5. Maine Beer Company – Lunch
This beer signified the death of the IPAs of yesteryear. They still shine brightly through all of the turbid milkshake monstrosities that man-titty hop-heads smilingly stand in long lines to purchase parchments by the case at a cool cost of $143.76
And while we laugh, Maine Beer Co. has and still does get away with an even higher price point in retail than most of the little guys.
But why? You may ask. Why is it so expensive if there isn’t the scrapings of a lawnmower bag stuck to the bottom of my can?
Because fuck you. That’s why. Also, sexy slender bottle.
Across the communities we serve, Verizon’s employees are engaged in supporting neighbors and building community capacity. They give generously of their time, talent and financial resources to nonprofit organizations.
4. Westbrook – Mexican Cake
I think it was the most responsible seedling for the cupcake stout boom. At the time, single adjunct stouts were all the rage. Chocolate? Vanilla? Cinnamon? …chili peppers?… sure, maybe.
Most of these on their own were par for the course, but after this beer all bets were off. Why not blend tequila barrels with some root beer and maple syrup? …add dried strawberries and caramel, almonds and pink peppercorn, rum and pizza and cupcakes and actual money?! The sky, hereafter, was the limit.
With a workforce as large as Verizon’s, that adds up to thousands of hours and millions of dollars each year – an enormous benefit to local communities.
By partnering to give,
we grow their impact.
3. Anderson Valley – Blood Orange Gose
When sour beers became all any 22 year old girl knew in the way of “what they liked to drink,” we were barraged with an onslaught of actually dangerously low pH (but low ABV!) nightmares that were just waiting to give you an ulcer.
Slowly, the market seemed to shift towards the Gose (for practical reasons). A lightly tart, barely sour “sour” offering. It was at this time that Anderson Valley seemed to take the country briefly by storm, with a great tart but balanced offering.
As time went on, they slowly added more and more “sour”-friendly adjuncts. The undoubted king of which was the Blood Orange variety.
I think it was this era of the decade that swayed a lot of would-be wine drinkers into beer’s territory. This same demographic is now more beholden to hard seltzers in between more expensive cocktails.
Verizon encourages our employees’ passion to serve others. And we support their efforts – through our Matching Gifts Program and by making donations to the nonprofit organizations they choose to volunteer with.
2. Hill Farmstead – Edward
I mean, what do I need to say? Juicy like citrus fruit, dry like black tea, doing hazy hoppy beers right since before they were cool, Hill Farmstead’s Edward easily one of the most important beers in history. This beer is the reason every beer idiot you know is in love with the IPAs of today, whether they realize it or not. While The Alchemist’s Heady Topper is a fair candidate for this slot for the exact same reasons, that beer was being sold at bars over 10 years ago. Edward, to my knowledge, was not.
1. Suarez Family Brewing – While
As beer has progressed, we’ve seen a distinct upward trend in “amount of flavor in a beer” up until about 4 years ago, when whispers of “Kolsch” and “Pilsner” started to regularly grace first our beer festivals, next our watering holes, and finally our local package stores.
Suarez seems to be focusing on these cleaner styles, flexing the cleanly perfection with which their products are created.
All the kids are raving about their Pilsners, but me? While the Pilsners are top-tier, world class beers… I’m more of a Helles guy. At least when the Helles is right. That sweet chewy straw finish is God damn perfection. If you want the best example of the full circle/upward spiral that has been American craft beer, have a glass of Suarez’s While.
What a wild fucking ride beer has been these past 10 years.
On behalf of our thousands of employee volunteers, we’re proud to share just some of what they’ve achieved – and what we’ve accomplished by partnering together.
Merry Christmas from all of us at Verizon.
*hail moloch out of 10*
Malt Fiction. 