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31-12-2011, 11:00
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I’ve drunka lot of beer this year. I’ve been to Rome, New York and the Czech Republictwice, plus travelled around the UK a bit. Here are the best 11 beers I've had in2011.


UnfilteredBudvar Dark in the cellars at the brewery. It's usually the pale 12-degreeBudvar which you taste in the cold cellars, but this time we also got the Dark.Rich, roasty, deep in flavour but with more body and texture than the packagedversion. Incredible.

UnfilteredPU at Bloggers Conference and unfiltered PU in Pilsen. It was on the list lastyear and hopefully (somehow, anyhow) it'll be on the list next year: I lovethis beer. I love the story the brewery attaches to it, I love how a mug of itlooks when poured with a huge head, I love the elegant body of the beer, thebite of Saaz hops. Most of all, I love the rounded, smoothness of theunfiltered version.


http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f-wVqKQaAlc/Tv7nex04yUI/AAAAAAAAB5s/HelnhCf5vPE/s1600/pu.JPG (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f-wVqKQaAlc/Tv7nex04yUI/AAAAAAAAB5s/HelnhCf5vPE/s1600/pu.JPG)


Avery Maharajah in Rattle n Hum (http://www.pencilandspoon.com/2011/05/manhattan-beer-bars.html). It was late and we had drunk lots already but ashared 4oz sample of this convinced Matt (http://www.beerandfoodandstuff.blogspot.com/) and I to order a pint each. It's a10.5% DIPA with balance in it's strength, like a body building ballerina. Sofruity, so juicy, such amazing hop flavour.


Ithaca Flower Power. (http://www.pencilandspoon.com/2011/05/brooklyn-beer-bars.html) All the fruit juice in the world seems to make this beer.Incredible hop flavours, such clarity to them rather than the beer equivalentof five people shouting at you simultaneously.


Sam Adams Lager at Burger Joint (http://www.pencilandspoon.com/2011/06/katzs-deli-burgers-pizza-and-fried.html). A moment of perfection when the beer in your hand couldn’ttaste any fresher. Cold and crisp and a lip-smacking hop flavour, plus a killerburger on the side.



http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DtBBpXLaLOc/Tv7pGIL9LoI/AAAAAAAAB6M/AyRYchrPXqo/s1600/burgerjoint.jpg (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DtBBpXLaLOc/Tv7pGIL9LoI/AAAAAAAAB6M/AyRYchrPXqo/s1600/burgerjoint.jpg)


This yearI've had three different jobs. The third of them is thanks to Camden Hells Lager,Camden Pale and Camden Wheat - the beers are fantastic and they've given me theopportunity to work in the beer industry. They are now the beers I drink mostoften and that's definitely a good thing.


Being askedto make a beer with BrewDog (http://www.pencilandspoon.com/2011/03/brewdog-brewery-tour.html) is a highlight of the year. I remember reading theemail proposing it and bursting with excitement. Avery Brown Dredge (http://www.pencilandspoon.com/2011/04/avery-brown-dredge-video-blog.html) is theresult. An imperious pilsner, bold, different and brilliant, if I do say somyself.



http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-veFTlkPxPcU/Tv7p4CUFhEI/AAAAAAAAB6Y/N6mZdRzwoZw/s1600/ABD.jpg (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-veFTlkPxPcU/Tv7p4CUFhEI/AAAAAAAAB6Y/N6mZdRzwoZw/s1600/ABD.jpg)


TroubadourMagma (http://www.blogger.com/) showed me the best of Belgium and America in one glass and I love it. Iveered away from Belgian beer for a year or two but I might head back that wayin 2012.


Rhubarblambic made from a deliberately funked-up APA, brewed by Chunk (http://www.beerbirrabier.com/). We shared onebottle; if we'd shared a gallon we still probably would've wanted more.


Dark StarTripel, a year-old, at the Beer Bloggers Conference. Just amazing. Such awell-developed beer which still had that big hop bite and an incredible flavourof peaches and apricots. Mind-blowing stuff.



http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-el5Af2vmwCs/Tv7ovotUprI/AAAAAAAAB6A/qJS5wxE6j20/s1600/CIMG6598.JPG (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-el5Af2vmwCs/Tv7ovotUprI/AAAAAAAAB6A/qJS5wxE6j20/s1600/CIMG6598.JPG)


Toccalmatto Stray Dog with a pizza in Bir & Fud (http://www.pencilandspoon.com/2011/04/bir-fud-rome.html), Rome. Amazing, fresh beer; crisp andlight pizza. Bir & Fud rocks.


The thing with all thesebeers is that I remember the moment I drank them as much as the taste; fewflavours return to me as I think about them, but the experiences are stillclear and bright. The beers were all great but the moment, the memory or theexperience, is what matters most.


It’s been a great 2011 and Ihope 2012 is even better!
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