Few expressions have gone from pop culture into everyday vernacular like “the bucket list.” The 2007 movie with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman asked the question: what things would you like to do and/or experience before you ‘kick the bucket’? That expression has grown from an interesting concept from the movie into a common part of our vocabulary. People refer to bucket list vacation destinations; bucket list restaurants; bucket list anything. It’s everywhere.
I was discussing a very rare beer selection with my good friend, RW recently, and it got me to thinking … what is my Beer Bucket List? What are those six beers that would be the end-all, be-all beers I need to experience in my lifetime? I have had great opportunity to try many beers from all over the globe … some rare and some not-so-much. Without further ado, here is my perfect six pack. NOTE: this only consists of beers I have never had before, but am beside myself to try at some point.
Westvleteren 12. Sint Sixtus Abbey is located in West Flanders, Belgium and is one of ten officially designated Trappist breweries in the world. Westvleteren currently creates a blonde, an 8 and a 12. The 12 is widely considered to be THE single best beer in the world. It is hard to get your hands on one, but man is it worth it! BeerAdvocate.com gives it a perfect score of 100. Not sure I need to say more.
Sam Adams Utopias. Normally known as one of the first craft breweries in the US to go mainstream and become huge, Sam Adams brews a very wide variety of beers, many of them of incredible quality. In their ‘limited release’ category, there is one beer that rises to the top: Utopias. Rich, sweet, thick, delicious. (or so I’ve been told. I may want one just for the stellar bottle.
Russian River Pliny the Younger. Russian River is known as making one of the finest Double IPAs anywhere – Pliny the Elder. But they also have an incredibly limited release, Pliny the Younger. Younger is actually a triple IPA. And I know what you’re saying – Mike, you don’t like IPAs, let alone double IPAs. How would a triple IPA make the list? Answer – it’s so rare and so highly rated that I just have to have one. I can regret it later, but I’d like to give it a whirl.
Three Floyds Dark Lord. Three Floyds is a brewery and pub in Munster, IN. They brew a purportedly phenomenal Russian Imperial Stout … but it’s only (really) available one day a year, and only in Munster, IN. Three Floyds hosts Dark Lord Day. People clamor and beg for tickets to be able to get into the annual festival and secure some of this mysterious elixir. Those with the literal golden ticket can purchase bottles and store them away for the eventual apocalypse.
Carlsberg’s Jacobsen Vintage No. 1. Probably the most expensive beer in the world. (Hint: my birthday is in 5 short months. Start saving now, kids!) There are only aout 600 bottles in existence. I’ll keep holding my breath. Imagine a barley wine aged for 6 months in French oak barrels. I can’t think this would be a lite beer. I’ll expect that WHEN I try this one, it will be a very heavy, thick flavor.
PBR. No, really. There is an extra-special PBR called PBR 1844 that is only sold in China. Don’t think this is the same nasty you have at 3am after a bender. This stuff will set you back about $45/bottle: it’s made from German caramel malts and is aged in uncharred American whiskey barrels. And tell me how awesome this bottle looks!
There it is! My perfect beer bucket list. Comment below and let me know what beers make your list. Also make sure to let me know when to expect shipments of the above to my home address.
