Local Microbrews

drf · #1

In my area we have a great microbrewery called Abita. Recently I have been finding some other great American microbrews that with a little searching I can find locally such as Avery Brewing (Colorado) and Bear Republic (California). So what breweries are in your area that I should seek out? There is so much better beer than bud, miller, coors, etc that I would like to find something different to try.

clovisc · #2

i really like some of the speciality beers by alaskan breweries (in juneau). the baltic porter and smoked porter are awesome!!!

i also really dig iron hill breweries' beers... in DE/PA. their pig iron porter is an all time favorite... :D

i hear there are some cool beers in skagway, AK, too... haven't had any yet, though...

i'm hoping to get into brewing my own beer this winter... :D

vampyrewolf · #3

Great Western Brewery is here in Saskatoon downtown. Tours all the time but you pay the same at the brewery as the board store for a case.

But as far as I know it's only a prairie thing.

tkdman41 · #4

Saint Arnolds in Houston makes excellent beer. I am also a fan of Breckinridge Brewery in Denver. If you are looking for a hobby I highly recommend finding a home brew shop near you and trying to make a batch yourself. It is fairly easy to make good beer and you can get involved in minute details as much or as little as you like. You can make beer from a kit in about an hour or spend all day making it from a large sack of grain.

drf · #5

clovisc wrote:i really like some of the speciality beers by alaskan breweries (in juneau). the baltic porter and smoked porter are awesome!!!

i also really dig iron hill breweries' beers... in DE/PA. their pig iron porter is an all time favorite... :D

i hear there are some cool beers in skagway, AK, too... haven't had any yet, though...

i'm hoping to get into brewing my own beer this winter... :D

Yea I have heard great things about the alaskan smoked porter--supposed to be one of the best. I have not been able to find it locally

.

I have been helping (mostly observing) a friend home brew lately. It is a really neat hobby. He actually brewed a really great smoked porter recently.

TexSierra · #6

drf wrote:In my area we have a great microbrewery called Abita. Recently I have been finding some other great American microbrews that with a little searching I can find locally such as Avery Brewing (Colorado) and Bear Republic (California). So what breweries are in your area that I should seek out? There is so much better beer than bud, miller, coors, etc that I would like to find something different to try.

Ha, Bear Republic is awesome, and they are a really great group of guys. I use to wrench on their Cobra road race car.

araneae · #7

Great Lakes Brewing Co. is a huge favorite in Cleveland. A very environmentally responsible company to boot. Lots of folks swear by Dortmunder. Not sure how easy it is to find out of the area.

hickster · #8

You guys just hit my soft spot! :D
Alaska definitely has some great local breweries. I have a three tap system at the house.

With all the incredible local brews, you just have to keep a variety on hand!

Some Anchorage favorites:
Midnight Sun brewery
Mooses Tooth Brewery
Snow Goose Brewery

I usually bring back a keg from Homer during Halibut season:
Homer Brewing Co

And now we have local brew in Kenia!
Kassiks Brewing

LOTS of good local brew in Alaska! :D :D

I'm enjoying a mug of Midnight Sun porter as I tpye :p
hickster

Doc Pyres · #9

My friend's cousin makes his own beer, and he made this one I tried that had coffee beans in the batch. :eek: Wow, it had quite the kick!

Bluntrauma · #10

hickster that's a great looking set up you have there. I echo what someone above said about St. Arnolds. They have some pretty good beers.

The Deacon · #11

We have a few good ones around here.

Nearest to me is Brown's Brewing Co. Their taproom is about ten miles from me and was within walking distance of where I worked. They bottle and sell a few of their brews as well. My favorites are their Brown Ale, Dunkelweizen, and Imperial Stout. They bottle a few of their brews for distribution, including their Bown Ale and Oatmeal Stout.

Davidson Brothers in Glens Falls is another excellent brewery/pub. Their Irish Red and Dacker are great. Not sure if they're bottling any for distribution anymore though. Have not seen any in the beer store for a long while.

If you like Belgian style ales, Ommegang in Cooperstown makes some great ones, and bottles them all for distribution. Of their regular brews, my favorite is Rare Vos, but Ommegadon, when it can be found. is a taste of heaven. IIRC, they have a pretty wide distribution.

I have a natural aversion to things which tout being "green" and "organic", but Otter Creek/Wolaver's in Middlebury, Vt. makes some very good beers, and probably has the widest distribution of the ones I've mentioned.

Then again, I also like a few brews from California's Stone Brewing, including one the name of which I will not mention here. :D

grunt0331 · #12

hey drf. where do you live? i grew up in Slidell. when i was about 16 yrs old, my skater friends and i would go to the French Quarter and get 32oz Turbo Dogs for $2. that was many years ago. now, i like the Jockamo IPA and the seasonals. we now get the Andygator here in 22oz bottles.

here, in central Texas, we have quite a few micros. my favorite is Real Ale out of Blanco, Texas.

aside from Texas brews and home-brews, i am also a fan of Stone in Ca and Dogfish in De.

in the fridge right now is Sierra Nevada, as usual.

FMAKNut · #13

Fat Tire from New Belgium Brewing Company in Fort Collins, CO is always good.

Axlis · #14

FMAKNut wrote:Fat Tire from New Belgium Brewing Company in Fort Collins, CO is always good.

Very good stuff!

white cloud · #15

you guys are great. ever notice the incredible poise and taste of the people on this forum.

we have some really nice micro breweries here in nc/sc also. i am fortunate to have a girl friend who likes beer also so it is fun try the local stuff when we travel.

mrappraisit · #16

I don't drink much beer but when I do I really like a locally brewed beer called Kilt Lifter (a Scottish Ale) by Four Peaks Brewery in Tempe, Az. It's really smooth and it's 6% :D

http://www.fourpeaks.com/

Piercieve · #17

There's a small ale house here almost on campus that brews it's own beer. They have a pretty tasty brew called Tiger Tail Ale, but they only sell it in-house :mad: .

pjmaxm · #18

Two great ones near me would be:

New England Brewing Company in Woodbridge (Near New Haven)http://www.newenglandbrewing.com/

and

Thomas Hooker Brewing Company in Bloomfield (near Hartford) http://www.hookerbeer.com/

Both make very good beer with Thomas Hoooker being my preference.

WhyNot · #19

If you like full-bodied beer you cannot go wrong with Summit India Pale Ale or Summit Extra Pale Ale (or almost any Summit beer :D ) brewed by Summit Brewing Co. in St. Paul, MN.

http://www.summitbrewing.com/home.php

WhyNot.

Brad S. · #20

WOW Hickster! Thats incredible! Woohoo. I want to do that at my place before long. You will have to tell me more about that setup sometime! Being where I am (boulder, Colorado) I feel im a smidge spoiled. I have Avery Brewery Just a few miles (10 min bike ride :) ) Boulder Brewery, Left Hand Brewery, twisted Sun Brewery Mountain Sun Brewery... New Belgium Brewery (one of my personal Favorites)...

And even with that I still brew at home :) Just opened the first bottle of an english pale ale last night :) quite tasty.