Tier Ranking all the NEIPA Breweries

so i would add Alchemist, Fiddlehead and Moonraker, you can put them where you like but a fan of all 3

 

Alchemist doesn't make NEIPAs. Fiddlehead only really makes 2 (IPA and Mastermind).

Heady Topper is my favorite beer of all time but it's closer to a west coast IPA than the modern interpretation of NEIPAs

 

Sure, but I didn’t see anything in the post about trading. I’ve never had a lot of breweries’ beers outside the northeast unless they’re nationally distributed.

 

I must give OP credit. He put a lot of thought into this.

 

There’s a strong contingent who always say Treehouse, Trillium, Monkish etc aren’t what they used to be.
It’s hard to know if it’s true or just fond memories and a bunch of other variables.
Probably a combination.

 

Even before this controversy, I was never crazy about their IPA. Definitely belong in a "Rest of the rest" tier as far as the style goes.

 

Absolutely. Tree House belongs in Tier 1. Trillium doesn't even belong on a list anymore.

 

This seems like a good place to ask this.

What do you fans of the style consider the essential elements of the style?

 

I'm not really into NEIPAs but I'd like to throw a Michigan brewery into the mix to see where they stand with the NEIPA drinkers who may have experienced any from Old Nation Brewing. https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/41783/#lists. When they started out they were mostly a NEIPA brewery, and specifically their M-43 became the most well known of their beers. Boss Tweed came along a little later, plus a few others. I've seen favorable comments about these beers in various threads (maybe regional), but I don't know far and wide their beers get or how well they compare to the other breweries mentioned in this thread. To anyone who has experienced their beers, where would they fit into the chart?

 

I have found Other Half to be extremely inconsistent, with more misses than hits and nowhere near where they used to be circa 2015-16.

Monkish has also recently dropped in quality, though not nearly as severely. Trillium and Tree House I've never had. For the moment, my top dogs are:

1) Alvarado Street.
2) North Park
3) Green Cheek

 

I know you disagree with the politics and controversy surrounding them Kyle but they still make killer beer and that’s what this post is regarding. Not saying you’re wrong to say “fuck them”, just saying they are definitely “up there” in their craft regardless of how horrible they come off to you, cheers brother.

 

The closest I've seen so far to what I agree with, although I might bump Trillium down to 3. And Tired Hands still has its Tier 1 and 2 moments. Curious about your take on Fieldwork, as I find them kind of all over the place. Which beers of theirs do you love?

 

Tom, I know you’re not especially into this style but what you said was spot on.

The only reason Old Nation isn’t a sought after, trade worthy, very notable NEIPA brewer anymore is because they’ve expanded their distribution footprint to such a degree that their beers have began to sit in most places, simply due to saturation. Just as Founders is one of the originals in the barrel aged stout game, Old Nation is definitely an equivalent with regards to NEIPA’s. Even if people say they’ve been outdone or that there’s “locals” that are much better, these beers should be looked at as archetypes and definitely should be respected as a blueprint of sorts for so many breweries.

These beers are exactly the reason I have no problem considering Michigan to be one of the greatest (if not the greatest) place for beer on planet Earth.

With all that being said, there are definitely some “Tier 1” NEIPA brewers in Michigan today that are brewery only to a large degree and garner a lot of respect on trade boards and in craft beer drinking circles the nation over. Some of these would be HOMES brewery, Arvon Brewing Company, and Wax Wings. I would encourage any of you who are able to try beers from these breweries to do so, as they truly do rival the best Monkish, Treehouse, Trillium, or Tired Hands that you can find.

Cheers.