100 Beers to Try Before You Die

Image via Complex Original

Where: Waterbury, VT
Type: Double IPA
ABV: 8%
Available: Year-round
Website: alchemistbeer.com

Mike Lovullo Says: "This double IPA is yeast-heavy and delivers layers and layers of tropical fruits, pine, and citrus in both aroma and flavor."

Where: Portland, ME
Type: Belgian-style Stout
ABV: 7.5%
Available: Year-round
Website: allagash.com

Jimmy Carbone Says: "Everyone knows White, which is a traditional Belgian wheat. But try the black, a dark, chocolatey brew."

Where: Portland, ME
Type: Belgian Strong Ale
ABV: 9.5%
Available: Special
Website: allagash.com

Mike Lovullo Says: "The saison yeast strain and Brettanomyces that this Belgian strong ale is brewed with brings ripe fruit and barnyard aromas and flavors that are unmatched. It's aged in French oak wine barrels that once held Merlots and Syrahs, resulting in a deep, memorable complexity."

Where: Gussignies, France
Type: Saison
ABV: 7%
Available: Rotating
Website: brasserieaubaron.com

B.R. Rolya Says: "Au Baron is a tiny French brewpub located just across the border from Belgium. This effervescent beer straddles the line between a Belgian saison and a French bière de garde. It's malt forward and earthy/cellar-like with complex spice notes and a dry, crisp finish. An excellent beer to pair with food, or sip on its own."

Where: Munich, Germany
Type: Lager
ABV: 5.6%
Available: Year-round
Website: augustiner-braeu.de

B.R. Rolya Says: "Of all of the biergartens in Munich, Augustiner is my favorite. It's full of locals, not tourists. The Edelstoff, poured from a gravity keg, is gently carbonated with a fresh-baked bread aroma and flavor. It's a top example of the Munich Helles style, a beer that's all about the malt, with hops playing a supporting role."

Where: Oceanside, NY
Type: Red Ale
ABV: 6.3%
Available: Year-round
Website: barrierbrewing.com

Jimmy Carbone Says: "In 2011, Barrier was named Best Brewer at the 14th annual TAP New York. This is their flagship beer."

Where: Oceanside, NY
Type: India Pale Ale
ABV: 7.9%
Available: Year-round
Website: barrierbrewing.com

David Liatti Says: "This unabashed IPA makes its presence known as soon as it enters the room. Pine and citrus prevail with a thick backbone of sweet malt to harmonize the generous hops and alcohol. Its ample character and charisma win over any lionhearted beer drinkin' hop-head."

Where: Oceanside, NY
Type: Pale Ale
ABV: 5.4%
Available: Year-round
Website: barrierbrewing.com

David Liatti Says: "This is the quintessential American pale ale. Pepper and citrus hoppiness upfront; mild, balanced malt backbone; dry finish and exceptional drinkability with beautiful head retention and lacing. Brewed by the guys who own the brewery. Unfiltered, unpasteurized, draft only and available only as far as they're willing to deliver it."

Where: Borgorose, Italy
Type: Pale Ale
ABV: 6.4%
Available: Year-round
Website: birradelborgo.it

Complex Says: "The Italians tackle the American IPA with this citrus-heavy ale. It doesn't have the traditional hoppiness of a typical IPA; instead, it's sweeter, with more floral notes."

Where: Piozzo, Italy
Type: Brown Ale
ABV: 6.8%
Available: Year-round
Website: baladin.it

Complex Says: "Nora starts out spicy, with notes of black pepper, then evolves into a different beast entirely as sweet ginger takes over. The finish is nice and dry, leaving you in need of another sip."

Where: Long Island, NY
Type: Stout
ABV: 3.9%
Available: Special
Website: blindbatbrewery.com

David Liatti Says: "Creamy, smooth and dry, a stout brewed with Long Island-grown Yukon Gold organic potatoes from a hand-mash, garage setup. Even we have a hard time getting our hands on this one. If you end up with a keg, please stop by and share with us. We promise to take good care of you for your efforts."

Where: Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico
Type: Pilsner
ABV: 5.3%
Available: Year-round
Website: cuamoc.com/es

Complex Says: "Pour out that Corona and order a beer to make Mexico proud. Bohemia is one of the nation's oldest beers, a traditional take on a pilsner that'll quench your thirst."

Where: Bavay, France
Type: Bière de Garde
ABV: 7%
Available: Year-round
Website: N/A

B.R. Rolya Says: "The tiny Theillier brewery, housed in a building dating back to 1670 that was built on Roman foundations, makes a rustic bière de garde from 100 percent pilsner malt. But because of a long boil in a direct-fired copper kettle, the beer is not blonde, but rather a rich amber color from the caramelization of the wort. While predominantly malty with toffee notes, it also has some spice in the aroma and flavor, a hint of earthiness, and balanced bitterness. It evolves in the glass, giving off flavors of dark fruit as it warms."

