Best Brews: Your Favorites U.S. Breweries
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Best Brews: Your Favorites U.S. Breweries
Where have you traveled to---to sample great brew? With the season of sipping outside in the broad sunshine upon us, I thought it might be fun to talk about some of our favorite spots around the country.
I enjoyed a delectable amber ale at a brewery in Long Valley, New Jersey two weekends ago after taking a little day trip out of the city.
The brewery: http://longvalleypubandbrewery.com/
I'd like to finally take the tour of my "neighborhood" brewery, Brooklyn Brewery, at some point. Seems like a worthy stop for anyone coming to New York that loves brew.
http://www.brooklynbrewery.com/brewery/
What about you? Any favorites?
I enjoyed a delectable amber ale at a brewery in Long Valley, New Jersey two weekends ago after taking a little day trip out of the city.
The brewery: http://longvalleypubandbrewery.com/
I'd like to finally take the tour of my "neighborhood" brewery, Brooklyn Brewery, at some point. Seems like a worthy stop for anyone coming to New York that loves brew.
http://www.brooklynbrewery.com/brewery/
What about you? Any favorites?
#2
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Alaskan Amber & Pale Ale are among my very favorites. They're available anywhere in Alaska and the Pacific Coast states as well (I think), although trying to find them outside Alaska may require some hunting.
BTW, I would not be surprised to see several hundred responses to this subject.
BTW, I would not be surprised to see several hundred responses to this subject.
#3
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Now here's a post that gets me excited!!
My favorite US brewery that I have never visited is Ommegang which produces Belgian style ales. It's in Cooperstown New York which is a great pit stop for anyone who is visiting the baseball hall of fame. They have wonderful annual festivals including "Belgium Comes to Cooperstown" which I would love to go to one day.
My favorite US brewery that I have visited (so far) is Anderson Valley Brewing Company in Boonville, CA.
http://www.avbc.com/
It's a very no-frills type of brewery to visit. The tasting room setting is one of a large warehouse. I can't remember if they serve food or not (I'm thinking they don't). Their beer is fabulous. I love their Winter Solstice (seasonal) as well as the Belgians they've been churning out (Brother David's). Now that summer is approaching you'll have Summer Solstice beer to look forward to...which is also very tasty.
The best part about visiting the brewery, though, is that you can play frisbee golf (aka disc golf) on an 18 hole "golf" course while drinking your beer.
While in Boonville, I highly highly recommend a meal at the Highpockety Ox. Fabulous food in a quirky environment. Playing disc golf works up an appetite!
www.highpocketyox.com
My favorite US brewery that I have never visited is Ommegang which produces Belgian style ales. It's in Cooperstown New York which is a great pit stop for anyone who is visiting the baseball hall of fame. They have wonderful annual festivals including "Belgium Comes to Cooperstown" which I would love to go to one day.
My favorite US brewery that I have visited (so far) is Anderson Valley Brewing Company in Boonville, CA.
http://www.avbc.com/
It's a very no-frills type of brewery to visit. The tasting room setting is one of a large warehouse. I can't remember if they serve food or not (I'm thinking they don't). Their beer is fabulous. I love their Winter Solstice (seasonal) as well as the Belgians they've been churning out (Brother David's). Now that summer is approaching you'll have Summer Solstice beer to look forward to...which is also very tasty.
The best part about visiting the brewery, though, is that you can play frisbee golf (aka disc golf) on an 18 hole "golf" course while drinking your beer.
While in Boonville, I highly highly recommend a meal at the Highpockety Ox. Fabulous food in a quirky environment. Playing disc golf works up an appetite!
www.highpocketyox.com
#4
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I don't have a favorite brewery per se, but my favorite beer is brewed in Nova Scotia-Alexander Keiths India Pale Ale...can't get it here in the states, unfortunately.
My favorite brew pub is in Snellville, GA Summit's Wayside Tavern
http://www.summits-online.com/
My favorite brew pub is in Snellville, GA Summit's Wayside Tavern
http://www.summits-online.com/
#5
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During our recent trip to San Francisco, we went to Anchor Steam Works for a free tour and tasting.
