N.E. The beer of your state.

People are hung up on it not being made in RI for over 40 years now and rightfully so. If it has been made in RI all this time I think more people would vote for it.

 

Shipyard put Maine on the map before Allagash. Just saying. Their problem is they didnt make great beer and their most popular beer is a Pumpkin Ale that doesnt taste like beer but they were definitely the first brewery from Maine I was aware of down here.

 

It's not brewed in state though. The flagship Narragansett Lager is still brewed out of state and isn't offered in the local taproom; a crazy state of affairs, really.

In reality, Narragansett is still most widely known though I tend to lean with you towards the craft choices Tendril or Captain's Daughter. If I'm honest though, the former probably isn't known much outside RI, and neither are as good as my favorite Long Live's All Seeing Eye.

 

I was going to say that looks most correct, but Maine should be Allagash White...

but it looks like I was beat to it

 

I would pick Allagash White too. But one could make a pitch for Substance.

White was around for years before the beer scene blew up in Portland. Substance was the first beer I went to Portland specifically to try back in 2013. And then “copycat” breweries multiplied like rabbits shortly thereafter. Now there’s a sea of New England IPAs.

Not to mention I feel as if every bar in the Boston area has Substance on tap now. So it’s fairly ubiquitous.

 

Substance is a worthy choice and would have been my third, but I’d still give the nod to White or Lunch.

 

On the other hand, if we're going by widely known beers like Narragansett, (not widely esteemed beers by beer nerds) is it possible Shipyard Pumpkinhead is the iconic beer for Maine? I remember stumbling across Shipyard and Kennebunkport before I was into craft, simply because of their locations. Wouldn't have happened with Allagash!

 

Interesting post. MA, ME, and VT I agree are non negotiable.

Julius
Lunch
Heady
SF Ipa

NH - I would have to say finest kind. But recently I agree Stoneface ipa

Runners up

Boston Lager
SY Export
Magic #9(yes, over long trail. #9 had a massive following)
Finest kind

 

Magic Hat #9 over Long Trail? Where does Switchback Ale come into the conversation? In terms of legacy beers...

 

I think the criteria is then changing a bit. Because then MA would absolutely be Boston Lager and not Julius.

 

I agree with Magic Hat #9 over Long Trail Ale mainly because I always thought the Double Bag was more popular than the Ale. The Ale probably sold more but I always gravitated towards the Double Bag over the Ale. They were always both the same price and always available next to each other in stores.

 

That would be news to me if the Lager was brewed in RI. From the articles regarding the opening of the Tockwotten brewery in the Providence Journal (2021) and a follow up article I found in 2022, the Lager was still brewed in NY. And that is the reason you cannot buy the Lager on draft or to go from the RI brewery (state laws only allow beer brewed at a taproom to be sold, with the exception of daily "tap takeover" licenses breweries have had time to time).

As stated in the main thread, I can't quite qualify the Lager as my understanding is this is still brewed in NY. Depending on mood my vote would probably vacillate between Captains Daughter from Grey Sail, Rise from Whalers Brewing, and Derivative from Proclamation.

 

I have no clue, but it's possible Boston Lager is still brewed in MA at one of their two tap rooms. Although I'd wager they only brew experimental beers there.

 

I think the answer between Boston lager and Harpoon IPA being the state beer would be look at it comparatively as craft grew to the general masses of macro drinkers.

New craft beer person 2003

Boston lager - wow, this microbrew Boston lager is pretty good. Lots of hops and it’s kind of bitter. Cool fahkin label and yeah Boston!

Harpoon IPA - ugh god. This tastes like fahkin flowers. I don’t know how you drink this shit. This whale piss? Give me a Coors

 

Oh I see the issue: I was thinking back to the thread I posted in predating the one you are referencing about a relatively available beer from your state you'd recommend to out-of-towners, and therefore gave credence to my personal preferences.

I agree with a name like 'Narragansett' and the history behind them that would be the obvious beer from RI. I'd prefer a beer to be made in state, but Captain's Daughter probably comes the closest and is not nearly as universally associated with RI as Narragansett.

 

For some reason I thought they started had brewing it here again, but it seems I was wrong, and regardless I agree, Derivative or CD would be my pick.