There’s a reason flagship brews are so important to a craft brewery. Here are five to try.
Breweries — and craft beer lovers — are forever chasing new thrills, looking for the next new hot thing. There’s no doubt that makes for exciting times. But the real hallmark of a great brewer is the ability to consistently brew the same beer time and time again.
So while you’re chasing the latest or trendiest seasonals, India pale ales and whales, don’t forget that there’s a reason flagship beers — a brewery’s most popular brew — are so important. We call those beers “the ones that keep the lights on.” A good flagship gives a brewery the latitude to experiment with specialty beers and ephemeral one-offs.
Here are five flagship beers I always keep on hand.
Anchor Liberty Ale
San Francisco’s Anchor Brewing was the first modern brewery to offer more flavorful craft beer. When Fritz Maytag bought the brewery in the 1960s, his first success was re-creating steam beer, a popular style that was nearly lost during Prohibition. But the flagship beer I love is Anchor’s Liberty Ale, first brewed in 1975 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Paul Revere’s famous ride.
It was unique in its day and there were debates — then and since — over whether it was a hoppy pale ale or an IPA. What’s undebatable is that it was the first beer to use Cascade, the most popular variety of hops used by craft brewers today. Liberty Ale is one of the most successful single-hop beers — and it still tastes as delicious to me now as the first time I tried it.
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
This flagship beer from Chico’s Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. was likely the second beer made
with Cascade, and the brewery’s liberal use of the hop gave the pale ale its signature aroma and flavor. This beer, one of the first killer beers made by a small brewer, created a new style, separating pale ales into English and American style. It’s become one of the few ubiquitous beers. You’ll find it at almost any bar anywhere. Nearly 40 years since its debut, Sierra Nevada’s perfectly balanced pale ale is still one of the tastiest you’re ever likely to drink.
Lagunitas IPA
IPAs are incredibly popular now, but that wasn’t always the case. And the story of how Lagunitas Brewing Co.’s IPA came about is rather funny. In the mid-1990s, a bar manager in Marin booted Sierra Nevada Pale Ale from the taps for some slight or other by a distributor. Instead, he began pouring Lagunitas’ Dogtown Pale Ale. Sales soared at the bar, so Lagunitas founder Tony Magee visited one night, just to quietly
watch. He found that when people ordered, they didn’t call for a “Sierra Nevada Pale Ale,” they simply asked for “pale ale.” So how do you set your pale ale apart when your competitor is synonymous with the style?
Magee focused on the next hoppiest beer he could, and began making an India pale ale. Look at the bottle. The word “IPA” is triple the size of the word “Lagunitas,” because Magee wanted people to associate his beer with the style. It worked. And it’s delicious.
Deschutes Black Butte Porter
When Berkeley native Gary Fish opened his Oregon brewery in Bend in 1988, he created a rarity: a dark beer flagship. His Black Butte Porter was one of Deschutes Brewery’s first three beer releases, and the brewery staff immediately focused on it as a way to differentiate itself from every other brewery. The gamble worked.
People responded to the porter, which helped turn Deschutes into one of the largest craft breweries. Black Butte is still one of the tastiest, chocolaty porters you’ll ever come across: smooth and inviting with big flavors, yet still very drinkable.
Bear Republic Racer 5
The Bay Area is blessed with a plethora of great IPAs, but Bear Republic Brewing Co.’s Racer 5 is one of my favorites. The beer has won multiple gold medals at the Great American Beer Festival, ever since its introduction in the late 1990s. Named for brewmaster Rich Norgrove’s race-car number — it’s also a nod to “Speed Racer” — the IPA is brewed with Cascade, Columbus, Chinook and Centennial hops. Racer 5 is a well-balanced hoppy beer with loads of tropical fruit and citrus, whose flavors get even better as the beer warms.