NFT: Favorite Beer

No absolute favorite comes to mind, per se, but some favorite breweries and some of the most memorable that I can think of -

Bissell Brothers brewery. so much goodness.

Lake Placid Nippletop

Wolf Hollow Brewery - small operation in Glenville, NY. They had a Year One Schwarzbier that I absolutely loved. Most of their regular offerings are high quality as well. Lock 9 Porter is great.

Allagash White tastes perfect on a sunny afternoon after a round of golf.

Rushing Duck Beanhead - on nitro. Perfect with a burger, especially if that burger has bacon on it. Not on nitro = not quite the same beer.

I use Untappd so that I can remember which beers I've tried that stand above the rest. It's a good resource for that alone, not necessarily the social aspect of it. Disclaimer - I did not reference my Untappd account to make this post (mobile phone unavailable at the moment).

Some that stand out to me as disappointments (high expectations via Untappd, didn't quite do it for me) -

Tree House Julius - just okay.

Beer Geek Vanilla Shake. 28.99 for a 4 pack. Went for it. Way too boozey. I don't like my beers to taste too much like hard alcohol.

never replicated, lighter than most beers, and even makes for a cleaner morning after, I have to say that Guinness has become my overall favorite. I don't drink other stouts either.

Besides Guinness I am an old-fashioned pils/lager kind of guy. Moretti is my favorite internationally. Blue Point Toasted Lager and Sierra Nevada Sierraveza are two of my favorites from the states.

In comment 14930350 Bill L said:

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but I enjoyed Pilsner when we visited Germa y. But mostly wanted to say that, even though it's not really beer, I had a radler on the visit. I had never even heard of it before. It wasn't bad at all for a non-beer drinker. Maybe it's a training beer?

Bill, the Sam Adams Porch Rocker I'm diggin' on is a "radler." Means it has a bit of a lemon/lemonade/sometimes grapefruit twist. German thing, for sure.

In comment 14930329 Steve L said:

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In comment 14930313 Beezer said: Quote: * Ukrainian pints of a 12.5% beer called Before-and-After. The alcohol content is noteworthy, but the taste is shockingly great. * The original Bourbon Barrel Innis & Gunn * Spaten Optimator Optimator is an amazing beer. We used to steal it out of my dad’s fridge when I was a teen. I love it to this day

And is technically categorized as a malt liquor. :)

Treehouse is really overrated. The whole NEIPA craze needs to go away. I swear if you mixed Bud with Tropicana and put a Treehouse label on it people would say its the best beer ever.
Personally give me a good trappist beer, Westleteren 12 still is one of the best beers made but its not for every day drinking. Also if you like lambics, you cant go wrong with anything from Cantillon if you can find it.

to find some enjoyment in it years ago but lately I just don't like them. I had Julius, Green, and Haze (ive had all of them before) this past weekend and really just didn't care for them. Green was solid, but that's it.

My beef with Two Roads is third fold. First, they are the only brewery i've ever been to that won't allow kids. Now, I get it, its a liability issue but they were really rude to us about it when my kid was like 6 months old and fastened in a baby bjorn, and basically told us to go fuck ourselves. Second, their beers are just average and some are flat out bad. They don't have a single beer id seek out or go to their brewery to get.

And three, they charge full price for beers at the brewery which to me is ludicrous. When I go to Tribus I can get 8 oz pours for $3 or full pints for $5 or $6 - most of their beers are great and I can try a bunch without going broke. This is how breweries should operate instead of charging $7 for a not even full pint.

Come at me.

Serious answer - my go-to is Devil's Backbone Vienna Lager, second place is Hardywood Singel.

I haven't tried Tribus yet, I'll have to give that one a try. Have you been to Brewport in Bridgeport? I have to say I enjoyed that place the one and only time I was there. Food was good and I had a Double Bock and a Red type of ale (can't remember the name) that was really good. Also a good stout.

I love stouts and just drink lager sometimes in the summer. Owning liquor stores i sometimes am disappointed in the hard to get expensive stuff, but that isn't the case with the CBS. I hear they won't be making it again anytime soon tho.

I heard horror stories from one that just recently changed their policy. Stuff like kids intentionally breaking stuff and the parents' response was "they are just being kids."

In comment 14930283 SFGFNCGiantsFan said:

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I found it in NY Penn Station a summer or two ago. Good beer.

+1

Lawson's Sip Of Sunshine
Grimm Tesseract
Heady Topper

If I'm at a bar, Sierra Nevada IPA is a solid pick

Is my favorite west coast double IPA. As good as pliny the elder and much easier to get a hold of.

For darker, maltier beers I love Fremont Dark Star Imperial Oatmeal Stout.

Mother Earth Cali Creamin is a great summer beer for those who like a lighter style.

Still my fave : and as another poster noted, IPA fatigue has set in- along with a need for lower alcohol (so i can have more than 1)= Pilsner Urquell.

