As the dust settles on 2016 I can reflect on not only a great year of beer discovery but also the first five months of this blogging project.
There have been some unquestionable successes (my beer exposure is increasing every day) as well as some areas where my focus has been lacking (there has been far more beers than barbells!).
In this review I have shortlisted the nine beers that I have enjoyed the most this year; they may not all be ales that have been first released this year but all are beers that I have been reviewed in that period.
There is no specific order to these with the exception of the last one which is my beer of the year.
So without further ado, please put your hands together for the South Coast Barbells and Beers 'Best Beers of 2016.'
Yellow Belly by Buxton & Ominipollo
A beer where as far as I'm concerned, the hype was well justified. An absolute monster of a peanut butter biscuit stout that is amazingly well balanced. Superb.
Click here for my full review
Black Chocolate Stout by Brooklyn Brewery
Unashamedly boozy and like swigging a luxurious Irish hot chocolate, a perfect autumnal drink.
Click here for my full review
Crème Brule by Dark Star
Genuinely like a desert in a can, boozy but with lovely vanilla, coffee, sugar and toffee notes. An outstanding stout.
Click here for my full review
Imperial Biscotti Break by Evil Twin
My first experience of Evil Twin brewing and it blew me away. So much boozy flavour packed into one can!
Click here for my full review
Kraken by Time and Tide
A wonderful coffee stout, Kraken was a revelation. Created using cold brew coffee, this was like drinking a flat white.
Click here for my full review
Spresso by Beavertown
Just one of a number of great beers by Beavertown that I have sampled this year, Spresso is very good coffee stout.
Click here for my full review
Broken Dreams by Siren
Siren have made some amazing beers in 2016 and nearly had at least two more in this list. Broken Dreams is an unctuous breakfast stout which is almost like liquid tiramisu.
Click here for my full review
Heavy Artillery by Southsea Brewing
This was so close to being my beer of the year! I sampled this in the same week as I first tried a Cloudwater DIPA (V9) and it's my opinion that Heavy Artillery is just as good. This really is an outstanding beer.
Click here to see my full review
Beer of the Year - Double Heathen by Northern Monk
With the world going crazy for East Coast USA Double IPAs it's comforting to know that UK breweries are more than holding their own. Northern Monk absolutely smashed it this year and in Double Heathen they created a juicy hoppy masterpiece.
Click here to see my full review
Fab line up, already looking forward to next years brews!
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