Hey Massachusetts

[PackerfaninSanDiego]

Whatcha got that we don't have here in California? I have a good friend in Boston and we are gonna start swapping beers. He said Woodchucks, whatever that is.

 

[moreb33rplz]

Jack's Abby, Cambridge Brewing, Mystic, Night Shift.

Oh dude, have you ever had a boston lager?!!?!?

 

[PackerfaninSanDiego]

Jack's Abby, Cambridge Brewing, Mystic, Night Shift.

Oh dude, have you ever had a boston lager?!!?!?

Sam Adams?? haha

 

[Brettomomyces]

Whatcha got that we don't have here in California? I have a good friend in Boston and we are gonna start swapping beers. He said Woodchucks, whatever that is.

Woodchuck is in VT and make a bunch of 4% ciders. They're not bad, but definitely not worth shipping across the country. He's gotta get you some Heady so you can send him some Pliny

 

[PackerfaninSanDiego]

Woodchuck is in VT and make a bunch of 4% ciders. They're not bad, but definitely not worth shipping across the country. He's gotta get you some Heady so you can send him some Pliny

So funny, he sent me a 12 pack of Heady, git's onna be here tomorrow,,,,I'm gonna send him some Pliny and Firestone Walker Double Jack

 

[Brettomomyces]

Now, a whole 12 pack, that is a friend right there.

 

[PackerfaninSanDiego]

Now, a whole 12 pack, that is a friend right there.

a good friend who lost a bet and drove 100 miles one-way to Waterbury

 

[tjmac5071]

Anything by Jacks Abby for sure. Personal local favorite pale ale is newburyport brewing company. Not sure if it's the type of beer worth shipping but it is a great pale ale.

 

[day_trippr]

Second "Jacks", and add "Pretty Things" for the even more esoteric. And Ipswitch had a fabulously hoppy and highly rated Harvest Ale that if still available is worth shipping, imo...

Cheers!

 

[eatmorefrogs]

I'll try to give you a unique perspective to the reflexive reaction lists. There are a lot of obscure mom and pop breweries in the area that make good beer. I'm trying to hit on the "short list" of what I'd ship someone due to some unique characteristic about it.


Harpoon
- in my opinion, the harpoon IPA is the iconic IPA of the region. you might be able to get this on your own though.
- You're in season for the winter warmer. Request this. Easy to get, affordable, and delicious.
- these guys have one of those systems at their brewery similar to stone where the brewers can launch their own limited edition beer. ask for something from the 100 barrel series.

Jack's Abby
- If you can con your friend into actually getting to the brewery, which is a short jog from boston proper, you can get some cult favorites like the peanut butter and jelly beer and the "Fire In The Ham" beer. The PBJ is very aptly named. The Fire in the ham tastes like a ham on a campfire. I know both of those sound weird, but your mind will be blown. You asked for something you can't get, here it is. Con him into going out there. Something else neat about these guys is that in the world of ale-house craft breweries, these guys only do lagers.

Pretty Things
- In the news lately over a late night string of drunken tweets "exposing" the purchasing of tap lines. This actually alerted me to their existence. Still working my way through their lineup, but all have been above average.

wachusett is my favorite local brewery.
- 85/85 "larry", green monsta, and "light IPA" are three to write home about. All three are IPAs, but it's hard to fault a craft brewery making what sells. I find the light IPA notable because it's a 120 calorie craft beer that tastes great...and it's decently balanced. Honestly this is not easy to do, so while the beer might not win "best IPA" award it is something to write home about. It's a cool thing I've not seen elsewhere.

Narragansett
- I'll get some pushback for this, but what's notable about this one is that you can buy this stuff at somewhere between natty/bud light prices. Ask for whatever the seasonal is and remember that your friend paid equal to or less than a bud light for what you're getting. Don't bother shipping the regular stuff. I think it's a bock this time of year as the seasonal. Again, and I cannot emphasize this enough, your friend probably paid less than bud light prices for this.

I"ll probably get grief for having ganny on that list, but I like trying the local cheap stuff, too. (You know, the genny cream ales and yuenglings of the world.)

 

[bluemoose]

I would suggest anything from the Bog Inn brewery in Norton.


Sent from the kingdom of beer.

 

[NTexBrewer]

What about the new Spencer Trappist Ale?


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[quaboagbrewing]

Trillium Brewing Company - Fort Point Pale and Congress Street IPA
Jack's Abby - Hoponius Union - IPL
Tree House Brewing - Julius, SAP, Haze, Double Shot (these would be difficult to ship so your buddy may just need to fly them out to you.....would be well worth the trip)
Wormtown Brewing - Be Hoppy, Hopulence
Pretty Things - Jack D'or, Babayaga

 

[quaboagbrewing]

What about the new Spencer Trappist Ale?

It's good.....but not great. Probably worth a try if you want to compare against some of the more popular Trappists and see how it stacks up.

 

[PackerfaninSanDiego]

If it's close to 10% ABV< I won't request it.......I'll make a list and let him decide. It's stout season, who has the best?

 

[SharonaZamboni]

Is Jack's Fire in the Ham only available at the brewery now? I haven't been able to find another bottle.

Be Hoppy is definitely worth shipping!

 

[moreb33rplz]

Don't ship harpoon. Harpoon sucks.

 

[Brettomomyces]

I would second/third/fourth the recommendations for Jack's Abbey and Pretty Things. Pretty much anything Jack's Abbey does is really solid.

 

[JJ900]

I strongly second:

Trillium Brewing Company - Fort Point Pale and Congress Street IPA and others they have, such as Mettle and its variants. These shouldn't be too hard for your friend to get if he is anywhere near the brewery in downtown Boston.

Harder to get but supposedly amazing, most beers from Treehouse Brewing. Quaboag - why are these hard to ship? Don't some of these come in bottles, not just growlers?

 

[dyqik]

Slumbrew's Porter Square Porter is one of my favorite local brews. Long Trail (VT) and Smuttynose (NH) have some good pale ales, and the latter's Old Brown Dog is good.

High and Mighty's beer of the gods is reasonably good.

 

[quaboagbrewing]

Quaboag - why are these hard to ship? Don't some of these come in bottles, not just growlers?

Bottles are 750ml SwingTop style bottles. I'm sure you could ship them....I've just had a few bad experiences when shipping these bottles. They don't always get a great seal and can arrive flat. When I get mine filled at Tree House I am usually drinking same day. But the beer is so good probably still worth giving shipping a try.

 

[gregjohnston]

Cambridge Brewing Company has the best pumpkin I've ever had, and everything else they do is too notch. I don't know if they have a lot of stuff in bottles though... I've only gotten it on tap or taken growlers home.