New England Whales?

elite post

 

I think of a lot of things in beerdom as being similar to music fandom, and this is a great example. In a startling coincidence, people have a tendency to think that a band peaked right around the time they first started listening to them. And on top of that, they almost certainly peaked some time before they got really popular.

 

Not only do I put NEBCO in the same conversation, I think they're much better than Tree House, Trill, Bissell, and other juice factories. As the haze craze has died down, I think people have realized that NEBCO IPAs are sort of the perfect balance between tropical, juicy, but also refreshing and crisp. LONG LIVE NEBCO. They have also progressed a lot over the years. Multiples expansions, lots of different beers in cans. NEBCO rocks.

 

Florida guy would know about trade values.

 

Out of curiosity how long have you guys been into beer? I feel like most people I know stopped doing this sort of thing about two years ago. Im not trying to hate, I actually miss the days of going to different breweries for releases. Everyone I know just started to think it was lame so I stopped as well.

 

I keep tabs on them just because I think it's interesting. I trade a lot but don't buy/sell really.

I've been hardcore for about 1.5-2 years, the friends i'm referring to a bit longer than that.

 

This seems kind of strange. Right now beer is the best it has ever been. A lot of it is only available at the brewery. If you stopped visiting breweries a couple of years ago, you are missing out on some truly amazing beer.

 

NE Whales off the top of my head:
Hill Farmstead clover, ann, art, damon FBV, Works of Love w/ SARA, DB Damon
Fox Farm b1 copestone
OEC gorgoroth, Esgaroth, Tempus 1
Trillium BA Affogato, permutation 109
Anyone who still has a damn growler of good morning that they forgot about
Maybe a couple of the early tree house mixed ferments
Older vintages of Allagash coolship beers and sours (sought after mostly by people who have been doing this stupid hobby for more than 5 years)

Maybe two roads Hexotic b1.

I wouldn't be surprised if a year from now 12% is putting out some barrel aged beers that people go insane over.

 

For me it is freshness and style. I buy almost all my NEIPAs direct from Breweries (mostly Tree House and HF) Way better than store bought 20 dollar 4 packs that are a month old. The rest of my purchases are Euro/ craft lagers from packies, Stouts and Wild Ales (equal mix of brewery direct and liquor stores).

 

I'm in the stopped going as much to breweries group. I'm not buying as much hoppy beer for home consumption as I was before so I'm not going to those types of breweries as much. My LBS, which is a less than 5 minute walk, does growlers of stuff like Ocelot so I don't need to go 40 minutes to the brewery to get cans. If I want haze, I can have it on draft at a bar. I usually want my house pils (Ardent) or a well-made lager when I'm home, so that's what I usually buy. When I'm visiting breweries around New England, it's usually breweries I enjoy and not necessarily for carry out. I've gone to TH a couple of times, but I suspect that's not going to continue. My time has been limited when I've been back in NE, so I haven't been able to go to Vermont/HF.

 

I agree to a point, but it sounds like he just stopped going to those far away trendy breweries... in favor of quality local breweries, which makes a lot of sense. Seems the chase, like most things, gets old after a while. Very lucky to have several good (and a few great) breweries within a half hour. I still enjoying finding, and occasionally chasing, those. Also, SOME beer is better than ever, but the odds of EVERY Joe schmo who opened a brewery since 2010 being a great brewer is quite low IMO. I would line the west coast local brew college beers I was drinking (gasp) 20 years ago and (I think) choose them over much if the muddled haze and some mixed styles being pushed out nowadays (like some Kent Falls beers that, while at times enjoyable and unique, can't decide if they're an IPA or a saison).

 

You are right about not everything being good. You definitely have to do some (actually a lot) of weeding out. The fact that those beers you were drinking 20 years ago are probably still around plus you have some new breweries nailing some new and throwback styles means beer really is in a sweet spot right now.

 

Yep, and great to see so many styles coming back, even if not for the masses. I loved Nomad, the TH dark lager from a few months ago, for example. Great style for fall and winter. Cheers.

 

great list. Seems like you understand the definitely of “whales”. I’d throw Samuel in with the HF, I’m sure there are a couple other valuable bottles we’re forgetting from them. Don’t think 109 is a whale. It definitely has more value than the majority of trillium beers though. Rest of your list is perfect.

 

In my opinion there’s less need to chase down New England IPAs today than any other style.

Many breweries have “cracked the code” on how to make a good one.

 

Maybe, but if I am playing upwards of 16 bucks a 4 pack, it better be great.

 

That's a fair point.

 

I think the person that wrote the words "to each their own" won this thread lol.

I travel once a month to fill my beer fridge. I'm in a good geographical NE location to be about 2 hours from everywhere. I enjoy the hunt and I enjoy the drive. I like checking out the actual breweries and hitting craft beer stores. I could buy pretty damn good beer 5 minutes from my house (and I do). But I like getting out and checking out the breweries and atmospheres. But that's me, to each their own.

 

much better than Treehouse. You realize TH makes beers other than IPA's. NEBCO must be pretty great then.

 

They BARELY make anything other than IPAS. A quick look on the Treehouse website shows that they have 12 IPAS available in cans today. Some are doubles, a few are singles, and one is a hoppy pale. The other three beers available in cans are imperial stouts. Not exactly stretching their portfolio.