What breweries do you wish would collaborate together and why?

I'd like to see two heavy hitting Belgian breweries collab. The collabs that have involved Belgian breweries that I've had (Gnommegang and Biere d'amite) were 2 of the best collabs I've ever had.

Just off the top of my head, RR/Cantillon, Bruery/Moortgat and Alesmith/D'achouffe are definitely fantasy collabs

BTW, yet another thread on BA where non-US breweries bafflingly get no mention...

 

None. I want them to knock it off and just make their own beer.

I didn't try it fresh, but IP is average, at best, right now.

 

The nice thing about a colab between Bells, Founders and Firestone Walker would be I could get some of this beer without being in Michigan!

 

Goose Island and King Henry.

 

Alpine and Russian River making single and double Ipa's.

 

I'd like to see a Hill Farmstead and Boston Beer Co. collaboration where HF does the brewing and BBC distributes it to their network.

 

My homebrew partner designed a recipe based on Blind Pig and Zombie Dust, we called it Blind Zombie. It was by far our best beer, and all who tried it loved it. What I would like to see is RR and FFF do a collaboration of that beer using our recipe and their equipment, knowledge of both beers, and combined skills.

I don't think I have ever had a collab. that made me think, man this is so great because of the combined strengths of two masters. Usually it is the opposite. And speaking to the earlier point about expectations, shouldn't there be lofty expectations for these collab.'s? I mean, isn't that the point? Or is it just "Let's get together and enjoy ourselves brewing and wouldn't it be great if we could use the novelty of this to get some cash?"

 

Stone and Lagunitas. There just aren't enough IPAs/DIPAs out there already.

 

On the Australian side of the world I would like to see Feral and Murray's collaborate on a beer.
Or a Russian River/ Feral collaboration on a sour.

US wise A Great Divide/FFF collaboration.

 

I wish the collaboration craze would end.

 

I would like to see state specific collaborations between the following brewers:
MI - a barrel aged stout from Dark Horse, Founders and Bells
CA - a DIPA from RR, Stone and Alpine
CO - an imperial stout from Oscar Blues, Avery and Great Divide
OR - a barley wine from HotD and Deschutes
MN - an imperial pilsner from Surly, Schells and Summit
Or a Town Hall and Surly or Barley Johns collaboration of some sort
IN/IL - an american pale ale from FFF, Half Acre and Pipeworks

Dream collaboration in Iowa would be Toppling Goliath with Alpine or Hill Farmstead

 

You could have called it Zombie Pig. I'm just saying... huge missed opportunity.

 

MI Dream Collabs.

Shorts/Odd Side Experimental
Dark Horse/Founders BBA Stout
Bells/Kuhnhenn Old Ale/Barleywine
Jolly Pumpkin/The Livery Sour

 

Lagunitas and Surly.

I guess it would have to be draft-only though since they wouldn't be able to agree on a container...

 

Only really want breweries to collaborate so I can get a brewery I normally couldn't. i.e. Goose Island & Russian River (never will happen but just an example)

 

No way, they clearly need to release both of them in neutral territory, say Philly, for an objective comparison.

 

Ind Coope and Allsopp. The names just go together so well. They could brew a hybrid Burton/Essex Pale Ale.

 

I think the idea that collaborations are just a cash grab is a bit cynical. Too many people are of the opinion that breweries are undertaking these collaborative efforts because they can create hype, inflate prices and pad their pockets. Why are people even into beer if they are so convinced that these breweries have such ill intent. If I was a professional brewer and I was friend with other brewers from other breweries, I would love the chance to get together, hang out, pick their brain and make some beer.

I have never heard a brewer say that their goal in a collaboration was to make the best beer in the world, though that is the consumers goal. Maybe the goal is to share their time, knowledge and maybe some local ingredients and see what they can come up with. Maybe the sharing of knowledge and friendship is more important to these breweries than making the worlds best beer in the project.

 

I agree and since so much time and effort and money goes into making a great beer, it's unreasonable to expect 2 breweries (whoever they are), putting in what i imagine is limited capital and limited time (since it is just a project), to crank out an exceptional beer. It's like an all star game in sports, sounds exciting, but its just an exhibition for the fans.

 

North Coast and Great Divide:
Rasputin's Pet Yeti
Hercules' Old Stock Ale
Colette's Pet Merle
Opposite's Attract (Hades and Brother Thelonious)