The Best posts of 2013 you probably never read

No matter how dedicated you are to our awesomeness, you may have missed some really great content. We're each putting together some of our favorite posts that didn't make our top ten posts this year. With a few hundred written there was a big list to choose from. These are all totally posts that you should check out if you missed them the first go around. Cheers!

The Big Guy: 

1. Although there is nothing better than a wax topped bomber, we have to keep up with technology. Cans are in fact the way of the future. Sun King, Flat 12, Daredevil, Great Crescent and many many more are leading the way in IN.
2. Grapefruit Jungle is one of my all time favorite IPAs. O-Dawg did a great job with the write-up, if you missed GFJ this year, make sure you DO NOT miss it next year. I'd put this against Pliny and Heady Topper any day.
3. The trading community isn't huge but its important that we keep Indiana looking good. Here are some guidelines for trading beers so you don't look like an asshole your first time around.

The BrewniBomber:

I'm newer to the blog, so I won't be nominating any of my own posts, but you can see them here. Events are one my favorite parts of the beer community:

1. I volunteered at DigIN this year, which is a newer event and I highly recommend you go next year. While I didn't write about my volunteer experience O-Dawg did. Plus, if you look closely you'll see yours truly in one of the DigIN photos!
2. I did attend the Indiana Summer Microbrewers festival and personally had a great experience, but you can see what others had to say here, here, and here
3. I was bummed I missed the inaugural CANvitational and would've liked to volunteer like O-dawg (someone should tell him that he needs to actually work when volunteering), but alas I was drinking lots and lots of beer in San Diego at the time. It got some attention, but the Little Lady's interview with Sun King's Clay Robinson is worth another read.

El Duque:

Going through the Beer Barons posts for the year was pretty epic.  Unbelievably amazing year in Indiana.

1. For my self nomination, I choose my posts on European beers that are either breaking rules like American craft, or help us gain perspective on pillars of traditional style to help get a better grounding.  Although debatable, I think having posts about breweries that are not common, but have been around for HUNDREDS of years are important to the American drinker.  I also have a school girl crush on Freigeist Bierkultur, so there's that.  You can read them here, here, here, here, here, and of course, more to come!
2. I geeked out for this beer and I think it showed in this post that was probably the best one I've written so far.  A lot of beers are getting Bretts added to them, but Anchorage are slaying it.
3. The Stone Vertical Epic tasting party was definitely a highlight of the year.  With all the bloggers there indulging in beer pairings and an amazing series of beers it was just... it was a coalescence of everything everyone in this blog has been trying to do.  Since then, things have only gotten better with laser focus.  Here are the different posts from the bloggers presented in chronological order: El Duque The Big Guy, Professor Beer

Professor Beer:

I am partial our The Scene posts, they are about more than the beer -- places you might go to enjoy that beer.  They also seem to often fly under the radar (with Savage's Ale House being the obvious exception).

1. Three Floyds - Our road trip up to Three Floyds was a lot of fun (despite the sunburn on my freshly shaved dome), and the brewpub was spectacular.  I highly recommend the pilgrimage for any Indiana beer aficionado.
2. Union Brewing Company - I always appreciate new local beer (and, for me, you can't get much more local than the UBC; since they're within walking distance of my place), and they definitely have an interesting niche producing (almost) exclusively cask ales.
3. Tin Man Brewing Company - I've always enjoyed Tin Man's theme, and their tasting room looks like a cool place to grab a brew.  I have not been there yet, but I have been meaning to make the trip down for a while.
4. Brew Dog - While Brew Dog may be less applicable to our average reader (not being in the country, let alone Indiana), it is certainly an interesting place, and seems to be worth visiting if you ever happen to be in the area.

O-Dawg:

We'll see where this takes us...

1. Guess what?  Goose Island's Bourbon County Stout is still awesome... Even though they got eaten by the big Bad AB InBev.  Check out The Big Guys Evolution of a Stout!
2. Speaking of awesome stouts...  I can't pontificate more about 1221 from Fountain Square Brewing.  Judging from the hits you guys must have missed the review.  Here it is again!
3. Canned beer makes it to more parties than bottled.  A little blast from the past in the Month of May, Beers to drink at the speedway!