Beer

[HuskyHawk]

Cold Harbor is close to my house. They make pretty good beer. Not exceptional like Tree House and Trillium, but better than any of the others within 15 minutes of my house (of which there are like 8 breweries).

Try their Juice Freak. One of their best.

I bought Juice Freak and like it. I also bought the Subterranean Homesick Brew. I like it a little better than Juice Freak. Lately, when I go to the store it's just overwhelming how many IPAs and DIPAs are in the cooler. My thought was, I want Cold Harbor to survive Covid lockdowns, so I'll buy their beers. I am confident that bigger places like Jacks Abby will be fine.

 

[Waquoit]

I'm liking the Citranade at Paddle Creek Brewing in East Hartford. I stop and get a 4-pack if I'm in the area.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Broke my beer fast light night before the game. Speed Mettle from Trillium is superb stuff. One of their best new DIPAs in some time. Max Legroom is good too. Had Lizard King from Pipeworks (Chicago) and was reminded of IPAs from 10 years ago. Not bad, but I really can't go back from the New England style to the old bitter and heavy malt style.

 

[Letsgohuskies11]

anyone have anything from Maine Beer Company? Feel like their distribution has come into the NYC area so i see a lot of their beers in the store.

 

[8893]

anyone have anything from Maine Beer Company? Feel like their distribution has come into the NYC area so i see a lot of their beers in the store.

When I drank beer, I enjoyed theirs very much. Every one I had was very good to excellent; most were IPAs of some sort but they also do some interesting stouts and porters.

Lunch and Dinner were the most sought-after then, with Dinner only being served at the brewery for a time. I think that has changed since. I also really liked Another One and A Tiny Beautiful Something. They all tasted “soft” to me in a good way, like it was something in the water (or maybe something not in the water).

Zoe, MO and Peeper are others I remember enjoying.

 

[HuskyHawk]

When I drank beer, I enjoyed theirs very much. Every one I had was very good to excellent; most were IPAs of some sort but they also do some interesting stouts and porters.

Lunch and Dinner were the most sought-after then, with Dinner only being served at the brewery for a time. I think that has changed since. I also really liked Another One and A Tiny Beautiful Something. They all tasted “soft” to me in a good way, like it was something in the water (or maybe something not in the water).

Zoe, MO and Peeper are others I remember enjoying.

Yep. Nailed it. The stouts are good too. The Maine stuff was sought after at one time, but they haven’t changed anything, including the overpriced 500ml bottles. They used to keep Lunch behind the shelf at stores, now there are cases of it. Squandered an opportunity in my opinion.

@Letsgohuskies11 worth trying all those mentioned. Check the dates. Buy refrigerated if possible. Mo on tap was probably one of the two best pale ales I’ve ever had. But anything hoppy and more than two months old I’d pass on. They have a hoppy red called Red Wheelbarrow I think, that was also good.

 

[Letsgohuskies11]

Yep. Nailed it. The stouts are good too. The Maine stuff was sought after at one time, but they haven’t changed anything, including the overpriced 500ml bottles. They used to keep Lunch behind the shelf at stores, now there are cases of it. Squandered an opportunity in my opinion.

@Letsgohuskies11 worth trying all those mentioned. Check the dates. Buy refrigerated if possible. Mo on tap was probably one of the two best pale ales I’ve ever had. But anything hoppy and more than two months old I’d pass on. They have a hoppy red called Red Wheelbarrow I think, that was also good.

Just bought a "Mean old Tom" from Maine Brewery @HuskyHawk and @8893, its a stout aged on Vanilla beans, sounded interesting and sometimes i get tired of just drinking IPAs. There's a place around the block that almost exclusively does dry hop IPAs that are pretty amazing, SingleCut in Astoria. Def no shortage of good beer these days.

 

[8893]

Just bought a "Mean old Tom" from Maine Brewery @HuskyHawk and @8893, its a stout aged on Vanilla beans, sounded interesting and sometimes i get tired of just drinking IPAs. There's a place around the block that almost exclusively does dry hop IPAs that are pretty amazing, SingleCut in Astoria. Def no shortage of good beer these days.

SingleCut is great.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Just bought a "Mean old Tom" from Maine Brewery @HuskyHawk and @8893, its a stout aged on Vanilla beans, sounded interesting and sometimes i get tired of just drinking IPAs. There's a place around the block that almost exclusively does dry hop IPAs that are pretty amazing, SingleCut in Astoria. Def no shortage of good beer these days.

