2022 is coming to an end, though sometimes I ask myself, did it even start?
As in ’20 and ’21, we continue adapting to a “new normal” that can sometimes feel more like a disorienting simulation of reality — a farrago of uncertain moments, adjusted expectations and Zoom calls. But hopefully in the past 12 months you were able to experience the simple pleasures of a great beer. If so, what was the one that most delighted you?
It’s time to shout out the best new beers of the year, so that’s exactly the question we posed to a group of experts. Our incredibly wide-ranging panel of industry professionals — including brewers, writers, bar owners, podcasters and activists — chose their favorite releases of the year. (They had a lot to choose from as, according to the Brewers Association, there are some 9,500 breweries in the U.S. alone.)
So join us in celebrating 52 brews, from all over America and the world, that debuted and dazzled in 2022 — then resolve to try one or two yourself sometime soon.
Editor's note: Responses edited for length and clarity.
Astor Birra Macunaima
“Beer connoisseurs in the United States and Europe still have a lot to discover when it comes to South American craft beer. Macunaima is a collaboration between what I believe to be the two best breweries in Argentina: Astor Birra and Strange Brewing. It is an elegant beer with high drinkable acidity, fruit notes that take you to the Southern Hemisphere (they may have used New Zealand hops, or maybe it comes from the Brettanomyces), and a slight hint of oak in the background. It is bone dry, yet it offers a great mouthfeel. Every element of this beer can be enjoyed in harmony, which calls for drinking a few glasses in almost any scenario.” —Maximiliano Ahlers, brewer and cellarmaster at Ebeltoft Gårdbryggeri
ABV: 6%From: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Pizza Port Summer Oasis
“West Coast IPAs have a sweet spot in most beer drinker’s hearts. There's something about a crisp, dry, bitter beer supported by a boom of hop aroma that will never go out of vogue. Pizza Port does justice to the style with all of its seasonal releases and has continued to make high-quality beer priced accessibly and easy to obtain. Summer Oasis hits all of the notes one is looking for in a modern West Coast IPA. Leaning into softer citrus-like aromas and flavors supported by hoppy tropical aromas, this IPA leaves you wanting to crack another can and not think twice about it.” —Erik Fowler, head of education and craft hospitality at White Labs and White Labs Brewing Co.
ABV: 7.2%
From: Carlsbad, CA
Green Bench Spark
“I had the chance to enjoy Spark, a collaboration by Green Bench and Bierstadt Lagerhaus, in the warm sun on a crisp fall day in the New Hampshire North Country. Schilling’s Oktoberfest is one of our favorite days of the year and that beer was simply perfect in that moment. Hot brats and poutine on the table and good company around. A double-decocted märzen brewed with beechwood-smoked malt, Spark somehow keeps things dry and drinkable without clashing with that firm, perfectly placed smoke presence or sacrificing an ounce of malt character. It’s easy to lose sight of all that is right in beer but it helps when you take a second to appreciate those moments.” —Zack Adams, founder and brewer at Fox Farm Brewery
ABV: 6.3%From: St. Petersburg, Florida
Third Space One In Four
“My favorite new beer(s) of 2022 were the ones brewed for important causes, with pure intentions. This year we saw continuing worldwide initiatives such as Brave Noise and new ones like One In Four and Drinking in Another State, all of which brought breweries with similar values together to raise awareness for issues that are not addressed in our industry. Third Space’s aim is rooted in the fact that one in four women and one in nine men will experience some form of domestic violence or intimate partner violence in their lifetime. One In Four Beer is a worldwide collaboration aimed at raising funds for domestic violence prevention but, more importantly, starting conversations in the communities that we all call home. At the end of the day, beer is and always has been about community, and without safety there is no community.” —Ana Alexandra, founder of Women Invented Beer
ABV: 6%
From: Milwaukee
Abandoned Rail Double Goat
“Abandoned Rail opened in March of 2022 in the heart of the picturesque Naramata Bench. Owners Scott and Nicole Brier and brewer Peter Schulz operate a farm-style brewery producing European beer styles. Sitting on their patio this past summer as their two-row barley fields blew in the wind and sipping on many of these doppelbocks, I was truly in beer heaven. The brewery and farm are surrounded by vineyards and orchards, with cherry, plum and peach trees surrounding their patio. The experience that they provide is truly unique and special.” —Iain Warren, head brewer at Marten Brewing and UnderGround Kombucha
ABV: 7%
From: British Columbia, Canada
Wax Wings Nereids
"A surprise winner from Wax Wings Brewing, out of my home state of Michigan. Nereids poured completely as straw-colored, opaque silk, with no chunks or trub settled to the bottom of the can. For the aroma, sweet was the first note. Mango, nectarines, bright florals. Ok, yum. Now, the flavor, drinkability, finish; here’s where the story of this beer becomes the whole experience. Mango crosses into cantaloupe. Nectarines blend flavor lines into mandarin oranges and peaches. Florals express more fully as passion fruit and some grounded stone fruit. As I discovered with further explorations of Wax Wings beers, the grain bill, in this case light but rich malts, ease their way into the hop profile, contributing to a depth of character only easy to achieve if a brewer has talent, skill and a complete understanding of how to create wort and work with the yeast to produce beer that shines. This 7.2 percent ABV IPA has a high drinkability — silky but not sticky, the sweetness not from cloying liquid but from aroma and flavors of bright grains and smiling hops. I consumed this one too quickly, but the flavor memories stuck around for a good while, something I love about nuanced and complex offerings." —Laura Worley, owner and managing director at Burns Family Artisan Ales
