Lists: RateBeer's Bests of the Year and Pending LCBO Arrivals

I am a few days behind on both of these, but wanted to comment slightly upon each and had to find a moment.

RateBeer has published their annual 'best-of' lists based on public ratings made by an often well-informed crowd-source.  Looking over these lists makes me reflect on a few things:

1) We are extremely fortunate to have barVolo in Toronto.  There are a few others here that I, personally, think should make the list too (more when I, eventually, get to beer bar reviews), but Volo truly is in a class by itself.  World class and deserved of the praise.

2) On the note of praiseworthy: Dieu du Ciel also deserves its ranking as 18th best brewery in the world (and on the Brewpub list), as do Microbrasserie Charlevoix and Unibroue, though I think there are a few other Canadian breweries that are about as good as Unibroue, but that don't make as many Belgian style beers and get a bit less credit (McAuslan for one!).

3) Readers of Malty Tasker are extremely fortunate I am extremely fortunate to have rated three of the top 50 overall beers on this list for you in my short two months here (numbers 5, 43, & 45), yet we are extremely hindered by the LCBO regulations (love them or hate them) insofar as the only other one on the list I have ever even seen for sale here is #40 (though I admit to possibly having missed seasonal releases of some when not looking).  To see what those numbers are, check the lists or the links!

4) I fare a little bit better on the Canadian list having either had/rated or have awaiting a taste in the cellar 22 of the top 50, including 9 of the top 11, though there are some distant (Quebec) seasonals and limited/brewery only beers there that I will have to put in the effort to procure sooner or later!

Tell me in the comments, which you think are the excellent and neglected choices by the ratebeer community...

And in the one other (delayed) news link, the LCBO's Spring 2012 Seasonal Release List looks quite promising, with at least a handful of excellent beers I anxiously await tasting/reviewing and others I will probably enjoy too despite my current ignorance of them!

Cheers!