For craft beer lovers, it's often the search for the next best thing. I'm often guilty of this. I'm always looking for the next undiscovered gem or seeking out the newly hyped brewery. (I'm really guilty of this with the amount of trading I do, but we'll save that for a future column.) But on the eve of July 4, let's remember that local shelves are loaded with great, classic American beers.

Many of those great beers paved the way for some of the better craft brews on the market now. e Here are my picks for American craft beer classics.

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale

California craft pioneers Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. started brewing classics in 1979. In 1980, SN released its Pale Ale. That's the beer that launched (hyperbole alert!) a million imitators. At 5.6 percent alcohol, it's truly session-able. It's piney, spicy, pungent and fragrant. When fresh, it's really hard to top. And now that SN has a East Coast brewery up and running in North Carolina, it's usually pretty easy to find this Pale Ale locally.

Anchor Steam

Since 1896, this San Francisco standout has been producing beer (decades before modern bottling started in the 1970s). Steam (or California Common) is a type of lager that is made with lager yeast (which usually ferments at lower temperatures), at a higher fermentation temperature or without ice. Since breweries in the 1890s had no ice to chill the boiling hot wort, the beer was pumped to the roof of the brewery and chilled with the cool breeze coming off the Pacific Ocean. At 4.9 percent, Anchor Steam (which comes in a distinctive bottle) is full-bodied, full-flavored, slightly bitter and toasty in the malt backbone.

Samuel Adams Boston Lager

Boston Beer Co., through its Samuel Adams imprint, helped usher in the modern craft beer revolution. Since 1984, Boston Lager has been its flagship. It's a classic American interpretation of a traditional Vienna lager. At 4.9 percent, it's also very session-able like the other highlighted classics. Hopped with two traditional German hop varietals, it's slightly spicy (in the hop profile) and very grassy. But it's balanced nicely by malt sweetness. Boston Lager is a great gateway beer for novice craft beer drinkers.

Great Divide Titan IPA

Denver brewing behemoth Great Divide helped usher in my love of craft beer. I still remember reaching for it on the shelves of the original Beers of the World location. Titan was one of the first India Pale Ales that assaulted my palate in a good way. For more than 20 years, these guys have been producing quality beer. And we should soon see their beers in cans. Titan, when fresh (make sure to check the date), is super piney, citrusy and floral. But this isn't all about the hops; it's also well balanced by a nice dose of malt sweetness.

Genesee Cream Ale

Since 1960, Genny Cream has been a Rochester staple. It's still a Rochester institution, and I think it's greatly underappreciated. Like many of the smarter beer people I've interviewed in this space over the last few months are quick to note, it's a beer you don't need to think about. You don't need to analyze. You don't need to dissect. You merely pop it open and enjoy. Beyond being local, it's not truly a craft beverage, but it's always reassuring.

Beer talk

Let's make this a conversation, let's educate each other and let's have fun. You can always reach me on Twitter (@WillCleveland13), email (, and Facebook (

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