ABV: 7.2%
From: Kalamazoo, Michigan
Ad Astra Flight Wave: Peach Brandy
"Barleywines tend to arouse one of two reactions: excitement or grimacing. Flight Wave: Peach Brandy by Ad Astra is a small-batch (limited to 100 bottles) rendition of an English barleywine. This beer was aged 10 months in American oak that held Kelvin Cooperage peach brandy. Flight Wave is arguably a gateway for any Barleywine grimacer. It’s got the pleasant, malty backbone required for the style, with notes of toasted bread and caramel, showcased with very low perceived bitterness. The presence of the peach brandy kicks up the alcohol warmth and leaves a sweet, substantial peach flavor, finishing with a silky mouthfeel that calls for another sip. This beer tastes like the emotions evoked from a chilly winter evening in front of a fireplace." —Rachel Benkowski, co-founder of The Beer Babes Family and chief marketing officer and beer educator at Bone Haus Brewing
ABV: 14%
From: Prescott, Arizona
Alesong Raindrops on Roses (2022)
“The Terroir Project, originally conceived by Firestone Walker with the torch now passed to Alesong Brewing & Blending and others, is a collective of breweries all making oenobeers, or beer-wine hybrids, using grapes from within a small geographic footprint of their respective locations. Though Raindrops on Roses was not Alesong's official Terroir Project beer, they still sourced biodynamically grown 2021 pinot noir grapes from their neighbors at King Estate Winery and Antiquum Farm, blended it with a mixed-culture farmhouse beer, and then aged it in French oak puncheons for nearly a year. The result is a brilliantly pink rosé-inspired beer, with nuanced complexity from their house culture of yeast and bacteria, jammy berry notes from the grapes, and just the right amount of oak tannins and toasted character to back it all up. It was a perfect beer for the end of summer vibes as grape harvest approached, and truly was as beautiful as the sound of music.” —James Bruner, director of production, The Bruery and Offshoot Beer Co.
ABV: 9.4%
From: Eugene, Oregon
Cruz Blanca Rey Cuvée Vanilla (2022)
"Chicago has no shortage of great barrel-aged beer, so when one stands out like Cruz Blanca's Rey Cuvée it's notable. This beer blends 2019, 2020, and 2021 Rey Gordo, the brewery's signature barrel-aged stout, then it gets double-barreled in Jim Beam wood. Head brewer Jacob Sembrano also uses three different types of vanilla — from Uganda, Madagascar, and Tahiti — providing an additional layer of flavor that's fantastic. What makes this beer one of the best in Chicago is the balance between the barrel and the vanilla. Neither dominates your palate but instead you get a sip with barrel heat and subtle vanilla undertones to ensure the beer isn't too boozy or too sweet. Over the past few years, Cruz Blanca's barrel program has become one of the city's most unique and sought-after series of barrel-aged beers." —Mike Zoller, Midwest editor and writer at PorchDrinking
ABV: 13%
From: Chicago
Old Thunder Everlasting Visitor
“Sometimes there are special beers that remind me why New England IPA continues to reign. Based in Blawnox, Pennsylvania, Old Thunder put out Everlasting Visitor for its anniversary and this all-Galaxy-hopped double IPA is still on my mind after its January release. Big juicy passion fruit flavor, soft and pillowy peach and stone fruit notes, and a sliver of earthy balance combined for a beer that deserves attention.” —Caiti Sullivan, co-founder and head brewer at Coven Brewing
ABV: 8%
From: Blawnox, Pennsylvania
Cellarest Seaside Zoo
"As we all know, there are some beers that you drink for the first time that just leave you speechless and remind you why we all got into industry; the craft, the care, the passion, the experimentation. There are some beers that hit your palate and leave you in awe that someone can bring these flavors together so phenomenally. For me this year, that beer is Seaside Zoo from Cellarest Beer Project. Mark Goodwin, co-owner and director of fermentation, has had a long history of barrel work and his new project really knocks it out of the park. Seaside Zoo is a lager, but it has the softness of a crushable sour. It's made from a base of Riverbend Chesapeake pilsner and great chit malt, then rested on calamansi limes and gin barrel staves. It is effervescent, botanical and delicate which is easily my favorite flavor and mouthfeel combination for beers. It's bright, elegant, zesty and perfectly balanced. I first had this when the weather was a bit warmer so the light refreshingness paired well with the heat, but I would drink this beer year-round." —Kerri Hoffman, beverage director at Beer Study Durham
ABV: 5%
From: Asheville, North Carolina
Trillium Habitat 2021: Grenache Noir
"The Habitat series is a blend of one-, two-, and three-year spontaneously fermented lambic-inspired beers produced by the fine folks at Trillium out of Massachusetts. Founder JC Tetreault has always had a deep love for wild, farmhouse and lambic-inspired beers. Most recently appearing as a collaborative iteration with Firestone Walker using California grenache noir grapes, Habitat is one of my favorite American interpretations of lambic. Perfect balance of funk, oak character and acidity. Refined, nuanced and incredibly approachable. Not too effervescent, but not remotely close to still. Habitat reminds me of something similar to what a blend of Cantillon and 3 Fonteinen would be like. A truly exceptional lambic-inspired beer that lambic and wild beer lovers should seek out ASAP." —Matt Tarpey, co-founder and head brewer at The Veil Brewing Co.
Editor's note: Date in the name to the contrary, this beer was released in March of 2022.
