Welcome to our first official Dad on Tap post! Today I’ll be talking with my dad about his top 5 2021 beers.
First a little backstory:
I introduced my dad to Untapped, a beer rating, tracking and reviewing app, back in 2015 while I was living in Boston working on my graduate degree. A fellow classmate of mine had shown me the app and I thought it would be fun to also show my dad while he was visiting with my mom one weekend. Little did I know how he’d take to the app and how it would spring forth a new hobby and a new way to connect with my father.
Jump forward to 2022 and my dad and I have completed a local ale trail, started another one, go out on father/daughter beer hangouts and continue to track on our Untapped apps. He has very much surpassed me in the amount of badges he’s earned, but I love that he has found a hobby that not only connects him with me, but also his friends as well. He’s got them all on the app now.
I have two favorite memories so far. In 2020 we were able to go to the Philadelphia Beer Festival by the water in February (of course little did we know that COVID would hit one month later!). It was so much fun getting to taste so many different types of beers and experience a craft beer fest for the first time! Then when COVID hit, I purchased the Untapped At Home Fest for my dad’s birthday and was able to hangout virtually over two-days talking beer with my dad and an awesome community! We tried over 11 different craft beers in the course of two days and got to hear from some of the breweries themselves. Such a great way to connect!
So I’m excited to create some more favorite memories going forward!
Alright for what you’re here for! Our Favorite 5 Beers of 2021!
Our No. 5 Spot
Dad:
This spot was actually a tie for me.
My No. 5 spot has Little Red Wagon from Iron Hill Brewery. I had the beer at their Newtown location. It’s a 5.3% ABV sour-fruited. It had a great color & taste. It was one of the best sour beers that I’ve had.
Rating: 4.75/5.0
Tied for this spot is the Harvest Ale from Geronimo Brewing. I got to try this beer in Doylestown. It’s a 7.3% ABV Pumpkin/Yam Beer. It was a great Fall beer with just the right amount of spice.
Rating: 4.75/5.0
Nicole:
I also have a tie for this spot. I actually rate 7 different craft beers with a 5.0 rating. Which means technically, I have a 7-way tie for these top 5 spots. So I had to pick through them and knock one off the list. Also, most of my favorites are from two local breweries. So naturally, I have to expand my horizons a bit more. That or our local craft breweries are just knocking it out of the park!
Alright, first up in my no. 5 spot is the Warheads Watermelon Sour Ale by Artisanal Brew Works.
I found this beer at a local beer distributor and it was straight up nostalgia when I saw the four-pack. I did get to try all 4 flavors, but this one was my favorite out of the pack. I was a big fan of Warheads candy growing up and this brought all those good memories back. The taste was great and felt spot-on for what the beer was.
It’s a 5% ABV sour – fruited beer and boy does the fruit and sourness throw a punch to your taste buds!
Rating: 5.0/5.0
Tied for this no. 5 spot was the Blueberry Pale Ale from Great Barn Brewery.
This beer is a 5.2% ABV Pale Ale – American craft beer with a blueberry flavoring. I did taste the blueberry which isn’t always the case when I try fruit-flavored beers. This one definitely packed a lot of flavor! I also absolutely loved the color. I mean who wouldn’t?!
I also tried this beers during one of my first restaurant experiences eating out after COVID. So it has some sentimental value there as well.
Rating: 5.0/5.0
Our No. 4 Spot
Dad: My no. 4 spot is for I See That Your Schwarz Is As Big As Mine by Newtown Brewing Co.
I purchased this beer at the brewery, but actually didn’t try it until I was home.
This beer is a 4.9% ABV Schwazabier (as the name suggests).
It had a great aroma of chocolate. It started with a chocolate taste with a slight coffee taste on the back end. It was smooth, with no bitterness.
(Nicole aside —> that name though lol )
Rating: 5.0/5.0
Nicole: My no. 4 spot is Barrel Aged Jersey Devil by Great Barn Brewery.
This craft beer is definitely on the boozy side since it is a barrel aged barleywine ale – American. It has a whopping 10% ABV and is a heavier-feeling beer (at least for me). This is one I drink slower as it makes me feel fuller quicker than some other beers, but I really did love this one. It’s very smooth and you can taste the added hints of alcohol from the barrels it was brewed in. It became a top pick for me from that brewery!
Rating: 5.0/5.0
Our No. 3 Spot
Dad: For my No. 3 spot, I chose The Cherry Chouffe (2021) beer from Brasserie d’Achouffe.
I got this beer from my local Wegmans and tried it at home. It’s a 8.0% ABV fruit beer.
This is the best cherry style beer that I have had — just enough of a cherry taste in this ale.
Rating: 5.0/5.0
Nicole: I chose another great craft brew from the Great Barn Brewery for my no. 3 spot. This time it’s their Low N’ Slow brew. This is a Kolsch style beer with a 5.2% ABV. Why I love it? Mostly because of the apple taste. It’s got sour notes to me, but also some sweetness from the apples. I pictured drinking this one a lot during the Fall as it had the perfect flavors for that season!
Rating: 5.0/5.0
Our No. 2 Spot
Dad: Alright, for my No. 2 spot I chose the Tuckahoe Flow from Tuckahoe Brewing.
I had this beer at Anchorage Tavern in Somers Point, NJ.
It’s a 5.5% ABV Pale Ale-American.
This was a great clean, crisp ale. I actually had a second one that day.
Rating: 5.0/5.0
Nicole: Alright my choice between my no. 2 spot and my no. 1 spot was pretty difficult. But I have to be true to myself and I know that my favorite might not be as wide-appealing, but it was my favorite for the year. So that means, my no. 2 spot is going to Warwick Farm Red.
This is a 5.8% ABV Red Ale from Warwick Farm Brewing a local craft beer brewery near me.
Red ales are my favorite style of beer and this one was top-notch! I loved the taste and the smoothness of this brew. Luckily it’s so local!
Rating: 5.0/5.0
Our No. 1 Spot
Dad: Alright, for my Top Craft Beer of 2021 I chose Overload Stout from Iron Hill Brewery.
I had this beer at the brewery’s Newtown location. It’s an 8.5% ABV Stout – Imperial / Double Oatmeal
This is one of the best stouts I have had. There is a coffee aroma with a smooth coffee/chocolate taste.
Rating: 5.0/5.0
Nicole: Alright, my Top Craft Beer of 2021 is Apple Cider Ale by Warwick Farm Brewing.
Cue the applause! This one is just perfect for me. I’m a huge Fall lover and this is one craft beer that I’d drink the entire season and even into winter. My untapped review simply said “you need this one in your life!” and it’s still true today. Perfect for any apple cider donut lover out there!
Rating: 5.0/5.0
I hope you enjoyed learning about our Top 5 Craft Beers for 2021! Join us next month when we chat about our favorite types of craft beers.
Also, I promise to drink a more widely this year! Last year, I was very much drinking close to home because the pandemic was still rough.
Alright JAMers, Happy Drinking (responsibly)!
xx Nicole Lynn
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