Beer

[karstenkibbe]

Platinum Fern. As usual, close to perfect from Treehouse.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Platinum Fern. As usual, close to perfect from Treehouse.

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I quite liked this one.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I've had this beer many times, so when I saw a nitro version I had to pick it up. Very good, but I prefer the non-nitro.

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This is an interesting choice. A Nitro quad. I'm not sure how I feel about that.

 

[HuskyHawk]

The 20th anniversary Header Topper is dropping this month.

Heady Topper 20th | Alchemist Beer

American Double IPA

alchemistbeer.com

 

[AreBee1969]

Very good Dunkel from Hoax in East Haven. Had this at the Westville Music Bowl last night. The only brown in a sea of IPAs. Was very pleased.

 

[karstenkibbe]

Very good Dunkel from Hoax in East Haven. Had this at the Westville Music Bowl last night. The only brown in a sea of IPAs. Was very pleased.

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I seriously had no idea that Hoax was still in business. I love a great Dunkel. Very few American breweries have mastered the style. Fortunately, for those of us in CT, Fox Farm’s Helmhold is probably the best in the Northeast.

 

[karstenkibbe]

Fidens continues to lead the way in the East Coast IPA arms race. Just spectacular.

 

[AreBee1969]

I seriously had no idea that Hoax was still in business. I love a great Dunkel. Very few American breweries have mastered the style. Fortunately, for those of us in CT, Fox Farm’s Helmhold is probably the best in the Northeast.

Yeah, Dunkels, ESBs, Amber ales, anything malt forward and NOT an IPA are like hen's teeth. I'll have to check out that Helmhold.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Fidens continues to lead the way in the East Coast IPA arms race. Just spectacular.

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That looks epic. It also looks like the kind of overly heavy, boozy DIPA I've been avoiding lately. Sometimes it's just too much. Where is Fidens?

 

[HuskyHawk]

Normally I’m one of the people who complain about Pumpkin beers in August. Yet I had a good one at Barnstable Brewing last weekend. Evidently fresh, has a nice vanilla note and wasn’t over spiced.

 

[karstenkibbe]

That looks epic. It also looks like the kind of overly heavy, boozy DIPA I've been avoiding lately. Sometimes it's just too much. Where is Fidens?

Located in Albany. Some are turbid. Typical New England IPa body. None of their DIPAs (or infrequent TIPAs if you venture into double digit ABV territory) are boozy. At all. Like Treehouse, they are masters of masking ABV levels. Incredibly balanced.

 

[karstenkibbe]

Normally I’m one of the people who complain about Pumpkin beers in August. Yet I had a good one at Barnstable Brewing last weekend. Evidently fresh, has a nice vanilla note and wasn’t over spiced.
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Ok, my friend. This is a WILD coincidence. My family just pulled up to our Airbnb in Hyannis for the week, 0.9 miles from Barnstable Brewing. Already prepped my wife that we are definitely hitting Treehouse Sandwich. But I’m game to try something new within walking distance if you recommend.

 

[Patman]

Ok, my friend. This is a WILD coincidence. My family just pulled up to our Airbnb in Hyannis for the week, 0.9 miles from Barnstable Brewing. Already prepped my wife that we are definitely hitting Treehouse Sandwich. But I’m game to try something new within walking distance if you recommend.

I mean do it anyways. At this point I treat breweries as an opportunity to see what people are up to.

 

[Dove]

An excellent IIPA from Fox Farm.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Ok, my friend. This is a WILD coincidence. My family just pulled up to our Airbnb in Hyannis for the week, 0.9 miles from Barnstable Brewing. Already prepped my wife that we are definitely hitting Treehouse Sandwich. But I’m game to try something new within walking distance if you recommend.

It's a good spot. Beers are mostly good but I am not a fan of their main IPA, Jesuit Juice. It isn't bad, but not my style. Worth a stop in.

Cape Cod Beer is also in Hyannis, and the beers are meh (had a pretty good Oyster stout Saturday) but I like it as a location that often has live music and is just fun.

As for Cape Cod breweries. 1. Treehouse. 2. Aquatic (Falmouth) 3. Naukabout (Mashpee). Naukabout has a big outdoor setting, sometimes with water views. Beers are good but with small pours. Naukabout Brewing Also has live music Saturdays.

There's a new small brewery in Hyannis called Oak Bay. I drove by it but haven't had the beer.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I mean do it anyways. At this point I treat breweries as an opportunity to see what people are up to.

Absolutely. I think these small breweries popping up everywhere have become America's Pub Culture. We don't really have what the English & Irish have with local pubs in suburbs. But I see local breweries doing a robust business even when the beer is below average (yes I mean you Ravenous). Just have to create a friendly, fun environment and it becomes a local hangout.

In some ways you don't want your local to be putting out top level beers, because it won't stay what it was.

 

[Patman]

Absolutely. I think these small breweries popping up everywhere have become America's Pub Culture. We don't really have what the English & Irish have with local pubs in suburbs. But I see local breweries doing a robust business even when the beer is below average (yes I mean you Ravenous). Just have to create a friendly, fun environment and it becomes a local hangout.

In some ways you don't want your local to be putting out top level beers, because it won't stay what it was.

This is true...

I've been fighting with the owner of my local and he's happy go lucky enough to tolerate it but they make a lot of obvious mistakes (including the time they sold an infected batch). He's a good person and I want him to do well but the things they do sometimes is mind boggling. However, as somebody pointed it out, if they weren't the screwups they are then the place wouldn't be what it is.

 

[HooperScooper]

Fidens continues to lead the way in the East Coast IPA arms race. Just spectacular.

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That place is a hidden gem. Most people don't know about it. They relatively recently moved into a new spot in Albany. A place around here, Rail Trail Flatbread Company (Hudson, MA and Milford, MA), serves their beer on tap sometimes. Wish I could get the cans around here.

 

[Dove]

A gift from my sis in law. Purchased at Grand Central in NYC.

A Westie IIPA called 4242. A collab from Weldwerks and Fremont Brewing out in Colorado.

Damned tasty today.

 

[brihman]

An excellent IIPA from Fox Farm.

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Fox Farm is probably the best brewery in CT…

 

[HuskyHawk]

That place is a hidden gem. Most people don't know about it. They relatively recently moved into a new spot in Albany. A place around here, Rail Trail Flatbread Company (Hudson, MA and Milford, MA), serves their beer on tap sometimes. Wish I could get the cans around here.

Ooh thanks for the tip. I've been wanting to go to Rail Trail in Milford since it opened. Hoping it can bring a little life to downtown Milford.

 

[Hey Adrien!]

I tried my first pickle beer last night. The foundation of it was like a yeasty summer ale and the sour notes and dill notes weren't overpowering, but...noticeable.

 

[karstenkibbe]

I tried my first pickle beer last night. The foundation of it was like a yeasty summer ale and the sour notes and dill notes weren't overpowering, but...noticeable.

Only a small fraction of breweries who attempt brewing pickle ales actually succeed. Most border on horrible. Four Quarters in Winooski, VT makes a nice one. But the best pickle beer by far is brewed by Plan Bee Farm Brewery in Poughkeepsie, NY. The name of the beer is simply “Pickle”. No pickles. Just cukes and dill grown on the farm. They do a variant called Pickleback, aged in whiskey barrels, which is exceptional.

 

[Dove]

A phenomenal brewski from West Hartford's New Park Brewing. Soft and pillowy. I could drink 8 in one sitting.

 

[Uconnalliance]

Hitting brewery in Sag Harbor today