Thread by @WIbeerbaron, OK hopefully you already saw my Beers of the Year column, but [...]

OK hopefully you already saw my Beers of the Year column, but here's also a thread of EVERY Beer Baron column from 2020. We'll start with BOTY here: https://madison.com/wsj/beer-baron-s-beers-of-the-year-2020-worst-year-ever-edition/collection_63f510b5-e301-5463-a898-f750a17e04d0.html

Beer Baron’s Beers of the Year 2020: Worst Year Ever Edition

Let’s take inventory of the most unforgettable, symbolic and just downright delicious beers of 2020.

https://madison.com/wsj/beer-baron-s-beers-of-the-year-2020-worst-year-ever-edition/collection_63f510b5-e301-5463-a898-f750a17e04d0.html

The column in 2020 began with something that seems like it was three years ago: a profile of the burgeoning beer scene in Sun Prairie, anchored by @FullMileBeerCo and @RightBauerBrew. https://madison.com/wsj/entertainment/dining/beer/beer-baron-for-a-burgeoning-beer-scene-look-to-sun-prairie/article_05e75769-9fcd-52bf-885e-8ab9ead7cc23.html

Beer Baron: For a burgeoning beer scene, look to Sun Prairie

Right Bauer and Full Mile, both now in their second year in downtown Sun Prairie, have put the ’burb on the map as a Madison beer destination.

https://madison.com/wsj/entertainment/dining/beer/beer-baron-for-a-burgeoning-beer-scene-look-to-sun-prairie/article_05e75769-9fcd-52bf-885e-8ab9ead7cc23.html

Next up was a look at @pabstbrewery's new Captain Pabst crafty label, built around a maybe-embellished historical yarn about Frederick Pabst and the now-shuttered Milwaukee taproom. https://madison.com/wsj/entertainment/dining/beer/beer-baron-captain-pabst-makes-serious-plunge-into-craft-beer/article_8a412540-c1dc-524a-8715-b9bb7c707915.html

Beer Baron: Captain Pabst makes serious plunge into craft beer

Pabst Brewing Co.’s newest beer, a more serious plunge into the craft sector, comes in a beautiful can, its matte midnight blue adorned with, in a weathered gold, the kind

https://madison.com/wsj/entertainment/dining/beer/beer-baron-captain-pabst-makes-serious-plunge-into-craft-beer/article_8a412540-c1dc-524a-8715-b9bb7c707915.html

This look at tiny and DIY-built Hubbleton Brewing Co. was one of my faves of the year. (Anyone been out there lately? How are things going?) https://madison.com/wsj/entertainment/dining/beer/beer-baron-hubbleton-built-it-and-they-came/article_0a6278cb-35d8-5e16-8f8e-40bf17676c74.html

Beer Baron: Hubbleton built it, and they came

Dan and Mike Schey built a brewery.

https://madison.com/wsj/entertainment/dining/beer/beer-baron-hubbleton-built-it-and-they-came/article_0a6278cb-35d8-5e16-8f8e-40bf17676c74.html

2020 was @SierraNevada's 40th anniversary, and I took a column to write a love letter to a landmark American brewery. (Wish that anniversary beer was a bit more memorable though.) https://madison.com/wsj/entertainment/dining/beer/beer-baron-lordy-lordy-sierra-nevada-is-40/article_ce3d3b0f-fd34-5f18-9c24-e0dbc12991d3.html

Beer Baron: Lordy, lordy, Sierra Nevada is 40

Sierra Nevada is the oldest remaining brewery that began during what would become known as the craft beer era.

https://madison.com/wsj/entertainment/dining/beer/beer-baron-lordy-lordy-sierra-nevada-is-40/article_ce3d3b0f-fd34-5f18-9c24-e0dbc12991d3.html

Speaking of disappointing beer from a great brewery, the release of @BellsBrewery Light Hearted inspired a look at the low-cal IPA category and why I just can't get down with them. https://madison.com/wsj/entertainment/dining/beer/beer-baron-broken-hearted-over-a-new-low-calorie-ipa/article_605172ce-e6bc-585a-bd42-297c55c6f628.html

Beer Baron: Broken-hearted over a new low-calorie IPA

Bell’s newest year-round beer ventures into a hot new “style” with disappointing results.

https://madison.com/wsj/entertainment/dining/beer/beer-baron-broken-hearted-over-a-new-low-calorie-ipa/article_605172ce-e6bc-585a-bd42-297c55c6f628.html

March in WI means #WIBeerBracket time! And this year's tourney played with geography for the regions, and I reviewed a longtime favorite spring seasonal in the field: @CapBrew Maibock. https://madison.com/wsj/entertainment/dining/beer/beer-baron-the-beer-bracket-is-back-with-madison-at-its-center/article_3b2ae4d2-7826-571e-897d-3a1c84d09865.html

Beer Baron: The Beer Bracket is back, with Madison at its center

The Wisconsin Beer Bracket, despite its name, has always been a bit Madison-centric.

https://madison.com/wsj/entertainment/dining/beer/beer-baron-the-beer-bracket-is-back-with-madison-at-its-center/article_3b2ae4d2-7826-571e-897d-3a1c84d09865.html

March also, of course, was when COVID-19 took hold. My first pandemic-era column was a meditation on what might come, what was happening to buying patterns at retail and a dive into the cellar for a really nice feller from @NextDoorBrewing. https://madison.com/wsj/entertainment/dining/beer/beer-baron-things-are-very-bad-in-the-beer-world-amid-covid-19-pandemic/article_44e10341-4054-5c08-89b8-8626e87cde4d.html