Mean old Tom is the stout I was thinking of. I think you will like it. SingleCut is in stores here, good stuff. The one I buy when I see it is Softly Spoken Magic Spells. Love the Pink Floyd reference, but I also think it's their best DIPA

 

[Waquoit]

I like Maine. We buy a couple of cases when we drive by but I don't think they are twice as good as others and that's what they charge.

 

[Fishy]

I’m protesting beer until the IPA and crazy name fad is over.

I’m thinking about starting a microbrewery that I will name “Beer.”

Our beers, which will not include any IPAs, will be called “Beers.”

 

[8893]

I’m protesting beer until the IPA and crazy name fad is over.

I’m thinking about starting a microbrewery that I will name “Beer.”

Our beers, which will not include any IPAs, will be called “Beers.”

Kind of like McSorley's, which has only light ale and dark ale.

 

[Waquoit]

I’m thinking about starting a microbrewery that I will name “Beer.”

Our beers, which will not include any IPAs, will be called “Beers.”

If this concept was a stock, I would go short. Empty the 401k short.

Meanwhile, I went out for pre-storm provisions and ended up with Ice Cream Man and Fiddlehead. I'm all set.

 

[tdrink]

Probably injecting some controversy here, but I think people should band together and agree to stop going to Treehouse. It’s not like they are a local micro brewery that needs the extra support. These guys are multi gajillionaires with an enormous brewing and canning capacity. People drive sometimes hours, wait in line in their cars for an hour to pick it up. Even before the pandemic the tap room was not great, nor were the food options. But people continue to flock there to the continued benefit of the profit margins.

I love Treehouse beer. I had been going there since they were in a shack and only had growler fills of green and Julius. I wen out of my way to get it when there was nothing else like it available. But now, while Treehouse might even mak an argument for being the best brewer of IPAs, I can always find something at the package store that is on a par and sometimes refreshingly better. And that’s where, at this point, we should be able to get Treehouse beer They should be distributing, like everyone else. But I get that they are effective capitalists and will continue to bank the money they would have to share with truckers and shop owners as long as people go ridiculously out of their way to get beer that maintains a myth of scarcity.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Probably injecting some controversy here, but I think people should band together and agree to stop going to Treehouse. It’s not like they are a local micro brewery that needs the extra support. These guys are multi gajillionaires with an enormous brewing and canning capacity. People drive sometimes hours, wait in line in their cars for an hour to pick it up. Even before the pandemic the tap room was not great, nor were the food options. But people continue to flock there to the continued benefit of the profit margins.

I love Treehouse beer. I had been going there since they were in a shack and only had growler fills of green and Julius. I wen out of my way to get it when there was nothing else like it available. But now, while Treehouse might even mak an argument for being the best brewer of IPAs, I can always find something at the package store that is on a par and sometimes refreshingly better. And that’s where, at this point, we should be able to get Treehouse beer They should be distributing, like everyone else. But I get that they are effective capitalists and will continue to bank the money they would have to share with truckers and shop owners as long as people go ridiculously out of their way to get beer that maintains a myth of scarcity.

I don't understand this line of thinking at all. Same with Trillium, which also doesn't distribute, and which is my local craft brewery.

Not sure if you know much about them, but they started brewing on a farm in Brimfield. The first time I went out to the expanded brewery at the farm in Monson owned by the family of one of the founding guys. It was January, snowing and there was a line. We could get 10 cans only. It was small capacity then, but had become known (about like Tilted Barn now in RI). Eventually they did well enough to buy the land in Charlton and build the new brewery. They have since changed that brewery a few times to improve the experience. They bought a farm in Woodstock, CT, to grow fruit, and other things. They are expanding to add tap rooms and can sales locations in Cape Cod and Western, MA. They strike me as people who are doing what they can to help provide jobs and opportunities in the rural communities they serve. They are a fantastic example of small business done right.

But I guess you want them to distribute through the massive corporate entities that control that process, and lose the freshness that is the hallmark of their beers. They sell unpasteurized, unfiltered beers that must remain refrigerated. So do a lot of the companies selling IPAs through distribution. Do you see those beers in the cooler all the time? Are they being sold within a week or so of canning?

I do support the smaller local breweries around here as well (like Cold Harbor I posted to start the thread) and we all should.

 

[Dove]

I’m protesting beer until the IPA and crazy name fad is over.

I’m thinking about starting a microbrewery that I will name “Beer.”

Our beers, which will not include any IPAs, will be called “Beers.”

