Favorite east coast beers / breweries

[afr0byte]

Balance is a horrible term to describe IPAs/IIPAs.... something that these breweries are known for doing very well.

The beauty of a good IPA is really about perfecting unbalance.

Regardless, I'm just saying it's my opinion that Hill Farmstead hasn't perfected that unbalance. It's just my opinion. You're not wrong for yours, either. E.g. their "pale ale" (Edward) is 82 IBUs. It's hard to taste anything but the bitterness in a beer like that. Also, another example, twilight of the idols (a porter), is mostly hop bitterness for me (not enough crystal for the style...at least as far as I could taste).

 

[bobbrews]

You just said they haven't perfected balance, so doesn't that mean their beers are unbalanced? I know it's an opinion on personal tastes, but realistically, IPAs are not supposed to be balanced.

 

[afr0byte]

You just said they haven't perfected balance, so doesn't that mean their beers are unbalanced? I know it's an opinion on personal tastes, but realistically, IPAs are not supposed to be balanced.

Actually, I said they haven't perfected unbalance (I was speaking with regards to their IPAs). Regardless I wasn't specifically talking about their IPAs initially (They do make more than just IPAs...though admittedly they do mostly IPAs.).

 

[ReverseApacheMaster]

Haven't had an ommegang beer I didn't enjoy. I really like the gnomegang collaboration.

We don't get too many east coast beers here but many that we get I do not like (e.g. victory, DFH, Brooklyn, Flying Dog, most Magic Hat).

 

[afr0byte]

Haven't had an ommegang beer I didn't enjoy. I really like the gnomegang collaboration.

We don't get too many east coast beers here but many that we get I do not like (e.g. victory, DFH, Brooklyn, Flying Dog, most Magic Hat).

I'd agree with the Magic Hat comment. I haven't had enough Flying Dog / Brooklyn to really comment. Have you not tried Golden Monkey from Victory? The DFH 60 minute, Palo Santo, World Wide Stout, are all pretty good. What don't you like about Victory/DFH?

 

[bobbrews]

Actually, I said they haven't perfected unbalance (I was speaking with regards to their IPAs). Regardless I wasn't specifically talking about their IPAs initially (They do make more than just IPAs...though admittedly they do mostly IPAs.).

As far as those three beers, I have to say I don't understand everyone's appreciation for Hill Farmstead beers. They don't make any balanced beers.

All your back and forth talk is confusing. As far as refuting their ability to put out excellent IPAs... go take a look at the beeradvocate top 100 for New England and see how many slots Hill Farmstead takes up with the thousands of tallied votes. Unbalance must be very popular!

 

[afr0byte]

All your back and forth talk is confusing. As far as refuting their ability to put out excellent IPAs... go take a look at the beeradvocate top 100 for New England and see how many slots Hill Farmstead takes up with the thousands of tallied votes.

Well I did say that it was my opinion. I also said I don't understand people's appreciation for their beers.

 

[InityBrew]

I am a big fan of everything that victory has to offer. Their brewpub exclusives are always great!

 

[atom]

favorite locals

Troegs in Hershey, PA
Spring House in Conestoga, PA

 

[BUCKEYE1303]

I'm from Ohio. But I love Triumph Brewing and Brooklyn Brewery.

 

[Arbor413]

Magic Hat, Long Trail, and my favorite local brewery, Berkshire Brewing Company.

 

[bchurch]

I'm from Ohio. But I love Triumph Brewing and Brooklyn Brewery.

Everything I ever had from Triumph was just so watered down I personally wouldn't call them good.

 

[CastleHollow]

Everything I ever had from Triumph was just so watered down I personally wouldn't call them good.

Just visited Philly this weekend and stopped by Triumph. Sampled the Chinook IPA and the Bengal Gold IPA--liked Bengal the best, but didn't find either to be watered down

 

[ReverseApacheMaster]

I'd agree with the Magic Hat comment. I haven't had enough Flying Dog / Brooklyn to really comment. Have you not tried Golden Monkey from Victory? The DFH 60 minute, Palo Santo, World Wide Stout, are all pretty good. What don't you like about Victory/DFH?

DFH - beers are either way, way too sweet or just lacked great flavor. I recently tried red and blue, thinking maybe tart fruit would help balance it out. It was sweeter than Kool Aid. It made the Lindeman's fruit beers seem balanced.

Victory beers all taste horrendous. I don't know why but they all taste like dirty swamp water. Golden Monkey could not go down the drain fast enough.

 

[FirstStateBrewer]

Victory beers all taste horrendous. I don't know why but they all taste like dirty swamp water. Golden Monkey could not go down the drain fast enough.

I just had a few Victory HopDevil IPAs this weekend. I fell in love with this beer many years ago when IPAs were new to this country. Now all these years later, I still think it's outstanding!

