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Beer

So, what am I drinking?

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Somehow I missed this site before my trip, but I was looking up Zot, a beer I recall enjoying in Bruges, and this encyclopedia of Belgian beer showed up above the fold. As comprehensive as anything I've seen regarding Belgians. I counted 192 beers with full write-ups, and even then, there were solid beers I had over there that weren't on this list as I had about 20 different ones and only 9 are on this list, so a few were very local or even proprietary to wherever I was imbibing.


There's also an app.

I'll be impressed if you can get to the all ;)

So based on the list. I got a four pack of La Chouffe Blond. Listed as a strong beer.

Head blows up like souffle when your pour it and then collapses like a souffle. Great reviews but seems rather tasteless to me. Nothing sticks out good or bad on it. Just bland. Not very carbonated. Was thinking it might taste like a Duvel but nothing like it at all.

I'll finish this one and save the other three for UConn v Wyoming viewing Saturday night. I'm sure by second possession I'll be screaming for the strongest booze I can get.


 
So a busy day with two other couples in Easthampton, MA. Visited three breweries.

New City Brewery In an old Mill along the bike trail next to the lower mill pond. Huge outdoor space, fairly small indoor space. Only about 8 beers, all around 5% abv. I thought the porter was good, the Scotch ale ok. Tried the IPA and it was just ok. Seems to really cater to the bikers, many park there to get on the bike trail (and I think the beer list is geared to them). Food was ok.

Abandoned Building Brewery Impressive IPAs and other beers. Huge outdoor space and a very nice huge indoor space, all tucked away in the same mill complex as the place above. No kitchen but they do food trucks. They also supply board games. They have a list of 4 hot pepper beers, tried a sample of one, not bad. The New England IPAs shine here, but everything is very good.

Fort Hill Brewery Even more huge location, inside and out. This one had by far the most people. The beer quality is somewhere between the first two. Their Festbeer was good, not amazing. They did have a varied list of beers with a range of styles. An orange blossom honey Pilsner was quite good (sample). IPA was better than New City, but not up to Abandoned Building levels.

On the way back to our host's house in Longmeadow we stopped in Springfield. The Student Prince & The Fort Had a large outdoor area, but notably lots of German beers on tap, including the Hacker-Schorr Marzen pictured. Great beer. Had to get the liter stein for the fun of it, but couldn't finish it.

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So a busy day with two other couples in Easthampton, MA. Visited three breweries.

New City Brewery In an old Mill along the bike trail next to the lower mill pond. Huge outdoor space, fairly small indoor space. Only about 8 beers, all around 5% abv. I thought the porter was good, the Scotch ale ok. Tried the IPA and it was just ok. Seems to really cater to the bikers, many park there to get on the bike trail (and I think the beer list is geared to them). Food was ok.

Abandoned Building Brewery Impressive IPAs and other beers. Huge outdoor space and a very nice huge indoor space, all tucked away in the same mill complex as the place above. No kitchen but they do food trucks. They also supply board games. They have a list of 4 hot pepper beers, tried a sample of one, not bad. The New England IPAs shine here, but everything is very good.

Fort Hill Brewery Even more huge location, inside and out. This one had by far the most people. The beer quality is somewhere between the first two. Their Festbeer was good, not amazing. They did have a varied list of beers with a range of styles. An orange blossom honey Pilsner was quite good (sample). IPA was better than New City, but not up to Abandoned Building levels.

On the way back to our host's house in Longmeadow we stopped in Springfield. The Student Prince & The Fort Had a large outdoor area, but notably lots of German beers on tap, including the Hacker-Schorr Marzen pictured. Great beer. Had to get the liter stein for the fun of it, but couldn't finish it.

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Sounds like a fun day of brewery stops. I’ve heard some positive things about Abandoned Building’s stouts. The few times I’ve had Fort Hill, I found them average at best. I wonder what the presence of Tree House in South Deerfield will do to these smaller breweries. Two minutes off the exit… I imagine many craft beer enthusiasts heading north or south on 91 will choose to just grab TH cans/bottles based on reputation and convenience.
 
Sounds like a fun day of brewery stops. I’ve heard some positive things about Abandoned Building’s stouts. The few times I’ve had Fort Hill, I found them average at best. I wonder what the presence of Tree House in South Deerfield will do to these smaller breweries. Two minutes off the exit… I imagine many craft beer enthusiasts heading north or south on 91 will choose to just grab TH cans/bottles based on reputation and convenience.

I don't think it has much impact. Going to the brewery is an event. Fort Hill has a fantastic location and the beer is indeed, average, which is fine. Abandoned Building has a cool location, and above average beer. Will people looking for cans stop at Treehouse? Sure. But for a fun day or couple of hours, not so much.

Case in point: the new Trillium location in Canton is epic. Simply massive and an improvement over the old spot including a restaurant now. But I'll go a lot less often, because it attracts too big a crown and loses the fun, casual "drop in or stop by" capability you want from your local brewery. Going there requires a plan.

Curious how this group rates New England breweries on these criteria: (1) Beer quality, including diversity or styles and presentation (plastic cup vs shaker pint vs proper glass) (2) location, ambiance, fun, comfort, extras (food, games, music etc.) and (3) ease of access, can you get in, what are the hours? Parking? Lines for beer?