DH is the beer enthusiast/connoisseur and he really enjoyed the tour and the tasting even more!
The tasting is really quite generous - we each had pub size glasses [6 0z. I think] of 6 different brews! That was quite a bit of beer for me [I actually only finished one glass, and sipped the others].
http://www.anchorbrewing.com/about_us/tourinfo.htm
I highly recommend this tour/tasting. Be sure to maker reservations.
Deb
DH is the beer enthusiast/connoisseur and he really enjoyed the tour and the tasting even more!
The tasting is really quite generous - we each had pub size glasses [6 0z. I think] of 6 different brews! That was quite a bit of beer for me [I actually only finished one glass, and sipped the others].
http://www.anchorbrewing.com/about_us/tourinfo.htm
I highly recommend this tour/tasting. Be sure to maker reservations.
Deb
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Sorry, I should add some of our local SW breweries:
Durango - Durango Steam Works [try the Nitro Conductor!]
Cortez - Main Street Brewery
Dolores - Dolores River Brewery.
New Mexico -
Il Vicino {ABQ and Santa Fe}
Kelly's Brew Pub
All have great microbrews.
Deb
Durango - Durango Steam Works [try the Nitro Conductor!]
Cortez - Main Street Brewery
Dolores - Dolores River Brewery.
New Mexico -
Il Vicino {ABQ and Santa Fe}
Kelly's Brew Pub
All have great microbrews.
Deb
#7
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I hope it does get a couple... some breweries are smaller than others... for instance, the Brooklyn one I mentioned is pretty large I imagine. The NJ one I popped into was really small---a restaurant really---but you could see the one large vat off to the side.
Other favorites:
Starr Hill Brewery in Charlottesville, VA (beer-food-bands upstairs= good times)
http://www.starrhill.com/
Magic Hat, Burlington, Vermont. (Haven't been, want to)
http://www.magichat.net/
Anchor Steam Brewery, San Francisco
(same as above)
http://www.anchorbrewing.com/brewery/
Other favorites:
Starr Hill Brewery in Charlottesville, VA (beer-food-bands upstairs= good times)
http://www.starrhill.com/
Magic Hat, Burlington, Vermont. (Haven't been, want to)
http://www.magichat.net/
Anchor Steam Brewery, San Francisco
(same as above)
http://www.anchorbrewing.com/brewery/
#9
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Here's the link to the Keith's Brewery
http://www.keiths.ca/k_brewery/k_brewery_index.htm
http://www.keiths.ca/k_brewery/k_brewery_index.htm
#10
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Also left off Magnolia Pub and Brewery in San Francisco. The food - and the beer - there is fantastic.
www.magnoliapub.com
Also in San Francisco, but not a brewery, is the legendary Toronado...my favorite beer bar ever!
www.toronado.com
Orlando_Vic - there will definitely be hundreds of posts. I might account for at least 200 of them as I recall all the beer drinking I've done all over the US.
www.magnoliapub.com
Also in San Francisco, but not a brewery, is the legendary Toronado...my favorite beer bar ever!
www.toronado.com
Orlando_Vic - there will definitely be hundreds of posts. I might account for at least 200 of them as I recall all the beer drinking I've done all over the US.

#12
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Big Sky Brewery in Missoula, MT: the Moose Drool is great.
Red Hook in Woodinville, WA: like their seasonal nut brown and ESB.
Belt Creek Brewery in Belt, MT: like the Pig's Ass Porter and Beltian White.
Wasatch: Polygamy Porter
Moab Brewing Company in Moab, UT: Dead Horse Pale Ale
Kona Brewing Company in Kona, Hawaii: Black Sand Porter is great!
I like dark stouts and porters; oatmeal stouts and chocolate stouts are my favorite.
Red Hook in Woodinville, WA: like their seasonal nut brown and ESB.
Belt Creek Brewery in Belt, MT: like the Pig's Ass Porter and Beltian White.
Wasatch: Polygamy Porter
Moab Brewing Company in Moab, UT: Dead Horse Pale Ale
Kona Brewing Company in Kona, Hawaii: Black Sand Porter is great!