ABV: 7.2%
From: Boston
Heirloom Rustic Ales Inari Moments of Oblivion
“A few times a year I will ask people to tell me about hidden local gems that I have to try. This Oklahoma stunner was mentioned by readers over and over again. It absolutely delivered. Heirloom Rustic Ales teamed up with local teamaker, Inari, to make this eponymous saison. It is a blast of herbaceous barnyard goodness. The core is a frame-off restoration of a farmhouse 24-oz.: yeasty, peppery, with a Blaugies swap. Mouthfeel is crisp with Anjou pear, the Hallertau Mittelfruh contributing a floral jasmine swallow. This saison clicks into its bucolic fourth gear and osmanthus flowers rev into an oolong and eucalyptus finish. It exhaled minty whispers right into my chest like a dusty old NES cart.” —Alex Kidd, founder of Don’t Drink Beer and co-host of Malt Couture
ABV: 5.1%
From: Tulsa, Oklahoma
Penyllan Brewery Davinia Vintage 2015
"More and more brewers in Europe are starting a wild barrel program, but few take it to the level of Penyllan. When you pour a bottle from Penyllan, you can instantly feel that the beer has been through a journey. Each of their releases is made from beer that has aged for years in various woods with thoughtful blends. Davinia was brewed in 2015, aged first in foeders, then spent four years on black currants, followed by blending with some very sour stock from sherry barrels, moved to stainless and dry hopped, and finally aged for an additional 18 months. The flavors present in Davinia unfold slowly as the beer warms, where first the black currant is the dominant flavor, but then the other flavors from the brettanomyces, the aging and the hops come through. The artistry that goes into the blend is evident as it pulls together a variety of tastes and textures in an exquisitely harmonious way. It is a lovely beer to drink with friends to create an authentically Danish hyggeligt evening!" —Tamar Banner, head brewer at To Øl
ABV: 7%
From: Allinge, Denmark
Round Trip Gizza Pils
“One of the hallmarks of a brewery brewing consistently great beers is the ability to integrate new styles and flavor profiles within its existing oeuvre. Round Trip Brewing does this perfectly with their New Zealand-style pilsner, Gizza Pils. Made in collaboration with Heaps, a New Zealand handpie pop-up in Atlanta, Gizza Pils showcases the lemon and lime flavors from quintessential New Zealand hop Motueka. Reminiscent of white wine with crackery malt notes and a dry, smooth finish, Gizza Pils is the perfect showcase of Round Trip’s immaculate lager brewing talent and the versatility of tropical hop flavors. Gizza Pils is a perfect beer for introducing the wine drinker to beer and for the beer drinker looking for a flavorful, sessionable beer. It’s always a good time to ‘Gizza nuther one, cuz.’” —Jen Blair, advanced cicerone and co-host of False Bottomed Girls
ABV: 5%
From: Atlanta
Brasserie de la Sambre Åbricot
“Up-and-coming Walloon brewery Brasserie de la Sambre continue to impress from their 800-year-old farmhouse location with their ester-forward ales, considered use of fruit, and mixed-fermentation projects. In March 2022, the brewery released a saison — brewed with spring barley, Walloon winter barley, and spelt — which they blended with one-year-old lambic and apricots from Les Mées in southern France. Åbricot, Walloon dialect for apricot, has a soft, lactic, lemony tartness, mellow grain flavors, and a pleasant mineral bite. On top of it all sits the rich, juicy and pithy apricot flavors. Hints of white flowers and barnyard funk give it a subtle but classy edge in the finish.” —Breandán Kearney, editor-in-chief at Belgian Smaak
ABV: 7.1%
From: Wallonia, Belgium
Protagonist Tiffany
“I’m a huge coffee drinker and I love breakfast stouts that make me feel like I’m actually having a cup of joe. For its third anniversary, Protagonist released a 7.8 percent ABV breakfast stout called Tiffany that was exceptional! It was brewed with cacao nibs, coffee from local roaster Enderly, French broad chocolate and toasted pecans. It was literally happiness in a glass, one of the most well-balanced breakfast stouts I’ve had in a while. It was nutty, you got a lot of roastiness from the malt and coffee, and the finished product was literally something I could put in my coffee cup and drink every day.” —Eugenia Brown, founder of Beer Chick LLC
ABV: 7.8%
From: Charlotte, North Carolina
Sacred Profane Dark Lager
“Sacred Profane, a new brewery that opened in early September in Biddeford, Maine, has just two beers on the menu: pale and dark lager. I went there to check it out a few days after the opening and tasted both in the company of one of the partners, Erin Sheehan. For me, the dark lager was one of the best I’ve ever had, very balanced and easy to drink. It’s great to see how the market and the industry are increasingly valuing lagers, which should be treated with the respect, care and technical precision they deserve, and not as a smaller, less noble family of styles.” —Maira Kimura, co-founder and brewer at Japas Cervejaria
ABV: 4%
From: Biddeford, Maine
Sacred Profane Pale Lager
“My vote would be Sacred Profane's Czech-style Pale Lager, one of the most visually appealing beers I've seen in some time. The head retention is excellent, with tight bubbles and superb lacing; you couldn't ask for anything better. The aroma is filled with herbal, floral hop notes along with a balancing bready character from the malt. The bitterness and finish are spot on and at 4.2 percent ABV your glass will be empty before you know it. This is an excellent representation of the style and one that I'll be drinking for a while.” —Patrick Chavanelle, R&D brewer at Allagash Brewing Company
ABV: 4.2%
From: Biddeford, Maine
Three Taverns Passion on Ponce
“Following the Tango on Ponce version of their flagship brewed with tangerine about a year ago, this Passion on Ponce variant introduced during the last quarter of 2022 successfully pays homage to my Caribbean heritage with every refreshing sip. The combination of guava, orange and passion fruit is not forced or artificial. It's a welcomed balance of tart and subtle sweetness embracing the tropics, yet maintains the hop presence of A Night on Ponce along with deceptive crushability at a potent 7.5 percent ABV. Sure, a ‘whale’ beer could've been my choice, but let's go with one that's conversely accessible and affordable in a six-pack ready to pair with a broad range of culinary dishes globally, including Thai, Brazilian and Jamaican. Ultimately, it's a juicy beer you don't have to chew. I'm all about that.” —Ale Sharpton, freelance writer and host of Cruisin’ For A Brewsin’
ABV: 7.5%
From: Decatur, Georgia
Schilling Hälfte
