Beer

[storrsroars]

This is true. The vast majority of craft beer drinkers never visit a brewery and have no idea about these more sought after beers. To them, Sam, Harpoon, Long Trail and Sierra Nevada are craft. Long Trail acquired Otter Creek now, and both have really improved what the offer in the last few years. Otter Creek did lose its head brewer Mike to Hill Farmstead.

Still @Letsgohuskies11 is right, it's over-saturated in stores and in big chain restaurants, where there is a big battle among the mid sized breweries owned by the big conglomerates and the big craft players like Sam, Sierra, Stone etc.
That's why the hottest breweries are mostly going with a no or low distribution model. The real craft beer geeks aren't even going into liquor stores anymore. The breweries I think are going to struggle are those that are neither (a) big nor (b) great. Lord Hobo, Grey Sail, Baxter, Magic Hat, I could probably name two dozen. The breweries owned by ABInbev like Goose, Ten Barrel etc. are going to be hard to displace on store shelves, along with Lagunitas and Ballast Point with ties to the big guys.

The main reason to go into business is to grow the business and sell it. And that's going to be a challenge for the nano guys with one location and limited distribution outside of some kegs at local bars.

This is going to sound like a generalization and indictment on the types of folks who frequent nanos/small micros, but for most micro/nanobrewers, if they make the top of the heap, are only there temporarily as the types of consumers they attract are always looking for the next juicier fruit beer/obscure style and cooler place to take their IG selfies.

It's not that a lot of them don't make decent beers, but there isn't enough differentiation in the core product to be sustainable without wider distribution - you're already seeing microbrewers try to differentiate themselves with food and non-core elements, often just to tread water.

I'm in the coffee industry. I'm older, so I'm neither the prime demo for either the new trends in "third wave" coffee or for sour/fruit/high ABV beers. But there are a lot of similarities in younger consumers chasing flavor/taste trends (and even cult of personality) and what multinationals look for when targeting acquisitions. Long story short, you can't just be craft, IMO. You've got to be a savvy marketer and businessperson, and that's going to be more important for survival for most nanos/small micros than the actual product. And that includes distribution and vendor support.

 

[methodology]

Stony creek kinda breaks the mold. They don't make great beer, it's ok but they will stick around because of their brewery/ where it's located.

That place prints money throughout the whole summer it's insane. Every weekend from open to close it might be the busiest business on the shoreline. Winter they don't do horrible either as they have many people doing events and parties

 

[HuskyHawk]

The main reason to go into business is to grow the business and sell it. And that's going to be a challenge for the nano guys with one location and limited distribution outside of some kegs at local bars.

This is going to sound like a generalization and indictment on the types of folks who frequent nanos/small micros, but for most micro/nanobrewers, if they make the top of the heap, are only there temporarily as the types of consumers they attract are always looking for the next juicier fruit beer/obscure style and cooler place to take their IG selfies.

It's not that a lot of them don't make decent beers, but there isn't enough differentiation in the core product to be sustainable without wider distribution - you're already seeing microbrewers try to differentiate themselves with food and non-core elements, often just to tread water.

I'm in the coffee industry. I'm older, so I'm neither the prime demo for either the new trends in "third wave" coffee or for sour/fruit/high ABV beers. But there are a lot of similarities in younger consumers chasing flavor/taste trends (and even cult of personality) and what multinationals look for when targeting acquisitions. Long story short, you can't just be craft, IMO. You've got to be a savvy marketer and businessperson, and that's going to be more important for survival for most nanos/small micros than the actual product. And that includes distribution and vendor support.

I guess I'm not seeing that. Not all all really. Hill Farmstead does no adverting, and sells only on premise except a handful of draft accounts. And they are picky about those. They had a big expansion. Alchemist had a big expansion and is still selling all they make on premise. Trillium has now had three expansions, charges a ton for the beer, and when I went there Saturday there must have been 150 people there at 2:30 in the afternoon. I watch people, often older people (like me) walk out of there with $1000 in beer. Their next plan is to buy a farm in Connecticut, grow hops and maybe barley, and open yet another brewery. Treehouse just built a new massive brewery and still has huge lines. Small places like Foley Brothers...which is down a dirt road, and had a hand written sharpie on cardboard sign when I first saw it, is doing well. Foam in Burlington is killing it. I go to all of them, and it isn't just hipsters or millennials. I'm 51 now, and I see people my age and older all the time, or families with kids.

