Ale - 6.50
36. Rogue Morimoto Imperial Pilsner - 6.40
37. Summit Winter Ale - 6.35
38. Three Floyds Brian Boru - 6.25
39. Dogfish Head Midas Touch - 6.15
Dogfish Head Theobroma - 6.15
41. Flying Dog K-9 Cruiser Winter Ale - 5.8
42. Avery Old Jubilation - 5.65
43. Weyerbacher Winter Ale - 5.60
44. Sam Adams Winter Ale - 5.55
45. Thirsty Dog 12 Dogs of Christmas Ale - 5.50
46. Abita Christmas Ale - 5.40
47. Michelob Winter Cask Ale - 5.35
48. New Holland The Poet - 5.15
49. Breckenridge Christmas Ale - 4.95

Black & Tan Recipe - N/A
Old Milwaukee Beer - N/A
Atwater Block - Atwater Hell - N/A

Double Dogfish Head: Sah'tea & Theobroma

Dogfish Head takes more risks than having unprotected sex with fifty partners. Their beers, though not alway good (see Golden Elixir post,) are at least interesting and stampworthy. The company keeps pushing the boundaries of what a beer can be. Recreating ancient recipes, creating multiple ales that are 18% ABV and crafting a brew with ingredients from every continent are just some of the interesting things this brewery is doing. We know that it might seem that we review them a little more than the rest, so our last review of Dogfish Head this year is a double one: Sah'tea & Theobroma.

First released this May, Sah'tea is a "modern update on a 9th century Finnish proto-beer." It smells and looks just like a Belgian ale. Though it does have a decent amount of body and mouth feel to it, it is still easily drinkable (even at 9% ABV.) Cinnamon, clove and ginger spice up the palette and makes us miss Great Lakes Christmas Ale. This brew would best be drank on a cold winter day with a couple of good friends... or on a Monday night in September as you watch your roommate play Call of Duty 4 for hours on end. That kid is addicted, seriously.

Oz Scale: 9.0
Mike Scale: 8.9

First brewed in 2008 (our bottle dated 2009) is Theobroma. Per DFH Website: "This beer is based on chemical analysis of pottery fragments found in Honduras which revealed the earliest known alcoholic chocolate drink used by early civilizations to toast special occasions." It pours an almost amber color with a sweet smell. With all the hype about chocolate flavor, this beer has very little if any at all. A slight chili taste on the back brings together a sweet, almost nutty taste. High drinkability or as Oz puts it- "I'd pound a six-er of this. You know, just drink this to get drunk and forget feelings. Our UAV is online!" I'm sure you would get there with its high, 9% ABV. There is a lot here- but nothing seems to stand out.

Oz Scale: 6.0
Mike Scale: 6.3