Alright, lets wrap this up you alcoholics (Part 1 and Part 2 are here). Recently my beer tastes have changed. For example: I used to consider IPAs to be bottles of hairspray(why hairspray? are you implying that you have tasted hairspray? i have by accident and let me tell you…. better than IPAs — BR), but now they are my go-to when trying out the local craft selections. I know, I know, its an acquired taste. Scotch was also an acquired taste. I love scotch now, and now I love a lot of IPAs. However, it begs the question: If something is an acquired taste and you like it now, did your tastes actually change?(I hate this phrase, acquired taste means you just got tired of telling people no I don’t like this — BR).Maybe this is all some twisted form of Stockholm syndrome brought on by people (read: Al) constantly handing them to me saying, “Hey! Try this one!”, and me continually drinking them as if I had to. Hard to say… hard to say(I really hope this was done in the voice Joey used in friends — BR). Without further ado, lets get to it!*

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… or is that peer pressure…

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*cracks knuckles* Well, well, well what do we have here? Hopefully my influence is seen in here (Stockholm Syndrome? Please) and there’s some legit beers — Al

#5 Creme Brulee — Southern Tier Brewing Company

My sister brought this one to my birthday BBQ this year.(Oh that beer you were talking up to me, offered to me, and then you didn’t even have any for me to try? That beer? Thanks for nothing jerk — AB)It’s the only dark beer on the list(Well i lost interest in this list then — BR). I really enjoy the occasional stout. I also enjoy the occasional desert beer. I felt they needed to be represented on the list so I solved that. Killing 2 birds with 1 stone(And yet, no Stone beer on this list. Apparently I still have work to do — AB), Creme Brulee starts us off at #5. This imperial milk stout(according to Al from my list milk and beer do not go together, good job telling Al he is wrong — BR)is a damn Venetian hour in your mouth. It is insanely sweet and delicious. Like most stouts, for me, it’s one and done. However, that one is meant to be sipped and savored(Sipped and savored? The jokes write themselves — AB)for a bit in all its desert flavor goodness. It also packs a bit of a punch at 10%, so be easy.

#4 Blood Orange Brew Free! or Die — 21st Amendment Brewery

The second entry to this list is more of a placeholder for blood orange IPAs(Let’s take the most sour thing we can find and mix it with the most bitter beer we can find. That won’t make us look fucking psychotic — AB). This is not the only one I have had, and it won’t be the last. I love the flavor of the blood orange(said no one ever — BR). Anytime I come across a beer that’s brewed with it, I give it a go. The first one I had was at Croxley’s Ale house in Manhattan. It was delicious, but I unfortunately I did not remember to take the name down. I have come across many since then, but they have never tasted exactly the same. 21st Amendment Brewery’s take on it is the closest I have come(that is an awesome name for a brewery — BR), and since I also love their Hell or High Watermelon I thought I would give them the number 4 slot while I continue my crusade for blood (orange)(BOOOOOOO — AB). (Double BOOOOOOO — BR)

#3 Yacht Juice — Icarus Brewing

I got to partake in this brew at my first tailgating experience. My Fiance and I went to a Red Bulls game a few weeks back with our cousins(Cousins? Guess my invite got lost in the mail….. Crying?I’m not crying, you’re crying— AB). They are both beer enthusiasts and I can always count on them for a good suggestion. After we had some food, they broke out a growler of Yacht Juice. This 7.7 American IPA should be shared with some friends(So we’re getting this for an episode of Fli6 or?…. — AB). Whether you are tailgating or getting classy cruising on your yacht, enjoy this one pinkies up. (I cant say that name without giggling, yacht juice, just sounds like something sexual from a yacht. Maybe I just need to grow up — BR)

#2 Heady Topper — The Alchemist

Though I’m not the beer enthusiast our other editoris(Yea he is — AB), I got to try this one. I am now spoiled(Yea you are — AB). There is just something incredibly drinkable and tasty about this elusive brew. Al was kind enough to share one with me for an early episode of Flix and a Six. It was apparent to me from the first sip that this beer was making it on my list(Real original loser — AB). I’m not going to have it often but you better believe: if someone I know is going up to Vermont, I’ll be requesting a few of these suckers. To hear us talk about our first time with this one, have a listen to Episode 3 of Flix and a Six.

#1 Low Visibility — Magnify Brewing

My neighbor is super into beers. I’m pretty sure if I got him and Al together they could talk about crafting and drinking for hours, maybe even days. This pale ale was the first beer he gave me in a trade and it caught me by surprise. I popped over to his house and handed him one of Al’s Holiday Soiced Ales (which he greatly approved of) (Only took you 6 months. Might as well have waited the full year for Christmas so it was in season. The Soice ages well — AB), and he just happened to have this gem handy to trade (Wait you traded my Soiced Ale and didn’t save some of what you got in return? TRAITOR! — AB). At 4.8% with New Zealand and American hops, my #1 pick is super drinkable(drinkable, there is that word again, I don;t approve — BR) (I don’t approve of your use of the semicolon as an apostrophe, but instead of fixing it, I’m going to shame you. — AC). It was absolutely delicious, and I have been craving a glass ever since. This Jersey craft is not the easiest to get a hold of but I WILL have it again. Until then, it’s my great white buffalo.

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Well congrats you had the least pretentious/snobby of the lists. But there still feels like there’s something off about it that I just want to mock. I can’t quite put my finger on it and it’s driving me crazy. I’m basically Rob Riggle right now — AB

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• This list is subject to change without warning, notice, or reason.

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• It is also the opinion of Brian that it should, except for number 5

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#CraftBeer #Top5 #Fli6 #Review #Beer