“Upon arriving at Snallygaster with bellies bubbling from last night's Flamin' Hot Cheetos, we were greeted with a visit from a couple New Hampshire boys from across the way. ‘Schilling,’ they said, as we were handed a couple pours of a beautiful straw-colored beer: Hälfte, an Edel Pils collaboration with Other Half. This was the first I had heard of or laid lips to Schilling’s beer, but I was immediately hooked. Not only did we manage to kick their supply of Hälfte midway through the festival, but upon returning home I sought out a mixed case of cans to see wtf was up. All varieties were absolute rippers, a ‘NOW That's What I Call Beer’ playlist chock full of bangers. I could drink their beer all goddamn day, and I have. I'm about to move up to the woods in New Hampshire and sell fruit on the side of the road just so I can go drink their beer every day. Not really sure what else you need to hear as an endorsement.” —Andy Godish, founder of Permanent Hangover
ABV: 5.5%
From: Littleton, New Hampshire
Firestone Walker Parrotphrase
“Brewed as this year’s collaboration beer for Firestone Walker’s annual Invitational Beer Festival, this sessionable, dry-hopped grisette made with Evan Price of Green Cheek Beer Company is everything they promised it would be: light, easy and refreshing, with lots of tropical fruit hoppiness on the nose and a lightly hazy body ideal for crushing under the blazing Central California sun. Billed as something between a small saison and a hazy IPA, Parrotphrase defies strict categorization — and, frankly, that's the best thing about it. It tastes amazing at home, but it was just that much better when surrounded by the best beer people in the world. It was my first beer of the day, and I'm not embarrassed to say it was my last as well. (There were a few in between, of course!)” —Beth Demmon, freelance writer and author of The Beer Lover's Guide To Cider
ABV: 4.5%
From: Paso Robles, California
Brett & Sauvage Ledon Ledum
“I was introduced to Brett & Sauvage recently while visiting the pub Pit Caribou in Montreal. I was blown away with the elegance of the beer. A blend of 2020 and 2021 spontaneously fermented beer macerated with Labrador tea, Ledon Ledum starts off with a delicate citrus note followed by subtle pine from the addition of the Labrador. The acidity is perfectly balanced and very nuanced for a spontaneous beer. Drinking Ledon Ledum is reminiscent of hiking through a field of wild flowers in the summer. It’s a beer you want to share with friends, but is so good you want to hoard it all for yourself. If you are fortunate enough to have tried their beer consider yourself lucky. If not, keep your eyes peeled.” —Owen Roth, co-owner and brewer at Still Fields Brewery
ABV: 5.2%
From: Quebec, Canada
Slice Greener Nugget
“What is it the mind decides to remember? Unconsciously writing bits of information and overlooking others, flexing neurons holding onto encoded moments or letting them slide away. What is a year of memories? I barely recall what I did last week. There's a sea of moments, jostling, rising and falling, becoming solid, evaporating, forming and disappearing. When so many beers are so good, it's hard to remember one from another. Does anyone know song titles these days? Or telephone numbers? Superlatives are a flawed hope. It's somewhat true the adage: the best beer is the one I'm drinking now. As I was floating through an ocean of exceptionally memorable beers, of banana and coconut, and exotic coffee and... I can barely remember any of those most memorable tastes, but I remember what was less memorable, a moment of silence amid the noise, of respite among superlatives; and, this is what I remember: Slice's Greener Nugget. It was a delicious double IPA.” —Basil Lee, co-founder of Finback Brewery
ABV: 8.3%
From: Lincoln, California
Troon Boredom Is a Choice
“While Troon has been producing outstanding beer for six years, 2022 has truly been The Year of Troon for me. Hallmarks of a Troon hoppy ale include abundant hop saturation to the point of obscenity; a visually arresting, thick AF milky yellow appearance; a palate coating so excessive that your nervous system feels as though it’s on the precipice of shattering if you don’t immediately take that next sip; and a spicy, zippy finish that dances on the tongue and etches itself into your pleasure receptors. I’ve been outrageously lucky to have the opportunity to consume more than 30 different Troon beers this past year, and they’re basically all variations of jaw-droppingly wonderful. With recency bias in play, I’m going with Boredom Is a Choice, an 8.5 percent hoppy ale that I checked into Untappd with the following comment: ‘If you were to design a beer to my precise specifications of palate delightfulness, this would be the textbook example.’ I am certainly no stranger to heaping effusive praise and endless superlatives on things I love, but that’s about as concise and direct as it gets for me when summarizing my thoughts on one of the greatest beers I’ve ever consumed.” —Larry Koestler, founder of Musical Box Brewing
ABV: 8.5%
From: Hopewell, New Jersey
Off Color Si Fang
“When two local institutions come together to create something truly meaningful, you know it’s going to be special. Chicagoans got that when Off Color Brewing and QXY Dumplings united to craft Si Fang, which in Chinese means secret recipe or house recipe. John Laffler, co-founder of Off Color, and Jesse Li, QXY’s general manager, wanted to honor the Chinese custom of drinking beer with dumplings. It’s something that bridges craft beer and the immigrant community. The pair used lager as their base. Once in the brite tank, it gets the addition of a special (and pricey) black tea specifically imported by QXY for their restaurant. Also added is osmanthus, a flower with hints of tangerine. The result is a light, balanced and floral fruit-forward lager with suggestions of teatime. It’s a great example of the thoughtful, unique and delicate approach to beer making that has made Off Color one of the best breweries in the nation.” —Liz Garibay, executive director of Chicago Brewseum
ABV: 4.5%
From: Chicago
Primitive Room to Grow
“I’ve been lucky enough to travel to Belgium and experience some of the depth and complexity of Belgian lambic culture, and anyone else who has made a similar trip almost always comes back in awe of the beers that are being served there. Many American brewers have tried to capture some of that magic in their own ways stateside, but Primitive Beer in Longmont has been one of my favorite producers that helps me harken back to my visits to lambic cafés and breweries. Their most recent take on a traditional oude kriek, Room to Grow, has been one of the most poignant, transportational beer experiences I’ve had this year. With a luscious and strong fruit character, aided in complexity from the pit-derived baker’s spice notes, this beer almost tastes of a fruit preserve. Using all Colorado ingredients to craft these flavors aligns with some of the great kriek traditions that exist in Belgium as well. I’ve been savoring bottles of this beer slowly to truly enjoy its beauty!” —Eric Larkin, co-founder of Cohesion Brewing Co.
