Beer

[AreBee1969]

This is insane. I saw a piece on the local news a couple weeks ago that reported that there are currently more than 80 breweries in CT, whereas five to ten years ago the number was in the 20s I think. Good for consumers I suppose but I don't know how sustainable this growth is. I suspect that around half of these won't be around in another ten years.

I agree, it is insane. I know of two more breweries opening up in and around Winsted where I grew up, so, three breweries between New Hartford and Colebrook.

I'm sure it's great to jump on this bandwagon, but if the breweries don't back it up with good beer, they won't last.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Survival of the Fittest. Definitely good for consumers...although you're right, the bubble will definitely burst at some point.

It won't just be the fittest unfortunately. While some very mediocre breweries are losing shelf space (Saranac, Magic Hat...) other mediocre breweries now tied to AB/MillerCoors or others are grabbing a lot of store shelf space. There is a lot of mediocre stuff out there right now, especially with fake NE IPAs..

The great on premise breweries are surviving on quality, but in the stores and on bar taps, where most beer is sold we are seeing the big national craft brands win out regardless of better local options.

 

[Rico444]

It won't just be the fittest unfortunately. While some very mediocre breweries are losing shelf space (Saranac, Magic Hat...) other mediocre breweries now tied to AB/MillerCoors or others are grabbing a lot of store shelf space. There is a lot of mediocre stuff out there right now, especially with fake NE IPAs..

The great on premise breweries are surviving on quality, but in the stores and on bar taps, where most beer is sold we are seeing the big national craft brands win out regardless of better local options.

That's true, but plenty of breweries can survive just fine without having a huge retail presence. What will decide their fate will be whether or not they can get people to come to the brewery to drink and buy their cans/merchandise there.

 

[HuskyHawk]

That's true, but plenty of breweries can survive just fine without having a huge retail presence. What will decide their fate will be whether or not they can get people to come to the brewery to drink and buy their cans/merchandise there.

Plenty? I suggest it's probably a handful. Especially breweries like Trilium and Treehouse that aren't in destination locations as alternatives to bars. They will need to make very good beer. There is going to be a shakeout again, as there was in the "microbrew" era. A mediocre brewery in a brew-pub in a popular location has a better chance.

 

[Rico444]

Plenty? I suggest it's probably a handful. Especially breweries like Trilium and Treehouse that aren't in destination locations as alternatives to bars. They will need to make very good beer. There is going to be a shakeout again, as there was in the "microbrew" era. A mediocre brewery in a brew-pub in a popular location has a better chance.

I was talking more about the local breweries. Places like Firefly Hollow and Stony Creek may not be able to keep all of their retail space in the future if they get squeezed out by the big boys and the better smaller breweries, but as long as their tap rooms are packed every weekend they'll be able to stay in business no problem.

EDIT: And I'm confused, are you saying that Treehouse and Trillium are in trouble? Both of them are packed and can't keep up with the demand; they'll be fine.

 

[Rocktheworld]

This is insane. I saw a piece on the local news a couple weeks ago that reported that there are currently more than 80 breweries in CT, whereas five to ten years ago the number was in the 20s I think. Good for consumers I suppose but I don't know how sustainable this growth is. I suspect that around half of these won't be around in another ten years.

160 (and growing) breweries in San Diego county alone

At least there are 30 or so that are solid

 

[HuskyHawk]

I was talking more about the local breweries. Places like Firefly Hollow and Stony Creek may not be able to keep all of their retail space in the future if they get squeezed out by the big boys and the better smaller breweries, but as long as their tap rooms are packed every weekend they'll be able to stay in business no problem.

EDIT: And I'm confused, are you saying that Treehouse and Trillium are in trouble? Both of them are packed and can't keep up with the demand; they'll be fine.

No, I think they are examples of places that make such great beer that they are a destination. Hill Farmstead, Alchemist the new Lawson's brewery will be that. If Stony Creek has a great tap room, making it like a popular bar, it will be fine. But it's a great example of a brewery that I think will lose retail space. It's not that great, so either the better local stuff or the big boys will take over.

I think we're pretty much aligned on this based on your latest remarks. Many parts of the country like San Diego @Rocktheworld have breweries with great bar like tap rooms. Most of the New England breweries don't.

 

[8893]

160 (and growing) breweries in San Diego county alone

At least there are 30 or so that are solid

There could be 30 or so of the 80-plus in CT now that are solid, but I will likely never know. Just too many for me to keep up on, and I barely drink beer any more.

I'm waiting for the cider revolution to hit CT. Aside from local orchards that have started to make their own hard ciders for sale on-site, I believe only New England Cider Company in Wallingford is distributing state-wide. Spoke and Spy in Middletown is making some inroads to some area bars, but that's about it. Lots of great stuff coming in from New York state though.

 

[AreBee1969]

It's getting so crazy that we now have a brewery that makes nothing but non-alcoholic beer.

Athletic Brewing

 

[Rico444]

It's getting so crazy that we now have a brewery that makes nothing but non-alcoholic beer.

Athletic Brewing

I tried them at the Two Roads beerfest back in May, and their stuff was terrible. Tasted nothing like beer.

 

[Rocktheworld]

No, I think they are examples of places that make such great beer that they are a destination. Hill Farmstead, Alchemist the new Lawson's brewery will be that. If Stony Creek has a great tap room, making it like a popular bar, it will be fine. But it's a great example of a brewery that I think will lose retail space. It's not that great, so either the better local stuff or the big boys will take over.

I think we're pretty much aligned on this based on your latest remarks. Many parts of the country like San Diego @Rocktheworld have breweries with great bar like tap rooms. Most of the New England breweries don't.

See I didn't realize that's how it is in CT. I'm used to 99% of the breweries here offering at least 6 taps of their stuff.

