Cleveland Prost: Here are my favorite beers of 2022

In compiling this list, it wasn't about the best beers, it was about the most memorable

This past year was both wild and eye-opening. It was full of both monumental and minuscule changes and challenges. It involved a kid, a new career, a move, and a whole bunch of other stuff.

Needless to say, there’s no way I could’ve survived and thrived in 2022 without the unending love, support, and guidance of my wife, Cassie. She’s such a gift. And I was so thankful I got to share so much with her this year. (Because if we’re being honest, she’s the much better, more responsible adult in this relationship. She makes my life better just by keeping me organized. And she’s the one who kick-started this entire beer newsletter venture.)

With a grateful and full heart, I want to share my favorite and most memorable beers of an eventful year with readers. This newsletter wouldn’t be possible without all the community support I’ve received and I’m excited to see what 2023 brings. (I didn’t intend this list to be so lager-heavy, but that’s how it worked out. Let’s hope for even more delicious crispy beers in 2023.)

Here are my favorites:

Kenwood Original

Y’all know how much I love Genny Light, right? (That’s a rhetorical question.) Well, if I lived in Philadelphia, this spectacular light lager would have a permanent place in my fridge. Like Montucky Cold Snacks, Kenwood produces one beer and it’s a crispy delight. The world needs more craft light lagers. If you find yourself in Philly, I recommend stocking up on this gorgeous little number.

Fifth Frame Hold the Kiwi

I am not usually a fan of traditional Pilsners dry-hopped with new school hops (whether it be Citra or Mosaic or whatever), but I really, really loved Fifth Frame’s Nelson Sauvin-hopped Pilsner. The sharp, almost Champagne-like quality of the Nelson hops worked beautifully with the crispy Pils base. The St. Paul Street brewery dubbed it a New Zealand Pilsner. And I hope it returns very soon.

Forest & Main Foeder Mild

As I wrote a few months back, visiting this Ambler, Pennsylvania brewery has long been on my bucket list. My brief visit before a fancy wedding was magical. It was the kind of laid-back pub I could envision spending all day in and its oak-fermented mild ale (which was served on cask) is the exact beer I’d love to drink by the mug.

Eli Fish Barrel-Aged Heavy Maple

My best-of-2021 list included the base beer from this Batavia brewery. The imaginative beer, a wee heavy strong ale made with maple instead of water, was named the best beer in the state at the New York State Craft Beer Competition. After sitting in a bourbon barrel for an extended slumber, the original beer is met with added oak complexity and a kiss of vanilla.

Wayward Lane two beers!

I absolutely loved the vibes and serenity at this Schoharie County brewery. We visited multiple times in 2022 and I’m already plotting our next visit. There’s something to be said for experiencing beer on a farm. It doesn’t make want to abandon the city, but it’s nice to detach for a little bit. Wayward Lane excels at traditional beers, especially its flagship West Coast-style pale ale and English dark mild ale. I especially loved Wayward Lane’s smoked Helles lager Shadowtricks and Truth Be Told Altbier, a collaboration with soon-to-open Brewery Novalis in Syracuse.

Irondequoit Beer Co. Liberator Doppelbock

I was so, so happy to see this one return in 2022. Brewers Bobby Baker and Nate Kester brought back this malty beauty for a second run last year and it was every bit as good as the previous iteration. Big, malty, warming, caramel-forward. I’m dreaming about my next encounter right now. IBC’s Doppelbock ranks as one of the best domestic examples I’ve had in this style.

Frequentem Jasmine Rice Lager

Picking just one Frequentem lager might’ve been the hardest decision on this list. It’s like asking a parent to pick their favorite kid. Sure, they might have an answer, but you’re more apt to get, “I love them all equally.” Even though we know there is always a secret favorite. (I just hope my sister doesn’t read this list, because I was absolutely the favorite.) Therefore, I settled on Frequentem’s Jasmine Rice Lager, but that answer could change tomorrow. When it comes to crispy beers, it’s nearly impossible to top this Canandaigua brewery in our region.

Wood Kettle Brother Bear brown ale

The world needs more malty brown ales. This Greece brewery makes a spectacular one. Heartily recommended.

Three Heads Too Kind DIPA

This is a bit of mea culpa. In the constant hunt for the haziest and juiciest, I was often quick to forget how much I enjoyed clean, lingering bitterness. I rediscovered a love for Three Heads’ flagship DIPA, especially fresh and on draft at the brewery’s Neighborhood of the Arts taproom.

Thin Man x Other Half Tmavý Ležák Czech dark lager

Human Robot Tmavy 13°

Swiftwater Tmave or the Highway

Three Czech dark lagers on one best-of-2023 list? Yep! The list starts off with one of the most unexpected collaborations between Buffalo’s Thin Man and Brooklyn-based Other Half. Each brewery is lauded for its hazy IPAs. But they decided to make a dark lager and it was so dreamy. If you haven’t, I recommend grabbing some Thin Man lagers. It consistently puts out some of the best in this region.

Philadelphia’s Human Robot makes some of the most exceptional lagers in the country. If it’s malty, dark, or German from Human Robot, you know it’s gonna be good. I was lucky enough to visit the brewery’s second location last June and I was blown away by every single beer. Its Czech dark lager was my favorite.

Like the other breweries, Swiftwater does such a wonderful job with variety. I am especially fond of its lagers. Its most recent Czech dark lager was so deliciously jazzy.

And if you need an intro on the style, it’s always best to consult the BJCP guidelines, which notes the style features “complex maltiness” with “malty-rich Maillard products and a light to moderate residual sweetness.” But it will still showcase that crisp lager finish.

I am ready to declare that Czech dark lager has overtaken Marzen as my favorite style of beer.

I would love to hear what you most enjoyed in 2023, so please add your insights in the comments, on social media, or via email (clevelandprost@gmail.com). I plan to share some of those selections in a future newsletter.

Best meal of 2022

For the second consecutive year, the fine folks at Buffalo Eats asked me to write about my favorite meal of 2022. And for the second consecutive year, I wrote about pizza.

Here’s an excerpt of what I wrote:

Forno Tony, a tiny Roman-influenced bakery and pizzeria, popped up in October. Out of a space it sublets, brothers Billy and Ryan Gushue have only been open for six Saturdays thus far. On those days, only from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., you could see people lining up at the corner of East Avenue and Winton Road as they hoped to score some pizza and baked goods. The lines got progressively longer as word continued to spread. But the boys at Forno Tony had to temporarily close up shop because they got too popular too quickly, overwhelming the little plaza with traffic. (The Gushues told me they are looking for a space in the immediate area and hope to re-open soon.)

If you were lucky enough to try Forno Tony for those six magical weeks, you were treated to absolutely delicious Roman-style pizza (a true first for Rochester) and baked goods.

I encourage you to read the full review and check out all four parts of the series to get to know the Buffalo culinary scene better: https://www.buffaloeats.org/2022/12/28/meals2022pt3/.

A note on sponsors

Do you own a business? Do you want to support this coverage and keep it free for readers? I can help spread the word about your business. And with your help, my work will remain free and accessible to all. Generous sponsors have supported me for the past eight months and readers have benefited. I would love to continue this.

I remain open to sponsorships, sponsored content, and advertisements, especially if it’ll keep the newsletter free for readers. And if you have information about upcoming releases, events, or happenings, don’t hesitate to reach out. For more information, feel free to drop me a line at clevelandprost@gmail.com.

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