As it does at the beginning of every year, RateBeer, one of the world’s leading resources for beer reviews along with BeerAdvocate and Untapped, unveiled its much-anticipated list of the 100 best breweries in the world. AleSmith Brewing ranks ninth. But for AleSmith, an artisanal brewing company born out of the San Diego craft beer boom in the 1990s, it’s hardly a new accolade. AleSmith has been consistently ranked on RateBeer’s list of best breweries in the world for years. The brewery focuses on Belgian and British brewing styles, barrel-aging, and recently hazy IPAs. AleSmith has grown exponentially over the past decade, and remains one of San Diego’s best known, most highly regarded beer brand. They ship beer to 12 states, five foreign countries, and throughout California. AleSmith is celebrating its 28th year in business and their state-of-the-art brewery occupies a 109,942 square-foot facility. Today, Peaks & Pints offers AleSmith as our in-house flight — a flight we call Peaks and Pints Beer Flight: AleSmith.
Peaks and Pints Beer Flight: AleSmith
AleSmith Clasico Mexican Lager
5.2% ABV, can
In celebration of the 25th Anniversary of Sublime‘s release of their iconic album, 40oz. to Freedom, Sublime contacted AleSmith to brew Sublime Mexican Lager, a thirst-quenching twist on a traditional Vienna-style lager highlighted by a grainy, malt-forward sweetness and easy drinkability. Clásico is AleSmith’s rebranded Sublime Mexican Lager that pays homage to their Southern California home where they chill at the beach, crush tacos, and drink classic Mexican brews. Brewed with German and Vienna malts, this crisp, easy-drinking beer has a subtle hop aroma, a hint of corn tortillas, and a refreshing finish.
AleSmith Tower of Flower
6.8% ABV, can
Brewing since 1995, AleSmith is a true O.G. of Beeramar and the San Diego craft brewing scene. AleSmith collaborated with Long Beach, California, brewery Beachwood Brewing on Tower of Flower, a behemoth West Coast style IPA that has been double dry hopped with Galaxy, Cashmere, and Nelson hops. This hop blend gives this beer intense notes of passionfruit, citrus, peach, and melon.
AleSmith Party Tricks
6.8% ABV, draft
Tie a cherry stem in your mouth, crack an apple in half with your bare hands, flip a water bottle to a standing position, and do an AleSmith Party Tricks IPA keg stand. These are a few tricks you could master to be the life of the party. Pro tip: drink the Party Tricks after the show. It’s brewed with a massive amount of Strata, El Dorado, and Citra hops for notes of grapefruit, strawberry, and passionfruit.
AleSmith Horny Devil
10% ABV, can
AleSmith’s Belgian-style golden ale brewed with authentic Belgian ingredients including candi sugar and a Trappist yeast strain for fruity and spicy aromas including notes of orange, banana, and peppercorns. Coriander seeds add refreshing citrus notes, which meld with the beer’s delicate malt. Expect lively carbonation and a refreshingly dry finish.
AleSmith Speedway Stout
12% ABV, 70 IBU
Crashing in with an ABV of 12 percent, AleSmith’s Speedway Stout goes a step farther than most coffee-flavored stouts and porters (which derive their flavor from roasted malts) and includes an unspecified amount of ground coffee in the brewing process. The result is an intimidatingly dark beer that pours smoothly, leaves very little head, and is surprisingly light and easy to drink. The coffee flavor dominates: the beer is reminiscent of a freshly brewed iced coffee with hints of chocolate and caramel. It finishes with just a tinge of alcohol, which helps to cut the richness of the flavor and leaves you feeling warm, though whether that’s because of the alcohol or the coffee, we’re not sure.
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