I like dark stouts and porters; oatmeal stouts and chocolate stouts are my favorite.
#13
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Katie - I love Brooklyn Brewery's Chocolate Stout. Yum.
Here in Rochester we have Genesee Brewery (now called High Falls Brewery), and I really like their Honey Brown.
http://www.highfalls.com/
Unfortunately, Rochester has trouble getting on the band wagon with ANYTHING and Genesee does not offer tours or even a tasting room that I know of.
We also desperately need an eat-in microbrewery. We have a microbrewery that is good, Rohrbachs,
http://www.rohrbachs.com/index.php
but their restaurant is in a dumb outlying town. They are opening a new prduction facility downtown - I sure wish they were going to serve food there too!
Great thread!!!
Here in Rochester we have Genesee Brewery (now called High Falls Brewery), and I really like their Honey Brown.
http://www.highfalls.com/
Unfortunately, Rochester has trouble getting on the band wagon with ANYTHING and Genesee does not offer tours or even a tasting room that I know of.
We also desperately need an eat-in microbrewery. We have a microbrewery that is good, Rohrbachs,
http://www.rohrbachs.com/index.php
but their restaurant is in a dumb outlying town. They are opening a new prduction facility downtown - I sure wish they were going to serve food there too!
Great thread!!!
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Sierra Nevada Brewery makes some of the best beer in the world. http://www.sierranevada.com/ Besides being a beautiful brewery, it's location, in Chico, CA, makes for a charming visit in a beautiful university town.
We thoroughly enjoy their Pale Ale year-round and particularly, in the summer. The Celebration Ale, around the winter holidays is an annual treat. Right now, you can purchase their ESB, Early Spring Beer. Of course, they have several beers year-round but these are some of their special beers made for the season.
Sierra Nevada Brewery also has a very nice restaurant. Take a tour on their website to view photos.
Cheers!
We thoroughly enjoy their Pale Ale year-round and particularly, in the summer. The Celebration Ale, around the winter holidays is an annual treat. Right now, you can purchase their ESB, Early Spring Beer. Of course, they have several beers year-round but these are some of their special beers made for the season.
Sierra Nevada Brewery also has a very nice restaurant. Take a tour on their website to view photos.
Cheers!

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I forgot to mention --
If anybody is visiting Lake George (Adirondacks) this summer, swing by Davidson Brothers for a great beer and some pub food. Nice place, good sidewalk cafe action too. It's in Glens Falls:
http://www.davidsonbrothers.com/
If anybody is visiting Lake George (Adirondacks) this summer, swing by Davidson Brothers for a great beer and some pub food. Nice place, good sidewalk cafe action too. It's in Glens Falls:
http://www.davidsonbrothers.com/
#17
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I guess I am a beer nut by association --
if you like sippin Brews and and listening to blues, hey, this might just be for you:
http://www.tellurideblues.com/
An amazing September weekend, in the spectacular mountains of Telluride; 50 + microbreweries and a great line up of music. Free beer for 3 hours on the Saturday [well, it's included in the cost of ticket].
You can camp [for a little in town park] or you can live it up in luxurious digs.
10,000 of us can't be wrong!
Deb
if you like sippin Brews and and listening to blues, hey, this might just be for you:
http://www.tellurideblues.com/
An amazing September weekend, in the spectacular mountains of Telluride; 50 + microbreweries and a great line up of music. Free beer for 3 hours on the Saturday [well, it's included in the cost of ticket].
You can camp [for a little in town park] or you can live it up in luxurious digs.
10,000 of us can't be wrong!
Deb
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I love going to an Albuquerque Isotopes game and enjoying an Isotopes Slammin' Amber or AAA Blonde. Both are locally brewed.
I'll second Deb's Anchor Steam recommendation and kureiff's Polygamy Porter.
Lee Ann
I'll second Deb's Anchor Steam recommendation and kureiff's Polygamy Porter.
Lee Ann
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Anchor Steam is a great spot but the best place for a good time is Saint Arnold brewery, Houston, Texas. You are guaranteed a good time, great beer and tasty root beer...and meet new friends from across the country at the same time.