Minnesota "NE style" IPA's

Of course they are better than MN attempts, but are they greater than TH or Trillium? That's a solid NO. That is the only reason I brought up Monkish. No one ever mentions them, even though they are doing the NE style best right now IMO.

 

I have found the best New England IPA's need to have fresh ingredients. Sometimes when they are not the beers don't seem the same.

 

I wish I could. But I have nothing to trade for them so I'm SOL pretty much..... oh well.

 

I bring Tree House and Trillium back home as often as I can, Maine, Bissell & Foundation on rarer occasions.

They've all been fantastic, but Hill Farmstead has better beers hands down. They're soft, balanced and pillowy, wrapped in a bed of haze.

 

Oddly, I found Smarter Than Spock more bitter than most others.

 

Agreed. That's probably the most bitter they've ever made though lol... anything that was iterations of their first couple IPAs are more bitter (Spocks, Sticky Green, etc).

But they've slowly gotten juicier and softer over time. It's the main thing I trade for now, outside of TH's special brews.

 

Rochester has 3/3/17 DDH sue, and fresh pompeii coming in today.

 

What is Beer J??? I'm going through Roch today and planning on grabbing some crowlers at Forager and Grand Round...any where else I need to stop?

 

Beer J is the hazy IPA at Grand Round right now.

 

Has anyone had anything from The Veil? I'll be spending a few days in Richmond, VA and have heard they do rather impressive NE IPAs. I've also heard good things about The Answer. Will definitely be stopping at both and most likely bring back some cans/crowlers. I'm wondering how people feel these stack up versus Minnesota NE-style IPAs as well as the established players (TH, Trillium, Monkish, etc).

On a side note, does anyone have any info on if/when Grog will be back? It's definitely not a perfect example of a NE IPA but it's one of my favorite local beers nonetheless.

 

I have only had a couple of Veil beers, but they have been good to great. Recently had one of their IPAs next to a couple of Tree House and preferred the Veil. However, I know they experiment a lot and sometimes don't end up with desireable results. They are certainly closer to Tree House, Monkish level than they are to the Minnesota "NE IPAs" level.

Jealous of your trip. Enjoy!

 

Second this comment 100%. The Veil is doing hops right. Enjoy your trip!

 

LTS makes pretty good beer, nothing NE style though (that I know of)

 

Great thread, thank you all for helping me out. I'm a huge IPA guy and I can say I have had most of the top hop beers around (treehouse, trillium, veil, answer, bissell etc...). I am trying to try the best IPAs in every state (I'm a nerd). So far, Forager wins Minnesota for me.

Side note, if you haven't had Weldworks from Colorado or Civil Society from Florida, you are missing out on the hazy NE style IPA. These two are awesome!

Had Kushy Hops the other day, found it to be very good. I also happened to pick up a couple of crowlers of Regal, anxious to try those out. I also grabbed a beer J today! Thanks again for all your help.

 

Lupulin Brewing. This brewery needs its own thread. But they are going to be big. Went to the brewery today, took the fam (really solid food truck despite the questionable facade; lots of craft sodas; games / huge chalkboard; crazy patient staff). They have a huge tap list - Blissful is obviously, well, Blissful. Hooey is really solid - closest thing I've seen in MN to an NE IPA besides maybe Modist's Dreamyard. Had Hooey that they had randled through cascade hops - just awesome. And then 6 "big" brews on including 3x BA imp stouts - the Shorewood Barrel God rivals BCBS (I know of what I speak) - really good! Picked up some growlers to take home and great glassware. Again, this place is going to be big - their beers and their space is dialed in. I hope they're ready for the demand!

 

I also posted this quote in the BlackStack thread.

 

I was pleasantly surprised by Insight's Surging From The East. I would put that solidly ahead of Lupulin's Blissful Ignorance as far as retail options.

 

I've had my fair share of Trillium but only one beer from Treehouse (Very Hazy). I visited the brewery but unfortunately only had a limited amount of time so I purchased four cans (that was the limit) and was unable to stay long enough to get any bottles filled. That said it was hands down the best IPA I've ever had. Minnesota is trying it hardest to create NEIPAs but I have yet to have anything on par with that Very Hazy.

 

Just did these side by side tonight out of my Lupulin growler -- absolutely thoroughly 5000% disagree. Not even close. But that's why this site is fun - it's all about individual tastes and opinions. Also they're not really the same style (NE style IPA vs IIPA that isn't trying to be NE style the way Hooey is). But Blissful by miles and miles and miles ... :-)