I am interested in what you gents (and ladies) feel are the best overally brews by region that are readily available in that region. I live in Connecticut and feel that Ommegang Abbey Ale and Brooklyn Lager are both excellent. What are some of yours?
Anything from Deschutes, Imperial Nelson from Widmer, Pacific City stuff is available everywhere. Rogue has backyard sales on holidays (smokin deals) Alaska Smoked Porter, Full Sail Session lagers. The PNW swims in great beer.
not from my state but readily available in MN a favorite and a great brewery is Odells oh Yeah and Surly
Mayflower Porter and Jack D'or are available in most bottle shops I go to (Providence, Northern RI, Southern Mass.). I would classify both of those towards the top of their respective styles (In fact, Mayflower Porter I'd put at #1). Also, it's great that I can get a six pack of cans of Grey Sail Ale (Cream Ale) just about anywhere these days.
Most definitely. Sierra Nevada is a card alway in my back pocket that I am all too happy to play. I was at a bottle shop a bit ago trying to figure out what to buy, nothing was speaking to me, but I really wanted a brew and there it was: Sierra Nevada Kellerweis. Decision made.
Head Hunter, White Rajah, Columbus IPA (and very soon CBUS BODHI), GLBC Commodore Perry and Eddy Fitz, Founders Porter, Ommegang Abbey Ale....and so on and so on....CLE, OH
Great lakes region(MI): Founders-Reds Rye, Porter, All Day, and all the seasonal specialties(FIS,BS,KBS, Backwoods) Bells-Two Hearted Great lakes- Edmund fitzgerald, Dortmunder gold Perrin-some solid offerings, soon to make it into bottles and cans in regional distro Dark Horse- Crooked tree, thirsty trout porter, seasonal stouts
Odell ipa, ska modus hoperandi, left hand milk stout, YETI, crabtree peach tree cezanne saison, funkwerks saison, odell cut throat porter, funkwers white, I could go on for days.
In NNJ (...and trying to keep this regional here)- Ithaca Flower Power Captain Lawrence Smoked Porter Captain Lawrence Captain's Kolsch Rammstein Blonde Victory Headwaters Yards Brawler Sly Fox Pikeland Pils Troegs Dead Reckoning Porter Weyerbacher Verbotten (also- imports around the NYC area are pretty fresh and varied- lots of great selections available off the shelf).
I'm from Portland, Oregon and here are some of my favorites that are readily available in Oregon and some parts of Washington and California: Ninkasi Tricerahops IPA Boneyard Hop Venom IPA Boneyard RPM IPA Deschutes Black Butte Porter Deschutes Obsidian Stout 10 Barrel DUB IPA In my opinion these are must-haves if you're ever in the Pacific Northwest.
In southern RI Ipswich Oatmeal Stout - Really Solid stout that has become my "go-to" Ithaca Flower Power - Great IPA that is easily found fresh Founders Porter - Easily the best Porter available around
MA...in no particular order... Jack's Abby - Hoponious Union and Smoke & Dagger Clown Shoes (think they have wider distribution) - Vampire Slayer and Clementine Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project - Jack D'or Mayflower - Porter Ipswich - Oatmeal Stout
From Missouri....in terms of what we produce here, I'd say Schlafly Pumpkin Ale and Boulevard Nutcracker. Granted, these are seasonals, but when they're in season, they're EVERYWHERE, and both damn good. Furthermore, Urban Chestnut Zwickel (year round)...it shows how great a straightforward German-style lager can be. Also, I'd toss in Boulevard Zon (a summer witbier that can hang with all but the best from Belgium) and Schlafly Kolsch (great German-style Kolsch, available all year). In terms of other states in our 'region', Goose Island
SoCal here. For readily available IPA, I'll vote for FW Double Jack. Unless, of course, Lagunitas Sucks becomes more and more available.
Central KY here. have had several new breweries open in the area. as far as local goes (that i have had): West 6th IPA - Lexington Country Boy - Jalapeno Smoked Porter - Lexington Against The Grain - Bo and Luke - Louisville as far as what we can get ( and I have had): FFF- Zombie Dust, Rye Da Tiger, APW, Dreadnaught Stone - Ruination, Enjoy by, RIS, Arrogant Bastard etc. Southern Tier - Unearthly, 2X Schlafly TIPA Hoppin Frog - BORIS, DORIS, Hop Dam DFH - 90, 120. Bells, Founders and Great Lakes are too numerous. Although if you have never had Lake Erie monster, I would strongly suggest it. The best of all of these is Dreadnaught in my opinion and its hit and miss on the availability.
California here... Firestone walker-double jack, wookey jack, sacuba and porabola Kern river- citra, just outstanding ipa and class X. Russian River- pliny the elder, row 2 hill 56, hopfather and blind pig. Beachwood BBQ- thrillseeker and hop ninja. All great brews and breweries...
East Bay/Central Valley CA AleSmith IPA, Speedway Stout Russian River PtE, Supplication, Blind Pig Deschutes anything Firestone Walker Double Jack, Union Jack, Wookey Jack Ballast Point Sculpin, Big Eye Way too many to list actually. California is spoiled when it comes to selection
TX- Houston St. Arnolds endeavor & Elissa IPA Jester King Black Metal Karbach Weisse Versa Southern Star Buried Hatchet and Bombshell Blonde Ale
Southwest (Austin, TX) (512) Pecan Porter Southern Star Buried Hatchet Choc Dubbel Live Oak Hefeweizen Hops & Grain Alt-eration Lakewood Temptress
Union Jack IPA RPM IPA (well....... not exactly "readily available" everywhere, but "readily available" if you look hard enough in Seattle)
Southwest (Austin, TX) You'll find these great locals year-round in ATX... (512) Pecan Porter & IPA (these are my go-to's at the bar) Deep Ellum IPA & Rye Pils St. Arnold Endeavour IPA^2 (coming soon to 4-packs, yay!) Jester King Le Petit Prince & Black Metal Live Oak Hefeweizen Austin Beerworks Pearl Snap Pils & Fire Eagle IPA Adelbert's Naked Nun ANYTHING in Hops & Grain's tasting room. As far as non-local readily available... Ballast Point Sculpin Boulevard Tank 7 & Single/Double-Wide IPA Deschutes Obsidian Stout & Black Butte Porter and later this month... Firestone Walker Wookey Jack, Union Jack, Double Jack, etc..
I'm in Southern California. Alesmith is probably my favorite brewery for year round beers. Their IPA and Speedway Stout are some of my favorites. I would buy them more if they made four or six-packs though. Some others would be Pliny the Elder, Double Jack, Arrogant Bastard, and Sculpin. Also Lagunitas beers are pretty hard to beat for their price to quality ratio.
What does "readily available" mean? There are many fine local beers in NJ but not every store carries them.
Made in the state of NY, cheap and widely available in six/four packs (minus Kelso and LI) Sixpoint 3Beans Kelso Industrial Flower Power Southampton Double White Brooklyn Chocolate Southern Tier HopSun Saranac Black Forest Captain Lawrence Brown Bird Sixpoint Righteous Ale Bluepoint White IPA Long Ireland Celtic Ale Ommegang Abby Ommegang Hennepin
NW Ohio: Headhunter Cbus IPA anything Great Lakes pretty much Thirsty Dog Siberian Night BORIS/DORIS Most of Founders/Bells FFF now inching in bit by bit guess Ohio isnt all bad when I lay it out like that
Good chance I'll be heading into NE Ohio in couple weeks. If this list is true for NE as well, then my trip is very promising.
I haven't had Flying Jenny, but I really like Leaning Chimney. They are the #1 brewery in RI by a mile, in my opinion.