Where: Aying, Germany
Type: Dark Doppelbock
ABV: 6.7%
Available: Year-round
Website: ayinger-bier.de

Andre Wechsler Says: "The Celebrator is almost black in color, with a slight red tone. It has a malt profile unlike any other, and offers the most complexly-balanced flavors I've ever tasted in a lager double bock. At first, you taste chocolate and caramel flavors, and then the profile shifts to hop bitterness with a hint of alcohol."

Where: Cologne, Germany
Type: Kölsch
ABV: 4.8%
Available: Year-round
Website: paeffgen-koelsch.de

B.R. Rolya Says: "To officially be called Kölsch, a beer must be brewed in Cologne (Köln) to specific standards. Kölsch beers are unique in that they're a hybrid style, fermented with an ale yeast but then lagered at cooler temperatures. Some may scoff at their light flavor but there's so much complexity in these delicate beers. They don't travel well so it's best to drink them at the source. My favorite is from Päffgen; their version has a malty and floral nose with a crisp hop finish."

Where: Fraserburgh, Scotland
Type: India Pale Ale
Abv: 5.6%
Available: Year-round
Website: brewdog.com

Complex Says: "BrewDog is the Scottish brewery you need to know. Though it's unafraid to stunt, releasing beer in taxidermied roadkill, BrewDog also gets the regular brews right. The flagship drink is a brash IPA in the American style, but with strong bread and biscuit notes."

Where: New York, NY
Type: Pale Ale
ABV: 6.3%
Available: Year-round
Website: thebronxbrewery.com

Complex Says: "The best thing about this newcomer from the Bronx is the attention to quality. Bronx Brewery only makes one beer, the strong, flavorful Bronx Pale Ale. More breweries should follow suit and spend time developing one beer to be the best it can be."

Where: Brooklyn, NY
Type: Farmhouse Ale
ABV: 7.6%
Available: Year-round
Website: brooklynbrewery.com

Jimmy Carbone Says: "One of Garrett Oliver's classics. I'm so happy that it's jumped from a one-off to a regular draft! It's made with a soft Japanese hop that your palate has to get used to. Very special."

Where: Wevelgem, Belgium
Type: Blond Ale
ABV: 6.2%
Available: Year-round
Website: deranke.be

B.R. Rolya Says: "Unlike many Belgian breweries that produce malty, sweet beers, De Ranke loves hops. But XX Bitter is no one-dimensional hop bomb. There are tons of hops in the aroma and flavor, yes, and a solid bitterness throughout, but that's balanced by malt and the barnyard-character of the Brettanomyces wild yeast strain. I could drink this all day long. And have."

Where: Mater, Belgium
Type: Belgian Strong Dark Ale
ABV: 11%
Available: Seasonal
Website: smisje.belgianbeerboard.com

Justin Philips Says: "This is a Belgian Christmas beer that's brewed with coriander and grains of paradise. It has a slight smoky aroma, but a huge, rich, flavor that's spicy and sweet."

Where: Anderlecht, Belgium
Type: Gueuze
ABV: 5%
Available: Year-round
Website: cantillon.be

B.R. Rolya Says: "A traditional gueuze from a family-run brewery. Cantillon Gueuze is a blend of old and young lambic, a very old-style of beer that's fermented in the open air by wild yeasts and then aged in oak barrels for up to three years. The classic gueuze is astoundingly tart and extremely dry, with so many different things going on that it's hard to pinpoint them all. Citrus, wood, barnyard, fruit, mustiness, and more all combine to create an elegant, refreshing beverage. This will definitely challenge your idea of beer."

Where: Atlantic Highlands, NJ
Type: Session Ale
ABV: 4.2%
Available: Rotating
Website: cartonbrewing.com

Jimmy Carbone Says: "My go-to beer this spring and summer. I love the new, small breweries of the New York region, and this is one the best."

Where: Tampa, FL
Type: Farmhouse Ale
ABV: 8%
Available: Seasonal
Website: cigarcitybrewing.com

Complex Says: "Nothing else tastes quite like Cigar City's Guava Grove, a farmhouse ale with strong guava notes. Tampa, where the brewery is located, is nicknamed the Big Guava. This brew pays homage to its hometown in the most direct way possible."

Where: Regency Park, South Australia, Australia
Type: Strong Ale
ABV: 7.5%
Available: Year-round
Website: coopers.com.au

Complex Says: "Forget Foster's. Coopers is Australian for beer. This high-gravity ale packs a punch, with strong earthy flavors and a mildly sweet finish. Good for cellaring."

Where: Gooik, Belgium
Type: Lambic
ABV: 4.8%
Available: Special
Website: belgianexperts.com

Wendy Littlefield Says: "A beer so rare and prized the entire stock sells out in 24 hours when we announce its arrival. Revivalist brewer Karel Goddeau is a brilliant blender who operates out of Gooik—the pearl of Payottenland—when not running the show at Slaghmuylder."