Meanwhile, most of the small places are not getting that kind of activity. Look at RI, where a bunch opened up. One of them is the clear winner and now has Treehouse like lines, Tilted Barn. The reason? The beer is just that much better. I agree you need a business plan and some savvy, especially if the beer is merely "good". Hooker in CT, yes, it needs that. So do all the mediocre start ups (some of which are not even "good"). They won't all make it, and there is almost no room to get into the distro side of the business now.

 

[storrsroars]

I guess I'm not seeing that. Not all all really. Hill Farmstead does no adverting, and sells only on premise except a handful of draft accounts. And they are picky about those. They had a big expansion. Alchemist had a big expansion and is still selling all they make on premise. Trillium has now had three expansions, charges a ton for the beer, and when I went there Saturday there must have been 150 people there at 2:30 in the afternoon. I watch people, often older people (like me) walk out of there with $1000 in beer. Their next plan is to buy a farm in Connecticut, grow hops and maybe barley, and open yet another brewery. Treehouse just built a new massive brewery and still has huge lines. Small places like Foley Brothers...which is down a dirt road, and had a hand written sharpie on cardboard sign when I first saw it, is doing well. Foam in Burlington is killing it. I go to all of them, and it isn't just hipsters or millennials. I'm 51 now, and I see people my age and older all the time, or families with kids.

Meanwhile, most of the small places are not getting that kind of activity. Look at RI, where a bunch opened up. One of them is the clear winner and now has Treehouse like lines, Tilted Barn. The reason? The beer is just that much better. I agree you need a business plan and some savvy, especially if the beer is merely "good". Hooker in CT, yes, it needs that. So do all the mediocre start ups (some of which are not even "good"). They won't all make it, and there is almost no room to get into the distro side of the business now.

I'm not going to suggest what you said here is incorrect. But it is something I see in Rust Belt urban areas.

 

[CTGoonie]

I'm thinking of stopping by Treehouse this Saturday to pick up some beer to go. For those that have been is there a long line if I arrive right when it opens at 11?

 

[methodology]

I guess I'm not seeing that. Not all all really. Hill Farmstead does no adverting, and sells only on premise except a handful of draft accounts. And they are picky about those. They had a big expansion. Alchemist had a big expansion and is still selling all they make on premise. Trillium has now had three expansions, charges a ton for the beer, and when I went there Saturday there must have been 150 people there at 2:30 in the afternoon. I watch people, often older people (like me) walk out of there with $1000 in beer. Their next plan is to buy a farm in Connecticut, grow hops and maybe barley, and open yet another brewery. Treehouse just built a new massive brewery and still has huge lines. Small places like Foley Brothers...which is down a dirt road, and had a hand written sharpie on cardboard sign when I first saw it, is doing well. Foam in Burlington is killing it. I go to all of them, and it isn't just hipsters or millennials. I'm 51 now, and I see people my age and older all the time, or families with kids.

Meanwhile, most of the small places are not getting that kind of activity. Look at RI, where a bunch opened up. One of them is the clear winner and now has Treehouse like lines, Tilted Barn. The reason? The beer is just that much better. I agree you need a business plan and some savvy, especially if the beer is merely "good". Hooker in CT, yes, it needs that. So do all the mediocre start ups (some of which are not even "good"). They won't all make it, and there is almost no room to get into the distro side of the business now.

My brother in Colchester said a brewery is opening just down the road from him. Apparently they bought a farm 2 years ago and have been growing hops and selling them to craft brewers. They just got a permit to open brewery and its suppose to open in the next year. He's hoping it's treehouse, trillium quality so he doesn't have to drive to those places

 

[HuskyHawk]

I'm not going to suggest what you said here is incorrect. But it is something I see in Rust Belt urban areas.