But still on short list;
M-43=best new england IPA I've ever had
Perrins Grapefruit IPA
Anything by Bells

In comment 14930387 jamalduff123 said:

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Is my favorite west coast double IPA. As good as pliny the elder and much easier to get a hold of. For darker, maltier beers I love Fremont Dark Star Imperial Oatmeal Stout. Mother Earth Cali Creamin is a great summer beer for those who like a lighter style.

Port Brewing Mongo IPA is good. Good add.

In comment 14930398 Tom in Kzoo said:

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Still my fave : and as another poster noted, IPA fatigue has set in- along with a need for lower alcohol (so i can have more than 1)= Pilsner Urquell. But still on short list; M-43=best new england IPA I've ever had Perrins Grapefruit IPA Anything by Bells

M43 is very good, check out their Boss Tweed as well, it's the Imperial/Double version. Really good beers.

In comment 14930372 Johnny5 said:

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I haven't tried Tribus yet, I'll have to give that one a try. Have you been to Brewport in Bridgeport? I have to say I enjoyed that place the one and only time I was there. Food was good and I had a Double Bock and a Red type of ale (can't remember the name) that was really good. Also a good stout.

Yeah Brewport is a good spot and they have the same chef that worked at BAR in new haven. The Beers are ok - i'd never go for that, really just a hangout spot. Tribus is the best in the area IMO so I generally go there (pre COVID).

In comment 14930326 SFGFNCGiantsFan said:

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craft brewery. I might be wrong. The Pale Ale was my first go to beer in college. I love their Celebration IPA too. & I am definitely an IPA snob. I don't even pretend otherwise.

I recall Pete's Wickid Ale before Sierra Nevada. That said, I don't believe that it still exists.

I gravitate toward the NE Style IPAs. Triple Crossing's Falcon Smash (Richmond, VA) is the best that I have had.

Best Baltic Porter I've had is Raven's Roost from Parkway Brewing (Salem, VA)

My new kick is Sours. After a couple years of badmouthing the Gose's, I've become a huge fan.

The Answer (RVA) is the most creative brewery I've been to.

called Wild Leap. Their Chance IPA is the best IPA I‘ve ever had and my favorite beer. And I love the motto on the can: “If you don’t do wild things when you’re young, you’ll have nothing to smile about when you’re old.”

I still like their standard IPA...have since college. I also like their Hazy Little Thing IPA and Sidecar Orange IPA which has become very difficult to find in Fairfield County where I live.

As a side note, if you like Guy Raz's podcast "How I Built This" there's a great drop recently with the founder of Sierra Nevada, Ken Grossman
Link - ( New Window )

for me to have a favorite. It always depends on the moment and what I might be eating with it. I went down to Fredericksburg Texas over the 4th and visited the Altstadt Brewery. They brew a larger that is as good as any German Lager I have tasted.

Occasionally I'll pick up a 6 pack at the store.

In comment 14930398 Tom in Kzoo said:

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Still my fave

When I lived in Germany, I had Pilner Urquell fresh on tap without the preservatives used when it is exported to the states. It's a very different and unique flavor, and was one of my favorites. Budvar-Budweiser was another excellent beer from the Czechs (sold as Czechvar in the States).

In comment 14930427 Beer Man said:

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for me to have a favorite. It always depends on the moment and what I might be eating with it. I went down to Fredericksburg Texas over the 4th and visited the Altstadt Brewery. They brew a larger that is as good as any German Lager I have tasted.

larger = lager

but some solid go-to's that never disappoint: Sweetwater (any of them), Fat Tire and Sierra Nevada.

Had this on a work trip to KC area and it was delicious. For many years, they didn't ship outside of the Midwest until recently where I found some DC area bars serving them in bottles. Just not the same from the bottle and was disappointed. If ever in the KC area and it's on tap, definitely recommend.

delivered to me next week. Looking forward to it!

they make some excellent beers. Tried about 4 or 5 of them now and they are all good. It’s like CTs version of Other Half.

In comment 14930524 Kevin999 said:

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delivered to me next week. Looking forward to it!

Lucky SOB.

In comment 14930538 UConn4523 said:

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they make some excellent beers. Tried about 4 or 5 of them now and they are all good. It’s like CTs version of Other Half.

Yessir I have had the Dogs and Boats Imperial IPA. Very good, and very strong... lol

In comment 14930412 UConn4523 said:

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In comment 14930372 Johnny5 said: Quote: I haven't tried Tribus yet, I'll have to give that one a try. Have you been to Brewport in Bridgeport? I have to say I enjoyed that place the one and only time I was there. Food was good and I had a Double Bock and a Red type of ale (can't remember the name) that was really good. Also a good stout. Yeah Brewport is a good spot and they have the same chef that worked at BAR in new haven. The Beers are ok - i'd never go for that, really just a hangout spot. Tribus is the best in the area IMO so I generally go there (pre COVID).

One of my employees got me a Tribus gift card for Christmas but I haven’t used it yet. I’m not a big craft beer guy so I need another reason to visit (ambience or get together with friends). These reviews are pushing me towards going sooner rather than later.