Where: Esen, Belgium
Type: Belgian Strong Pale Ale
ABV: 12%
Available: Seasonal
Website: dedollebrouwers.be

Justin Philips Says: "A special winter treat! Stille Nacht is extremely complex, with flavors reminiscent of caramel, toffee, preserved fruits, and spices—but it isn't brewed with any of those. It's a wonderful after-dinner sip."

Where: Montreal, Canada
Type: Imperial Stout
ABV: 9.5%
Available: Year-round
Website: dieuduciel.com

B.R. Rolya Says: "I first had this imperial coffee stout about 10 years ago at the Montreal brewpub on a frigid night in the middle of a snowstorm. I was so impressed by the balance and how the higher ABV was hidden behind the rich malt and coffee flavors and aromas. It's deceptively smooth for a 9.5 percent beer, and there's enough bitterness from the hops, the roasted malt, and the coffee to counteract the sweetness. I've since drunk it in spring, summer, and fall, and it still goes down smooth."

Where: Milton, DE
Type: India Pale Ale
ABV: 9%
Available: Year-round
Website: dogfish.com

Complex Says: "Delaware's greatest treasure is Dogfish Head, and the brewery's best beer is their 90 Minute IPA. Yes, it's continuously hopped for 90 minutes, making for a strong hop flavor that will smack you around a bit but won't leave any bruises."

Where: Tourpes, Belgium
Type: Farmhouse Ale
ABV: 9.5%
Available: Special
Website: brasserie-dupont.com

Wendy Littlefield Says: "Perhaps the most perfect Christmas beer. Also, the one to choose for Thanksgiving turkey. It has a rich gold color; it's fragrant (lemony with hints of pepper, banana, and clove), as all the Dupont beers are, and has a full, deep, malt richness that lingers on your tongue for what feels like the entire holiday season. Considered by some to be the finest offering from this unparalleled brewery."

Where: Tourpes, Belgium
Type: Bière de Table
ABV: 3.5%
Available: Year-round
Website: brasserie-dupont.com

Wendy Littlefield Says: "Avril, an organic bière de table, weighs in at 3.5 percent ABV, yet is sturdy and nuanced. Dupont brewer Olivier Dedeycker believes that the original saisons were around this gravity. Session beer specialists like Lew Bryson love this. Who needs an industrial lager when this light, bright, flavorful beauty exists?"

Where: Tourpes, Belgium
Type: Saison/Tripel
ABV: 8.5%
Available: Special
Website: brasserie-dupont.com

Wendy Littlefield Says: "Rare. The beer with the smallest production from the Dupont Brewery, and winner of the battle of the Belgians. The ideal mix of a Saison and a Belgian Tripel."

Where: Tourpes, Belgium
Type: Saison
ABV: 6.5%
Available: Year-round
Website: brasserie-dupont.com

B.R. Rolya Says: "The quintessential saison. Lively and zesty from beginning to end, the beer starts out with a jumble of spicy, fruity, and earthy notes. Then some sweetness arrives, only to be overtaken by brisk hops and a long, dry finish. Another excellent beer to pair with food."

Where: Ettal, Germany
Type: Dark Doppelbock
ABV: 9%
Available: Year-round
Website: ettaler.info/klosterbrauerei-ettal

Andre Wechsler Says: "This beer was created by Benedictine monks and is still brewed today according to a recipe from 1609. If you like a true double bock, heavy on the lager yeast and sweet malt, this is the beer for you. While most double bocks tend to be just sweet, the Curator has a great balance of sweet malts and light hop flavors with just the right carbonation."

Where: Paso Robles, CA
Type: Black Rye IPA
ABV: 8.3%
Available: Special
Website: firestonebeer.com

Mike Lovullo Says: "This beer has a firm roasted and charred malt backbone. You can actually taste the melody of each of the rye and dark malts, along with the big hop bitterness."

Where: Grand Rapids, MI
Type: Ale
ABV: 6.5%
Available: Seasonal
Website: foundersbrewing.com

Jimmy Carbone Says: "Fresh-hop beers are the great new American fall beer. Catch this when it comes out next October."

Where: Grand Rapids, MI
Type: Rye Beer
ABV: 6.6%
Available: Year-round
Website: foundersbrewing.com

Complex Says: "Red's Rye PA conjures grapefruit on the nose, and has a bracing hop bitterness on the tongue. But those intense, back-of-tongue sensations are balanced by caramel malts and a spicy rye finish."

Where: Chiswick, England
Type: Bitter
ABV: 5.9%
Available: Year-round
Website: fullers.co.uk

Samuel Merritt Says: "Some of the first American pale ales were inspired by this big, hoppy beer. I remember thinking it quite exotic when I was a young beer salesman. It's got big notes of pineapple, green apple, and pear, as well as a spicy, citrusy hop kick. Full-bodied and robust compared to milder English bitters, it goes great with a burger or lamb chop. It can also cut through a crème brulee nicely."