Location is everything! I'm not saying this works everywhere. The market in the midwest is different. In San Diego, the beer is good, but people want an "experience" as well. North Carolina is different still. New England though, has developed a fairly epic beer tourism model now, and the majority of locations are "all about the beer". Harpoon is huge, and I guarantee that their tasting room on the water in Boston doesn't get 1/10th the business as Trillium in Canton, hidden in an industrial park. The Pacific Northwest is somewhere between San Diego and New England in its approach. But even Foam in Burlington was smart to open right on Lake Champlain. The beer is great, but had it been just ok, the location would still attract.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I'm thinking of stopping by Treehouse this Saturday to pick up some beer to go. For those that have been is there a long line if I arrive right when it opens at 11?

You will wait. Open is the busiest time. You can check here to see what it is like or what beers they have. Tree House Brewing Company (October 2017)

 

[HuskyHawk]

My brother in Colchester said a brewery is opening just down the road from him. Apparently they bought a farm 2 years ago and have been growing hops and selling them to craft brewers. They just got a permit to open brewery and its suppose to open in the next year. He's hoping it's treehouse, trillium quality so he doesn't have to drive to those places

That is roughly where Trillium wanted to locate. Could actually be them. They are just printing money at that place.

 

[Letsgohuskies11]

This is true. The vast majority of craft beer drinkers never visit a brewery and have no idea about these more sought after beers. To them, Sam, Harpoon, Long Trail and Sierra Nevada are craft. Long Trail acquired Otter Creek now, and both have really improved what the offer in the last few years. Otter Creek did lose its head brewer Mike to Hill Farmstead.

Still @Letsgohuskies11 is right, it's over-saturated in stores and in big chain restaurants, where there is a big battle among the mid sized breweries owned by the big conglomerates and the big craft players like Sam, Sierra, Stone etc.
That's why the hottest breweries are mostly going with a no or low distribution model. The real craft beer geeks aren't even going into liquor stores anymore. The breweries I think are going to struggle are those that are neither (a) big nor (b) great. Lord Hobo, Grey Sail, Baxter, Magic Hat, I could probably name two dozen. The breweries owned by ABInbev like Goose, Ten Barrel etc. are going to be hard to displace on store shelves, along with Lagunitas and Ballast Point with ties to the big guys.

I think Magic Hat is one of the most overrated breweries. If you go up to Burlington, dont even bother going to it, theres a bunch of better breweries within a few miles of it

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

I’m surprised Magic Hat has made it this long. You see a lot of their stickers on old Volvos and Wranglers so that’s something. I haven’t tried anything by them in a long time because I figured out they were nasty before I even really got into beer. The actual brewery is kind of a cool place to visit though. We went to Zero Gravity, Fiddlehead, Switchback, Vermont BrewPub and Magic Hat on a Burlington Beer Bus a couple years ago. Most places are just spaces in an anonymous warehouse but they make great beer. Magic Hat has a cool place to visit but crap beer.

 

[specialisthusky]

My brother in Colchester said a brewery is opening just down the road from him. Apparently they bought a farm 2 years ago and have been growing hops and selling them to craft brewers. They just got a permit to open brewery and its suppose to open in the next year. He's hoping it's treehouse, trillium quality so he doesn't have to drive to those places

Hop Culture Farms & Brewing Co

Fox Farm Brewery in Salem is doing a similar operation already, and doing it well.

EDIT: FF is probably not growing hops at the same capacity as this place now that I looked at their Facebook site again.

 

[Letsgohuskies11]

I’m surprised Magic Hat has made it this long. You see a lot of their stickers on old Volvos and Wranglers so that’s something. I haven’t tried anything by them in a long time because I figured out they were nasty before I even really got into beer. The actual brewery is kind of a cool place to visit though. We went to Zero Gravity, Fiddlehead, Switchback, Vermont BrewPub and Magic Hat on a Burlington Beer Bus a couple years ago. Most places are just spaces in an anonymous warehouse but they make great beer. Magic Hat has a cool place to visit but crap beer.

it's what you'd expect it to be, a large space with tons of tshirts, pint glasses, other gear with the Magic Hat logo on it.

