Beer of the Weekend @ 15

I did it! I reviewed my 1,000th beer during the last year in beer (which ended in April; this post is way overdue). I should have done it a few years ago, but my pace dropped during the pandemic and when I became a family man. I got there, though, and it was no doubt the most noteworthy event during an exceptional year of 12-ounce curls.

I reviewed a lot more beer than I have the past couple of years—45 by my English-major count. (I do stats for work, so I don’t think I’m too shabby with numbers.) That’s triple what I did in 2021–2022. Much if that production is, I am sure, a testament to my resolve to hit 1,000 during the year. It was the goal for a while, but I made the extra effort to reach it this time. And I have maintained the pace, too.

Here are the beers I reviewed in 2022–2023:

#968: Hop Horizon IPA (A)
#969: Devil's Advocate (C+)
#970: Global Cause Ukraine (B-)
#971: Patio Pounder (B)
#972: Cloudcroft IPA (B+/A-)
#973: Goldrushed (B)
#974: Lake Loop (C+)
#975: Kick It (B-)
#976: Light & Squeezy (A-)
#977: Berries & Barbs (B)
#978: MacRae of Sunshine (B+/A-)
#979: Big’s Munich Helles (D)
#980: Hop Island IPA (B)
#981: Van Go (B)
#982: To Peach Their Own (C)
#983: Hug Deal Gone Sideweiss (B+)
#984: Little Middy (C)
#985: Smoke Show (B+)
#986: Mango Fett (B+)
#987: Unicorn Fight Club (B-)
#988: Split-Point Pilsner (B)
#989: Witch Slap (B+/A-)
#990: Franktoberfest (C)
#991: Check Swing (C-)
#992: Friday Night Dice (A)
#993: DDH 755: HBC 586 (A-)
#994: The Jaded Optimist (A)
#995: Big D IPA (A-)
#996: Mosacious Pale Ale (C)
#997: Wavelength (C+)
#998: Into the Woods (A)
#999: KXnO Birthday Bash (D)
#1,000: Chimay Grande Réserve (A+)
#1,001: Skelenaut (B)
#1,002: Sweet ’n Tart Cherry Sour Ale (C)
#1,003: Liquid Hug (B-)
#1,004: Homegrown Honey Kolsch (C+)
#1,005: Viking Fuel (B-)
#1,006: Cookie Junkie (B)
#1,007: Mrs. Peacock’s Blueberry Lemonade (D+)
#1,008: Calypso (B+/A-)
#1,009: Vanilla Porter (C-)
#1,010: Crushberry (B+)
#1,011: Horse Power (C+)
#1,012: Tip the Calf (A)
#1,013: Sweet Tooth (B)

The Primo Island Lager BotW@15 Worst Beer Award: Big’s Munich Helles. As much as I hate to say it about my local brewery, Big’s Munich Helles was bad. Or it was way too old and should have been taken off the tap line.

A dishonorable mention goes to KXnO Birthday Bash. I don’t know what was up with that beer, but it was pretty bad, too.

“It’s Just a Little Taste of Heaven” BotW@15 Best Beer Award: Chimay Grande Réserve. It is one of the best beers I have ever drunk. It was superb. It easily earned an A+, which only seven other beers have received.

The BotW@15 Ultimate Six-pack: Hop Horizon IPA, Friday Night Dice, The Jaded Optimist, Into the Woods, Chimay Grande Réserve, and Tip the Calf. Those are all the A+ and A beers this year. Honorable mention goes to Light & Squeezy.

(The post pic shows my vintage Iron City Beer can commemorating the Super Bowl–winning 1975 Pittsburgh Steelers. I bought it at an antique store in McGregor, Iowa, in the summer of 2000 and gave it to Mr. Steeler as a wedding present in November.)