I tried Dockside a few weeks ago. Thought their beer was good, not great. Thought the food was really good and ambiance was awesome.

I like Two Roads beer the best, but hate the brewery itself, which is tough because I lived in Stratford for 8 years.

But my favorite is Youngs Double Chocolate Stout on tap (in nitro can from Liq store)
My second go to is Low Vis by Magnify Brewing in Fairfield NJ

Other IPAs or pale ales that I like in no particular:
Lagunitas IPA
Dogfish 60 minute
Captain Lawrence Parkchester or Hop Commander
Sierra Nevada pale ale

For New England style IPAs (i.e. Heady Topper copies) Captain Lawrence Orbital Tilt is great. So is Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing.

:)

Not a big drinker tho.

In comment 14930567 sb from NYT Forum said:

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:)

Hear, hear!

In comment 14930566 sb from NYT Forum said:

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Other IPAs or pale ales that I like in no particular: Lagunitas IPA Dogfish 60 minute Captain Lawrence Parkchester or Hop Commander Sierra Nevada pale ale For New England style IPAs (i.e. Heady Topper copies) Captain Lawrence Orbital Tilt is great. So is Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing.

Some good adds. Lagunitas IPA is a solid beer. It doesn't jump out to me, but it goes down easy & you know it's quality. I have a complicated history with Dogfish 60; I liked it, but then I didn't. I probably gotta give it another try.

and while I’ve had Smuttynose before, I get it every time I’m up there. The bar we go to in Dover is like $3 per pint of it and it’s one of the the most solid IPAs out there.

In comment 14930575 UConn4523 said:

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and while I’ve had Smuttynose before, I get it every time I’m up there. The bar we go to in Dover is like $3 per pint of it and it’s one of the the most solid IPAs out there.

UConn, stick Finestkind into my veins. That's a damn good IPA. I loved their old logo too, with some old dude plopped on a lawn chair. Haha.

I usually run the Smuttynose Half Marathon every October up in Hampton Beach, NH. Each runner gets 2 free beers afterwards & I'm going Finestkind every time.

it’s a great beer. Going to grab a 6er for this weekend in fact since I’m not going on that trip this year (was supposed to be this weekend). Haven’t had it since this time last year.

Enjoy.

Another good NH IPA is Stoneface. I usually get that when visiting cousin in Kittery, ME.

but doesn’t look I can get it in CT. I’ll look out for it though next time I’m up that way.

which was prolly THE beer that propelled them forward into a major US wide producer, there were several elite NorCal craft breweries, and several more in Portland and Seattle and their burbs.

The ones I recall best were Anchor Steam (still brewing), Lagunitas (still brewing), the Medocino Brewing Company (still brewing), New Albion (also in Mendocino, defunct I think), all within a 3 or 4 hour drive of Chico, where Sierra Nevada started up.

I love the old brown dog and really old brown dog ales. I'm actually wearing a Finestkind baseball cap as I type this lol.

I LOVE that area of New Hampshire. Portsmouth is one of my favorite places. You guys been to the Portsmouth brewery/restaurant in town? That place was pretty good.
Also Not sure but I heard Smuttynose owner got ousted in a somewhat hostile take over. Hopefully they don't/didn't change anything.

so we stay at his lake house and visit Dover, Portsmouth, and that general area for a few nights. Dover has a little dive bar called Fury’s which usually has really good cover bands, we try to go there every year.

In comment 14930600 Johnny5 said:

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I love the old brown dog and really old brown dog ales. I'm actually wearing a Finestkind baseball cap as I type this lol. I LOVE that area of New Hampshire. Portsmouth is one of my favorite places. You guys been to the Portsmouth brewery/restaurant in town? That place was pretty good. Also Not sure but I heard Smuttynose owner got ousted in a somewhat hostile take over. Hopefully they don't/didn't change anything.

I would move to Portsmouth tomorrow if I could find a job/wife would be cool with it. That's an incredible city. Again, my cousin lives right across the bridge in Maine & we'd go to The Press Room all the time. That was a great bar. They closed it for awhile to renovate it.

...or Shed Mountain IPA.

Shed is a Vermont brewery that doesn't distribute widely. I haven't seen it in NY. Worth a try if you see it.

Stone Xocoveza Stout is a seasonal release in the winter. Definitely one of the most complex and tasty beers i've ever had. It's inspired by mexican hot chocolate. Not a daily drinker, but a toasty treat on a cold winter night.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/147/128500/

Right now my absolute fave is Kane Sneakbox. Delicious!

In comment 14930642 jamalduff123 said:

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Stone Xocoveza Stout is a seasonal release in the winter. Definitely one of the most complex and tasty beers i've ever had. It's inspired by mexican hot chocolate. Not a daily drinker, but a toasty treat on a cold winter night. https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/147/128500/

Yep, tasty beverage.

I would also move to Portsmouth tomorrow if I could. If my company had a data center in that area I would move in a minute.