Where: Chiswick, England
Type: Porter
ABV: 5.4%
Available: Year-round
Website: fullers.co.uk

Samuel Merritt Says: "London is said to be where porters were first made and sold. As we say, 'Porters drink porter in porterhouses!' Not as robust as a Smuttynose or a Sierra Nevada Porter, in that it has pretty restrained bitterness, but it's roasty throughout and gives nice notes of coffee, tobacco, smoke, and bitter chocolate. There's some caramel sweetness in this beer, and some nuttiness, as well. I find it delicious with a hot fudge sundae."

Where: Chieri, Italy
Type: Belgian-style Strong Dark Ale
ABV: 8.5%
Available: Rotating
Website: gradoplato.it

Justin Philips Says: "This is an Italian beer that crosses the line slightly into wine territory. It's matured in a Barbera barrel, giving it a beautiful deep, fruity, earthy quality."

Where: Chieri, Italy
Type: Chestnut Beer
ABV: 8%
Available: Rotating
Website: gradoplato.it

Mike Lovullo Says: "Bottom fermented and deep amber in color, it's a beer you might label a doppelbock, but that's cutting it short. Local chestnuts grown in Piemonte, Italy, are dried over a wood fire and added to the boil with chestnut honey. Very deep roasted, sweet, and nutty flavors make up the many layers of this beer."

Where: San Diego, CA
Type: India Pale Ale
Abv: 7.3%
Available: Year-round
Website: greenflashbrew.com

Jimmy Carbone Says: "My first go-to West Coast IPA: bittersweet, but with just the right hoppiness. For several years, this was my 'drinking session' beer (as opposed to an easy drinking 'session' beer). Sometimes you want to pound beers at 7.3 percent ABV with just the right hoppiness. A good buzz with a high return on investment!"

Where: Greenport, NY
Type: Porter
ABV: 4.7%
Available: Year-round
Website: harborbrewing.com

David Liatti Says: "A nutty, creamy, glass of bitter sweet chocolate milk with a touch of alcohol."

Where: Greenport, NY
Type: Ale
ABV: 5.3%
Available: Seasonal
Website: harborbrewing.com

Complex Says: "If you can get it, Greenport Harbor's Summer Ale will be your drink from June to September. Only available on draft for the time being, this new ale from New York is crisp and refreshing, with notes of orange and honey."

Where: Butler, NJ
Type: Eisbock
ABV: 9.5%
Available: Seasonal
Website: ramsteinbeer.com

David Liatti Says: "Black and beautiful. Silky, sexy, sweet, and strong. Think chocolate-covered banana bread in beer form. It's the romance you were hoping to find when you headed out for the evening."

Where: Greensboro Bend, VT
Type: Farmhouse Ale
ABV: 10%
Available: Special
Website: hillfarmstead.com

Mike Lovullo Says: "This citrus farmhouse ale is brewed with citra and galaxy hops for an amazingly ripe stone-fruit aroma. Citrus zest is also used in the brewing, along with brettanomyces. Then it's aged for eight months in wine barrels."

Where: Kōnosu, Japan
Type: Pale Ale
ABV: 7%
Available: Year-round
Website: kodawari.cc

Complex Says: "In the glass, Hitachino's Red Rice Ale is one of the prettiest beers in existence, with a soft hazy red color. The flavor is fruity, with a backbone of cooked rice."

Where: Tildonk, Belgium
Type: Farmhouse Blond Ale
ABV: 8%
Available: Year-round
Website: hoftendormaal.com

Justin Philips Says: "From a true farmhouse brewery that's producing all of its own ingredients, this is a huge-textured Belgian blond, the kind of beer that you could revisit daily."

Where: Middleton, England
Type: Barleywine
ABV: 11.5%
Available: Seasonal
Website: jwlees.co.uk

Justin Philips Says: "One of my favorites, the Harvest Ale is made only once per year to celebrate the harvest of the Maris Otter barley. It's most definitely a dessert beer, with notes of figs, honey, maple syrup, and dried fruit."

Where: Dexter, MI
Type: Pumpkin Ale
ABV: 5.9%
Available: Seasonal
Website: jollypumpkin.com

Jimmy Carbone Says: "Despite the brewery's name, this is the only beer from Jolly Pumpkin made with pumpkin. And it's great."

Where: Bad Köstritz, Germany
Type: Dark Lager
ABV: 4.8%
Available: Year-round
Website: koestritzer.de

Andre Wechsler Says: "This brewery was founded in 1543, making it one of the oldest black-lager producers in Germany. The Schwarzbier is a medium-bodied, malt-accented dark brew, deep sepia in color and with a firm, creamy head. Despite its dark color, it tastes surprisingly balanced, with chocolate/caramel aromas and a hoppy finish. I've not tasted a better Schwarzbier."

Where: Warren, MI
Type: India Pale Ale
ABV: 4.75%
Available: Special
Website: kbrewery.com

Jimmy Carbone Says: "The other week, at lunch at one of New York's great beer bars, the Blind Tiger, I tried Kuhnhenn Fluffer. It's a great West Coast-style IPA."