 

[Dove]

The first craft brew I had was Sam Adams, of course. The it was magic Hat #9. That was one rough brewski. Bitter as @^@%#. But I thought it was hip back then to drink them so I kept going and found the taste for that style.

Harpoon and Long Trail make great beer. Not surprised Otter Creek was bought.

Cold Creek in Ellington just lost their brewmaster to Counterweight in Hamden.

 

[Bezzz]

Cold Creek in Ellington just lost their brewmaster to Counterweight in Hamden.

I thought the brewmaster at Counterweight was a defector from New England Brewing. Is this something new?

 

[HuskyHawk]

I'll be at Beervana tonight, with a good friend who is also a UConn guy (was my roommate a couple of years). Anybody else going to be there?

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Picked up 12 each of AlterEgo and Blaze Wednesday. Going to be a good tailgate!

 

[Dove]

I thought the brewmaster at Counterweight was a defector from New England Brewing. Is this something new?

Counterweight was started by the founder of NEBCO. Not sure what the heirarchy is at Counterweight right now.

 

[HooperScooper]

Without looking through the 100 pages in this thread, what are the best small breweries in the NYC area? Someone mentioned a couple in Brooklyn that are good.

I visited a couple friends in Northern New Jersey this past weekend and told them I'd bring down a bunch of beers from Trillium. They absolutely loved them. I told them I thought there were at least a couple places around NYC that they should check out if they liked Trillium stuff.

Next time I bring some Tree House for them.

 

[Zionn]

Outer Half and Singlecut

 

[HuskyHawk]

Outer Half and Singlecut

And Grimm

 

[Waquoit]

I liked No Filter fine when when I picked up a few cans at the packy. But I had a couple on tap this weekend and liked it even more. I'm glad to see Hooker having a winner on their hands.

 

[HooperScooper]

Thanks to both of you for the reply.

 

[August_West]

Outer Half and Singlecut

I'm sure a typo but it's Other Half.

Just don't want Hooper searching for wrong stuff.

It's really good too

 

[HooperScooper]

I'm sure a typo but it's Other Half.

Just don't want Hooper searching for wrong stuff.

It's really good too

Thanks. Yeah I figured that out when I tried searching for it.

 

[Dove]

Without looking through the 100 pages in this thread, what are the best small breweries in the NYC area? Someone mentioned a couple in Brooklyn that are good.

I visited a couple friends in Northern New Jersey this past weekend and told them I'd bring down a bunch of beers from Trillium. They absolutely loved them. I told them I thought there were at least a couple places around NYC that they should check out if they liked Trillium stuff.

Next time I bring some Tree House for them.

Bronx Brewery is right off Rt 278 (exit 47). I just had their No Resolutions IPA and really enjoyed it. Its not far from Singlecut.

 

[mjmoney23]

What is the juiciest tasting ipa that everyone has had? Trail Blazer from CT valley has an amazing grapefruit flavor before the bitterness kicks in at the end. This past summer I was at a friends house and someone bought a beer from the beacon/Newburgh are that legit tasted like orange juice. Has anyone come across it before? I wish I could remember the name.

 

[Waquoit]

I find Citridelic so juicy I don't want to drink it.

 

[mauconnfan]

This thread should be more about UConn basketball than it is. You beer whores need to be drinking Rolling Rocks today if you are a true Husky fan, it's called mojo. With bacon of course!

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Did a little southeastern CT beer tour yesterday. Hit Fat Orange Cat, Fox Farm, These Guys, Epicure, Counterlight and wrapped it up at Griswold Inn. I recommend everyone get to Fat Orange Cat before they close for the winter. Plus I have a fat orange cat so that’s neat.