Beer Baron: Things are very bad in the beer world amid COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic gripping the country is changing just about every facet of life — many, many of them more important than beer.

https://madison.com/wsj/entertainment/dining/beer/beer-baron-things-are-very-bad-in-the-beer-world-amid-covid-19-pandemic/article_44e10341-4054-5c08-89b8-8626e87cde4d.html

Pandemic times (early on especially) had me buying a lot more beer at the grocery store to reduce the number of trips outside the home. @GoodCityBrewing Risk was one great grocery store beer... and, c'mon, that name. https://madison.com/wsj/entertainment/dining/beer/beer-baron-it-s-a-good-time-for-risk-the-beer/article_5a534978-1622-57cf-9ac6-b5bc8e4764c7.html

Beer Baron: It’s a good time for Risk — the beer

Good City Brewing named its core IPA after something we’re all trying to avoid these days.

https://madison.com/wsj/entertainment/dining/beer/beer-baron-it-s-a-good-time-for-risk-the-beer/article_5a534978-1622-57cf-9ac6-b5bc8e4764c7.html

By April my beer fridge was barren. Like, those pumpkin and other weirdo beers hiding in the back of the shelves? GONE. It was time to restock, and I highlighted beers from @GatheringPlBeer, @vintagebrewer and @Karben4. https://madison.com/wsj/entertainment/dining/beer/beer-baron-3-wisconsin-beers-to-restock-your-sad-depleted-fridge/article_ff39c732-f796-51c0-9d63-9a4cd0d99d1f.html

Beer Baron: 3 Wisconsin beers to restock your sad, depleted fridge

A trip to the bottle shop was a small joy in these strange times — well worth the risk of the extra stop — and I’d like to share a

https://madison.com/wsj/entertainment/dining/beer/beer-baron-3-wisconsin-beers-to-restock-your-sad-depleted-fridge/article_ff39c732-f796-51c0-9d63-9a4cd0d99d1f.html

In April, @Ale_Asylum dropped one of the Beers of the Year, for an obvious reason: FVCK COVID. The beer was fine, the name was perfect, and it would become a huge (nationwide) hit for the brewery. https://madison.com/wsj/entertainment/dining/beer/beer-baron-ale-asylum-has-some-choice-words-for-covid-19-in-new-beer/article_b4ca9729-697a-5d6a-b6a7-5f3ab9cb0151.html

Beer Baron: Ale Asylum has some choice words for COVID-19 in new beer

On March 20, three days into its new normal, Ale Asylum began making a beer with a name that would put into words what all of us would be feeling

https://madison.com/wsj/entertainment/dining/beer/beer-baron-ale-asylum-has-some-choice-words-for-covid-19-in-new-beer/article_b4ca9729-697a-5d6a-b6a7-5f3ab9cb0151.html

One of the things that stuck with me from the March interview with Chris from @TrixiesLiquor was what he called "comfort beers," and after a few weeks I realized @millerhighlife was one of mine. Yeah,

. https://madison.com/wsj/entertainment/dining/beer/beer-baron-an-ode-to-miller-high-life-my-comfort-beer/article_f523dbe8-2d20-5086-861a-b84d8a580645.html

Beer Baron: An ode to Miller High Life, my comfort beer

Miller High Life has long been my favorite Miller beer, the summer get-together crusher, the session nightcap, the beer worth walking an extra section over to acquire at the ballgame.

https://madison.com/wsj/entertainment/dining/beer/beer-baron-an-ode-to-miller-high-life-my-comfort-beer/article_f523dbe8-2d20-5086-861a-b84d8a580645.html

BODEM. Bodem. You're here on Beer Twitter so you probably already know the rest. But for everyone... @HalfAcreBeer https://madison.com/wsj/entertainment/dining/beer/beer-baron-meet-bodem-everybody-s-new-go-to-ipa/article_d587426a-b1b4-545e-8c78-568a30d9ec24.html

Beer Baron: Meet Bodem, everybody’s new go-to IPA

For all the Wisconsin beer I’ve been drinking during these unprecedented times (are we sick of that phrase yet?), there’s one out-of-state beer that keeps making it into my fridge.

https://madison.com/wsj/entertainment/dining/beer/beer-baron-meet-bodem-everybody-s-new-go-to-ipa/article_d587426a-b1b4-545e-8c78-568a30d9ec24.html

By late May... enough with the COVID stuff, right? Let's get nerdy and talk about the difference between stout and porter with an exceptional beer as a case study: @GiantJonesBeer Grand Porter. https://madison.com/wsj/entertainment/dining/beer/beer-baron-let-s-talk-about-porters-stouts-and-giant-jones-grand-porter/article_bafad776-1b25-536d-a284-11602e8a92ad.html

Beer Baron: Let’s talk about porters, stouts and Giant Jones’ Grand Porter

Suspend disbelief for a moment and walk with me into one of those bars in the movies where “a beer” is an acceptable and precise enough answer to the bartender’s

https://madison.com/wsj/entertainment/dining/beer/beer-baron-let-s-talk-about-porters-stouts-and-giant-jones-grand-porter/article_bafad776-1b25-536d-a284-11602e8a92ad.html

Latest Threads Unrolled: