Top 5 American Wild Ale Producers

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by hoptualBrew, Oct 2, 2016.

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  1. hoptualBrew

    hoptualBrew Initiate (0) May 29, 2011 Florida

    From OGs like Russian River and Jolly Pumpkin up to the newcomers like Casey Brewing & Blending, what are your top 5 AWA producers?

    Mine:

    1. Hill Farmstead
    2. Russian River
    3. Jolly Pumpkin
    4. Crooked Stave
    5. Anchorage

    Interested to hear others preferences!
     
    phillyhops likes this.
  2. Urk1127

    Urk1127 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,790) Jul 2, 2014 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I like Allagash. I was told by them during a phone call i made that their Brettanamyces strain was found on their property using their open fermentation tank.
     
  3. sharpski

    sharpski Grand Pooh-Bah (3,100) Oct 11, 2010 Oregon
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    In no particular order:

    Ale Apothecary
    de Garde
    Russian River
    Logsdon
    Jester King
     
  4. Giantspace

    Giantspace Grand Pooh-Bah (3,043) Dec 22, 2011 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    Allagash
    Jester King

    Enjoy
     
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  5. ebin6

    ebin6 Initiate (0) Jun 11, 2009 California

    1) Russian River - Compunction, Supplication, and Beatification are the American gold standard
    2) Rare Barrel - their attention to detail is unmatched and they are high quality
    3) Cascade - despite the complaints about price, there's no denying that they make some of the best American sours
    4) Beachwood Blendery - the next big thing in American sours. Highest ceiling; could be the best within 5 years
    5) Allagash/Logsdon - couldn't decide between the two. They're both obviously legit and exemplify the style.

    Caveat: I haven't had much Hill Farmstead, Wicked Weed, or Jester King due to distribution.
     
  6. SFACRKnight

    SFACRKnight Grand Pooh-Bah (3,348) Jan 20, 2012 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Having realized I have an allergy to brett my opinion may be skewed, but I feel any discussion regarding wild ales that doesn't include crooked stave is a poor one. Chad has done so much in the research of brett and fermenting with wild strains, I feel we would still be in the age of using a wooden spoons innoculated with previous beers bugs and calling it magic. Recently, Casey is really blowing outside breweries away. I see Avery, Russian River, Jester King, and Wicked weed just gathering dust here.
     
    phillyhops likes this.
  7. StoutSnob40

    StoutSnob40 Grand Pooh-Bah (4,611) Jan 4, 2013 California
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Side Project
    De Garde
    Russian River
    Casey
    Ale Apothecary

    Honorable mentions.. SARA, Cascade and.. Lost Abbey. They suck at a lot of things, but their limited sours are phenomenal.
     
  8. Prince_Casual

    Prince_Casual Savant (1,236) Nov 3, 2012 District of Columbia
    Trader

    Rated for VA/DC, as I haven't traded via mail in a while:

    -Cascade: always awesome, wish they did $20 375 instead, but ability to walk in and buy (as opposed to "chase") is truly a great thing. The highest rated ones on BA are comperable to any AWA or Lambic I've gotten to try.
    -Allagash of course, any of the 375s are worth buying, not always into the 750s like Fluxus/Victoria/etc, but they're all very experimental which is fun
    -Victory Sour Monkey awesome value, very tasty new world sour, hope they keep expanding that program
    -Boulevard Love Child 6 really got them back on track for me, I'm not always so enthused with the Flanders ales that have both vinous + sour quality, alongside the bourbon notes.
     
    bubseymour likes this.
  9. Moose90

    Moose90 Initiate (0) Nov 25, 2012 Washington

    Cascade

    Crooked Stave

    de Garde

    Jester King

    Russian River

    Haven't tried much of anything from Casey, Side Project, etc...
     
    Premo88 likes this.
  10. Raj

    Raj Maven (1,272) Jun 25, 2014 Illinois
    Trader

    I'm going to assume AWA means beers with souring bacteria and brett, rather than strictly open fermentation.

    Top 5: Hill Farmstead, Casey, SARA, Transient, Funk Factory

    A top 11 (10 was too limiting) list would also include Jolly Pumpkin, Russian River, De Garde, Holy Mountain, Allagash, and Rare Barrel.
     
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  11. Premo88

    Premo88 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,670) Jun 6, 2010 Texas
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    I've only been able to track down wild ales from three.

    1. Jester King
    2. Jolly Pumpkin
    3. Prairie Artisan

    We're getting stuff from The Bruery now in Texas, and I need to get in on some of that.
     
    Geuzedad likes this.
  12. RBassSFHOPit2ME

    RBassSFHOPit2ME Initiate (0) Mar 1, 2009 California

    I'd argue Sante Adarius is leading the pack right now. The only American Wilds that compete or dare I say.... Surpass Russian River???
     
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  13. Geuzedad

    Geuzedad Initiate (0) Nov 14, 2010 Arizona

    Russian River
    Allagash
    Jester King
    De Garde
    Cascade

    Honorable Mention:
    Funk Werks
    Logsdon
    Perennial
    Almanac
    Crooked Stave
    Wicked Weed
    Prairie Artisan Ales
     
  14. 77black_ships

    77black_ships Initiate (0) Dec 4, 2012 Belgium

    No order: Lost Abbey / Cascade / Jester King /Russian River / De Garde

    I could do 6 – 10 but they would be clearly below the level of these 5.
     
  15. SLOCruzin

    SLOCruzin Zealot (644) Sep 30, 2013 California
    Trader

    These are my top 5(6), with room for debate about who's producing the best:
    SARA, Hill Farmstead, Side Project, Casey, and De Garde (Jester King just outside the top 5)

    To me, these are the breweries that continue to push the boundaries without being gimmicky, and have in general developed unique and flavorful house cultures that show restraint when needed.
     
    specialiste likes this.
  16. SCW

    SCW Initiate (0) Jul 25, 2004 New York

    definitely with @sharpski and have to mention Ale Apothecary
     
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  17. cavedave

    cavedave Grand Pooh-Bah (4,157) Mar 12, 2009 New York
    In Memoriam Pooh-Bah Trader

    Russian River
    OEC
    Crooked Stave
    Kent Falls
    Hill Farmstead
     
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  18. phillyhops

    phillyhops Initiate (0) Aug 4, 2014 New Jersey

    Casey
    Side Project
    De Garde
    Hill Farmstead
    Allagash

    honorable mention to SARA (Ive only had a couple from them)
    Tired hands also makes some good stuff but I wouldn't put them in the top tier
     
    specialiste likes this.
  19. Bluecrow

    Bluecrow Grand Pooh-Bah (3,501) Jul 16, 2012 New York
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    My list is limited to those I have been able to visit (more than once in a few cases) and therefore have enjoyed more than a few examples:

    1. Cascade
    2. deGarde
    3. Jolly Pumpkin
    4. Allagash
    5. Wicked Weed

    I love the Crooked Stave offerings. I don't have Russian River availability here and I couldn't find a Jester King bottle during four days in Austin last spring.
    OEC, Transmitter, Sloop and Kent Falls are on my short list for a visit.
     
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  20. MarshallBirdhouse

    MarshallBirdhouse Initiate (0) Feb 19, 2013 Kentucky
    Trader

    *lists the same 10 producers that's in every one of these threads*
     
    gibgink likes this.
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