Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Variety Case Top 5

I started thinking about the variety cases that are available, and which are really worth buying.  I was able to come up with a strong five that I feel are well worth it. 

1. Weyerbacher's Big Beer variety case- you can't beat a variety case of big beers.  And if I was to chose a brewery to drink their big beers, Weyerbacher is one of the top breweries on the list.  Included in the case are 6 each of Old Heathen (Imperial Stout), Merry Monks (Tripel), Blithering Idiot (BarleyWine) and Double Simcoe (Imperial IPA).  All very good beers, and I believe that Double Simcoe is a top 5 Imperial IPA (if you haven't had it, you must).
2. Troeg's Anthology (Fall/Winter)- I love all of Troeg's beers.  Included in the Fall/Spring case are HopBack (Amber ale- more of an IPA), Java Head (stout), Dreamweaver Wheat (American wheat), and Pale Ale.  These are all solid beers, that offer a wide variety of styles- something for everyone.
3. Great Divide- one of my favorite breweries from Colorado gives Titan IPA, Samurai (rice ale), Denver Pale Ale and Hades (Belgian Strong Pale Ale).  While they do not offer a large range of styles, Great Divide does give solid beers and all offer something a little different than the others.
4. Bell's- this is what I am drinking right now.  These beers all offer a great range of styles and are all solid.  Kalamazoo Stout, Oberon (American wheat), Amber Ale and Two Hearted (IPA) are included.  The Two Hearted is the shining star. but the Kalamazoo Stout would also be a contender.  The Amber and Oberon are basic solid beers (although I feel Oberon is one of the better "put a orange in your beer" American wheats).
5. Southern Tier- an often overlooked brewery gives a great variety pack.  Southern Tier continually produces great beer, even though they do not get the credibility they deserve.  Their variety case includes their IPA, Tripel, Porter and Phin & Matt's Extraordinary Ale (Pale Ale).  Whatever it is, Phin and Matt's is and Extraordinary beer.

There are many, many more breweries that produce a variety case.  Breweries such as Magic Hat, Founders, Arcadia, SlyFox, Yuengling, Flying Dog, Clipper City (I am saying Clipper City since their variety pack are their basic beers, none of the branded Heavy Seas beers), River Horse, and Sam Adams.  If there are more that you think of, pose below and I will add them.

Edit: Another great, and I mean great variety case is Ithaca Brewing.  Grab it if you see it.

2 comments:

  1. I love the Troeg's variety pack (and have been dying for some Mad Elf and haven't seen any yet!)

    I also love the Magic Hat case, and Blue Point Brewery Case.

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  2. @Lacey- I have been seeing Mad Elf out and about (in bars and stores), so be looking for it. The Magic Hat and Blue Point variety cases are good, but not ones that I go out to grab.

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