Top non-IPA New England brews

Treehouse Good Morning is the best non-BA stout I've ever had.

 

Fiddlehead's Hodad is awesome if you like coconut porters. Lost Nation's Pitch Black is also a great tasting dark beer. Also, a dark AND hoppy favorite is Rock Art's Black Moon IPA.

 

Jacks Abby bourbon barrel framinghammer is on point.

 

For stuff your average BA can walk into a local store and buy off the shelf on the regular at everyday drinker prices, I'll vote for Berkshire Coffeehouse Porter.

 

Ipswich Oatmeal Stout
Pretty Things Barbapapa (RIS)
Pretty Things Our Finest Regards (Barleywine)

 

Slumbrew Porter Square Porter + Attic & Eaves brown + Yankee Swap (this year is imperial stout, last year was strong ale, aged in rum barrels!)
Lefty's Scotch Ale and Big Brekkie stout
Jack's Abby Framinghammer
Element Dark Element (dark and hoppy yet predates the "black IPA" trend, they describe it as a hoppy schwarzbier)
McNeill's has always had excellent stouts - get ye to the pub.
Wormtown Sweet Tat's breakfast stout

Can anyone suggest a good regional barleywine or old ale? I've yet to find one that even seems to attempt matching up to the character of the classic British ones or Bell's Third Coast old ale. Pretty Things - Finest Regards is the best I've found.

 

Stoneface is releasing their RIS shortly. I've heard really strong reviews from those who have tried it.

 

Best Old Ale I ever had was from Ipswich - their "Whipple House" old ale - but it was a one time thing I think, I wish they would make it again.

Barleywines...have you tried Berkshire's Holidale that comes around this time of year?
I like Our Finest Regards. As for others, CBCs blunderbuss might be the best I've had. As for others, have you had Clown Shoes' barleywines? Also, as silly as this may sound, Jack's Abby's new Bride Maker drinks like a nice barleywine.

 

Mayflower Oatmeal Stout

 

I regret only buying one Bride Maker. Are there any still kicking around? Thought it sold out this past summer.

If I'm not mistaken, Sebago is releasing their yearly BA barleywine in the very near future. Loved it on draft and still have a couple of 2013 bottles in my basement. Theirs was not as sticky sweet as I found the Bourbon County version to be.

 

I second Jack's Abby Barrel Aged Framinghammer. I'll also add Trillium's Pot & Kettle, and Pretty Things Our Finest Regards. Might I add that Allagash is making some special sour beers up in Maine and all of them have been fantastic.

On another note, I'd love to get my hands on some Tree House Good Morning, Dinner and Focal Banger hashtagJustSaying.

 

Had this tonight at their tap takeover. On point! Then the manager started pouring 2011 Parabola...

 

Two standout brown ales are made here - Pretty Things St Botolphs Town and Smuttynose Old Brown Dog Ale. Smuttynose makes one of the best American Porters - Robust Porter. CBC's Bannatyne's Scotch Ale is a sentimental favorite of mine and a standout example of that breed. (If only they brewed it all the time).

I could go on.

 

I will go on! Long Trail Double Bag is a very tasty alt. Underrated Geary's Hampshire Special Ale is just the thing for this time of year.

 

Not regularly available but Trillium Broken Halo is one of the best beers I've had from the region. BA Framinghammers are also world class. I'm sure it's not a popular opinion but I think Narragansett coffee Milk Stout is a solid daily drinker.

 

NEBCO Imperial Stout Trooper is fantastic

 

A couple from Maine I'd recommend are Marshall Wharf Sexy Chaos and Cadillac Mountain Stout from Bar Harbor Brewing.