Where: Lagunitas, CA
Type: Pale Ale
ABV: 7.5%
Available: Seasonal
Website: lagunitas.com

Jimmy Carbone Says: "One day, I was in Tribeca and couldn't find any good drafts. I wound up in a casual bistro with a bottle of Little Sumpin' Sumpin'. Made up for the drought.

Where: Wambeek, Belgium
Type: Lambic
ABV: Varies
Available: Special
Website: belgianexperts.com

Wendy Littlefield Says: "A proprietary blend of lambic that is virtually still—lambic is to gueuze as chardonnay is to champagne. It's intensely complex, as it's blended from two sources. Sour is the new frontier of complexity, and we've been working in this realm for over two decades. Beers need not be high in alcohol to be sophisticated."

Where: Wambeek, Belgium
Type: Lambic
ABV: 3.5%
Available: Special
Website: belgianexperts.com

Wendy Littlefield Says: "A mystic marriage of lambic and organic kombucha that was named Experimental of the Year at the U.S. Open of Beer, this is the mimosa of beers. Light, bright, uplifting, and delicious, this is the beer brunch was invented for."

Where: Bamberg, Germany
Type: Lager
ABV: 5.2%
Available: Year-round
Website: mahrs.de

Justin Philips Says: "An unfiltered lager from Bamberg, it's a beer that's very easy to drink in quantity because it's lean and has the soft aroma and flavor of fresh-baked bread."

Where: Portland, ME
Type: Amber Ale
ABV: 7.2%
Available: Year-round
Website: mainebeercompany.com

Mike Lovullo Says: "This amber ale has a huge caramel malt backbone and balanced hop bitterness."

Where: Greenwich, England
Type: India Pale Ale
ABV: 7.4%
Available: Year-round
Website: meantimebrewing.com

Samuel Merritt Says: "A relatively new, small brewery right by the Greenwich Meridian, Meantime is considered an English craft beer. The brewery takes pains to recreate the old English styles and is respected for their adherence to tradition and preservation of styles. The IPA is different from the American IPAs in that it hasn't got the big citrus, pine, and flower notes. Instead, this IPA sticks to more subdued, English hopping, which is usually on the spicy, earthy, balancing end of things. Try it next to an American double IPA to see the contrast. Really nice with semi-soft cheese and mango chutney."

Where: Tadcaster, England
Type: Brown Ale
ABV: 4.7%
Available: Year-round
Website: newcastlebrown.com

Samuel Merritt Says: "Made famous by the labor class in the mining town of Newcastle upon Tyne in Northern England, this brown ale is light in body and subtle in roast. For an English brown, it's on the dry side, and has light hints of apple and pear. It's a very easy beer to drink and goes well with steak frites and barbecued chicken."

Where: Grimstad, Norway
Type: Dark Ale
ABV: 8.5%
Available: Seasonal
Website: nogne-o.com

Complex Says: "Dark and sweet, this is a strong Christmas beer from Norway's greatest brewery."

Where: Carlow, Ireland
Type: Stout
ABV: 4.3%
Available: Year-round
Website: carlowbrewing.com

Complex Says: "Don't let yourself go to the grave without trying any Irish stouts outside of Guinness (though that's a good beer, too). O'Hara's is very traditional, very dry, with strong notes of coffee and roasted malts."

Where: Cooperstown, NY
Type: Dubbel
ABV: 8.5%
Available: Year-round
Website: ommegang.com

Jimmy Carbone Says: "A few years ago, I did an informal NY-state beer and food pairing menu. Ommegang Abbey Ale stood out, a great Belgian-style dubbel with notes of candied sugar."

Where: Florenville, Belgium
Type: Belgian Pale Ale
ABV: 6.2%
Available: Year-round
Website: orval.be/en

Justin Philips Says: "A true classic in many senses, Orval is extremely versatile from a flavor and aroma perspective. It's bitter, aromatic, and slightly wild."

Where: Rebecq, Belgium
Type: Lambic
ABV: 6%
Available: Year-round
Website: gueuzerietilquin.be

Justin Philips Says: "A beautiful representation of the very old style of spontaneously fermented wheat beer from Belgium. It's bracingly tart, lean, and refreshing."

Where: Tourpes, Belgium
Type: Gruit
ABV: 8%
Available: Special
Website: brasserie-dupont.com

Wendy Littlefield Says: "A rare example of a gruit from the endlessly creative Olivier Dedeycker, the brewer at Dupont. Food friendly, low in hops, and max in spices."

Where: Munich, Germany
Type: Smoked Sour Wheat Ale
ABV: 4%
Available: Rotating
Website: bunitedint.com

Mike Lovullo Says: "Professor Fritz Briem re-creates old recipes, and this smoked sour wheat ale is no exception. The smoky ham and bacon aromas give way to a bright acidity, making for a very complex brew for its 4 percent ABV."

