5 Best/Favorite Breweries

Sixpoint
The Alchemist
Hill Farmstead
Founders
Cigar City

 

Anchor
Lost Coast
Sierra Nevada
Russian River
Firestone

 

The Bruery
Firestone Walker
Almanac
Cascade
Russian River

+ Goose Island, if I can have one more.

 

Avery
Odell
Lagunitas
Firestone Walker
Victory

I'm primarily an IPA/DIPA/Belgian guy but it just struck me that 4 of these make an every-day drinkable pilsner of some sort....

 

Boston Beer Co.
Sierra Nevada
Stone
Dogfish Head
Lagunitas

 

(In no particular order)

• Mahr's Brau
• Firestone Walker
• Odell
• Dry Dock
• New Glarus

 

Nøgne ø
Bell's
Two brothers
Firestone walker
Either Brewdog or Dogfish head

 

The Alchemist
Hill Farmstead
Maine Beer Company
Ottercreek
Longtrail

plus one extra: Victory

 

In no particular order:

Great Divide
Stone
Bell's
Brew Kettle
Weasel Boy

 

Founders - the best combination of IPAs, stouts, and porters in craft beer. Harvest is probably my favorite beer overall, Imperial Stout is my favorite stout, and their porter is my favorite porter. They may have the best year round offerings of any brewery, with their pale ale being the only one that is average for the style.

Bell's - almost everything they do is extremely high quality, though they do have some misses. Like Founders, they have a great combination of IPAs and stouts, but they're really good at much more than that.

Three Floyd's - of the eighteen or so beers I've had from them I've enjoyed the hell out of almost everything. They do virtually every style really well, but they've had one huge miss in Tiberian Inquisitor that may be the worst beer I've ever had. That takes them down just a bit. They are hops masters, but I've enjoyed their lagers too.

Surly - they're just fantastic, and they're very versatile. I've never had a bad beer from them, and most are way, way above average. Abrasive is one of the best IIPAs in the world.

Lagunitas - the best combination of quality and price in craft beer. They get the slight nod over SN. Sucks is perhaps my second favorite beer after Founders Harvest.

Honorable mentions: Boulevard, Great Lakes, Stone, Sierra Nevada, Alesmith (they'd be much higher is they sold 6 packs and 4 packs), and Victory. I almost put Boulevard higher but I just don't care for Single Wide or Double Wide.

Relatively local choices: Revolution, Half Acre, Pipeworks, Goose Island, Schlafly, and Perennial (I'm in Central Illinois).

 

Awesome thread...
1.)Schlafly
2.)Lagunitas
3.)Brooklyn (They also get best Tour award. Please go if you're in Willimasburg)
4.)Good People
5.)Goose Island

Honorable Mention here in Nashville-Jackalope. Really making a fantastic Brown Ale, they are Harvard grads, very interesting!

 

Russian River
Bear Republic
tie- Firestone/Ballast
Oskar Blues
Great Divide

 

No particular order:
Firefly hollow
Allagash
Maine beer company
Stone
Lagunitas

 

Jester king
Crooked stave
Alpine
Bruery
Firestone

 

Genius idea, grown men listing breweries that few people will bother to take notice of, if only this had been done before!!!

 

Sierra Nevada
Stone
Firestone Walker
Odell
Lagunitas

Honorable mention: Port Brewing

 

Devils Backbone
Flying Fish
Victory
Great Lakes
Smuttynose

 

Founders
3 Floyds
Kuhnhenn
Stone
Bells

 

Cigar City
Funky Buddha
Founders
The Bruery
Goose Island

 

Bells
Odell
Sierra Nevada
Schlafly
Deschutes