A perfect 10

It’s Christmas and that means lists. In the last column until sometime in the new year, here are my top-10 beer experiences of 2012.

10. Re-trying Rex Attitude

First up in 2011 I couldn’t see the value of a beer that smelled like whisky. Revisited this year I learned to appreciate the perfumed nuance behind the peat smoke. From horrible to hmmmm.

9. Hop Zombie from the tank

I was with Epic’s Luke Nicholas at Steam Brewing when he poured me a beer from the fermenter. Not fully fermented, unconditioned, uncarbonated it was delicious. Sworn to secrecy I was tasting the comeback brew of Hop Zombie. Damn hard to keep that to myself.

8. My double IPA home brew

It smelled so good as I was bottling it I couldn’t wait 10 days for it to condition so jammed some into a SodaStream bottle for an instant carbonation. B-A-D idea. How could I be so stupid? The machine virtually exploded and I was cleaning beer off the ceiling for days.

7. Crashing on Double Trouble

Word of advice, read the label. I opened a 1.25 litre rigger of Tuatara’s 9.5 per cent Double Trouble and it tasted so good I kept drinking . . . until I fell asleep before dinner. Enjoy in moderation.

6. A series of Smokin Bishops

Comparing four vintages of this stunner proved beer can age well and that it’s possible to collect the really good stuff like wine, keeping it for a special occasion.

5. Wellington

Hop heaven, great bars, beer geekery of the highest order, two brand new breweries (Garage Project and ParrotDog): a city deeply in love with beer. This year I helped dream up an actual commercial beer. With Luke Nicholas in charge we came up with a modern take on a century-old English IPA style launched in conjunction with my book, Beer Nation. Amazing experience and a great beer.

3. Tea in your beer?

Yeastie Boys’ Earl Grey-infused beer Gunnamatta divided opinion. The day I opened my first bottle of this unusual, compelling and inspired beer was emotionally moving. Can’t ask for more than that. My No 3 beer of the year.

2. Garage Project

A whole brewery as an ‘‘experience’’? Everything Garage Project did this year captured my imagination. These guys constant push out the boat in style and imagination while their Red Rocks Reserve is my second favourite beer of the year.

1. Joe Wood of Liberty Brewing

This larger-than-life brewer with a penchant for chilli and loud opinions is an experience in himself. He makes some of the most brilliant beer you can taste. I love everything of his, especially the Yakima range – Monster, Raven and Scarlet – plus various collaborations and one-offs. In a coin toss, Yakima Monster is my beer of the year.