Rate Beer Best of 2012 – The Results are In

The results have just been released for many different beer award categories as determined by Rate Beer. Here is from their press release:

(Santa Rosa, CA) Craft beer is at a wonderful stage. No longer are we competing for respect as a second class beverage. We've won respect. And the craft beer industry is enjoying great success. The number of craft brewers is still increasing markedly. Last year alone RateBeer new brewers increased a whopping 16%. And RateBeer is still growing rapidly, primarily in large US metro areas like San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago and New York and abroad in Australia, Sweden, Italy and Brazil.

This great success took intelligence, passion, technical skill, hard work and creativity. It's my great pleasure to honor those responsible for what the craft beer industry as a whole has earned and accomplished. And with RateBeer Best 2012, I want to especially recognize those who are doing all it takes to put forth the very best beer in our glasses.

For a moment, we'll shed some humility to truly highlight how important these awards are and how very large this competition really is.

Over 3.5 million times, RateBeer beer reviewers worldwide have raised a glass to review a new beer. We have tallied those scores and now present them as our competition results.

RateBeer Best was again the largest beer competition in the world -- more than 140,000 beers from over 12,000 brewers worldwide were tallied. A particular emphasis was placed on tastings made in the last twelve months. Additionally, brewpubs, bottle shops, restaurants and bars from around the world were awarded prizes. Cheers to all the winners and to everyone who keeps the world of craft beer growing as a fun, cooperative community devoted to excellence.

Both Michigan and Indiana were well represented in almost every single category, including the first three places for best breweries in the world.   Indiana's own Three Floyds Brewing took first place for the 5th time in the last 6 years, and has finished in the top two out of thousands of breweries since 2003.

Below I have highlighted all Michigan and Indiana rankings

Best Beers in the World by Category

Bock, strong beer

#5 Bells Quinannan Falls Special Lager strong pale lager

#10 Three Floyds The Creeper dopplebock

Specialty

#2 Founders Blushing Monk (2011) fruit beer

English style pale and bitter

#1 Jolly Pumpkin E.S. Bam bitter

#3 Three Floyds Lord Admiral Nelson ESB

India Pale Ale

#2 Two Hearted Ale IPA

Double IPA

#1 Bells Hopslam imperial IPA

#4 Three Floyds Dreadnaught Imperial IPA

Low/moderate alcohol

#4 Jolly Pumpkin Weizen Bam wild ale

Stout

#1 Founders KBS (Kentucky Breakfast Stout) imperial stout

#2 Founders CBS (Canadian Breakfast Stout) imperial stout

#5 Bells Expedition Stout iperial stout

#6 Three Floyds Dark Lord Russian Imperial Stout imperial stout

#10 Three Floyds Vanilla Bean Brandy Barrel Aged Dark Lord Russian Imperial Stout imperial stout

Strong Ale

#3 Kuhnhenn Bourbon Barrel Fourth Dementia Old Ale old ale

#9 Three Floyds Behemoth Barleywine barley wine

Porter

#3 Founders Porter

American Pale

#1 Three Floyds Zombie Dust

#2 Three Floyds Alpha King

Wheat

#6 Three Floyds Gumballhead

Dark Lager

#4 Three Floyds Ich Bin Schwarz Genug Fur Dich? Schwarzbier

#5 Shorts Sustenance Black Beer Schwarzbier

Cider and Perry

#7 J.K.'s Solstice Hard Cider cider

Mead

#2 B. Nektar Zombie Killer

#3 Kuhnhenn Banana French Toast Mead

#4 Kuhnhenn Caramel Coconut Creme Mead

#5 B. Nektar Imperial Funky Monky

#6 Kuhnhenn Cinnamonster's Revenge

#8 Kuhnhenn Double Raspberry Truffle Pyment

#9 Kuhnhenn Bourbon Barrel Vanilla Gorillabilly Mead

#10 Kuhnhenn Blackberry Port Pyment

Best Breweries in the World

#1 Three Floyds Brewing Company Indiana

#2 Founders Brewing Company Michigan

#3 Bells Brewery Michigan

#10 Kuhnhenn Brewing Michigan

#26 Dark Horse Brewing Company Michigan

#51 Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales Michigan

#100 The Livery Michigan

Top 50 Beers in the World Overall

#4 Founders KBS (Kentucky Breakfast Stout) Michigan

#6 Bells Hopslam Michigan

#12 Bells Expedition Stout Michigan

#13 Three Floyds Dark Lord Russian Imperial Stout Michigan

#17 Three Floyds Dreadnaught Imperial IPA Indiana

#31 Kuhnhenn Bourbon Barrel Fourth Dementia Old Ale Michigan

#38 Dark Horse Bourbon Barrel Plead the 5th Imperial Stout Michigan

Best Beer Bars

Rich O's Publick House New Albany, Indiana

HopCat Gr. Rapids, Michigan

For full results in every category, click here.

Print posted @ Friday, January 27, 2012 5:24 PM