Five beers I'd want with me on a desert island

Bear Republic Hop Rod Rye

(Bear Republic Brewing Co., Calif.)

Abundance of hops with a spicy rye edge. Not sure if you can pack any more flavor into this beer.

Portsmouth Brewing's Kate the Great

(Portsmouth Brewery, N.H.)

Producing this Russian Imperial Stout once a year is not enough. A meal in a glass. Long Live Kate!!!

Victory Prima Pils

(Victory Brewing Co,. Pa.)

Top-notch lager, very drinkable with more than enough hops.

Allagash White

(Allagash Brewing Co., Maine)

Best Belgian Style Witbier. Such a versatile beer. Great to pair with a pot of mussels or to drink on its own.

Weyerbacher's Double Simcoe IPA

(Weyerbacher Brewing Co., Pa.)

Easily getting my hops fix with this one. A great example of the Imperial IPA style.

Todd Alstrom

Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA

(Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Calif.)

This assertive smack of hops quells my need for humulus lupulus while also being extremely drinkable.

Allagash White

Simply put, this is the quintessential Belgian-style Witbier and my go-to beer at bars.

Narragansett Lager

(Narragansett Brewing Co., R.I.)

Because sometimes I crave a no-frills, easy-drinking, American retro lager that I don't have to think about. However, it's gotta be an ice-cold tallboy - or forget it.

Benevolence

(Cambridge Brewing Company)

This beer sums up extreme brewing for me. English meets Belgian meets American. Wild yeast, aged hops, bourbon-barrel-aged, 8 malts, candi sugar, black raisins, dates, sour cherries, local honey, hops.

Saint Botolph's Town

(Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project, Mass.)

A delicious, old-world brown ale that smacks of England. Quenches me need.