Top 3 Micro-Breweries

[lidon123]

Curious as to what people think are the top 3 breweries in their area of the country. When I lived in Texas there wasn't much in the way of micro-brews but in the Pacific Northwest I am in a micro-brew heaven. Anyways my top 3 are:

Rogue Brewery- Newport,OR
Stone Brewery- Escondido,CA
Pike Place Brewery- Seattle,WA

 

[humann_brewing]

Yes, it is great beer nirvana in the PNW, I assume you have checked out what Deschutes, Widmer, Boundary Bay, Pacific Maritime, Snoqualmie breweries right?

Anyways, It is nearly impossible to limit the list to 3 but I would pick from the list above, yours and add

Russian River

 

[Desert_Sky]

"as a microbrewery varies by region and by authority, though is usually around 15,000 barrels (18,000 hectolitres/ 475,000 gallons) a year."

Have Rogue and Stone passed that?

 

[atyeastIgothops]

I don't know if they are considered micro- or not, but three from my area would be....

1. Southern Tier Brewing Company
2. Ellicottville Brewing Company
3. Great Lakes Brewing

 

[carnevoodoo]

"as a microbrewery varies by region and by authority, though is usually around 15,000 barrels (18,000 hectolitres/ 475,000 gallons) a year."

Have Rogue and Stone passed that?

Yes, they're well beyond that, but if you don't care about what the first line of wikipedia says, what else would you classify them as?

And there's no way I could get it down to three. Maybe 30?

edit: also, these lists will all depend on where people live in the states.

 

[lamarguy]

When I lived in Texas there wasn't much in the way of micro-brews

I'm not sure when you moved but off the top of my head...

1. St Arnold's
2. Real Ale
3. Live Oak
4. Southern Star
5. Rhar & Sons
6. Independence

 

[lidon123]

Yes, it is great beer nirvana in the PNW, I assume you have checked out what Deschutes, Widmer, Boundary Bay, Pacific Maritime, Snoqualmie breweries right?

Oh, yea...I have been drinking a good deal of jubilee ale and brr...this season

 

[lidon123]

I'm not sure when you moved but off the top of my head...

1. St Arnold's
2. Real Ale
3. Live Oak
4. Southern Star
5. Rhar & Sons
6. Independence

I joined the Navy in 2004, but it may just be where I grew up, because whenever I go back home the best I can find is Shiner Bock and Sam Adams for beer period, but my family is from a small county, luckily I live in the PNW now and never have to worry about a shortage of micro-brews to choose from, maybe when I go back and visit I can find some good stuff in Tx

 

[HI_SALENITY]

I am not sure they are still a micro but I am near Boulevard

 

[Yankeehillbrewer]

Sierra Nevada(Though it's hardly micro anymore)
Bear Republic
Russian River

Would be my top three but there are so many in California...Lost Coast,Mendocino Brewing Co,North Coast,Moylans,Lagunitas, Butte Creek,Green Flash,Ballast Point, Stone, Anderson Valley, it goes on and on.

 

[BrianTheBrewer]

Stone
Rouge
Lost Abbey

(#4 Ballast Point)

 

[Grinder12000]

Ale Asylum - Madison WI
Tyranena - Lake Mills WI
Founders - Michigan

 

[Brew-boy]

Bells
Founders
Great Lakes

 

[carnevoodoo]

Stone
Rouge
Lost Abbey

(#4 Ballast Point)

Ballast Point is sooooooo much better than Lost Abbey. So are Alesmith, Green Flash, and Pizza Port Carlsbad for that matter.

 

[motobrewer]

Ballast Point is sooooooo much better than Lost Abbey. So are Alesmith, Green Flash, and Pizza Port Carlsbad for that matter.

that's why it's his list, not yours

1. Bell's
2. Great Lakes
3. Central Waters

 

[Druish_00]

Founders is my clear #1 - Their taproom is a great place to drink awesome beer and they always have something going on.

Followed by Bells as #2,

Then New Holland (absolutely amazing artesian gin and single malt whisky as well as a lot of small batch specialty beers.)

Southwest Michigan is the place to be for great beer!

 

[MarsColonist]

I'm not sure when you moved but off the top of my head...

1. St Arnold's
2. Real Ale
3. Live Oak
4. Southern Star
5. Rhar & Sons
6. Independence

As far as Texas goes, there is also: (512) Brewing in Austin, Franconia in McKinney (outside of Dallas), two new upstarts in Austin, Jester King and Circle Brewing, and another Ive heard trying to raise money in Austin, Hops and Grains

 

[RC0032]

Their taproom is a great place to drink awesome beer and they always have something going on.

I could not disagree more...maybe during the day but at night its a disaster in there :cross:

Russian River
Stone
Bells

 

[jezter6]

As an east coaster:
Victory
Weyerbacher
Lancaster Brewing Co

 

[wildwest450]

Abita needs to be included. Fantastic beers.

 

[BillyBeer]

Here are mine:

Sierra Nevada
Russian River
Deschutes
Widmer/Red Hook
Stone

 

[marzsit]

walking man
mcmenamin's
georgetown brewing co.

 

[DavidSteel]

I'd have to give props to Sierra Nevada for making some pretty good brews and having them mass produced. Other than that, I like Founders, Russian River, and Bells has been jumping out at me a lot. I'd have to give Bells major props; had some of the most impressive beers I've had. Surprised the hell out of me.

 

[Kaner]

1. Three Floyd's (Still micro?)
2. Goose Island (Probably not micro)
3. Prairie Rock

 

[Richard]

Sierra Nevada
Great Lakes
Ommegang

 

[brew hoperator]

Founders
Terrapin
tie between Duck Rabbit and Troegs

 

[andysim]

1. Three Floyds
2. Belles
3. Mad Anthony's

 

[BarleyWater]

For those that haven't seen this, http://beermapping.com/, it's pretty cool. I use it every time I go on vacation.

 

[carnevoodoo]

1. Three Floyd's (Still micro?)
2. Goose Island (Probably not micro)
3. Prairie Rock

Yeah. Because AB owns Goose Island, they're not allowed to call themselves "micro", at least in Illinois.

 

[remilard]

Yeah. Because AB owns Goose Island, they're not allowed to call themselves "micro", at least in Illinois.

AB is only a minority owner.