Where: Munich, Germany
Type: Berliner Weisse
ABV: 3%
Available: Year-round
Website: bunitedint.com

Andre Wechsler Says: "Brewed by Professor Briem in his experimental brewery, 1809 is a treat for the nose and eyes. This wheat beer is a very traditional interpretation of the Berliner-style Weisse with an intense blend of tartness and fruitiness. Berliner Weisse is a very sour beer, and although I like to drink "as is," it's usually sweetened with raspberry or sweet woodruff syrup."

Where: Cambridge, MA
Type: Brown Ale
ABV: 5.9%
Available: Rotating
Website: prettythingsbeertoday.com

David Liatti Says: "A spicy Belgian brown that's reminiscent of sugar-coated raisin bread. Well balanced, drinkable, and delicious."

Where: Newport, OR
Type: Maibock
ABV: 6.5%
Available: Year-round
Website: rogue.com

Complex Says: "The cracked brewers at Rogue created Dead Guy to celebrate the Day of the Dead. But the rich, honey-colored ale was so popular that it became the brewery's flagship pour. Chalk it up to the Pacman ale yeast."

Where: Santa Rosa, CA
Type: Double IPA
ABV: 8%
Available: Year-round
Website: russianriverbrewing.com

Complex Says: "Brewed in small batches, Pliny the Elder demands you drink it fresh so that the floral hops stand out the most. A double IPA with a high ABV, this beer is not messing about."

Where: Tadcaster, England
Type: Brown Ale
ABV: 5%
Available: Year-round
Website: samuelsmithsbrewery.co.uk

Samuel Merritt Says: "The body of this beer is what stands out most. It's so smooth and round, and expresses its complexity and balance from beginning to end. The luscious nuttiness is supported by roast and chocolate. Supposedly this was Jerry Garcia's favorite beer. Try this beer with roasted chestnuts before you leave this world."

Where: Pipaix, Belgium
Type: Strong Ale
ABV: 13%
Available: Special
Website: br-dubuisson.com

Wendy Littlefield Says: "A cask-conditioned strong ale aged in Cotes de Nuits barrels, the best marriage of beer and wood we've ever experienced. A perfect 100 on RateBeer and BeerAdvocate three years running from a brewery that's been in operation longer than Belgium has been a country."

Where: Kelheim, Germany
Type: Weissbier
ABV: 5.4%
Available: Year-round
Website: schneider-weisse.de

Justin Philips Says: "One of the most classic German wheat beers available, Schneider is noticeably rich, leaning more toward the spicy end of the wheat-beer spectrum."

Where: Kelheim, Germany
Type: Wheat Bock
ABV: 8.2%
Available: Year-round
Website: schneider-weisse.de

Andre Wechsler Says: "This beer was the result of a long friendship between Brooklyn brewmaster Garrett Oliver and Schneider brewmaster H.P. Drexler. It's a dry-hopped pale Weissbock with an intense floral and citrus hop character. A great summer beer because of its snappy bitterness and citrus fruit flavors. But you could drink it year-round, it's so delicious.

Where: Kelheim, Germany
Type: Wheat Doppelbock
ABV: 7.3%
Available: Special
Website: schneider-weisse.de

Andre Wechsler Says: "Brewed in 2011 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the ATB Cafes in Holland, Mein Nelson Sauvin is a golden wheat with a fruity character that leans toward a strong white wine, like Sauvignon Blanc, and finishes with a fine note of hop bitterness. The beer's name goes back to the variety of hops used for the brew, which only grows in New Zealand. A second yeast from Belgium is used for fermentation in the bottle. This beer is extremely rare. One of the best that I've ever tasted."

Where: Kelheim, Germany
Type: Wheat Doppelbock
ABV: 8.2%
Available: Year-round
Website: schneider-weisse.de

Andre Wechsler Says: "Schneider was the first brewery to brew a wheat double bock, and for me it's still the benchmark for this category. Dark in color, with a creamy head, it's the ideal companion for a hearty meal. Despite it's high ABV, it doesn't taste strongly of liquor. To me, it tastes like Thanksgiving or Christmas: a ripe banana flavor with hints of cinnamon, cloves, and chocolate. Simply delicious."

Where: Meer, Belgium
Type: Golden Ale
ABV: 8.5%
Available: Special
Website: scheldebrouwerij.nl

Wendy Littlefield Says: "The recipe comes from the my husband Don Feinberg, who created the recipes for several beers you might know: Ommegang, Hennepin, Rare Vos, 3 Philosophers. He was the person who first brought Duvel, Rodenbach, Boon lambics, and Saison Dupont to the States. This strong golden ale brewed at Schelde Brouwerij melds Belgian brewing prowess with an American optic. To our delight, Hop Ruiter won top prize as Best New Beer and has become the brewery's best seller in Belgium, while also receiving great critical acclaim among American beer enthusiasts."

Where: Bamberg, Germany
Type: Rauchbier (Smokebeer)
ABV: 5.1%
Available: Year-round
Website: schlenkerla.de

Justin Philips Says: "A little shocking at first, this is a classic rauchbier (smokebeer) that's incredibly aromatic due to the unusual technique Schlenkerla uses for making their malts: They're smoked over a beechwood fire. It's reminiscent of meat—bacon in particular—but once you get into it, it's very refreshing."

