The Best for the Brits

It was an off hand quip... and more a reference to the brewery location... no insult intended and I'm sorry you took it that way. Many people do not get the Northern Irish sense of humor

 

As a 'Brit' if I was coming over I'd want to try as wide a selection of American beers as possible. But that could just be me. As others have said it depends entirely on the crowd, but I would try and serve a mix of what they might be used to along with lots of things that might be new to them, then they can kind of pick and choose based on what they like.

 

I've had multiple beers from them. While their entire portfolio is not "over hopped" it is fairly typical of a popular American craft brewery. If I were to suggest a brewery that wasn't typical of American craft breweries I'd point them towards Troegs/Victory or even more to the point, a brewery like Olde Mecklenberg.

I've been dying to try their German pils though. If you really want to find out what a brewer is made of, try their pilsner. I'm curious if it's a "traditional German pilsner" or an "American German pilsner".

 

It's not about showing them better, it's about showing them different, beers they cannot get home. That's it, better is completely personal. Why give them beer from home when they get home they can get better beer in those styles?

If I was in Belguim I'd hate for someone to show me cans of Budweiser because Americans like fizzy yellow water.

HF does far more than just Hops, they do quite a few different styles that are thought to be world class, look at the top beers rated here, Hf is well represented.

 

Fully agreed with this.

Don't get me wrong @Tut - when it comes to the "best breweries in the world" / "best country for beer" - type threads, the blinkered-nature of a lot of the "Murica" responses is equally frustrating to me.

But if we're talking about recommendations to a Brit visiting the USA, and assuming that visitor is very interested in beer, then I'm definitely going to send them in the direction of a uniquely American brewery. Given these guys are going to New England, then (if they have the time), Hill Farmstead would be a no-brainer. Hoppy beers, american wilds, american-style "saisons", barrel aged beers - they cover all bases, and they have a great (and in my opinion, highly deserved) reputation, and beer aside, it would offer the visitor a great opportunity to visit a beautiful part of rural New England. @AlcahueteJ - for the same reason (and aside from its location) I wouldn't send them to Old Meck (a brewery I can't wait to visit by the way) - they have much easier cheaper/access to visit Germany than we do over here - so to me it wouldn't really make sense to send them to a German-inspired American brewery, given their almost direct access to top-notch German breweries.

 

When I travel, I want to experience the foreign culture. Maybe they would not want to be given "british style" beer, but the current american micros

 

Yep, that's the one.

 

I'm guilty of assuming you were thinking about HT, like the other hop cult worshipers here.

 

I made a snap assumption that the HF suggestions were from hopheads who worship at the Heady Topper alter and think everyone shares(or should share) their passion. You're correct of course. I wasn't suggesting they should be exposed to the type of beers they have at home - it's always good to seek out the best beer, wine, food, etc. from a different country.

 

Said the beer guide to the Brit at Hill Farmstead:

"And lo! Take note of the American craft drinker. Note the empty trunk... that's a boot to you (no room for a spare) and out-of-state license plates. Hoodie cords pulled tight against the elements. Unshaven from the twelve hour drive. Queuing up at the break of dawn for the latest fizzy elixir. Like a hunter and his prey, they'll take pictures of their score. They claim that "big beer" fears them. Let's hope they aren't turned away!"

 

Haha - exactly! It's going to be an eye opening experience on a number of levels.

I took my sister and her bf there last August when they visited from Scotland (neither are bona fide nerds, but they definitely like good beer). My sister pointed to a (very unique-looking if you're not used to the "craft" scene) guy in front of us, and said "what the f**k is wrong with him?"

 

That guy was me and I heard her clearly. Still haunts me.

 

I have heard that cider (apple) brews are popular in the UK, and we have some excellent ones to offer here in the states, especially in the NE. Regardless, make sure they have access to good ol' American STEAK - it literally costs an arm and leg over there and all the Brits I have met can't believe how cheap and flavorful our beef is here.

 

I heard English people love it when you make fun of their teeth. Is this true?

 

Just don't do it after they've downed 4 cans of Heady Topper.

 

Yeah we're at one end of the teeth spectrum. With Steve Harvey being at the other

 

A long time ago in a place far far away we were in a bar drinking with some British sailors, and those guys could drink. They adapted to double 151s and Coke quite nicely, I thought I was going to die from the hangover, I puked from Puerto Rico all the way back to Lejeune. Those guys were anything but lightweights.

 

Japanese teeth are worse than British teeth.

 

Ask them what they might be interested in, and give them some ideas of what you'd like to offer...

Ramming something down their throats isn't the best approach...