What's your most RESPECTED brewery?

Pipeworks. Fearless. Willing to make any absurd beer that comes to their minds and are willing to put up with making an occasional clunker to push the envelope in search of brilliant beers.

 

Ommegang, consistently excellent across all their offerings...

 

For me it is Jacks Abby. They make the best Lagers in the NE, and the hoppy beers (IPL, IIPL) are amazing. Plus, the guys behind the bar are some of the nicest and welcoming people Ive run into at a brewery.

 

I also have to add Trillium to the list. Not only are the double and triple hopped beers amazing, @JCTetreault is always responding to people's requests, questions, and comments.

 

I have 2, Sixpoint and Dogfish Head. The main reason I choose these are(besides tasting great and being innovative) they have great customer service and Shane and Sam are customer oriented and I believe are truly modern day pioneers in the craft brew industry

 

clown shoes for their creativity and cape cod beer for their customer service and kick ass brewery tour

 

Mine would be Founders/Sierra Nevada

I think an underrated or maybe more appropriately termed 'unheralded' brewery would be
Fullers/Griffin Brewery (UK) Their website is fun too!

 

Fonta Flora

 

Russian River

 

SN
Catawba
Wicked Weed
Odell

 

Stone. They got distribution that most breweries would love to have. Their quality control sets the bar high (literally sending reps to check stock rotation). Love their collaboration and new beers, yet their core products have stood against time as solid craft offerings. I also admire their price points being better than others (especially bombers). And their care for the environment is evident in their corporate offices.

 

Another vote for DFH & Stone, for getting big but still willing to be daring. Another vote for New Glarus for staying true to their "drink local" philosophy and keeping distribution inside WI -- lucky for me, I'm a short drive from the border. It is telling that I've had more of the New Glarus line-up (and liked more of it) than any other brewery and I don't even live in WI.

 

There are so many craft breweries that I respect but if I had to choose just one...It would have to be Sierra Nevada! They were one of the first craft breweries to create a respectable brew in a time when there was nothing but super light weight and uninteresting beer. Sierra was not only a leader but they continue to be innovative with their brewing techniques and created their beer camp, which has allowed home brewers to get involved on a greater level. Cheers to Sierra for influencing so many other breweriers to create better beer!

 

Wait a minute...Great Lakes is not brewing the Wright Pils this summer?!? That was my favorite beer last summer and I was looking forward to it this year. It is one of their best warm weather beers!

 

Almanac's Farm-to-Table Mentality is great. Firestone Walker also does a fabulous job brewing great beers that you can either search far and wide for or pick up at the local market.

 

Sixpoint for sure...unreal customer service and consideration for our opinions

 

The Bruery

 

Foothills. Awesome owner and awesome brewers.

 

This is a joke, right?

 

Hahaha. I completely forgot that was my avatar when posting that. Although I do like DFH, I would still think the cap is sexy as hell no matter what brewery it's from. The prarie cap was already taken.

I will add that Stone really seems like they care what they are doing and have a great team of people turning out some great beers year after year.