Before I even get started with this best of list let me just say that I totally ripped off this idea from The Vice Blogger.  What can I say, the guy inspires me.

So with 2009 coming to an end (good riddance by the way) I looked back on all the beer I drank and said to myself “Damn you’re getting fat” Oh I also said “Damn Dave you drank a lot of great beer”  Some of these beers I didn’t think I drank this year but I went back and sure enough I reviewed them in 09.  Cool thing is though I think 2010 is going to be better.  I’ll explain that later.  So here goes, the top 15 beers I’ve tried this year.

1. Ballast Point Sculpin -If you look back at my ratings you’ll notice that this beer isn’t rated as high as some of the other beers on this list.  That’s because the first time I had this fantastic IPA it wasn’t as fresh as it could be.  It was still great though.  The second and third bottles I had just blew me away and that’s why this is sitting #1 on my list for 2009.  This is the best IPA I’ve had. It’s 100% a West Coast IPA at it’s finest.  Good news is, in 2010 they are bottling this stuff more often.

2. Surly Darkness 08 - There are times in your beer drinking career that you will always remember and when I popped open this brew I instantly knew I was in love.  I remember getting off the couch and running into the bedroom where my girlfriend was.  I tried and tried to get her to try this awesome stout but she just wouldn’t do it.  Oh well, more for me.  This was the best stout I had this year, hands down.  Too bad this years version is just totally different.  Review for that coming in 2010 =)  Thanks to Aaron over at The Captains Chair for hooking me up with this.

3. Russian River Pliny the Younger -So how the hell did I get to try a beer that is only available in draught form and is only available at select spots across the US?  Not to mention when it is available it sells out in less then an hour and is only available once a year?  Pure luck honestly.  I didn’t get to try a lot of it.  Maybe just a few ounces but what I did have is one of the best Double IPAs (They call it a Triple IPA) I’ve ever had.  I remember holding my glass up every time I finished it off hoping they would dump more in it.  Before I knew it the growler was empty and I was a sad boy.  This beer is a pure hop monster.  Hops just sit in your mouth for hours after you have it. Come back soon Younger.

4. Alpine Nelson -This is a beer I received in one of my first beer trades ever.  Nat over at The Beer Rover reviewed it and I knew I had to try it.  He was nice enough to send me a growler of it since it wasn’t bottled yet (is now) and I was blown away by the taste.  It’s a simple IPA but the Nelson Sauvin hops used in this brew are unbelievable.  With it being bottled now it’s a little easier to get this fantastic IPA.

5. Allagash Odyssey - I bought this beer in 2008 but was told to hold off on it and try it a year later.  Glad I did.  Odyssey was the best Belgian Strong Dark Ale I’ve ever had and I don’t think anything has come close to it since.  The complex taste full of oak and vanilla was just perfect.  I can’t wait to try this brew again.

6. Russian River Temptation - Wild Ales are starting to become big in the craft beer.  On beer trading sites everyone seems to want them.  Some of the best Wild Ales made in the US are made by Russian River.  The mixture of tartness, brett, and fruit make this beer  just unbelievable.  I cannot wait to try their other sours and wild ales.

7. Deschutes Abyss -  What can I say? I love and I mean love huge ass stouts.  This is one of them.  Deschutes makes some fine beers but this is my favorite from them.  Bourbon, coffee, licorice, and molasses make this just a big and beautiful beer that will age nicely. 

8. Alpine Expoential Hoppiness -I’ve always heard about this beer.  Just like Nelson, this beer was only available in draught form for the longest time.  Recently it’s been bottled (I have a few coming in the mail, can’t wait) but my first dealings were in growler form.  I visited Alpine while I was on vacation in San Diego.  I went up there hoping that this beer would be available.  I couldn’t believe it when I saw it up on the board!  Score!  This is one of the best Double IPAs I’ve ever had.  It has a nice smokiness to it to go a long with the hops and everything else thrown in.  I had no problems finishing off the growler before I had to take the trip home.

9. Boulevard Brewing Imperial Stout -I wasn’t expecting to be blown away by this stout but I so was.  For some reason I held off on trying this brew for the longest time.  I would open the fridge and never pick it up.  I’m glad I finally did.   It has a lot of the characteristics of Abyss but it’s toned down.  The dried cocca, bourbon, and coffee are perfectly balanced. 

10. De Proef Signature Les Deus Brasseurs Ale brewed with Jason Perkins -This is the only collaboration beer on the list and it totally deserves it.  This is the second in the line, first brewed with Tommy Arthur from Lost Abbey.  I loved that one but this one was just a tad bit better.  The sourness, funk, fruit, and oak make this beer just a pleasure to drink and I almost had it higher on the list.  You can still find this brew on shelves if you look hard enough and it should be aging nicely.  The third in the series is now on the shelves also.  It’s brewed with John Mallett from Bell’s.

Rounding out my top 15
11. Firestone Walker 12
12. Ballast Point Victory at Sea
13. Goose Island Bourbon County Stout
14. Cigar City Hunahpus Imperial Stout
15. New Glarus Raspberry Tart

Those who just missed the cut!
Ballast Point Tongue Buckler
The Lost Abbey Bourbon Angel Share
Three Floyds Dreadnaught
Alpine Duet
Founders Harvest Ale
Nogne O Dark Horizon 2.0
Russian River Consecration
New Glarus Wisconsin Red
The Bruery Partridge in a Pear Tree

I mentioned that I think 2010 will be better.  Here are some of the beers I have in my possesion for 2010 – The Lost Abbey Veritas 004, The Bruery Black Tuesday, Russian River Beautification, Olde Hickory Olde Rabbits Foot, Coast Jack Daniels Barrel Aged Blackbeerd Imperial Stout, Lost Abbey Duck Duck Gooze, Westvleteren 8 and 12, Pelican Pub and Brewery The Perfect Storm, Kuhnhenn Raspberry Eisbock, Ithaca Brute, Boulevard Saison Brett, Firestone 13, Ølfabrikken Porter and many, many more!

So that’s it. Bye bye 2009 and hello 2010. I wish you all a great New Years and make sure you drink some great stuff.