I have to admit; I’m ignorant as a bush about American beer. I’ve only tasted are the Bud and Millers. Now I know there’s at least 25 beers I have to try, thanks to Men’s Journal’s third annual survey “25 Best Beers In America“. With my current drinking habits, that should keep me busy for the next two years.

1. Firestone Walker Pale Ale

Firestone Walker combines the subtlety of a British ale with the fragrant bite that Americans weaned on microbrews have come to expect. If you’ve ever enjoyed a bottle of pale ale, we suggest you seek this one out.

2. Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA

If Dogfish Head brewer Sam Calagione worked in a real lab somewhere, he’d probably be trying to engineer living organisms from scratch. Be glad he stuck to beer.

3. Stoudt’s Pils

Stoudt’s is the oldest craft brewery in the state, and its experience shows in this light, buttery brew, which is subtle and full-flavored enough to compete with the finest European pilsners.

4. Russian River Temptation Ale

The aging and the addition of brettanomyces move Temptation beyond standard blond ale territory (sweet, estery, highly alcoholic) into the realm of something worth cellaring and saving for special occasions.

5. Avery Mephistopheles’ Stout

Diabolically strong at 15.1 percent, Boulder brewer Adam Avery’s latest creation demands respect. Drink it for a glimpse of the awesome power a beer can unleash, but be careful: You may never be able to drink another stout.

6. Anderson Valley Boont Amber Ale

Boont Amber shows what potential the style has: room for floral hops, melony aromas reminiscent of those found in the finest Belgian ales, and a round, full, sweet-malt body that doesn’t show a trace of the rotten-fruit sourness that can taint lesser amber ales.

7. Great Lakes Holy Moses White Ale

This variation on the Belgian wit, or white, beer, a light, frothy wheat-based style spiced with coriander and lemon peel, has a nice American twist.

8. Full Sail Session Lager

As with Oly, you can drink it all night long (”Session Lager” means “suitable for drinking for hours on end”). Unlike Oly, Session has real taste, which makes it all the more likely to lure you into that long night out.

9. Rogue Brutal Bitter

Rogue is one of the pioneers of the West Coast extreme beer scene, in which brewers take standard beer styles and add more: more hops, more malt, more alcohol.

10. Bell’s Expedition Stout

Bell’s Expedition is surprisingly smooth. Not surprisingly, it’s potent, too, at 11.5 percent, though cocoa and dried fruit flavors balance the booze. This is one for savoring, preferably to toast the end of a long voyage.