Non-hyped taprooms and breweries

Not really that overlooked, at least here, but Lost Nation in Morrisville, VT is cranking out world class sessionable German and Belgian beers. The Petit Ardennes at 4.2% ABV is a flavor fest that will make you forget about the triples and quads for awhile, and their Vermont Pilsener is incredibly crisp, clean and good.

 

Steady habit brewing in CT

 

And the food is outrageously good. Finally got a chance to try the Cubano and it exceeded lofty expectations.

Always worth a stop.

 

I am in central MA and am trying to make an effort to visit most of the breweries/tap rooms in the area. First went to tree house ~2-2.5 years ago and it was great, but the recent hectic nature of the releases makes it more difficult to go there frequently.

Wormtown Brewery on Shrewsbury St. in Worcester just opened a new tap room/brewery. Although, personally, I don't think any of there offerings are world-class like many of the people here search for, everything that I have tasted from them was solid with certain beers like Be Hoppy and Buddhas Juice bordered on being special. Their new space is nice, only ~10 min from me and I will be making return visits. Unfortunately, they don't have a ton of seating currently (not sure if there are plans to change that) so you tend to drink standing in semi-awkward spots. They have a patio area so that might change with the warming weather.

Rapscallion - I visited once and wasn't blown away. Had an interesting smoked beer (very smoky) but nothing I had really made an impression. I am not sure if it speaks to the quality of their beer overall or the offerings/choices that I made that day. The tap room was nice, very empty when I arrived (off hours for sure) but they seem to be running lots of events/music/etc that would make it fun.

3Cross - Another brewery in Worcester. Visited maybe ~3-4 weeks ago. Again, I wasn't really swayed by anything that they were serving that day. The beers seemed to lack polish/balance which is something that I really appreciate. Their tasting notes didn't line up with what I was getting at all. For example, they claimed to taste notes of guava, I tasted something more akin to the tea you get at Chinese restaurants or a chapstick. The facility was OK, difficult to find (tiny tiny sign), not great parking (lot in front was 100% full), and there was no heat inside. I hope that they continue to improve and will likely give them another chance in the near future since I do live so close.

Jacks Abby - only visited once over Christmas. Seemed well organized and the beers I sampled/got growlers of were really fantastic (Kiwi Rising, TrIPL). Everything that I have had from them has been solid with their "special" beers being extraordinary. I will be visiting again (likely this weekend) for more beer.

 

@Kiazer Thanks! And for the record I did not put Kaiser up to this, haha! Cheers guys!

 

I stop most often at Night Shift to bring beer home but my favorite brewery taproom in the Somerville area is Aeronaut. Very comfortable vibe. Lots of space. Outdoor tables. Regular music and other events. Excellent food trucks. Walkable to a number of excellent restaurants and bars. The beers are a bit hit or miss but I really like their Imperial Stout and the Eye of Sauvin (hoppy Belgian).

The Bantam Cider taproom is also a lot of fun. Cool space. An excellent variety and friendly service.

And I'm looking forward to returning to the American Fresh Taproom once the weather warms up and they open up the tent.

 

You guys make some really good beers and your beers are always rated highly on untappd, but you barely get mentioned

 

I'd agree if you want to come to CT Steady Habit and Beer'd are the places to go for top notch IPAs and not have to wait in crazy lines

 

Token obligatory "Shhhhh, don't give away my secret spot" post

 

Navigation Brewing Company in Lowell is totally under the radar. No hype, no crazy lines. Just solid beers and nice people. Check em out.

 

Stopped at the Hermit Thrush Thursday (after drinking Hill Farmstead at The Whetstone). Beer seems pretty good, but not really my thing. The guy told me they had no bathroom which kind of pissed me off. The are still only selling flights and doing growler fills. Should McNeills be added to the OP? Ray still makes great beers sometimes (even better when the draft lines are cleaned). Can we add The Whetstone to the list? Never try the beers they brew themselves, but they do get Hill Farmstead.

 

I'm making my annual VT beer haul next Friday and I gotta be honest, while stops for the big 3 are the main purpose, Stopping at Lost Nation for lunch is what I look forward to most (same with my wife), we love everything about that place and consider it the highlight of our day.

That lunch stop used to be the Trapp brewery but since those guys left to form Lost Nation (if i understand correctly) i havent been back to Trapp. Can anyone speak to whether or not the beer quality has changed much at Trapp? Because i thought they made some awesome lagers.

I'd also like to +1 Bog Iron - some real solid brews coming out of there. Chill place. I also highly enjoyed my first visit to the Bantam Cider taproom recently. Good ciders, though we still need someone to make an excellent funky cider anywhere in the states.

Lastly, Buzzards Bay is a solid visit. Pretty spot, too.

 

I'll second lost nation and aeronaut, and add Sebago brewing from Maine. They have multiple brewpub and make some great beers. They have started to change up their yearly offerings and everything they make is high quality.

 

Bog Iron in Norton, MA their DIPA Middle Child is an excellent beer.

 

Earth Eagle in Portsmouth and Stoneface in Newington are my go-to's. Also North Country cider has a great spot in the mills in Rollinsford. Super friendly staff and really unique flavor combo's. They just released Sugar Shack thats fermented with Maple syrup, ginger, and black walnut extract.

 

Seconded on Sebago. Never had a subpar meal there. We are always visiting Maine around Christmas time and it just so happens the BA barleywine is always on tap then. I'm also a fan of their other seasonals like the red ale and double IPA.

 

Seconded on Earth Eagle. I can't say that I always leave there dying to have growlers full of what I've sampled, but if you value creativity and venturing off the beaten path they're hard to beat (I didn't even know what the hell a gruit was until I went there). The space is cool (if small) as well and the staff is super friendly and clearly excited about what they're doing.

Glad to hear good things about Aeronaut, I don't live far from there but I have an aversion to driving near that part of Somerville so have been putting off a visit.