Best Beer in the USA

Inside Bay Area’s William Brand had a little ditty over the weekend about the Toronado’s 2oth Anniversary party coming up this weekend. (warning: IBA’s layout is kinda hosed. If you can’t read it, there’s a mirror right here.)

In the article there’s a few quotes from Toronado proprietor and beer demi-god David Keene (who also adorns the cover of this month’s Celebrator). His comments are about Vinnie Cilurzo and Fritz Maytag are pretty much expected as they’re both Bay Area brewing legends.

But what really caught my eye was the quote about my favorite brew nerd Tomme Arthur of Lost Abbey / Port Brewing fame.

Tomme Arthur (Port Brewing/Lost Abbey), scoured his wood casks and blended a beer for our Anniversary, we have one keg and a limited number of bottles. I have not sampled this beer yet, but have it on the authority of John Hansel, of the Malt Advocate, that it in his opinion it is the best beer he has had from Lost Abbey and perhaps in the entire USA. Can’t wait to try it.

Okay boys and girls, I have tried it. In fact, I’m one of the few people who’s tried it several times, and I can say without hesitation that it is a) the best beer in North America right now, and b) the best beer Tomme’s ever made… right up until Tomme’s next best beer.

The one bad thing I can say about Cable Car is that there’s pitifully little of it. A total one-off produced in such limited amounts that most mere beer mortals won’t ever even get close to anyone who actually even saw a bottle.

But on the bright side, Tomme seems to have a knack for going to his barrel archives and blending up something even better than his last. (Truthfully, he’s more of a “Malt Alchemist” than a simple brewer.) And on August 25th he’s hosting his first ever Barrel Tasting at Lost Abbey.

The guest count will be limited to just 100 lucky folk, but they’ll be treated to some of Tomme’s most prized barrel-aged beers including his first release of Red Poppy, an incredible 18 month old Angel’s Share and a second 2007 release of Cuvee de Tomme.

But perhaps even more significant than that is that Tomme is blending a special beer just for that night — a bottle of which each guest will receive.

Given what Tomme’s done for the Toronado with Cable Car, it’s not much of stretch to believe that what he’s going to do for his own guests will be equally (if not more) incredible.

Tickets for the Barrel Tasting went on sale around noon on Monday August 6th, so if you’re reading this any time shortly thereafter there’s a (albeit remote) chance that you can still pick up one or two.

The event is $50 per person and will include (at a minimum) five of his barrel-aged brews along with his special release. An amazing array of hors d’ oeuvres and foods will also be on hand to accompany the beers.

Full details and tickets purchases can be found on the Lost Abbey website right here.

Honestly — if you’re anywhere within 500 miles of San Diego that weekend, you’d be a fool to miss this. Really.