Our third of 12 candidates for America's Next Top Beer ...

Alpha King
Three Floyds Brewery -- Munster, Ind.

Hail to the king, baby. Rich, bold and smooth, this amber-colored, caramel-scented brew lives up to its name and is one of the main reasons Three Floyds is carving out a spot for itself at the front of the craft-brew pack.

"A small-scale brewery with the heart of a brewpub, Three Floyds makes an incredibly wide variety of styles, but all done very well," the Beer Sommelier tells us. "Well known for their big, aromatic, flavorful and full-bodied beers, this is one of the country's small breweries that earns its stripes, year after year."

Ask a hophead what their go-to beer is, and there's a decent chance they'll say Alpha King ... though they might want to keep that to themselves. As Jay Jankowski, manager of Chicago beer temple the Map Room, says, "I don't think they want to get too big, but what they've done so far is pretty incredible."

The final word:

The Beer Sommelier: "Bold"
Joe Sixpack: "Over the top"
Jay Jankowski: "Quintessential"

To see a roundup of all the nominated beers, and to get more information on our Microbrewed Beer of the Month giveaway, check out our America's Next Top Beer hub.

Which microbrew should be America's Next Top Beer?
AleSmith Anvil ESB Ale104 (1.2%)
Alpha King252 (2.9%)
B.O.R.I.S. the Crusher Oatmeal-Imperial Stout 411 (4.8%)
Bell's Two-Hearted Ale882 (10.3%)
Brooklyn Lager649 (7.5%)
Cigar City Brewing Jai Alai IPA 262 (3.0%)
Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA1198 (13.9%)
Lagunitas Brewing's IPA417 (4.9%)
New Belgium Brewing's Fat Tire Amber2488 (28.9%)
Ommegang Abbey Ale369 (4.3%)
Stone Pale Ale1204 (14.0%)
Surly Brewing Co.'s Furious361 (4.2%)