Shotluck

Here's the deal. I drove 13,000 miles around the United States and into Canada (and back, by the skin of my teeth) last autumn. Along the way, I put myself on a "bomber a day" diet. I was only allowed to pick up one bottle of beer in each town, ideally a 22-oz bomber, and when I got home, I'd crack 'em open all at once. The photos below reflect this mission, which I more or less achieved.

I invited a dozen friends, each required to BYO shot glass, which would serve as their taster for each beer (since some bottles were only 12-oz and I didn't want the samples to look paltry). It was also a potluck dinner. Hence: Shotluck.

Here's a list of what we cracked open, in an attempt to go from light to dark:

Brewery, brand, (style), Alcohol by volume (ABV) - state brewed; (state picked up if different), overall rating on scale of 10.

1. Dixie Beer (Lager), 4.5% - LA/WI (LA), 3

2. Wasatch "The Devastator" (Double Bock) 8% - UT, 5

3. Tommyknocker "Butt Head" (Dopplebock) 8.2% - CO, 6

4. Bell's "Third Coast Beer" (golden beer) 4.8% - MI, 8

5. Goose Island "Harvest Ale" (ESB) 5.7% - IL, 4

6. Jesse's homebrew (Cali-Belgian) ?% - CA (The only non-road beer poured), 9

7. Four Peaks "8th Street" (Pale Ale) 4.5% - AZ, 7

8. Laughing Buddha "Ginger Pale" (spiced ale) 5% - WA, 8

9. Bell's "Oberon" (wheat ale) 5.8% - MI (NC), 10

10. Phillips "Blackberry Hefeweizen" (fruit beer) 5% - BC, 4

11. Sprecher "Mama Mia Pizza Beer" (nutso spiced ale, c/o Tom Seefurth) 4.5% -  WI (PA), ?

12. Renegade "Siletz Spruce" (herbed ale/Gruit) 6.5% - OR, 7

13. Four Peaks "Kiltlifter" (Scotch Ale) 6% - AZ, 7

14. French Broad "Dunkel-Witte" (black'n'wit) 7.5% - NC, 8

15. Real Ale "Brewhouse Brown" (Brown Ale) 5.4% - TX, 7

16. Southern Tier "Pumking" (Imperial Pumpkin Ale) 9% - NY, 9

17. Wasatch "Polygamy Porter" (Porter) 4% - UT, 3

18. Bell's "Porter" (Porter) 5.6% - MI, 8

19. Duck Rabbit "Porter" (Porter) 5.7% - NC, 7

20. O'Fallon "Smoke" (Smoked Porter) 6% - MO (IL), 9

21. Duck Rabbit "Milk Stout" (milk stout) 5.7% - NC, 7

22. Three Floyds "Moloko" (milk stout) 7% - IN, 8

23. America's Brewing Co/Walter Payton's Roundhouse "Imperial Stout" (bourbon-aged imperial stout) ?% - IL, 7

PS. Don't ask about the Goose Island Bourbon County Stout.

Food-wise, there were meat and vegetarian homemade lasagnas, salads, intriguing appetizers, three pies, and more, to help soak up all the interesting flavors (and oh yeah, alcohol). I can't wait 'til I collect a couple dozen more.