ABV: 6.5%
From: Longmont, Colorado
DaleView Biscuits and Beer Only
“In the summer, our friends over at DaleView Biscuits and Beer did a collaboration beer-sake hybrid with Kato, also in Brooklyn, called Only. It was a collab between the only on-site, black-owned brewery in New York State and the only Japanese-owned sake brewery in New York State, a fact that I would have thought was impossible in what is deemed one of the most diverse cities in the world. Only was brewed with koji and sake yeast, and the result was an incredibly unique and lovely beer. It tasted like a fancy banana pudding, with almost mushroom-like notes. It was like nothing I’ve ever had before, and that’s exactly what we need in beer these days. A beer that reminds you how exciting beer can be.” —Zahra Tabatabai, founder and CEO of Back Home Beer
ABV: 6.6%
From: Brooklyn, New York
Wheatland Spring Return Estate Piedmont Pilsner Batch 2
“Distinctly flavored grains gently unite the family of beers from Wheatland Spring Farm + Brewery in Virginia. As the first release from the Estate collection — beers made using only grains grown on the farm — Return Piedmont Pilsner both reflects what the brewery has been building toward and promises more unique flavors are coming. The farm has a test plot with about a dozen experimental cultivars as part of its joint project with Virginia Tech. From aroma to flavor to finish, Return is seamless, floral and spicy hops blending with doughy grains, toasted crackers and a hint of matchstick. The bitterness is firm, leading to a dry snappy finish that some might call crisp. The first batch was released late in 2021, but I had it, and the equally good second version, this year.” —Stan Hieronymus, author of Brewing Local: American-Grown Beer and For the Love of Hops: The Practical Guide to Aroma, Bitterness and the Culture of Hops
ABV: 4.7%
From: Waterford, Virginia
Shred Monk Brussels Blond
“Bozeman’s newest brewery came out swinging this year. Shred Monk focuses on low-ABV beer, which, over the course of 2022 was a category I found myself gravitating towards. While their German Pilsner walked away from the Great American Beer Festival with some hardware, I’m a big fan of the Brussels Blond. It’s complex and delicate, featuring a lovely pear and lemon aroma that compliments the nuances of a light floral hop note and a gentle bread-doughy-malt character. It possesses a sort of elegance in its light body, bright carbonation and interesting flavor profile, which continues to draw me to it anytime I’m there.” —Loy Maierhauser, chief operating officer at Map Brewing Co.
ABV: 4.6%
From: Bozeman, Montana
Another Moon Earthly Pleasures
“Another Moon’s first-ever release, Earthly Pleasures, is a brett-forward, stainless-aged saison, which isn’t particularly surprising when you consider founder and brewer Matt Moon spent time with Brasserie Thiriez and has a strong sensibility for French saison. Aromatic, herbaceous, earthy, frothy and dry, with assertive bitterness, Earthly Pleasures totally blew my partner Colin [Pratt] and I away by its complexity and easy drinkability. I can still remember our first sip. I think we both immediately said, ‘This is a beer you keep on hand at all times.’ It’s great with food but also stands alone as the perfect aperitif. Keep it flowing, don’t be precious about it.” —Lauren Slezak, co-owner of Delaware Supply
ABV: 5.2%
From: Hudson, New York
Anchorage A Deal With the Devil Triple Oaked Gold (2022)
“Three different treatments in oak, with the last one aged eight months in the oldest Four Roses bourbon barrel in existence, at eighteen and a half years. This was destined for greatness based on the description. A Deal With The Devil is my favorite series of beers ever, and this particular version released in October 2022 is my favorite version. This gold-wax gem reigned supreme among the three other great Triple Oaked versions this year. Heath Bar drenched in bourbon, with toffee, dark fruit, cocoa and caramel exploding on all your senses. I have drank this three different times now and it is better each time. Boozy, complex, sweet and unbelievable. This is barleywine, my favorite style of beer, at its finest!” —Kyle Harrop, founder and brewer at Horus Aged Ales
ABV: 17%
From: Anchorage, Alaska
Good Word Turns Bones To Glass
“How often do we see Czech-style beers executed to perfection here in America? At Good Word Brewing & Public House in Georgia, head brewer Todd DiMatteo crushes Czech along with many other European beers every single time he brews them. On my recent visit, I ordered a Czech-style half dark lager called Turns Bones To Glass, which Todd told me is a reference to a song by Bill Callahan. ‘So so so freaking good’ was the first thing I wrote in my notes. Pouring an amber-brown hue, this half dark lager had a lovely complexion in appearance that carried through the entire glass. With a nice toasted crust buoyed by a warm snickerdoodle cookie right out of the oven, Turns Bones To Glass had a lovely, velvety complexion in the mouthfeel. This beer is just beautiful every time you take a sip, reminding you a bit of the historical romanticism around beer and a time when lagers ruled the land. Czech styles tend to take a back seat to others here in the United States, but it’s beers like Turns Bones To Glass that only affirm this may actually be the year of the lager.” —Grace Weitz, managing editor at Hop Culture
ABV: 4.5%
From: Duluth, Georgia
Off Color Blue Knit Socks
“After having a baby, getting to beer festivals has been a little more difficult than it used to be. But this year I made sure to make my annual trek to the Great Taste of the Midwest in Madison, Wisconsin. It’s my favorite festival of them all. I brought the baby along, and sampled many delicious brews all with him strapped to my back! One such brew that stood out to me that day was Off Color’s Blue Knit Socks, a foeder-fermented lemonade saison with blueberry and rhubarb. It drinks crisp and refreshing. The blueberry adds a tart and fruity note that is deliciously sour. It’s really well balanced and would sound like it has too much going on from the description, but it’s complex and all the flavors marry well together. Yum!“ —Emily Kosmal, brewer at Goose Island Beer Co.
