Dogfish Head, Victory Pasted.
I never heard of Paste Magazine before this and know little more than what you can find at the publication’s website. I found a link to their choices for the “Best 25 American Breweries of the Decade” in the Washington City Paper and it is, as the press kept telling us in the last election, good news for the McCain Campaign Dogfish Head Brewery and Victory Brewing Company, which are selected #1 and #4 on the list respectively. Weyerbacher Brewing Company also makes the top ten, coming in at #9.
I must say this is a very strange list on the whole. All deserving breweries on the list for sure, but perhaps in an order that some, like I, will find a bit puzzling. The City Paper writers suggest that a place should have been found for Troegs Brewing among that august grouping and including Sly Fox Brewing among those they might have added were the list expanded to 40.
Nonetheless, it’s good to be chosen among the elite no matter what the source, so congrats to the three locals who made the grade.
On a personal note, like almost every newbie who comes blundering along, Paste picks on on that damnable “Downington” address for Victory. It’s a simple misspelling and shouldn’t annoy me as much as it does, but annoy me it does.
I agree with WCP that Brooklyn, SA and Stone should be rated higher because of what they’ve done for craft brewing. I am also disappointed that any Top 25 list doesn’t include Great Lakes Brewing Company.
Lists make for good, space-filling articles but they are never the last word on any subject. Rolling Stone’s top 100 albums! 100 books you must read before you die!
Anyway, I agree with their observation about ‘Weyerbacher’s desktop published graphics.’ I don’t consider myself a super design nerd, but their labels are terrible. The beer deserves better.
I actually think that for SEVERAL brands out there Pete. I get annoyed rather quickly with breweries that haven’t - shall I say- modernize (?)- their graphics since their breweries conception in the mid 90s.
Certain designs are indeed timeless.
Others are too busy or too hokey.