George Schneider convinced the royal family of Bavaria to sell him the right to make wheat beer in the 1800’s, and then never looked back. A dumb decision for the royals, but good for the rest of us. Schneider Weiss is the archetype of Bavarian Hefeweizen and, by default, all the weizen produced in the world. Loaded with banana and clove flavor, easy drinking but full bodied, and great for pairing with everything from lighter foods to sausages and potato pancakes, Schneider Weiss is a go-to beer all year long. It’s big brother Aventinus can be found in our cellar selections.

A new American classic, Spotted Cow takes the legendary pre-prohibition style cream ale and raises it new heights with its comfort, fullness of flavor, ease of drinking, and super-accessibility. You can get this beer at any grocery store in Wisconsin but it is indisputably world class and raises what can be considered a humble beer style up into the stratosphere. Full bodied, creamy, and perfectly balanced, I have never had a bad bottle of this beer. The fact that it is only available in one state is a mark against it, but this beer is the best of its class and one of the best beers in America, period.

The textbook example of a Belgian Wit, Allagash White is a perfect food beer. Pairing particularly well with Northeastern Food (namely, Lobster Rolls) Allagash White is good to go at any time of year, providing a refreshing bite during the summer and a warming spicy kiss during the winter. Drink it often and with everything.

The first bourbon barrel aged stout and the fount of the style that has taken over the US craft beer scene. Not necessarily a good pairing option for food, but it doesn’t need to be because it is a dessert all by itself. Rich, incredibly complex, and made for savory sipping by the fire on long winter nights, this is the beer you want by your side through the darkest days of the year. The variants Goose Island releases every year are fun, but they all get snapped up by beer geeks anyway, so they aren’t really worth worrying about. The original is more accessible however, and should be pursued and savored.

The classic german style helles from what is arguably the oldest brewery in the world. Perfectly brewed every time, and bottle conditioned to survive a tough transatlantic journey. Smooth, malty, crisp, with a delicious hop bite that brings balance and makes it a wonderful food companion, particularly with brats, sauerkraut, and pretzels. You can’t go wrong with this beer.

A sustaining beer, Celebrator Doppelbock from Ayinger can be considered the head of the class when it comes to German Doppelbocks. Full, rich, and loaded with layer upon layer of rich, delicious, malty flavor. A great beer for cellaring but accessible at any time in its own right.

The best porter you can get anywhere in the world, made by anyone in the world, and that includes England. Anchor Porter is one of the earliest beers that emerged out of nascent craft beer movement, and it’s still one of the best. Easy drinking, full of flavor, and a showcase of malt, Anchor Porter is defiantly delicious in a craft landscape that would prefer for beers like it to go away. Great with most meats but really shines when paired with a bowl of pecans.

The OG of American Craft Beer. The beer that reminded Americans how great beer could be. Defiantly flavorful in a time and beer landscape that saw bitterness and character dropping precipitously year after year, the pioneering use of American hops for !gasp! their flavor changed the entire world, and we are still seeing the repercussions reverberate today. 150 years from now people will still be talking about Sierra Nevada Pale Ale the same way they talk about beers like Pilsner Urquell and Spaten Dunkel. Sierra Nevada has earned its place in history and is deserving of a regular spot in your fridge. A perfect pairing option for fish tacos.