Memories & Reflections: The Best of 2011

 This year alone, I visited 7 countries (France, Belgium, Germany, Sweden, Ireland, England, and Scotland) & 12 states (NY, NJ, DC, CT, PA, NC, SC, FL, GA, WA, and OR). Throughout my globetrotting I visited numerous breweries, met many interesting people, and tasted at least 500 beers this year! As exciting and intriguing as that all sounds, with the good come the bad and there were certainly some trials and tribulations this year (getting deported from Europe being the big one). 
So, without further ado, here are my highlights of 2011. Since I have so many of them, I figure I'd break them down into ategories and will let the pictures pretty much speak for themselves...

BEST OF THE BEST CATEGORY

Best Memory: Proposing to Emily on our UK trip. Edinburgh, Scotland.

Best Beer: De Struise Double Black 24%abv Imperial Stout.

Best Surfing: Pacific City, OR.

 BEST BEERS: TOP 5 "SOURS"

Cantillon Fou Foune 2010 & 2011 tasted at Express D'Lyon. Paris, France.

Cigar City's Guava Grove tasted in our apartment. Paris, France.

Nogne/Mikkeller's Tyttebaer tasted at Brewdog Bar. Edinburgh, Scotland.

Zwanze 2011 tasted during Cave a Bulles Zwanze Day. Paris, France.

Mikkeller's Spontanframboos tasted at Brewdog Bar. Edinburgh, Scotland.

BEST BEERS: TOP 5 IPAS

Ballast Point's Sculpin...a whole case of it under the xmas tree. Spokane, WA.

Mikkeller's Nelson Sauvignon tasted in our apartment. Paris, France.

Wachusette's Larry tasted at my parent's house. Spokane, WA

Mikkeller's Sorachi Ace and Mont Saleve's Biere de Noel tasted in our apartment. Paris, Fr.

 BEST BEERS: TOP 3 IMPERIAL STOUTS 

Portsmouth's Kate the Great tasted at our apartment. Paris, France.

Founder's CBS tasted at our apartment. Paris, France.

Cigar City's Hunahpu's tasted at my parents house. Spokane, WA.

BEST BEERS: TOP 3 SURPRISE FAVORITES

Schlenkerla's Urbock tasted at my in-laws. Nurnberg, Germany.

Founer's Blushing Monk tasted at my buddy Abe's. Philadelphia, PA.

Two Beers' ISA tasted at my parents

 TOP 3 BREWERY VISITS

Full Sail Brewery. Hood River, Oregon.

Pelican Brewpub. Pacific City, OR.

Wrecking Bar Brewpub. Atlanta, GA.

(FOR THE BEER GEEKS) TOP 3 TASTINGS

Jordan's house. Paris, France.

Patrick's house. New Brunswick, NJ

Simon's house. Paris, France

FOR THE FOODIES (TOP 3 EATS)

Thanksgiving in Germany.

Home made breakfast burritos in Paris.

Lunch break pizzas in Paris.

So there you have it, the highlight's of my year (at least the ones that I have photos of). Hope everyone has a great New Year's Eve full of good times and great beers. Cheers until next year!