The annual lists put out by the craft beer connoisseur website RateBeer.com are like the Peoples Choice Awards of craft beers. In recent weeks the website has rolled out its top 100 lists and annual Best Awards, and once again Vermont beers have earned some impressive rankings.
Hill Farmstead Brewery, in Greensboro, regained the title of World’s best brewer in RateBeer's World’s Top 100 Brewers list. The brewery held the number one spot in 2013, but dropped to number two on the top 100 list last year. Hill Farmstead also has eight beers on RateBeer’s top 50 new beer releases in the world. That’s including Hill Farmstead Excursions, which took the number one spot on that list.
Perhaps the most popular list on the site is its Top 100 Beers In The World list. The beers are unranked within the list, instead they are listed alphabetically. Hill Farmstead had nine beers on the Top 100 Beers list, and The Alchemist, in Waterbury, had two beers on the list – including its much sought after Heady Topper, which also made the list last year.
RateBeer also produces an extensive annual list of best beers by style category. Both Hill Farmstead and The Alchemist made those lists for various beer styles. For each style there are five gold, five silver and five bronze awards. Lawson’s Finest Liquids, in Warren, earned a bronze ranking in the double IPA category. Hill Farmstead’s Abner earned a silver in that same category and Heady Topper took a gold.
Eden Ice Cider Company, in West Charleston, has two ice ciders listed in the cider and perry category. Eden Heirloom Blend Ice Cider earned a gold and Eden Northern Spy captured a bronze.
