Did you guys think Safety Meeting changed this year? The six pack I got tasted different -- and BAD -- from previous years. It was very yeasty and grainy. Then later in the season I saw they released a Citra Safety Meeting, tried it, and it tasted like what I remember from years past... so I kind of wonder if they always used citra hops in it before and actually changed the naming or something.
My favorite is Founder's. I have some biases here. But for me they rarely miss, and they are large enough to where they produce at a scale and level of professionalism that year-to-year when the seasonal or limited favorites come back around, you know it will taste like it always did (unless of course it is a beer like a barrel aged that by nature varies a bit per batch and per barrel).
I think I am guilty of overlooking Bell's to a degree. They have just been around and set the standard, not just in Michigan, but they are really one of the standard bearer's for craft beer nationwide. So it's almost hard not to take them for granted... most of their experimentation and limited varieties are taproom/general store only, so compared to Founder's or Short's they just don't seem as "interesting" on the shelf. But like I said, I think I often take for granted the fact of how damn good and reliable they are. Like, Two Hearted and Porter are available everywhere year round for under $10/sixer and are just great beers.
- Nathan