Where: Chico, CA
Type: India Pale Ale
ABV: 7.2%
Available: Year-round
Website: sierranevada.com

Complex Says: "The bigger, badder older brother to Sierra Nevada's flagship pale ale, Torpedo has more pine, more hops, and more citrus flavor. Unmistakably an American IPA."

Where: Brookly, NY
Type: Double IPA
ABV: 9.1%
Available: Year-round
Website: sixpoint.com

Complex Says: "Sixpoint boasts some of the most recognizable and aesthetically-pleasing cans out, but that wouldn't mean anything if the beer wasn't great. Resin is their toughest brew (hence the smaller-than-average Red Bull-type cans it's packaged in), but the taste isn't alcohol-forward. Two of these is all you need for the fun to begin."

Where: Lakewood, NY
Type: Pumpkin Ale
Abv: 8.6%
Available: Seasonal
Website: stbcbeer.com

Jimmy Carbone Says: "It's a staff and customer favorite every season at my spot, Jimmy's No. 43 in the East Village."

Where: Baltimore, MD
Type: Farmhouse Ale
ABV: 7.2%
Available: Seasonal
Website: stillwaterales.blogspot.com

Mike Lovullo Says: "A deep amber-hued ale that's a lot like a doppelsticke recipe, but brewed with a Belgian Farmhouse Ale yeast. These elements together provide a melange of earth and fruit aromas backed with hints of caramel. The finish is clean and dry."

Where: Baltimore, MD
Type: Farmhouse Ale
ABV: 6.6%
Available: Rotating
Website: stillwaterales.blogspot.com

David Liatti Says: "Beer from an East Coast gypsy brewer. Take a stroll through hay-covered fields with this earthy, beautiful Belgian barnyard blond. Tingly, sweet, herbal, and spicy on the finish. An au-natural party on the palate."

Where: Baltimore, MD
Type: Farmhouse Ale
ABV: 6.8%
Available: Rotating
Website: stillwaterales.blogspot.com

Complex Says: "One of the hottest names in contemporary craft brewing, Stillwater is the best thing to happen to Baltimore since The Wire. This farmhouse ale has notes of apple, hay, and honey. The carbonation is surprisingly strong, making for a zesty brew."

Where: Escondido, CA
Type: India Pale Ale
ABV: 6.9%
Available: Year-round
Website: stonebrew.com

Complex Says: "Stone makes a classic IPA; let it be your introduction to the category if you're just getting into the game. Lots of pine, lots of hops, some citrus and just a little suds, Stone IPA is a thing of beauty, with an ABV that'll get your buzz right fast."

Where: Athens, GA
Type: Pale Ale
ABV: 5.5%
Available: Year-round
Website: terrapinbeer.com

Complex Says: "For a decade, Terrapin's Rye Pale Ale has stood out as one of the best craft brews to correctly use the spicy flavors of rye. Set off by a variety of hops and malts, Terrapin's classic beer was awarded the American Pale Ale Gold Medal at the 2002 Great American Beer Festival."

Where: Masham, England
Type: Old Ale
ABV: 5.6%
Available: Year-round
Website: theakstons.co.uk

Samuel Merritt Says: "One of the first beer bars in the country, the Old Peculiar Pub in New York is named after this beer and is one of the first places I sold beer to in the 1990s. First brewed to use for blending stock ales, the Old Peculier is somewhat strong and has sherry-like tones, as well as toffee and chocolate. It's bitter, but doesn't have the big, fresh hoppy/citrusy aromatics you'd find in an American pale ale. The English ale yeast provides plenty of fruity secondary flavors that go great with English cheddar cheese."

Where: Whimple, Engaldn
Type: Barleywine
ABV: 11.9%
Available: Rare
Website: N/A

Samuel Merritt Says: "Brewed as a one-off to celebrate the English writer in 1968, this is the first Barleywine I ever drank. I like it best at about four years, but have had it as old as ten. When you age a Barleywine, you can count on losing almost all of the essential oils from the hop, leaving the beer without that big citrusy, pine character we're so used to in great American Barleywines like Brooklyn Monster or Sierra Nevada Bigfoot. I won't describe Thomas Hardy's Ale, as the author does it better when he described the Dorchester Ale this beer was designed to replicate: 'Of the most beautiful colour that the eye of an artist in beer could desire; full in body, yet brisk as a volcano; piquant, yet without a twang; luminous as an autumn sunset; free from streakiness of taste; but, finally rather heady.'"

Where: Bakewell, England
Type: Pale Ale
ABV: 5.2%
Available: Year-round
Website: thornbridgebrewery.co.uk

Justin Philips Says: "From a relatively young brewery in England, Kipling is a super-aromatic pale ale. It's grassy, fruity, very light on the palate, and extremely complex for such a light beer."