ABV: 6.3%
From: Chicago
Santina Cerveza Artesanal Pour La Galerie
“I’d been in Buenos Aires working on leads for our brewery and brewing a couple of amazing collabs with friends. Upon my return to our small town of El Bolsón, I was super excited to share some unique beers with my partner. Among the bottles and cans that I had stowed away in my backpack was one very special beer: Pour La Galerie, a triple IPA blend with American barleywine and bourbon barrel aged, brewed in collaboration between Santina Cerveza Artesanal and Cerveza Cuatro Jokers. My partner and I stoked the fire in the wood stove, thankfully snuggled away from the harsh winter environment that Patagonia is renowned for, and prepared to relax and enjoy this beer. Remembrances of spring and the feel of winter flood your mind and senses as you sip this amazing beer that has notes of vanilla, oak, plums and grapes — and a complexity only time can create. This is by far one of my fondest memories of beer drinking this year. And what better way to enjoy a spectacular can of handcrafted winter sour ale than with your partner in crime.” —Shea Jordan, co-founder and brewer at Mystic Fog Beer & Co
ABV: 11%
From: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Root + Branch Rieder
"Great lager is hard to find and even more difficult to master. Without question, my best draft lager experience of 2022 was the opening day batch of Rieder, a Czech-style Pils from Root + Branch here on Long Island. An exceptional display of subtle yet expressive grain forward flavor balanced by nuanced noble hop character. Rieder is classic, balanced and crisp; the kind of lager that keeps you reaching for another sip. Marvelous!" —Frank Bilello, owner and brewer at Noble Savage Brewing Company
ABV: 5%
From: Copiague, New York
Xul Your Suffering Will Be Legendary
“It seems that 2022 has been the year for new breweries, fantastic collaborations and…gluten-free sours? A never-ending circuit of invitational beer festivals has allowed for breweries such as Xul Beer Company out of Knoxville and Corporate Ladder in Florida to meet, and the result was this intoxicatingly refreshing, gluten-free strawberry piña colada sour that I would challenge any non-beer drinker to try. Xul has been making major waves during their first year of operation. They are working on executing several different programs, which hopefully entails expanding their souring program so we can get more of it down here in Florida. Keep an eye on these guys!” —Brie Meyer, co-founder of Tactical Brewing Company and co-host of Craft Beer Is Dead
ABV: 6.7%
From: Knoxville, Tennessee
Bottle Logic Paisley Cave Complex (2022)
“When the new vintage of Paisley Cave Complex, a bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout brewed with marshmallows and finished on cacao nibs and blueberries, ended up on the table I immediately knew it was going to be fantastic; the zymurgistic wizardry of Bottle Logic is never to be underestimated. You can smell this stout, which is made in collaboration with Great Notion in Portland, through the vast expanse of Time and Space. That first sip made me forget about the dreaded burden of human existence and all of its harrowing machinations. That lush blueberry gives pause to a rich, perfectly balanced barrel character that cuts through the underlying sweetness. Coupled with a body, black as pitch, that practically pulls towards Singularity. It's all there. Truthfully, the worst part about this beer was when it was finished. Working at Angry Chair I'd like to think we have at least some knowledge of stouts and this one outshines so many in recent memory.” —Horus Anderson, brewer at Angry Chair Brewing
ABV: 12.5%
From: Anaheim, California
Oxbow Soundscape
"I tried so many great beers in 2022, both in Texas and on trips to Maine, North Carolina, and D.C. One of my favorites was one I drank up in Portland, Maine, during the Beers Without Beards festival. It was my first trip to Portland; such a beautiful city with great beer! After the festival, we visited Oxbow's Blending & Bottling location. I'm all about the experience: the environment, the people at your table, the conversation. This spot checked all three boxes as I tasted through a flight of Oxbow's delicious beer. I love mixed-culture and wine-like beers, and my favorite from this visit was Soundscape. This pretty pink farmhouse ale is aged on honeyberries (a first for me) and blended with gewürztraminer grape juice. Lightly tart and fruity, with floral notes coming through from the wine." —Karen Killough, co-founder of Vista Brewing
ABV: 5.5%
From: Portland, Maine
Troubles End Voces Chorum Rosé
“Saison is all about the subtleties. I don’t find it to be a style to understand, but to enjoy. It’s simple, yet complicated. It could be rough, yet beautiful. Troubles End brewer Zach Svoboda’s approach to this beer touches on all the above, but leans on you to dive deeper. And how can you not? Made with cabernet sauvignon and barbera grapes and fermented in steel on top of a deconstructed wine barrel, Voces Chorum Rosé pulls on expressive notes of raspberry, blackberry and rhubarb. Zippy carbonation and soft acidity, with impressions of late spring and early fall wrapped in hot pink.” —Kevin Margitich, owner of Hidden River Brewing Co.
