Diamond in the rough breweries in Massachusetts

Night Shift ain't half bad

 

I don't see any in Massachusetts, but just outside of Mass, maybe someone like Steady Habit (CT) or Kelsen (NH) or Deciduous (NH), or Austin St (ME) might be the next.

 

I like berkley brewing, aeronaut, and blue hills has some good stuff.

 

Berkley and Bog Iron. Just had some of their barrel aged beers (Berkley "Abbey Strong" and Bog Iron "Devil's Footprint") and their double IPAs (Berkley "Hog Oiler" and Bog Iron "Middle Child"). I was seriously taken aback by all four of those beers.

 

High Horse and Brewmaster Jack. Medusa also seems to know what they're about!

 

You’re asking about breweries that are “out there” already, not in the ranks of Trillium and Tree House, but will rise to that rank? Sadly, from market dynamics, none. Trillium and Tree House hit the ground with praise being heaped on them. Not to imply an emperor's-new-clothes phenomenon, but it's easier for a brewery with lots of buzz, producing the most sought-after beer styles, to maintain their mystique than for an established, excellent, under-appreciated brewery to gain recognition for what they are doing. Sad to say, but that’s the BA way, and BA is a bellwether for the fickle craft-beer-chasing community. Which gets back to what you are looking for in your post. Are you looking for beers from other established breweries that are in the caliber of Trillium and Tree House that you should try? IMHO Ascendant at Mystic or Verdance from Enlightenment, but the site it littered with “Most Underappreciated Beer/Brewery” threads. Or if you’re trying to get ahead of the next big thing in MA breweries (and be there before the lines get ridiculous)? Again sadly, from market dynamics, the next-big-thing in MA breweries will come from a new brewery opening and will not come from any established brewery.

 

2nd for Bog Iron. Their IPAs are improving every batch. Wish they would progress to some type of retail format. Cans please!

 

We just bought a filler/crowner (tiny bottling line) and are trying to get TTB label approval so we can start pushing out bottles on a limited basis. So stop yelling at us... although the kind words are certainly appreciated.

(The yelling thing was a joke)

 

As long as you always have something on tap at Buddy's Pizza, all is forgiven!

 

Haha... Trust me.. We don't have a choice. Buddy shows up at the brewery in person and refuses to leave until he's able to pry a keg out of us. Plus he bribes us with pizza which... is impossible to say, "no" to.

Buddy's a great guy and is a huge supporter of a bunch of really local breweries (Berkley, us, Goodfellows, Mayflower, etc). It's the type of local place we love being on tap at.

 

Looks like the yelling worked, can't wait.

 

Not entirely sure I agree - look what Epiphany has done for Foundation.

 

Is Buddy's in Middleboro? Far off 495? I gotta make a visit some time.

 

Did Trillium really hit the ground running with lots of buzz? I work right by there and besides occasionally seeing someone walking with a growler not even the "beer people" I know really knew anything about them for a long while. The mob scene that is now at their releases certainly wasn't around for at least the first year of going there (maybe longer since I wasn't going from day one either).

 

I work in the area as well and remember that first year being fairly quiet. A group of us from work went for growler fills, but during that first year they weren't doing much hoppy stuff and didn't have bottles. I believe their very first bottled beer was the barrel-aged Pot & Kettle (which I actually still have in my cellar!). It's easy to forgot that their first DIPA (Mettle) wasn't brewed until their 2nd Anniversary.

My recollection is that they built up their core lineup slowly and steadily (Fort Point was always awesome to me), and then hit a tipping point for the juice-bomb IPAs, DIPAs, and DDH stuff with mettle that hasn't stopped!

 

At the exit for Rt 44, it's right there at the rotary, not even a quarter mile from the highway. Let me know when you go, I'm about 4 miles away. You can hit up Muckey's bottle shop as well, about a mile from Buddy's. They also keep an accurate tap list updated on their Facebook page.

 

Mettle was 1st anniversary.

http://www.trilliumbrewing.com/wordpress_blog/2014/03/trilliums-1st-anniversary-week/P

 

Ah, so it was.

 

I would say it all depends on what you are looking for.
If its IPA's in the current model, then yah not to many, however
you may consider the breath of the Commonwealths offerings.
Including the newer guys like BLDG8, Iron Duke, Abandonded Buildings, not so new
Brewmaster Jacks.
I know this WMASS centric, certainly, but worth the effort.
Cheers all