The Best Craft Beers You Need to Try in 2019

Craft beer connoisseurs dilettantes alike love to try new craft beers. With craft beer increasing rapidly in popularity, this is a great hobby to be interested in. Below are the top craft beers you need to try in 2019.

January

450 North Brewing Blueberry Dessert Slushy

Slushy Blueberry Dessert

450 North Brewing

Fruited Sour – 6% ABV

Pure dessert in a glass. This Berliner Weisse is loaded with blueberries, vanilla, cinnamon, and brown sugar. The result is a sweet, tart, thick beer that could satisfy any sweet tooth.

Rodenbach Vintage 2016

Brouwerij Rodenbach

Flanders Red Ale – 7% ABV

While I love variety, some beers make me question if I could drink them every day for the rest of my life. This is that kind of beer. Sour, rich with oak and cherry elements.

Barleywine

West Side Brewing

Barleywine – 10.2% ABV

Don’t let the no nonsense name fool you. This barleywine is as good as I’ve had. Big malt body provides fig-like sweetness and the American hops give it a firm bitter finish.

Honorable Mentions: 450 North Brewing Slushy Peach DessertBrink Brewing DamcolesStreetside Brewing C’est La VieSwine City Brewing If You Threw A Party


February

Old Nation Boss Tweed

Boss Tweed

Old Nation Brewing

NE DIPA – 9.3% ABV

This hazy New England IPA has been getting lots of praise for a long time and is now available in my area. And it devlivered in a big way. Hazy, citrus, creamy body, and a touch of resin.

Rhinegeist Alpha Squid

Alpha Squid

Rhinegeist Brewery

New England IPA – 8.2% ABV

Does a New England IPA have to be hazy? It has huge fruit flavors of orange citrus. It still has great body and hides the high ABV very well. What it lacks in haze, it makes up for in flavor!

450 North Brewing Citra Nuggest x3

Citra Nuggest x3

450 North Brewing

Triple IPA – 11% ABV

There’s no denying that Citra is a clear fan favorite and for good reason. 450 North took these hops to a new level in this high ABV juice bomb of an IPA.

Honorable MentionsFifty West Brewing The Married LifeListermann Brewing Coffee Birthday Cake Chickow!Melvin Brewing Barrel-Aged RuckusOdd Side Ales Sweet Potato Souffle RyeRhinegiest Brewery Night WhaleShulz Brau DopplebockWarped Wing Whiskey Rebellion


March

No Bake

Aslin Beer Company

Imperial Stout – 16.5% ABV

Fans of super sweet stouts need to try this one. Chocolate and peanut butter with a hint of coconut make this a heavy, thick liquid dessert.

Dragon’s Milk White

New Holland Brewing

White Stout – 6% ABV

White stouts are always fun and Dragon’s Milk White takes it to the next level with barrel-aging. The result is a hint of bourbon in a sweet, creamy stout with a low ABV.

S’mores Stack

450 North Brewing

Imperial Stout – 10% ABV

This stout is exactly as advertised. Lots of chocolate and marshmallow with just a touch of graham cracker. It really opened up once it warmed to near room temperature.

Honorable Mentions: Brink Rock The Boat Pina ColadaListermann Brass Monkey Mango GuavaListermann Cookie WizardRhinegeist Saber Tooth TigerStreetside Bee MineStreetside RobeTaft’s Citrus IPA


APRIL

Best Craft Beer Of 2019 - Columbus Brewing Co.

Bodhi

Columbus Brewing Co.

Imperial IPA – 8.3% ABV

In Ohio, this beer has been a legend for years and finally it is starting to get outside of the Columbus area. This DIPA has citrus and pine notes with a sweet, bitter finish.

Best Craft Beer Of 2019 - Boulevard Brewing

Tank 7

Boulevard Brewing

Farmhouse Ale – 8.5% ABV

This is a classic. Tons of Belgian yeast character and a peppery finish makes Tank 7 continually interesting. And don’t look past the ABV because it is deceptively easy to drink.

Best Craft Beer Of 2019 - 450 North Brewing

Slushy XL Peach Ring

450 North Brewing

Fruited Sour – 8% ABV

Peach, peach, and more peach. It is like a peach smoothie both in taste and texture. And it is very sweet with just a touch of tartness from the sour beer base. This is made for die hard peach fans.

Honorable Mentions: 450 North Sapphire Sour IPAGrainworks Bagpipes Of BardstownPlatform ChocoBanana DonutSam Adam’s Caeser’s BuddyWooden Cask The Aged Scotsman


MAY

Best Craft Beer - Listermann Yacht Rock II

Yacht Rock II

Listermann Brewing

Milkshake IP – 7% ABV

That moment when the sequel is better than the original . . which says a lot because the first Yacht Rock was amazing.

Just like the original, tons of tropical fruit and island cocktail spices. It is flavorful and sweet; perfect for summer drinking.

Best Craft Beer - 2nd Shift Barrel-Aged Liquid Spiritual Delight

BA Liquid Spiritual Delight w/ Coffee & Maple

2nd Shift Brewing

Barrel-Aged Stout – 11.5% ABV

After spending a few days in St. Louis, this was among my favorite beers I had there and at a brewery I highly recommend visiting.

This big stout delivers barrel, bourbon, coffee, and maple but it isn’t too sweet or boozy.

Best Craft Beer - Brink Damocles

Damocles

Brink Brewing

Milkshake IPA – 7.5% ABV

Black IPAs are hit or miss for me but this Milkshake version is amazing. It is like chocolate milk meets an IPA with a malt roast. Unique and delicious!

Honorable Mentions: 4 Hands Absence Of Light450 North Sour Diesel450 North Strawberry CoughFig Leaf Sous la Table with Dark CherryFounders Blushing MonkListermann Barrel-Aged Chickow! – CognacUrban Chestnut Mercator


June

Best Craft Beer Of 2019 - Almanac Hypernova Vol. One

Hypernova Vol. One

Almanac Beer Company

Fruited Sour – 5.5% ABV

This delivers everything a barrel-aged sour should with the additional of fruit and just a hint of sweetness. Traditional yet modern; complex yet bold.

Best Craft Beer Of 2019 - Listermann BA Port Cincinnatus

BA Port Cincinnatus

Listermann Brewing

Barrel-Aged Stout – 13% ABV

Normally, stouts aged in bourbon barrels get the most attention but this port barrel-aged stout is amazing. The port is very strong giving it a wine-like character on top of the boozy stout.

Best Craft Beer Of 2019 - 450 North Slushy XL Double Blackberry Jam

Slushy XL Dbl Blackberry

450 North Brewing

Fruited Sour – 8% ABV

Blackberries are typically one of my least favorite fruits but this beer just changed my mind. Sweet and very tart with an insane amount of pulpy fruit in the beer.

Honorable Mentions: 2nd Shift Black NoiseBig Boss New Guy NEIPABrasserie de Silly Stupid Silly SourDestihl Deadhead IPA: Extended JamFifty West Alone UnkownListermann BA Port CincinnatusNarrow Gauge OJ RunOdd13 Codename: SuperfanRivertown Sprinkale

All credit for this awesome list goes to Craft Beer Joe. https://www.craftbeerjoe.com/the-best-craft-beer-of-2019/

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