 

[afr0byte]

DFH - beers are either way, way too sweet or just lacked great flavor. I recently tried red and blue, thinking maybe tart fruit would help balance it out. It was sweeter than Kool Aid. It made the Lindeman's fruit beers seem balanced.

Are we tasting the same beer? Yes DFH is a bit sweeter than a west coast IPA, but certainly it's no where near as sweet as Lindeman's. Perhaps I'm just getting them fresher? I once aged a 120 minute for 8+ months. It was a bit sweet after 8 months.

 

[Peruvian802]

I'm a big fan of Shipyard up in Portland, ME but I love me some Hillstead Farm as well.

 

[0202]

I moved to the south, where I can no longer seem to find Tröegs =/

Victory Prima Pils, Hop Wallop and Festbier are EXCELLENT in my opinion.

I'll add Clipper City in Baltimore (they do the Heavy Seas series)

 

[bobbrews]

Not a fan of Victory or DFH either... especially if they are being compared to Surly, Bells, Russian River, or my own homebrews.

But hey... at least they're better than Sam Adams

 

[malc]

Troegs
Long trail
Recently had a bunch of Mayflower beer during a stay in Cape Cod. Very good stuff IMO. The summer rye was awesome. Their porter was one of the best I have had.
It may be a stretch to call Fat Heads east coast, but they are becoming a favorite.

 

[0202]

I just had a few Victory HopDevil IPAs this weekend. I fell in love with this beer many years ago when IPAs were new to this country. Now all these years later, I still think it's outstanding!

Not to nitpick, but I think the USA brewed beer labeled IPA as far back as the 1800's and contemporary renditions could go as far back as the 1960's. I assume you're talking about the early 1990's though.

Hopdevil is certainly delicious!

 

[Premnasbiaculeatus]

I think Stoudt's has got to be my all time favorite east coast brewery, I'm surprised no one has posted it among all the other PA breweries that have been showing up on this thread.

Flying Dog, is another pretty good one only about 45 minutes from where I live.

 

[FirstStateBrewer]

Not to nitpick, but I think the USA brewed beer labeled IPA as far back as the 1800's and contemporary renditions could go as far back as the 1960's. I assume you're talking about the early 1990's though.

Hopdevil is certainly delicious!

Yes, I'm sure IPA was brewed in America in the distant past.

When I started extract brewing 21 years ago, I couldn't go into a local liquor store in Delaware and buy anything other than a mass-produced light lager. I used to go on club road trips to Philadelphia, Baltimore and Stoudt's in PA to find craft beer. I don't remember drinking any IPA's back then. But when Victory began brewing in 1996, Hop Devil is the beer I remember. Loved it then and love it now.

 

[CastleHollow]

Yes, I'm sure IPA was brewed in America in the distant past.

When I started extract brewing 21 years ago, I couldn't go into a local liquor store in Delaware and buy anything other than a mass-produced light lager. I used to go on club road trips to Philadelphia, Baltimore and Stoudt's in PA to find craft beer. I don't remember drinking any IPA's back then. But when Victory began brewing in 1996, Hop Devil is the beer I remember. Loved it then and love it now.

Pretty much the same story in Virginia back in the early 90's. My first introduction to a commercial craft brewery's IPA was the original Tupper's Hop Pocket Ale by Old Dominion Brewing, around about 1994 or so--although I think that may have been classified as an APA, it was about as hoppy as anything I'd ever bought. Then I found Harpoon IPA, and then I started brewing them myself.

 

[Premnasbiaculeatus]

I think Bridgeport IPA was the first one actually called "IPA", that came out around 1984... I believe. Anchor Steam Liberty came out in the late sixties but that was just called pale ale, no India in the name. There have been a lot of commercially available imports in the past century, but as far as being brewed on US soil and of the India Pale ale Style as well as being named as such. I believe the 1980s is as far back as you'll find them.

 

[beertroll]

The Alchemist (Heady Topper is happiness in a can)
Victory
Browns Brewing Co (their PA & IPA are lackluster, but their stouts and porters are superb)
Otter Creek/Wolavers

 

[0202]

It kind of depends on how you define IPA. Traditional English India Pale Ales with the label IPA were brewed in the USA and Canada before 1900, and Ballantine India Pale Ale was initially brewed around 1961 in New Jersey. Our modern incarnation of IPA comes later, from California. I think I have my facts straight there but I'm no historian, just recalling what I've read. India Pale Ale was initially popular in England during the mid to late 1800's when the USA had massive amounts of active breweries and immigration.

 

[gmiller5m]

The Shed in Stowe vt.

 

[nasty_rabbit]

What, no IRON CITY or IC LIGHT on this list?

 

[CidCitrus]

Yards is one I haven't seen mentioned that I think is noteworthy. Also we get some good pilsners on the east coast, Victory and Troegs make good examples.