Ah, the close of another year. The time of endless listing. Lists, lists, lists. But one that we actually like and one that actually interests us is the Alström Brothers’ BeerAdvocate 2008 Beer in Review as the last issue of the year and the one-year anniversary of the magazine. (You can pick up your free copy at Bruisin’ Ales.) It features the Top 25 Beers on Planet Earth; the Top 25 American Brewers; the Top 25 American Beer Bars; the Top 25 American Beers; the Top 25 Belgium Belgian Beers (now that’s funny and exactly how it is printed); the Top 25 German Beers; the Top 25 UK & Irish Beers; and the Alström Bros’ Top 25 Beers. Whew. The lists are extensive, though there are a lot of overlaps with the usual suspects.

[Editor's Note: Today BeerAdvocate.com converted to its new A-F rating system. We really, really, really dislike the new system and were dreading its implementation, not only because they assbackwardly changed the older online rating system to match the print magazine, but the A-F system just leaves so much gray area. It feels dumbed-down. Despite all that, we still respect beer.]

We took our time going through to see just how our humble storefront stood up to the list. How’d we do with what is available to us here in Asheville?

Top 25 Beers on Planet Earth
#20 Trappistes Rochefort 10

Top 25 American Brewers
#8 Oskar Blues
#13 Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales
#14 Southampton Publick House
#19 Brewery Ommegang
#22 Victory Brewing
#25 Allagash Brewing Company

Top 25 American Beer Bars
#3 Brickstore Pub (Decatur, Georgia)
Cheers to our friend in beer, Brickstore Dave, for garnering a massively high ranking and showing that Southern beer culture is alive! Roadtrip anyone?

Top 25 American Beers
None
If we could only get some Russian River (we had half of it this year with Collaboration Not Litigation), Lost Abbey, Kuhnhenn, Founders or Three Floyds to name a few, we’d be in great shape. The good news is Founders is rumored to be entering the NC market in 2008.

Top 25 Belgium Belgian Beers
#4 Trappistes Rochefort 10
#7 St. Bernardus Abt 12
#11 Avec Les Bons Voeux
#15 Trappistes Rochefort 8
#16 Abbaye Des Rocs Brune
#18 Abbaye Des Rocs Tripel Imperiale
#23 Chouffe Houblon
#25 Duvel

Top 25 German Beers
#2 Ayinger Celebrator
#3 Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier
#4 Aventinus
#7 Schneider Weiss
#8 Weihenstephaner Korbinian
#10 Uerige Doppelsticke
#11 Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier Dunkel
#12 Kulmbacher Eisbock
#13 Uerige Sticke
#14 Paulaner Hefe-Weizen
#16 Schneider Aventinus Eisbock
#17 Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier
#18 Kapuziner Weissbier 
#21 1809 Berliner Weisse
#23 Ayinger Brau-Weisse

Top 25 UK & Irish Beers
#3 J.W. Lees Vintage Harvest Ale
#5 Fuller’s London Porter
#7 Samuel Smith’s Oatmeal Stout
#10 Traquair House Ale
#11 Traquair Jacobite Ale
#12 J.W. Lees Harvest Ale Port Cask
#15 Thomas Hardy’s Ale
#16 Meantime I.P.A.
#17 Guinness Foreign Extra Stout
#18 Young’s Double Chocolate Stout
#19 Meantime London Porter
#21 Samuel Smith’s Taddy Porter
#24 Fuller’s E.S.B.

Alström Bros’ Top 25 Beers
#8 Brooklyn Local 1
#13 Dogfish Head Festina Peche
#15 Alvinne Podge
#20 Samuel Adams Imperial Pilsner 
#23 Great Divide Hades