Here are my favorite beers of 2019.  Based strictly on taste and judged by the type of beer.  I tend to lean towards IPAs (especially hazy) stouts and German style beers.  So my rankings will reflect that.   All drafts had to be consumed at a bar or brewery in the town they are brewed, but not necessarily at the brewery.

Drafts

1. Cullahaza Vol 5; New England IPA; Satulah Mountain Brewing Company, Highlands, NC

I like everyone else fell in love with Hazy IPAs in 2019.  This was my favorite.  Very citrus forward but still crushable.

2. CLN LVN; Stout; Angry Chair Brewing; Tampa, FL

This is a pistachio stout collaboration between Late Start Brewing and Angry Chair.  It’s amazing.

3. Gideon’s Peanut Butter Espresso Golden Stout; Stout; Hourglass Brewing; Longwood, FL 

This was unexpectedly amazing and I only did at 4 oz, but it was very smooth and light for a stout.

4. Lost Highway Double Black IPA; Black IPA; Mother Road Brewing; Flagstaff, AZ

Best Black IPA I’ve had to date by far.  High alcohol but didn’t taste like it.

5. Velvet Hammer; Imperial Red Ale; Peticolas Brewing; Dallas, TX 

Very solid red ale which is a hard beer to stand out with.

Honorable Mentions (in no particular order)

Yodapants; Sour; Arkane Aleworks; Largo, FL

Zero Zero; New England IPA; Calusa Brewing; Sarasota, FL

Shibuya IPA El Dorado; IPA; YYG Brewery; Tokyo, Japan

Hop Solo 5; New England IPA; Tampa Brewing Company; Tampa, FL

Son of a Batch, IPA; Batch Brewing; Detroit, MI

Rock Premium Helles; Helles Lager; Paphos, Cyprus

Tropicale; IPA; Kyoto Beer Lab; Kyoto, Japan