Craft Beers that Won't be Craft

[Read Blinn]

Rock Art's Black Moon IPA -- almost black, 10% alcohol, rich and, amazingly, not too boozy.

 

[mdf]

So I finally got around to looking up where Treehouse is. Unfortunately, Monson MA is not much closer to me than Vermont.

 

[cantunamunch]

I think the biggest problem with the craft beer movement is that they think they have to be so different. Everything has to be bigger, more bitter, higher alcohol, badder, nastier, etc.

This happens in everything from ethnic music collection (oh hey look at this one it's really freakish, not that anyone sings it much) to *cough* ski design. With ski design they just might be right.

 

[skibob]

This happens in everything from ethnic music collection (oh hey look at this one it's really freakish, not that anyone sings it much) to *cough* ski design. With ski design they just might be right.

Thusly, some of the older and still uncorrupted craft breweries are among my favorite. North Coast Brewing (Brother Thelonius, Pranqster, Scrimshaw), Ommegang, Allagash, and Chimay (which fits with these beers, even if it is magnitudes older than the category).

 

[fatbob]

I find the US craft beer scene totally bewildering as a real beer drinker all my life. Much of what you have is effectively tramp juice (when you are producing a 10% beer) - I just don't see the need for a beer stronger than 6% with the sweetspot for most British style ales, bitters and IPAs being somewhere between 3.8% and 5%.

 

[cantunamunch]

Thusly, some of the older and still uncorrupted craft breweries are among my favorite. North Coast Brewing (Brother Thelonius, Pranqster, Scrimshaw), Ommegang, Allagash, and Chimay (which fits with these beers, even if it is magnitudes older than the category).

I have zero knowledge of west coast beers.

 

[cantunamunch]

I find the US craft beer scene totally bewildering as a real beer drinker all my life. Much of what you have is effectively tramp juice (when you are producing a 10% beer) - I just don't see the need for a beer stronger than 6% with the sweetspot for most British style ales, bitters and IPAs being somewhere between 3.8% and 5%.

So a Utah bitter would be spot-on (except they don't do them)

 

[Dwight]

In Wisconsin we have many good craft breweries, the local hill is serving Lakefront Amber and Knuth Coffee Stout and Knuth Blue Eyed Blonde. All good after skiing.

 

[skibob]

I have zero knowledge of west coast beers.

Ommegang is NY, Allagash is Maine. Chimay is Belgium.

 

[skibob]

I find the US craft beer scene totally bewildering as a real beer drinker all my life. Much of what you have is effectively tramp juice (when you are producing a 10% beer) - I just don't see the need for a beer stronger than 6% with the sweetspot for most British style ales, bitters and IPAs being somewhere between 3.8% and 5%.

Newcastle was the first beer I had (followed by Bass) that made think, "Oh, beer can taste good . . . " That was a LOOOONG time ago!

But Belgian Ales often come in around 7-8% and I wouldn't call them tramp juice (although your point is generally taken).

 

[Read Blinn]

So I finally got around to looking up where Treehouse is. Unfortunately, Monson MA is not much closer to me than Vermont.

It's a haul for me, too. I did it once and spent 3 hours in line for growlers. Won't do it again, but the can line is quick, so if I see they've canned something really good, I'll be tempted to head down that way. Summer, maybe.

They're moving into a much larger facility soon, though.

 

[cantunamunch]

Ommegang is NY, Allagash is Maine. Chimay is Belgium.

Yes (I knew that), that was an invite to expand on the WC ones

 

[Read Blinn]

Fourteenth Star Tribute DIPA.

 

[skibob]

Yes (I knew that), that was an invite to expand on the WC ones

Gotcha! North Coast Brewing is in Ft Bragg, CA. Quaint little town on the rugged coast. If you are ever there, they have restaurant across the street from the brewery that serves up some pretty fine pub grub. They brew like 30 different beers. My faves:

 

[scott43]

I find that there is just so much push to put hops, hops and more hops into beer. If I have to drink another IPA I might punch someone. Hops can be done tastefully..try any of the good German weissbiers...Weihenstephaner..my personal favourite Schneiderweisse. They have distinctive hop flavours but are not like drinking a can of turpentine. I agree with Fatbob to some degree. There's something to be said for a smooth stout with less than 7% alcohol. A fine English brown ale..even with a LITTLE bit of hops..is lovely. Most of the craft IPA's are like Red Bull..just smash you over the head with flavour. It's like a little bit of hops is good, so a bushel full must be awesome..

 

[Read Blinn]

Well, to each his or her own. You can't beat a great stout or a good English brown — or anything good, obviously — and a high-hopped beer is its own thing.

Some people don't like lemonade because it's not Coke. Can't argue about that, really. A person needn't drink lemonade.

 

[Philpug]

If you can read a newspaper through it, it ain't good beer. Having said that, check this one out. Also, notice the skis on the label. This is another fine product from Wasatch Brewing Company (creators of Polygamy Porter and its Nitro variant, and Devastator Double Bock)...

View attachment 20014

I can't make out the bindings

 

[John Webb]

Many good craft brews in Bend OR.
Sadly 10 Barrel which makes Pray For Snow (enough already in Tahoe) was bought by Budweiser.

 

[cantunamunch]

Many good craft brews in Bend OR.
Sadly 10 Barrel which makes Pray For Snow (enough already in Tahoe) was bought by Budweiser.

As an exit strategy, that's not perhaps the best but certainly not the worst.

 

[Tony S]

My favorite style is old school true draft Pale Ale. Local example is Gritty's Cask Bitter. Tons of breweries now are calling things "pale ale" that are pale, and are ale, and often are yummy, but are emphatically NOT Pale Ale.

I confess that I do like the new school blonde IPAs that are so hot now. My current favorite is Hill Farmstead "Edward" from Vermont.