Breweries you've done a 180 on

180. Not really. 360. Sure.

 

Couldn't agree more. I used to love going to the brewery and tasting whatever I could. Now if I go it's for the food and some decent beer. Their revived seasonals are a best forgettable. Also, the tweaked brewing process that made Commodore Perry more malty and balanced now, definitely disappointing ( loved the hoppy IPA the way it was ). I still drink tier stuff don't get me wrong, I'm not completely crushing them. They just need to step their game up cause their falling behind most other breweries in Ohio

 

the ship inn

 

Rogue-Terrible business practices

Goose Island- Bought by a terrible corporation

Green Flash- Actually, I never really liked them

 

Firestone. Their core beers are a bad representation of their brewing capabilities. I don't enjoy 805, Union Jack or any of their main production beers, but their seasonal releases got me hooked, starting with and especially parabola.

 

Lagunitas
and
Stone

Its no longer about the beer in my humble opinion

 

Fair enough, but to say that they're the worst at Belgian ales is a bit extreme, no?

 

Stone & Ballast Point.

ps-although I must admit that recently I purchased a Ruin Ten and it was damn tasty, so it may go back, same with Big Eye.

 

Could you elaborate a little bit? I've never been a big fan of Rogue but just curious.

 

One I've positively changed my mind on is Sixpoint. And it was literally an overnight change of opinion, too: at first I was like "WHY CAN'T THESE GUYS STICK TO STYLE GUIDELINES?!", then I was like "YEAAAH, THESE GUYS DON'T GIVE A RAT'S ASS ABOUT GUIDELINES!1"

Also, 4Beans.

 

I personally can't elaborate that well on it (because I don't feel like Googling right now ), but I've heard Rogue treats their employees like hot garbage.

 

I have gradually done a complete 180 on Odells. When I was getting into craft beer I thought that 90 shilling was too hoppy (lol!) and that Easy Street Wheat, while having the best name, wasn't as good as Sunshine Wheat. So I didn't like Odells much. However, over time I have accepted more hops and more bitterness. And now Odells makes some amazing beers that I appreciate top to bottom. Barrel Thief was one of my favorite DIPAs ever. Their standard $10/6 pack Odell IPA is probably the best common IPA in the state (and recently voted as such). Their taproom is just perfect, and I try to find excuses to get back there often.

 

Exactly. Also nothing is actually changing at Lagunitas.

 

Except that they want to be sold anywhere worldwide that Heineken is, eventually. This deal locks in the distribution network, and gives capital to redouble their capacity with yet another brewery. This is capitalism at it's finest.

It's mind boggling that someone on "Beer Advocate" would not be cheering for these guys at such a critical juncture. They have some of the best value/$ year rounds, seasonal 22s, and just did their first BA'd bottling a few months ago. Trying to get great products into more people's hands (worldwide no less) is what every company strives to do. Obviously (and thankfully) they don't listen to the vocal minority of fools on this site boo hooing for no reason.

 

I understand you're speaking to BA folks in general, but to clarify, I do not "hate" Sam Adams beer. It is just that I haven't had any in a few years. I'm lucky to be living in an area with 40 something breweries within driving distance. I can only drink so much beer.

 

"180" sounds too severe, but my tastes for DFH's line-up has diminished over the past coupla years. I saw Unibroue mentioned in the thread, and while there's been no "180," both them and Ommegang really don't call to me anymore, even though they were two of the first breweries to catch my attention when I got into craft.

 

I ment in terms of running their company. But yes I agree with everything you said! It is so exciting to see a great brewery do well.

 

Bells- Used to love them 12 years ago. Now...Meh.
Lakefreont Brewery - Used to be Meh, now pretty solid since they came out with MYTurn series and some other cool things. Tours and beer hall have always been great!

 

I never rule out anything entirely, I have no problems trying something I haven't had before from anyone. There is without question breweries that I sort of given up on or have fairly lower expectations.. but I always hope for a good beer when it's put in front of me.

Purchasing is of course an entirely different story.

 

They are the worst out of the breweries that focus on those styles. But remember, I live in Canada so I haven't tried any American versions of Trappist styles. Just Belgian and from Quebec. But I cannot think of another Belgian style brewer who I would avoid just from the name. Obviously Sam Adams Quad is worse, but thats not a Belgian style brewer.