Where: Bakewell, England
Type: Black IPA
ABV: 6.6%
Available: Year-round
Website: thornbridgebrewery.co.uk

Samuel Merritt Says: "There's a bit of controversy over who invented the black IPA style, though it was definitely American brewers. This is a very bitter beer with fruity notes of pine and citrus, but also a big complex spiciness and a ton of roast. It's intense and bracing but very flavorful. Try it with creamy soups like cream of broccoli for a big contrast, or with flourless chocolate cake for harmony."

Where: Hershey, NY
Type: India Pale Ale
ABV: 7.5%
Available: Year-round
Website: troegs.com

Jimmy Carbone Says: "A relatively new brewery based in Hershey, PA, makes this floral IPA. It's only newly available year-round."

Where: Düsseldorf, Germany
Type: Altbier
ABV: 4.7%
Available: Year-round
Website: uerige.de/en

Andre Wechsler Says: "In Germany, the city of Düsseldorf is the traditional home of the Altbier. An Altbier is a mash-up of a lager and ale, using top-fermenting yeast at colder lager temperatures. If 'Alt' was a British beer, it would rank in the flavor spectrum somewhere between brown and dark ale. Uerige is copper-colored, clean tasting with an aromatic hop presence, and a dry finish."

Where: Chambly, Quebec, Canada
Type: White Ale
ABV: 5.5%
Available: Seasonal
Website: unibroue.com

Complex Says: "Appreciating beer means disregarding lame notions about fruit. It's a silly, sexist notion that beer shouldn't use fruit. This gem from Canada proves that fruit (in this case, apples) x beer makes for greatness. Order this instead of cider."

Where: Dendermonde, Belgium
Type: Gueuze
ABV: 7%
Available: Special
Website: belgianexperts.com

Wendy Littlefield Says: "Anne-Catherine Dilewyns is celebrated as one of a handful of rising star women brewers on the planet, and she's only 25! This is a category-bending new beer from one of Belgium's finest. Dilewyns's beers are never filtered and have a lovely chewy quality."

Where: Downingtown, PA
Type: Pale Ale
ABV: 5.1%
Available: Year-round
Website: victorybeer.com

Jimmy Carbone Says: "A nice hoppy IPA, but with a low enough ABV to count it as a session beer."

Where: Downingtown, PA
Type: Pilsner
ABV: 5.3%
Available: Year-round
Website: victorybeer.com/beers/prima-pils

David Liatti Says: "A picnic of cookies and bread in a field of grass on a warm, dry summer day. Crisp, clean. and drinkable. Always consistent and refreshing."

Where: Weihenstephan, Germany
Type: Dark Doppelbock
ABV: 7.4%
Available: Year-round
Website: weihenstephaner.de

Andre Wechsler Says: "About a thousand years ago, Weihenstephan was founded by Benedictine monks; later it became the Royal Bavarian State Brewery. The Korbinian is a very dark-colored lager double bock with stout-like flavors. This beer smells so delicious and complex: dominant malt, caramel, coffee, and chocolate flavors. The taste is a little subdued compared to the smell: sweet and rich from the malt, some coffee and caramel aroma, but very well-balanced with bitterness from the hops."

Where: Ninove, Belgium
Type: Abbey Singel
ABV: 6%
Available: Special
Website: witkap.be

Wendy Littlefield Says: "Want to introduce your friends to a great beer they've never tasted? Witkap! (Brouwerij Slaghmuylder in Ninove). Witkap Stimulo is a rare example of an abbey singel (what the monks drink for lunch) brewed at inside an incredibly atmospheric example of industrial archaeology, by Karel Goddeau (the blender behind DeCam lambics) using whole flower hops."

Where: Pittsfield, MA
Type: English Dark Mild Ale
ABV: 4.4%
Available: Year-round
Website: wanderingstarbrewing.com

Jimmy Carbone Says: "This comes from a new English-style brewery, run for the most part by English expats. It's the kind of beer you could 'grow into an old man with.' To clarify: You can sit with some mates, drink one after another until the sun goes down, forgetting to go home but without ever thinking you're plastered. Dark malt sessions beers like English dark milds or German dunkel lagers are some of my favorite styles of beer to drink in the fall and winter. They have a little more roasted malt flavor, yet are as easy to drink as a pale ale or lager."

Where: Bedford, England
Type: Stout
ABV: 5.2%
Available: Year-round
Website: wellsandyoungs.co.uk

Samuel Merritt Says: "This is relative newcomer to the British scene, a beer that's rich, creamy, and balanced, with plenty of roast and bitterness. If you like coffee and chocolate together, this is the beer version of that combination. Flavored with real chocolate, this beer could be used in cocktails and desserts. Try it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, bacon chocolate, or cheesecake with cherry sauce."

Where: San Francisco, CA
Type: Wheat Beer
ABV: 4.9%
Available: Seasonal
Website: 21st-amendment.com

Complex Says: "If you're bored with traditional wheat beers and summer ales, try this. It tastes of real watermelon—rind and all—not the artificial crap flavoring lollipops and fruit snacks. The ABV is low enough that it can be your new summer session. The cans look great, too."