ABV: 6%
From: Collegeville, Pennsylvania
Fair Isle Hanami
“I had the pleasure of drinking Hanami and meeting the great people of Fair Isle during the inaugural Pittsburgh Mixed Culture fest in July. Trace Brewing hosted a brewer bottle share the night before the fest, and one of the first beers poured into my glass that night was this oak-aged farmhouse ale. It immediately surprised me — a depth of flavor that I wasn’t expecting from the ingredient combo of Japanese sencha green tea infused with cherry blossoms, as well as honey for bottle conditioning. The very vanilla-forward honey added a perception of sweetness to help counteract the dryness in the beer. It was like a soft, refreshing version of key lime pie. This is a beer I haven’t been able to stop thinking about since that weekend in Pittsburgh. I need more of it and more Fair Isle beer overall.” —Matt Sampson, owner and brewer at Sway Brewing + Blending
ABV: 6.2%
From: Seattle
Green Bench Snake Arms
“Ever sip a beer and immediately start doing the snake arm? The first time I had Green Bench’s cold IPA, Snake Arms, I did! I love a good West Coast IPA, but I live in Florida so Green Bench really delivered with this crisp, hoppy, fruity and dank drank that’s billed as having a very new-age West Coast IPA character. Grab your favorite dance partner and get you some of this balanced goodness.” —Latiesha Cook, co-founder and CEO of Beer Kulture
ABV: 6.5%
From: St. Petersburg, Florida
Hinterland Tide Crusher
"I got the opportunity to visit Yakima, Washington, earlier this fall, and rice lagers are kind of a big deal on the West Coast right now. But no one in Wisconsin seems to be doing them quite yet... until now. Hold up. Rice lager? That’s like Budweiser, right? Yup, that’s correct. But adjunct lagers using rice, including Japanese lagers, are making the full circle back to craft brewing. Originally, Budweiser began using rice in their American lager to create a lighter product that was more drinkable in large quantities, and likely cheaper than using all barley. Craft breweries today are using rice in their mashes for the unique character it provides the finished product; crispness, mouthfeel, flavor and varying levels of sweetness or ultra dryness depending on attenuation. Hinterland paired their rice mash with floral yeast and hops to create a light, refreshing and adventurous beer." —Whitney Froelich, brewer at Titletown Brewing Co.
ABV: 4.5%
From: Green Bay, Wisconsin
Alesong Terroir Project: King Estate
"We got to enjoy this Alesong Brewing & Blending beer while attending the 2022 Firestone Walker Terroir Project in Oregon. The peach and honey flavors from the pinot gris grapes sourced nearby from King Estate melded beautifully with a slightly oxidized orange-yellow wine nose. The native microflora on the skin of the grapes added a soft acidity and mellow funk. It's a really beautiful creation occupying a place between beer and wine." —Jeffrey Stuffings, co-founder of Jester King Brewery
ABV: 7.8%
From: Eugene, Oregon
Unseen Creatures Wolfpack of One
“Taplists are typically dictated by the styles that have mass appeal; the trends, the hype, the liquid candy. But every once and a while you’ll see a brewery sneak in a ‘brewer’s beer,’ which is exactly what happened with Wolfpack of One. Friends at Unseen Creatures in Miami collaborated with Orchestrated Minds in Fort Lauderdale to create an incredible smoked English-style mild: malty, caramel, smooth, with a touch of smoked beechwood grain. Personally, I believe smoked malt is underutilized and a beer such as this helps introduce smoked malt to the masses in a deliciously approachable way. I could drink Wolfpack of One all day.” —Zachary Smith, owner and brewer at Ceremony Brewing
ABV: 3.5%
From: Miami
Belching Beaver Barrel Aged Peanut Butter Milk Stout
“When Belching Beaver takes their iconic Peanut Butter Milk Stout and releases a decadent barrel-aged version, that’s newsworthy, and it came natural for me to give accolades to one of my favorite San Diego breweries. After ten years of brewing this internationally distributed favorite, Belching Beaver finally gave in to the requests to barrel age it, and Blanton’s bourbon barrels was their choice of wood. With much anticipation, they scheduled this release to coincide with their monumental tenth anniversary in October. When I first heard of this release just a week before San Diego’s annual Beer Week, I realized I couldn’t be prouder to live in the Capital of Craft, and of my friends at Belching Beaver. You will discover a bold, sweet and boozy stout, with heavenly aromas of roasted buttery peanuts and chocolate. It’s a beer that is both delicious to drink and a love story that has culminated to this, and what will by all accounts be the highlight of beer for me in 2022!” —Kristine Baker, owner and founder of Women’s Craft Beer Collective
ABV: 12.8%
From: Oceanside, California
Creature Comforts Vujà Dé: Landlord
"Brewers often take inspiration from their own favorite beers, yet sometimes a well-intentioned homage to a classic recipe can fall short in imagination or obscure a brewer's own personality behind familiar flavors and aromas. Thankfully that's not the case with Creature Comforts' take on the iconic Timothy Taylor's Landlord recipe, Vujà Dé: Landlord. Yes, it's modeled after one of the most delightful beers on the planet, yet the folks at Creature Comfort's Snow Tire facility put their own spin on the classic English pale ale by using American ingredients. Woody, floral notes from Willamette and Crystal hops play wonderfully with the soft fruitiness from the English ale yeast, and the beer strikes a perfect balance between nutty malt flavors and rounded bitterness. The Brick Store Pub was lucky enough to get our hands on some firkins this fall, and drinking this beer from a beer engine has been the next best thing to having a fresh pint in Yorkshire." —Neil Callaghan, beer director at Brick Store Pub
