Searching for the “ideal” beer: a final note from our brew boy

Well, it has been quite a year, and though we seem to keep coming back to our favorite beers, stouts, this review is a little bit different. We have spent the semester doing meticulous research that will be especially beneficial to our 21+ audience as the weather gets warm and the end of the semester approaches. Our goal? To find the ideal “all day drinking” beer.

We picked 24 beers and tried each one to identify the best, the worst and the ideal all-day drinking zone. Our findings were simple: Some beers are fantastic, and some are pretty terrible, but while you’d think the top end of the list are the best beers for a full day of fun in this summer weather, we came to a different conclusion. Some beers clearly stood out above the rest, and we worried that enjoying the pinnacle of American brews all day could cause it to lose its special place. These top- tier beers are a bit heavier and more flavorful, and we tend to lean on something a little bit lighter and more refreshing when we’re out in the sun all day.

With that in mind, we identified the ideal all-day drinking zone: the beers rated from 7.0-8.0 that are good enough to drink for a day, but not so good that you’ll get sick of them. And if you do get sick of them, there’s always something better to sip on. We also did some research to allow us to highlight beers with the best bang for your buck.

Without further ado, those who are 21+ can feel free to enjoy our findings in the table to the right, and see if you agree. For all our readers, we left our last thoughts for the year at the end. Parting words from the boys:

Caden Luden – Beer Review Most Valuable Player

After many quality brews with the boys in the weekly beer review this year, it’s time for last call and to say goodbye. A last piece of advice that I’ve carried with me over the years is to always being willing to “pour it forward”.

For the 21+, I hope all of you make time to take a break from life, grab a beer with friends and offer to buy the first round or share a new beer like the three of us did. We certainly gave you plenty of recommendations throughout the year. Andrew and Elias, it’s been an honor; thank you for this year. There’s always a seat at the brewery I’m at for the two of you. Lastly to our readers, I’ll raise one for you, cheers.

Elias Wehr – Beer Review Most Improved Player

The weekly beer review has been a highlight of this year for sure. When I tell people I do the beer review for the school newspaper, I tell them that this was a part of my education. What better place to learn about beer than at a school in rural central Minnesota? (Well, Caden’s home state of Wisconsin, but you get the point.) Newspaper aside, this has been a great opportunity to just kick back, hang out with the boys and turn something we would do naturally into a review. Time well spent, that’s for sure. Andrew and Caden, it’s been a pleasure to be a part of the crew sipping brews. I look forward to the next time we crack open a cold one together.

Andrew Adams – Beer Review Manager of the Year

After having multiple friends write the beer review in my first few years here, I knew it was something I wanted to do senior year. I came into the year unsure if that would even happen or who I would do it with, but thankfully nobody else had expressed interest, and I had just the guy to join me, the Wisconsin man himself, Caden. Of course, we added Elias in week two, and the rest is history. This has been a great semester of beer reviewing and has led to a great group formed by the three of us. I know I have certainly been inspired to continue reviewing after college, and I hope the boys will join me in starting something online so we can keep doing what became for me one of the highlights of senior year.

I believe that we found the perfect blend of fun and professionalism, and that produced some great results. Cheers boys, we cooked this year.

To future beer reviewers…

The three of us have full confidence in whoever takes up the mantle next year. This is quite an opportunity, and we hope that future beer reviewers will appreciate the experience.

We all came in as simple enjoyers of beer and left with much more knowledge about what drives different flavors in a beer.

There is a ton to be done with the beer review that we didn’t get a chance to do, and we can’t wait to see where it is taken next year and far into the future. Be creative, invite guests, try new things (and beers) and most of all, have fun.