You might expect that the recipients of a best brewer award would need to own a kettle or two. But that's not how things work at RateBeer. This year they've given the top award to Struise.I could argue that it's ridiculous to call a company "the best brewer in the world" when they own no brewery. But I'm not so churlish. I'm just pleased Westvleteren weren't winners. After RateBeer announced Westvleteren 12 was the best beer in the world a couple of years back, its availability plummeted. Then the price soared. I used to be able to get it relatively easily and at a decent price. Will those days ever return? I fear not.
Struise is another matter. Availability is already crap. They basically brew for the US and Scandinavian geek market. So that's where most of their beer goes. Not that it worries me. Apart from Aardmonnik, I don't get that excited about their beers.
If this next statement sounds selfish, it's because it is. Picking Struise as the world's best will have no impact on me personally. So I think it's great. I hope they do the same next year and the year after. And the year after that. Then the availability of beers I do really care about won't be impacted.
Well done RateBeer! And keep up the good work.
Ron,
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with the drivel spouted by the beeradvocate/ ratebeer.com sites.
I used to get the random Westvleteren sent from Belgianshop.com for around 30euro for a 6 pack. Now its 110euro for 6 or 450euro for a crate. Thats just bullocks.
One of the local HBTs (your term ron) was trying to tell me the 12 was the best beer in the world of which he has had when he split a 6 year old bottle with 10 of his mates (not exaggerating). I was telling him I've been there twice, drinking it there, and for the price its no were near as good as the St Bernardus abt. Not by a mile. He said I wasn't taking in the rare-factor into account.
Apparently I missed the boat on this one. The rarer a beer is the better it is apparently. I'm just waiting for them to start their own credo. 'HBT beer drinking manual' Awesome.
As for rare beers, your stuff finally made it into MN this past week. SSS, the porter and another similar bottle was the RIS. They run about $18, $15 and $24US respectively. There were also two more of their stuff. Storm and Averij and Pek & Veren.
Just wait until a few people try their RIS. It will end up being in the top 10 b/c 1) its an RIS, 2) its an RIS and 3) its rare. :)
Brewers work hard, it's nice to get some recognition of your effort, isn't it? I saw Bell's made number 4, and I think that is pretty fair. Their everyday beers knock the doors off any standard/everyday beer I've encountered. The thing I think you're arguing against is the annoyance of creeping onnoisseurship. At the end of the day it's beer, glorious beer a product of art but not art itself.
ReplyDeleteWhere in MN are Ron's beers available?
I really don't understand how can any beer or brewer be considered the best in the world. Have the people who gave the award drunk each and every beer of every brewer in the world? Has there been football world cup style qualifying rounds in order to get to a final world championship? I'm sure not.
ReplyDeleteWestvleteren 12 might be a great beer, but can any of you imagine having a session with it with a few mates in a hot summer day (availability and price not considered)?
I very much thing that brewers deserve props for making great beer. The problem is that the people that 'rank' these beers have no idea what they are doing.
ReplyDeleteLook at the top 100 beers on rate beer. Only SEVEN are below 7% alcohol of which 4 are lambics and 2 are fruit beers which use the same base beer. On the other side 8 beers that were aged in bourbon barrels are in the top 100. Lord.
The beer experts out in 'Mookdom' really show their colors and lose all respect when lists like this come out. How possibly can they defend themselves and say that there is no 'lower' abv beer should be on there. yeah, and under 7% is not LOW.
Lists are really for the entertainment of the list-maker(s) and I say let them have their fun. If you consider a list of the best cars would not the top ones be ungodly expensive, searingly fast, uncomfortable and rare?
ReplyDeleteI would like to see a list of the best beers under $0.15 per cl (retail) and with a production of at least 1-2000 hectoliters. The special beers are fun but chasing after them gets old fast. A list for people who want to buy me a gift and can find a big liquor store. That'd be a good list.
I loved the list of 10 Dutch beers you should try, by the way.