ABV: 4.3%
From: Athens, Georgia
Suarez Family Cocalis
Cocalis is a black country beer that started its life as Bones Shirt, a traditional German-style black lager. Instead of canning this particular batch of what might be the perfect wintertime quaffer, the Suarez Family Brewery team put it into oak with a mixed culture to mature accordingly, and I am so ever thankful that they did. Since it’s dark and it came from a mixed/culture I’m inclined to describe all the things that it isn’t — such is the rarity of an excellent iteration of these characteristics together — but instead let’s delight in what this beer is: a vibrant and complex medium-light-bodied table beer with harmonious flavors of forest floor, salty dark chocolate and Fentimans Cola. Like all the beers from the Suarez Family Brewery it’s a compelling three-part story, one of just a few newly written by the brewery in 2022, but yet another I’ll look forward to, year after year.” —Sam Casner, beverage director at Tørst
ABV: 5.7%
From: Hudson, New York
Saint Mars of the Desert Dämmerlicht Schwarzbock
“In 2015, Dann Paquette and Martha Simpson-Holley decided to close Pretty Things, their nomadic brewing project. They also decided to leave Paquette’s native Massachusetts to embark on a trip through Europe and Asia before eventually settling in Sheffield, England, and opening their new, more rooted brewery, Saint Mars of the Desert. At SMOD, they brew saisons and wood-fermented sour beers, barleywines and IPAs — beers with a touch of wildness, beers that waltz right across strict stylistic boundaries. One recent example, Dämmerlicht (‘Twilight’) Schwarzbock, mingles the inky darkness of a schwarzbier and the rich maltiness of a bock. ‘There are in fact breweries in Germany that make them,’ says Paquette of the lesser-known style. ‘It’s basically an expansively malty, festive, if not decadent strong lager. It’s got that almost-milk chocolate vibe, round and thick on the palate … what’s not to like?’ As a wintry beer, it’s unimprovable, snugly sweet but never saccharine, full-bodied and gently roasty. Cracking open a can feels as cozy as slicing open the belly of a Tauntaun and climbing inside — and considerably less messy, too.” —Claire Bullen, editor-in-chief at Good Beer Hunting and author of The Beer Lover’s Table: Seasonal Recipes and Modern Beer Pairings
ABV: 6.3%
From: Sheffield, England
Russian River Small Batch: Grape Pomace Beer 2021
"I tried this beer for the first time at the Great American Beer Festival. I really enjoyed the fact that Russian River was able to incorporate a byproduct from the wine industry, using cabernet sauvignon, syrah and petite syrah grape pomace from local Sonoma County wineries during the fermentation process to make a very tasty beer. Although a wild ale, with the base being a blend of the brewery’s Temptation, Orphan Beer and Sonambic aged on the pomace, it wasn’t overly sour or tart but well balanced with flavors of black cherry, grape and a slight tannic finish that you would find in a fine wine. When creative brewers start blending in elements of other beverage categories, it just seems like the flavor possibilities could be endless. I’m so impressed when a brewery is able to unlock a special combination of balanced flavors and aromas that can surprise and delight. Because of this awesome creativity, and because I know the team at Russian River and how much love and commitment they put into each beer, the Grape Pomace small batch is one I’d recommend to any beer lover." —Terence Sullivan, product manager, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
ABV: 10.15%
From: Santa Rosa, California
Alma Mader Parlez
“Alma Mader can really do no wrong, especially when it comes to lagers. I think I’ve drank the majority of the lagers they’ve brewed this year, but this edition really stands out, even as one of their first releases of 2022. Parlez is a French-style pilsner featuring all French hops — Strisselspalt, Triskel, and Barbe Rouge — none of which I have personally ever brewed with, so it’s always exciting to try new-to-me ingredients. When I think ‘French pils,’ I typically think super light and mediocre, verging close to an American light lager. But Parlez is fruity, it’s floral, and the malt bill is slightly sweet to help balance it all out. Most importantly; it’s crisp and easy to knock back a few while not feeling full.” —Bri Burrows, co-owner and head brewer at The Big Rip Brewing Company
ABV: 5%
From: Kansas City, Missouri
Finback Tempered
“Having visited both Finback locations numerous times, I was looking forward to returning once again on a recent trip to New York. The standard of IPAs was as enjoyable as always, and their ever-expanding range of mixed-fermentation beers were equally ambitious and impressive. But amongst all the noise, it was Tempered, a Vienna-style lager aged in foeder, that left the biggest impression. Pouring a beautiful amber color in the glass, the first sip presented sweet caramel notes that coated the palate, before a crisp, dry and oaky finish brought you home. No sooner had the glass hit the table, I was primed for another dose. Beautifully balanced, Tempered was a superb reminder that there is a beauty in the simplicity of a lager executed so well.” —Dom Gemski, co-owner of Phantom Brewing Co.
ABV: 5%
From: Glendale, New York
