Wine Enthusiast has ventured into naming its top 25 beers beginning this year. Do you agree or disagree with their list? I am sure we all have our favorites but are there any glaring omissions or ominous inclusions? Here is the list.

To me it seems heavy on seasonal ales. 2 pumpkin ales made the top 25. 2 Oktoberfest ales and a holiday seasonal on there also. Sam Adams Boston Lager? Nothing against Sam Adams but there are better choices from Sam Adams than their Boston Lager. There is only one Double IPA and no IPAs.

Mark - I agree with all of your comments and also think this was clearly evaluated on the East Coast. Only one NW beer with all of the great breweries in Oregon and Washington? I am in Seattle, so clearly biased, but think they could have included an IPA or two from the Left Coast! :)

Agreed. The list will disappoint many a hophead!

Maybe it's time for the "Beer Enthusiast" to list the top 25 wineries. I know a lot of folks that enjoy wine that can taste the beer but don't know enough about the ingredients or processes to form an opinion other than I like it or I don't like it. At least they're thinking about beer. My top 25 would be a bit different but I could enjoy any of the 25 on that list. Good for Beer!

to me, that list is bogus. Way too many saisons and seasonals, not enough ipas. Way too many so so beers. I give them credit for 6/25 being legit and I'd put in the top 25.

These types of lists really need to be broken down by style to be effective.

i have to agree, this needs to be broken down by style and what people look for in beer (hops, alc%, malts, ect). not only that but i would say its clear their knowledge of beer is limited at best and probably very localized.

I do not think that you need to be an IPA nut to be a good beer fan. Certain IPA (many) are overrated anyway. The brewing community could use a hop-pendulum swing just a bit more back to center.

What I love is:
2. Unibroue Maudite (Belgian Dark Strong Ale; Unibroue, Canada); 8.0% abv
4. Avery The Maharaja (American Double/ Imperial IPA; Avery Brewing, CO); 10.27% abv {..and I am not a fan of IPA’s... I’ll take it for a hop break}
6. Trappistes Rochefort 8 (Belgian Dark Strong Ale; Brasserie de Rochefort, Belgium); 9.2% abv
7. Eliot Ness Lager (Vienna Lager; Great Lakes Brewing Co., OH); 6.2% abv {Love it}
8. The Lost Abbey Cuvee de Tomme (Belgian Dark Strong Ale; The Lost Abbey, CA); 11.0% abv
10. Russian River Beatification (American Wild Ale; Russian River Brewing Co, CA); 5.75% abv
11. La Moneuse Saison (Saison/Farmhouse Ale; Brasserie de Blaugies, Belgium); 8% abv
14. Deschutes Jubelale (Winter Warmer; Deschutes Brewery, OR); 6.7%abv
19. Nostradamus (Belgian Dark Strong Ale; Brasserie Caracole, Belgium); 9.0% abv
22. Left Hand Oktoberfest Märzen Lager (Märzen/Oktoberfest; Left Hand Brewing Company, CO); 6.0% abv {Very nice}
25. Victory Festbier (Märzen/Oktoberfest; Victory Brewing Company, PA); 5.6% abv {Very nice}

I love the Marzen/Vienna styles because they are malty and contain real “drinkability.” Trappistes Rochefort 8, now you know I am going to love this one.

I agree with a lot of the reasoning behind their choices, but I would not place them that way. But to each their own. The list has all good beer, some great. I consider it a "should try" list.

I think it is an OK list and some are definitely worth a try. I do agree that some of the brews should not have made the list and a few did not make it, but everyone has different tastebuds. IPA's are good but there are many beers I personally like better than IPA's. I really don't think anyone can give a list of top beers as it all comes down to personal taste!!

this was a list put out by wine enthusiasts, I'm amazed that there were any strong ales. I would have expected more lambics and wits, maybe a few fruit (not pumpkin) beers. Also would have expected a few more of the trappist style tripels. And what, no Miller High Life, the champagne of beer???

I’d like to share an excerpt from the introduction to the top list:

“The beers listed here represent the most diverse and dynamic offerings that were tasted this year. They are beers that offer extraordinary quality at prices that still represent affordable luxury. In compiling this list, I had to go beyond simple evaluation of numeric scores and pricing and also consider availability, buzz and balance. With so many selections currently available to the American beer consumer, it was important to showcase a wide range of styles produced in various countries and regions at all price points.”

This is not a list like others, claiming to be the top XX beers of all time, or even just released that year. This list reflects ONLY what was reviewed in 2009, and since the beer buying guide itself only began with the June 2009 issue (meaning 9 issues worth of reviews at 5-6 beers per issue), selections for consideration in the list were quite limited. Hopefully, with a full year of diverse tastings in 2010, we should be able to present a more complete and well-rounded list next December (including Stouts, IPAs, etc). As far as international selections go, what can I say? Domestic brewers are just better at submitting samples!

You’ll also note the other factors that were assessed when creating the list: quality, value, availability, buzz and balance. I know some people might not put Sam Adams Boston Lager on their top 25 beers of all time list, and I’m not saying it is my 18th favorite beer of all time, but for the tastings I did in 2009, this beer was a high scoring lager (you have to admit it is a well made beer!) with extremely good availability at a very reasonable price point.

This list, and the reviews I generate year round in the beer buying guide, are a starting point of reference for so many people. My reviews and rankings are not the words of the gods, but simply one journalists educated opinion and assessment. I don’t want people to just trust my reviews, I want them to read them, become interested or intrigued, and go out and try the beers for themselves and formulate their own opinions! Wine and beer tastings are subjective and personal, and while there will always be people who disagree, the ultimate goal of education, information and spreading the word remains achieved.

That does clarify the reasoning behind the list. If MLB drinkers could only include the beers that you've had over the past few months, limiting it to the 5 or 6 best per month, I'm sure that all of our lists would look different then our list of 25 "bests" that we've ever had. I'm still wonderin' why miller high life wasn't on it. A darned shame if you ask me ;-)

That preface does assist with understanding of the list. Not so sure about assessing a beer based on buzz or balance though. Some beers are not meant to be balanced. Rating on buzz isn't a good idea in my opinion, especially coming from a wine enthusiast. I mean considering price and ABV in ones grading makes sense, but I guess that translates more to quality than buzz.

Oh well, I'm curious to know of their selections for 2010 when they've had a full year of reviews under their belt. I'm also glad to hear that fine beers are being put on a pedestal like wine has been for so long. I think there are more and more people that now realize that beer is not just a beverage to drink while watching the football game with your buddies.

Laura, I understand the need for a preface to the list but if you are doing a top beer list consisting of 25 beers and only tasted 45-54 beers perhaps you should have gone with a top 5 as your list includes half the beers you tasted.

You also specified availability being a qualification to being on the list and in the craft beer industry that is going to be a tough criteria. Some of the best beers are produced in such limited quantities that not many people will be able to get them. Other beers brewed on the East Coast never make it to the West Coast and vice versa. Making availability a factor bows to the bigger craft brewers leaving out the small guy who cannot make enough beer for it to be available widely.

I would also like to say thank you for shedding some light on the craft beer industry to your readers. Most of my friends that drink wine have been surprised by all the nuances found in beer I have shared with them.

PS - how do you score beers?