There are many beers I admire for their technical aspects, their quality and flavor, and because of the great memories I have of enjoying them with friends who love craft beer. However, I picked the six brews for my dream six-pack based upon my experiences with the people behind the beers. I believe good people make good beer, and as a brewer, when I taste these beers, I can’t separate the beer from the brewer.
Allagash White
Allagash Brewing Company, Portland, Maine
In the 1990s, Rob Tod was learning to use a jackhammer to install drains in the brewery he was building. He went on to become one of the first brewers to introduce drinkers to Belgian-style brews when he released Allagash White. At the time, drinkers were beginning to explore craft beer, but they were pretty unfamiliar with Belgian styles. Around 2000, Rob continued to pay homage to Belgian styles by introducing cork-and-cage Belgian-style beers that were bottle conditioned, which was unheard of in the States. Can you imagine, monks had been brewing these great beers for centuries, and Rob was the guy who introduced some of the best Belgian beer styles to American drinkers? When I drink Allagash’s iconic Belgian white ale, I can’t help think of Rob as the guy who wanted to share his love of brewing and drinking Belgian beers. Today, we not only have a craft-beer culture that is educated about beer, but there are beer bars dedicated to Belgian styles.