GQ's 50 Beers to Try

[MGZ]

Anyone seen the GQ 50 Beers list? I can't believe I've never had a Pliny the Elder!

http://www.gq.com/food-travel/wine-an...

[Josh]

Surprisingly good list, though some of the editorial is stupid. For example: calling Pilsner Urquell watered-down swill? Huh? When you have friggin' BUDWEISER on your list?

Still, nice to see a Berliner Weisse represented for once.

The only ones on here that I've had that I didn't care for:

BrewDog Smokehead - way too smoky, IMO
Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout - last one I had was hot and had too much fusel alcohol
Hitachino Lacto Stout - Just OK. I think there are better examples of this style.
Rodenbach Grand Cru - too sweet. There are better Flanders reds, IMO.
DFH 120 Minute IPA - Never got why people make a big deal about this. Technically impressive, I guess, but not enjoyable to drink.
Budweiser/Tecate/Red Stripe/Yuengling - WTF?

The ones I haven't tried that I'd like to:

Leelanau Whaleback White - sounds awesome
Melchior - mustard barleywine? Intriguing
Dieu De Ciel - never heard of this brewery. Sounds like I need to find out more.

I'm surprised by how many of these I've had. Some of the choices were weird: why Russian River Beatification but not Temptation or Supplication? If you want to represent Brooklyn Brewing, pick Local 1, which blows Black Chocolate Stout out of the water. Also: no Fantome?

[Chinon00]

I found the list to be woefully short on craft and imported lager style beers. I'm not at all surprised. IIRC one pils, one doppelbock, one steam, and one rauch. Were there others? Four out of fifty craft beers on the list are lager style. Thumbs down.

[Insidious Rex]

A fairly solid list for once. Usually these non beer rags put together beer lists for people who simply think they know what they are talking about and you end up with a list filled with inexplicable craft beer choices combined with whatever the writer remembers fondly from their college days which usually ranges from mediocre to bad. Or the other extreme, you get a list of impossible to find high brow stuff or one offs that arent practical to look for. This one is filled with great breweries from the US and various countries and most of them are well known beers if you follow craft beer at all. Sure a few are obscure or difficult to get (Westy 12) but exceptions are allowed. Especially if they are well known by most or infamous (Utopias). Good to see a balance of beers too and not all imperial stouts or double IPAs which dominate the top 50 of certain heralded web sites...

[DapperDave]

That is a decent list....I've had quite a few of them already, but would like to complete the list!

[Kazy Ctn]

Yup - surprisingly well put together. I think they may have had a few too many spiced/novelty beers, but I guess those fall in the category of interesting "beers to try." Also liked the little shout out to the session lagers at the end..

[LauraGrace]

"imperial stouts or double IPAs which dominate the top 50 of certain heralded web sites..."

LOL, I think I might know what you're referring to there!

I think it was a pretty good list too, well-balanced among styles and between ubiquitous and impossible-to-find -- plus I felt very beer-nerdy for having had at least a third of them. I was also glad to see them feature TWO of the outstanding Oskar Blues beers! Doesn't hurt that they included a couple of my all-time faves: Rodenbach Grand Cru and Old Chub.

[Chinon00]

You would consider a beer list that's under 10% lager style to be "well balanced"?

[Beach Chick]

LOL..Great minds think alike!