Beer

[CTBasketball]

Schaffer out of a can, or a nice PBR on tap.

 

[WestHartHusk]

Well the best in state beer IMO is a hop monster so we have start there:

NEBC's Gandhi-Bot an incredible Double IPA which to me more than holds its own with the (overly?) lauded Heady Topper out of Vermont.

Agree on this, 100%. As a rule, I really enjoy NEB CO brews.

For non-hopmonster, I have been into Overshores. They are making some great Belgian beers.

 

[UCweCONN]

The only beer allowed on this site is Rolling Rock.

 

[alfonse]

Hill farmstead Abner in Vermont....

 

[August_West]

Agree on this, 100%. As a rule, I really enjoy NEB CO brews. For non-hopmonster, I have been into Overshores. They are making some great Belgian beers.

Have you tried Zapata-bot yet? It's REALLY good.

They cracked a barrel at Prime in New Haven a couple weeks ago. Really nice.

 

[KingOPancakes]

Olde Burnside Ten Penny Ale. Brewed in east hartford.

 

[upstater]

Gandhi-Bot is really good, and it has a huge national reputation. Not a fan of canned hipster beers though.

Is this the same brew company that started in New Haven in the 80s with Elm City?

 

[WestHartHusk]

Have you tried Zapata-bot yet? It's REALLY good.

They cracked a barrel at Prime in New Haven a couple weeks ago. Really nice.

Wow. Gandhi bot in a tequila barrel...I need to try those side by side. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[intlzncster]

Schaffer out of a can, or a nice PBR on tap.

I had no idea you were so high brow, CT.

 

[intlzncster]

It's one state up from CT, but if you are a fan of Trappest Ales like myself, the the monks of St. Joseph's Abbey in Spencer, MA make a good version (though not quite up to the level as some of their Belgian cousins). http://spencerbrewery.com/

The only certified Trappist beer brewed in the US.

 

[alexd]

In no particular order....

Lizard Breath IPA, Firefly Hollow Brewing, Bristol CT
Rye Saison, Stubborn Beauty Brewing, Middletown, CT
Flying Jenny Extra Pale Ale, Grey Sail Brewing, Westerly, RI
White IPA, Whalers Brewing Co., Wakefield, RI
Allagash White, Allagash Brewing, Portland, ME
Hopstillo IPA, Broad Brook Brewing, E. Windsor, CT
Back Bay IPA, Boston Beer Works, Boston, MA

 

[alexd]

Olde Burnside Ten Penny Ale. Brewed in east hartford.

Their Ten Penny Ale has lost a bit of something from what it was at the beginning ....their Penny Weiz Ale is very good though.

 

[Sibeerian]

They are making fantastic beer at Stubborn Beauty Brewery in Middletown. The porter is especially good. Growlers only at this point and on tap at bars. Worth a trip for tastings.

 

[Fishy]

I don't drink a heck of a lot of beer, but we were in Vermont for the marathon and they had Heady Topper at whatever place we went to on Church Street.

I failed to see the greatness of it - yes, they managed to cram all the hops in the world into it, but it tasted like a pine cone.

 

[alexd]

They are making fantastic beer at Stubborn Beauty Brewery in Middletown. The porter is especially good. Growlers only at this point and on tap at bars. Worth a trip for tastings.

Yes!!!! I tried their beers at the Ct Brewers Fest at Ski Sundown in July...amazing....Then I went straight to their booth at the September Sundown Fest...I need to get down to Middletown...Plus they get kudos for a great name.

 

[CTBasketball]

I had no idea you were so high brow, CT.

I kid I kid.

Here's my list:

• Rye IPA - Harpoon, Boston MA
• Coffeehouse Porter - Berkshire Brewing Co, Deerfield MA
• Midnight Brett - Allagash, Portland ME
• #6 - Magic Hat, Burlington, VT
• Any Long Trail, Bridgewater, VT

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Bot sure if they can be called the best but I do believe this place does belong on this thread:

http://halffullbrewery.com/

I'm not big on ales (pilsners are by far my preference) but this is a UConn story, I first found out about this place due to an alumni gathering there not quite a year ago. For any alumni who may have interest, there will be another gathering there in mid November. For those interested, if you aren't an active member of the alumni association, I imagine a phone call to the association would be more than enough to get an official invitation.

This also is a UConn story as the owner is a UConn grad and the funding was arranged by the alumni association matching investors with this investment opportunity.

 

[Jay-Bone]

This is owned by three Uconn grads.
http://www.topshelfbrewery.com/

Two Roads has been blowing up lately but I haven't had many of theirs yet.

I'm not a hop guy so I like Thomas Hooker's Liberator Dopplebock and NEBC Imperial Stout Trooper. I miss Hammer & Nail from the 90's.

New England wise Cambridge Brewing Co makes some great barleywines and scotch ales which are some of my favorites. There's also Portsmouth Kate the Great, Allagash Oddyssey, Smuttynose Baltic Porter and Sam Adams Utopias too.

 

[Dove]

Schaffer out of a can, or a nice PBR on tap.

I have often found that when I really want more than just one beer I reach for Schaffer.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Schaffer out of a can, or a nice PBR on tap.

I have often found that when I really want more than just one beer I reach for Schaffer.

I've always heard that it's the one beer to have when you're having more than one.

 

[Davidm]

Although not instate I felt this deserved a mention

I've only had this beer a couple of times on draft because I can't find it in package stores that I've looked in (my package store said they ordered 5 cases but sold almost immediately because everyone loves this beer)

My new favorite for fall beers (or at least one of my favorites now, albeit I've only had it at a couple of bars on draft - Plan B in Glastonbury, and the Irish bar on 66 in Hebron a few others but I know those 2 have / at least had it.)

Southern Tier Imperial Pumpking Ale

Its around 8.8% I think? Best pumpkin beer I've had well recently at least

 

[mauconnfan]

Cold

 

[intlzncster]

Cold

You must hate visiting England.

 

[pnow15]

The one that gets her to say yes.

 

[Hoophound]

I don't drink a heck of a lot of beer, but we were in Vermont for the marathon and they had Heady Topper at whatever place we went to on Church Street. I failed to see the greatness of it - yes, they managed to cram all the hops in the world into it, but it tasted like a pine cone.

It is very rich. There is a place in Stowe called Piecasso that has good NY Style pizza. I am always amazed how many guys guzzle Heady while scarfing down most of a large pizza. One Heady stuffs me like Thanksgiving dinner.

The beer scene in VT is excellent. Magic Hat #9 is outstanding beer and is easy to find anywhere. I'd argue it is among the best there is. I also love Switchback and Fiddlehead IPA. Switchback Brewery is in Burlington and their IPA is my favorite beer as of today, just amazing stuff. If you are ever in the Stowe area, the Alchemist, which brews Heady Topper, is building a new, state of the art facility in Stowe so they can make more beers and sell more beer and merchandise. They had a full lineup until Heady became a sensation. They had to stop making their other beers just to keep up with Heady demand. The Trappe Family Lodge has a small brewery but they too are in the late stages of building a new, large destination brewery. Just down Route 100 5-10 minutes in Morrisville are Rock Art Brewery and Lost Nation Brewery. Both have a handful of great beers from lagers to stouts with tasting rooms and beer sales and Lost Nation also has a cool, quality casual restaurant.

I highly recommend a weekend of Vermont brewery hopping in November. The cool air makes the heavier beers and comfort foods taste their best and nothing is crowded until the ski areas open.