Your outside sales people need to be on their game and have a sense of humor.

 

[tdrink]

I don't understand this line of thinking at all. Same with Trillium, which also doesn't distribute, and which is my local craft brewery.

Not sure if you know much about them, but they started brewing on a farm in Brimfield. The first time I went out to the expanded brewery at the farm in Monson owned by the family of one of the founding guys. It was January, snowing and there was a line. We could get 10 cans only. It was small capacity then, but had become known (about like Tilted Barn now in RI). Eventually they did well enough to buy the land in Charlton and build the new brewery. They have since changed that brewery a few times to improve the experience. They bought a farm in Woodstock, CT, to grow fruit, and other things. They are expanding to add tap rooms and can sales locations in Cape Cod and Western, MA. They strike me as people who are doing what they can to help provide jobs and opportunities in the rural communities they serve. They are a fantastic example of small business done right.

But I guess you want them to distribute through the massive corporate entities that control that process, and lose the freshness that is the hallmark of their beers. They sell unpasteurized, unfiltered beers that must remain refrigerated. So do a lot of the companies selling IPAs through distribution. Do you see those beers in the cooler all the time? Are they being sold within a week or so of canning?

I do support the smaller local breweries around here as well (like Cold Harbor I posted to start the thread) and we all should.

I know plenty about Treehouse. I did more than my share to help them grow their business. I don’t want them to distribute globally like InBev. I want them to distribute regionally like Counterweight, Fat Orange Cat, Alvarium, Beer”d, Abomination, etc.

Treehouse is an example of a small business that did so well, they are no longer small. But they are still treated like a small place by their patrons. I will spend my money at businesses that are smaller and I feel are working harder to get my business.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I know plenty about Treehouse. I did more than my share to help them grow their business. I don’t want them to distribute globally like InBev. I want them to distribute regionally like Counterweight, Fat Orange Cat, Alvarium, Beer”d, Abomination, etc.

Treehouse is an example of a small business that did so well, they are no longer small. But they are still treated like a small place by their patrons. I will spend my money at businesses that are smaller and I feel are working harder to get my business.

That's fine. I don't want them to distribute. Distribution is bad for the product quality. To be fair, I despise the mandatory three tier distribution model for all alcohol. I think Treehouse would gladly sell via local shops if it didn't mean going through a distributor. I think the two additional tap room and can locations are positive steps to cut waits etc.

Definitely feel that during covid, keeping your small local breweries in business is the main priority. We will want them around once we can go back again. Except for Fishy's brewery of course, which purports to make a Miller Genuine Draft clone as it's only beer. A new brewery opened in my town around this time last year. Horrible timing, obviously. I definitely want them to survive. Is the beer great? It's not. Doesn't matter.

 

[Waquoit]

I have no beef with Tree House. I think their beer is still a treat the couple times a year I make the trip.

 

[Fishy]

The problem with these breweries is that at some point, it is too expensive to remain small.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Watching Corbra Kai, and Johnny has a fantasy involving a lot of Coors and his attractive neighbor, all set to the Music of Whitesnake. And it dawns on me. Yellow beer, throat punching, Fishy is Johnny Lawrence!

 

[HuskyHawk]

Decided I needed something strong for the second half. Damn this is a great beer.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Anyone have reviews on Connecticut Valley Brewing in South Windsor?

An old Navy buddy who I turned wrenches with fixing airplanes knew I grew up in CT sent me a link for their Tomcat German Pilsner.

Looks like they have some cool names and artwork on the cans. Is the beer inside the cams any good?

 

[tdrink]

Anyone have reviews on Connecticut Valley Brewing in South Windsor?

An old Navy buddy who I turned wrenches with fixing airplanes knew I grew up in CT sent me a link for their Tomcat German Pilsner.

Looks like they have some cool names and artwork on the cans. Is the beer inside the cams any good?

CT Valley is ok. They have a really nice tap room. People can tour the brewing operation. Very clean. They do a good variety of brews, but they don’t compete heavily in the IPA category. I believe the flight boards are made from old plane propellers, which is cool. But the flights were priced exorbitantly.

 

[storrsroars]

Kind of like McSorley's, which has only light ale and dark ale.

The dark had this mysterious quality about it that you could easily drink 10-12, not get particularly drunk nor bloated. Or at least that was the case into my 30s... haven't been in years so not sure if I could still hold as many.

Anyway, the world needs dark beers. Made an Irish stew last night with a can of Guinness. It is indispensable for that purpose.