My top 3 at present off the top of my head:
1. Long Live Beerworks in Providence
2. Lawson's Finest - Mad River Glen, VT
3. Jack's Abby in Framingham MA
 
Well, one week left in Netherlands.

Up on the Northwest Friesland area now.

This earns every bit of it's reputation. Way more carbonated than any other tripel I've drank and not nearly as syrupy. Almost tastes like a Tucher Kristal but a bit heavier. Regardless, this is top notch.

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Trillium in Canton is now too, well, more like a big community college.

Do you have preference between the two? Yeah couldnt get over how big and how much was going on inside Treehouse. Had a band playing inside. Outdoors had a bunch of tables with a fire going. Def a cool place. I just picked up cans, the lines for beer on draft seemed like 30-40 minute waits. That was on a non-can release day. I've seen photos of lines out the door when those are going on.
 
Do you have preference between the two? Yeah couldnt get over how big and how much was going on inside Treehouse. Had a band playing inside. Outdoors had a bunch of tables with a fire going. Def a cool place. I just picked up cans, the lines for beer on draft seemed like 30-40 minute waits. That was on a non-can release day. I've seen photos of lines out the door when those are going on.
On the rare day that Nate has the outdoor pizza oven going, it’s a flat-out festival atmosphere. I also highly recommend taking advantage of Treehouse’s newly cut five miles of hiking trails.

Treehouse Farm & Fermentory in Woodstock, CT, is absolutely beautiful. Another place to visit.

With all of that said, I am a Trillium white knight. DDH Congress Street is a GOAT beer for me. And what JC and Esther have done with their business is just amazing.
 
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Do you have preference between the two? Yeah couldnt get over how big and how much was going on inside Treehouse. Had a band playing inside. Outdoors had a bunch of tables with a fire going. Def a cool place. I just picked up cans, the lines for beer on draft seemed like 30-40 minute waits. That was on a non-can release day. I've seen photos of lines out the door when those are going on.

I mostly prefer Treehouse's IPAs, and think they do a better job with some other styles. Bear is the best brown ale I've had for example. Red Ales, Porters, anything derived from the UK beer family Treehouse is amazing. Treehouse has the edge in non barrel aged stouts.

Trillium still has some IPAs that are as good as anything from anybody. They do a good job with German lager styles. One the sour side, or with Saisons they crush Treehouse there. So I'd say they do a better job with Continental European styles, more like Hill Farmstead in that way. Trillium has the edge on barrel aged stouts.

I think the Treehouse setting is better, it's just gorgeous. They fixed so much that was wrong (moving the can line and pickup away from consumption area), and yes there are lines on weekend afternoons. Trillium is a little more sterile, but the new space in Canton has a full restaurant and a large indoor and outdoor area. Neither are remotely intimate anymore. It's shocking really, thinking back to when I stood in the snow at the farm in Monson to get ten cans of Julius.

For a more intimate, but still interesting location that makes stellar IPAs and some other good stuff, Long Live Beerworks in Providence is great.
 
I mostly prefer Treehouse's IPAs, and think they do a better job with some other styles. Bear is the best brown ale I've had for example. Red Ales, Porters, anything derived from the UK beer family Treehouse is amazing. Treehouse has the edge in non barrel aged stouts.

Trillium still has some IPAs that are as good as anything from anybody. They do a good job with German lager styles. One the sour side, or with Saisons they crush Treehouse there. So I'd say they do a better job with Continental European styles, more like Hill Farmstead in that way. Trillium has the edge on barrel aged stouts.

I think the Treehouse setting is better, it's just gorgeous. They fixed so much that was wrong (moving the can line and pickup away from consumption area), and yes there are lines on weekend afternoons. Trillium is a little more sterile, but the new space in Canton has a full restaurant and a large indoor and outdoor area. Neither are remotely intimate anymore. It's shocking really, thinking back to when I stood in the snow at the farm in Monson to get ten cans of Julius.

For a more intimate, but still interesting location that makes stellar IPAs and some other good stuff, Long Live Beerworks in Providence is great.
There were a couple times i went up to Monson in 2015 for a release of like 6 cans and then while standing in line they ran out of an offering or two and i left with 3 or 4 cans lol. Back then NO ONE made IPAs like TH though - you were only reaching those peaks in Monson
 
Big news re NEBCO; great location:

I thought they already inked a deal this summer to move to Fair Haven?
It was never inked.

-> Gray said that NEBCO hopes to open the new West Haven brewery by Labor Day 2022. He said West Haven city officials have enthusiastically embraced the plans, and have promised to help provide enough parking for the facility. “They need to understand that time kills all deals,” he said about New Haven’s economic development team. <-
 
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I’d encourage folks to try and get their hands on Wayward Lane in Schoharie, NY.

Very very good.
 

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I tried the Two Roads UConn beer at the Hockey Game, can confirm it is essentially indistinguishable from Budweiser. I did not see the other UConn beer, which was the one I wanted to try.
 
I tried the Two Roads UConn beer at the Hockey Game, can confirm it is essentially indistinguishable from Budweiser. I did not see the other UConn beer, which was the one I wanted to try.

that's sad, what's the price difference?
 
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