Beer of the Year voting is underway
It’s time to pick your favorite Lehigh Valley brew of 2020
The biggest election of our lives is over. Now, the second most important voting endeavor of 2020 is underway. We’re talking about BEER here, good citizens. We’re looking for a few highly qualified Lehigh Valley candidates to round out this year’s tasty nominations.
We can do this if we all pull together and do our part. It’s time to canvass your neighborhood breweries and tell your friends and family to get out and vote.
What was your favorite Lehigh Valley beer of 2020? You know the rules. This is a local election honoring only beers brewed in our region — so let’s focus on the very best from the Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton area.
As I’ve mentioned before, a wise brewer once told me, “The best beer in the world is the one YOU enjoy the most.” So there are no wrong answers here. Don’t be shy.
Your 2020 Lehigh Valley favorite was most likely your go-to flavor of the past 12 months — the one your fridge was stocked with, or your most frequent growler refill. And in this upside-down pandemic period we’re in, if you’re like me, you probably did more than your share of taste-testing at home.
With so many fantastic beermakers close by, it’s easy (and kinda preferred) to stick with local beers, right? I drink LV craft brews almost exclusively and I’m thrilled to do so.
Last year, I chose Bonn Place Brewing’s Skootch DPA (double pale ale) as my 2019 Beer of The Year. It was a very popular pick among those who voted. You have great taste!
If you haven’t tried it, this 7.4% ABV (alcohol by volume) brew is infused with malted oats and is bright as can be with a blend of Mosaic and Huell Melon hops. The hazy orange, citrusy concoction delivers a deep treasure of lush flavors. From tap (or can) to glass, the combo of
melon, grapefruit, lemon and mango aromas fill the air and your nose. It’s malty, biscuity, evenly balanced and bold. Skootch has it all. Around the Valley, it’s tough to top.
Without the typical host of LV beer festivals this year, it was tough to go around the horn to try new samples. Hopefully, you were able to go directly to the brewing source or try a bunch of solid new batches at your local distributor/six-pack shop. Beer research requires extreme dedication, focus and soooo many clean glasses.
Here’s how to vote. Just take a moment to reach out to me via email clarimer@mcall.com, Twitter @craftbeerlv or Facebook @lehighvalleycraftbeer to submit your top pick. Please feel free to include a brief sentence or two about why you enjoy this beer (or beers) the most. Why does it taste so great? What flavors jump out at you? Where/ when do you like to sip this particular flavor?
If you’re emailing me, use the subject line: BEERS OF THEYEAR. If it’s too hard to select just one brew, tell me about your top three. I’m flexible.
I’ll review your picks and share some of the results in my year-end column.
Cheers!
Morning Call Arts & Entertainment Editor (and beer writer) Craig Larimer can be reached at 610778-7993 or at clarimer@ mcall.com
Twitter @CraftBeerLV Facebook Lehigh Valley Craft Beer