The environment itself is what makes some mediocre breweries fun places to go. I think of Bagby and Northern Pine in Oceanside; Culture in Solana Beach; Amplified in PB and downtown; Ballast Point in Little Italy etc.

And then you have Stone in Escondido; Modern Times in Point Loma; Resident downtown; Burgeon in San Marcos; and Newtopia Cydery in Miramar where excellent products and awesome drinking space make them must-visits

Now in this regard, quality beer + awesome bar, Portland OR takes the cake and it's not close. It's a law that every brewery must offer food so the majority of them have their own unique kitchen menus and/or food truck pods

 

[HooperScooper]

Edit speaking of Trillium, they just posted today about how they’re getting ready to open a location in North Stonington, by Mystic

Trillium is planning to open a farmhouse brewery in Connecticut | Boston.com

 

[Dove]

I tried them at the Two Roads beerfest back in May, and their stuff was terrible. Tasted nothing like beer.

Seriously? What did it taste like?

 

[Rocktheworld]

Trillium is planning to open a farmhouse brewery in Connecticut | Boston.com

Next to Modern Times, I can’t think of a brewery that has just exploded in popularity and success over a 5 year span (these last 5 specifically) as has Trillium

 

[HuskyHawk]

Next to Modern Times, I can’t think of a brewery that has just exploded in popularity and success over a 5 year span (these last 5 specifically) as has Trillium

Modern Times exploded in popularity? I haven't been impressed with them at all.

 

[Rocktheworld]

Modern Times exploded in popularity? I haven't been impressed with them at all.

We’ve gone over this. Unless you’re out here drinking their small batches and limited can releases, you can’t really comment.

They have an exceptional brewery/restaurant in downtown LA, a large brewery in Portland, have a second location in the city of SD in North Park, are set to open a new tap room/restaurant up in the county in downtown Encinitas over the next 10-12 weeks, and recently broke ground on a location in Anaheim. All in their 5ish years of existence. They have been massively successful.

They have the clout of having just put on their fourth annual Festival of Dankness which attracted nationally known breweries including Other Half, Great Notion, Monkish, and Russian River. Also got Cloudwater to come across the pond.

I’m sorry but I doubt Trillium, as much as I love them having been a fan since they were just a few months old, have accomplished quite as much. I haven’t been in the Northeast in 3 years now so I may be wrong, but I am loosely connected to Trillium through my girl, whose close friend does regional sales for Harpoon, whose boyfriend works the warehouse for Trillium

 

[8893]

I am loosely connected to Trillium through my girl, whose close friend does regional sales for Harpoon, whose boyfriend works the warehouse for Trillium

Yes, but do any of them work at the carwash? And what can they tell us about conference realignment?

 

[August_West]

We’ve gone over this. Unless you’re out here drinking their small batches and limited can releases, you can’t really comment.

They have an exceptional brewery/restaurant in downtown LA, a large brewery in Portland, have a second location in the city of SD in North Park, are set to open a new tap room/restaurant up in the county in downtown Encinitas over the next 10-12 weeks, and recently broke ground on a location in Anaheim. All in their 5ish years of existence. They have been massively successful.

They have the clout of having just put on their fourth annual Festival of Dankness which attracted nationally known breweries including Other Half, Great Notion, Monkish, and Russian River. Also got Cloudwater to come across the pond.

I’m sorry but I doubt Trillium, as much as I love them having been a fan since they were just a few months old, have accomplished quite as much. I haven’t been in the Northeast in 3 years now so I may be wrong, but I am loosely connected to Trillium through my girl, whose close friend does regional sales for Harpoon, whose boyfriend works the warehouse for Trillium

West Coast IPA.

LOL

 

[Rocktheworld]

Yes, but do any of them work at the carwash? And what can they tell us about conference realignment?

I was very close to closing that with “basically I am to Trillium as Chief is to UConn MBB”

 

[Rocktheworld]

West Coast IPA.

LOL

Fail

 

[August_West]

We’ve gone over this. Unless you’re out here drinking their small batches and limited can releases

I mean that sounds so dumb.

So what you are saying is that "yeah they make and sell dreck to the masses, but man you gotta try the small batch stuff"


What kind of business sense does that make?

Why don't they just make the best beer they can make all the time?

Something is not adding up here.

I can only assume that your known hipster tendencies fog you from the reality I just summarized. I could sell you a turd out of my toilet if I labeled it as "small batch, limited can release"

 

[8893]

I could sell you a turd out of my toilet if I labeled it as "small batch, limited can release"

...from the Festival of Dankness...

 

[HooperScooper]

West Coast IPA.

LOL

I've never had any Modern Times beers but using Untappd as a resource it looks like they've released a lot of incredible stouts but in general their IPAs aren't as highly rated. A couple decent ones (in the 4.3 range) but not a lot over 4.

 

[Rocktheworld]

I mean that sounds so dumb.

So what you are saying is that "yeah they make and sell dreck to the masses, but man you gotta try the small batch stuff"

Been over this as well ITT.

What kind of business sense does that make?

Makes enough sense that they’ll be up to 6 locations within 6 years of starting

Why don't they just make the best beer they can make all the time?

Something is not adding up here.

Maybe ask Russian River who, decades in, still don’t distribute enough of your beloved Pliny

 

[storrsroars]

I can only assume that your known hipster tendencies fog you from the reality I just summarized. I could sell you a turd out of my toilet if I labeled it as "small batch, limited can release"

It's all about the packaging and marketing. The allacoprophagia market is pretty small, but fecal implants are trending up so you could think of doing a DIY kit. If so, you'd be advised to shoot a video of someone receiving the package, documenting a step-by-step opening of the packaging and posting such YT, Insta and Snap. I bet there's at least one BYer here who'd buy some.