Feliz Ano Nuevo / Happy New Year to everyone who supports this project, hope you have a great 2024.
Looking back on 2023 and with the help of Untappd, I thought I would share my favorite and not so favorite beers that I consumed last year.
If you are on Untappd you can find me at PuertoRicoBeerGuide
Top 5 Beers of 2023
El Sato (Pale Ale), Boqueron Brewing Co. (9/10)
This beer pours a golden color with a firm head with delicious citrus and pine aromas, The taste follows the aroma with a touch of sweetness and a well balanced bitterness. If you like Pale Ales, then you will surely enjoy El Sato.
El Sato has an ABV of 5.9% and 35 IBU’s
Frente Frio (Cold IPA), Singing Storm Beer Works (9/10)
Frente Frio is a Cold IPA brewed by the Puerto Rican contract brewery Singing Storm Beer Works and it’s a damn good beer.
Frente Frio has a really pleasant aroma of Pine and Citrus with a big hit of Pineapple with the taste following the aroma. It is not overly bitter and ends with a dry finish. It makes for a great sessionable beer.
Frente Frio has an ABV of 5.6% and 35 IBU’s and is brewed at Prison Pals Brewing Co. in Florida.
House Ale (Scotch Ale), Traquair House Brewery (9/10)
We don’t get that many UK brewery beers here in Puerto Rico, but I was so happy to grab this Scottish beer when it appeared on the shelves.
House Ale is a Scotch Ale that pours a dark reddish brown color with pleasant fruit aromas and taste. There is some slight sweetness and the bitterness is well balanced. It is a fairly strong beer with an ABV of 7.2% though it is not too noticeable when drinking, though you do feel it afterwards.
Hopefully more UK beers can reach the Puerto Rican shores as this one was a big hit for me in 2023.
Baby Kittens (New England IPA), Fat Orange Cat Brewing Co. (9/10)
Pours a very hazy yellow with a thin white foam. The beer has lots of citrus on the nose with Pineapple and Grapefruit up front. The taste follows the aroma with a decent amount of bitterness that does not overpower the flavor. Baby Kittens has a smooth medium body feel that adds to the beer’s enjoyment.
Baby Kittens has an ABV of 6.5%
Stone Ruination IPA (DIPA), Stone Brewing Co. (9/10)
This one surprised me. The beer pours a deep golden color with a decent creamy white head. Pine and Citrus are the aroma notes and the flavor follows the aroma with a slight sweetness and plenty of bitterness that surprisingly to me does not overpower the taste. This is a Double IPA and you do feel the alcohol as you drink it.
Stone Ruination IPA has an ABV of 8.8% and 100 IBU’s
Top 3 Least Favorite Beers of 2023
Xalapa Jalapeno Blonde (Blonde Ale), One Well Brewing (5/10)
When poured the peppery aroma was OK but sadly for me the flavor was just so off putting, I could not enjoy it.
State Of Bean Coffee Blonde (Blonde Ale), One Well Brewing (5/10)
Tried this one at the same time as Xalapa Jalapeno Blonde and again it didn’t work for me. The coffee flavor was just overpowering and weird in flavor,
Stone Downunderstruck IPA (DIPA), Stone Brewing Co (6.5/10)
Unlike Stone Ruination IPA, I really struggled with Downunderstruck. This one was just not as balanced and the high bitterness defeated me. I know lots of folk loved this one with the gig hit of tropical fruits, it was just not for me.
Stone Downunderstruck IPA has an ABV of 9% and 95 IBU’s
2023 Beer Style
So based on Untappd check-ins, my most popular ‘check in’ style was New England / Hazy IPA’s. This may be due to only really checking in new beers but it might also be due to my IPA taste buds evolving these past couple of years.
For 2024, lets see what the year brings……. CHEERS!!!
