Most Interesting Breweries

Although already crazy popular (and not flying under anyone's radar), I’d vote for Burley Oak in Berlin, MD. The town, situated 15 minutes west of Ocean City MD, was voted “America’s Coolest Small Town”, and is also within biking range of Assateauge Island.

The taproom is rustic with a lot of original (local) artwork, genuinely nice beertenders, and fantastic ipa’s and sours. Worth the trip.

 

I'll second Ale Apothecary and Propolis.

Also: Brewery Bhavana (NC), Plan Bee Farm Brewery (NY), Scratch Brewing Co. (IL)

 

Salt Flats Brewery & Garage Grill in Draper, Utah is a most eclectic setting themed restaurant and brewery fashioned around motorsports and racing. They offer a constant variety of at least 20 State mandated session beers on tap plus a number of their high points in cans per State mandate. The accompanying menu is large and is designed to accompany the variety of brews but it is the motif and car displays that set it apart from any other brewery where the cars are rotated quarterly and currently include a McLaren F1, Le Mans Prototype, KOOL Green Indy Car, Rusty Wallace "Elvis" Cup car, 1929 Model A Salt Flats racer and an ALMS Ferraro media car. A must when visiting the Salt Lake Valey.

 

Viking Braggot Brewing in Eugene, Oregon. Multiple styles of beer brewed with local honey. Alesong has some beer/wine mixes which are stellar, experimental stouts and high quality sours. They are out in Lorane, Oregon.

Ale Apothecary for sure too.

 

Central city would be my #1, followed closely by Parallel 49. Almost anything from either one is always good. I don’t care for goofy additives (fruit, spice etc) and I’m not fond of session ales. But both these guys produce a killer IPA.

 

Melvin Brewing, Alpine, WY. (LOVE "The Melvin!")

They opened a brew-pub in Bellingham, WA. Hope to get up there sometime soon. I live in Seattle, and WOW, let me tell you... There is a LOT of really good beer flowing here. I mean... A LOT! For me to want to go visit a brew-pub in Bellingham... Must be OK.

(why there is no, "Ba Brew Fest," for the Pacific Northwest is beyond comprehension... Washington, Oregon, Northern CA, Wyoming, Montana... Like I said... WOW... Like the inscription on the "Oly" can... "It's the water" well, ok, and the hops, the grain... you get the idea)

 

Speciation Artisan Ales in Grand Rapids Mi, and Black Project from Denver Co. for the same reason. Delicious spontaneous fermentation and creative brews. Both use a coolship. Actually the founder of Speciation was a bartender and apprentice brewer at Black Project (formerly Former Future) and then moved to Michigan and set up a brewery there following the formula of BP. When I lived in the Platte Park neighborhood of Denver I was right across the street from Former Future and watched them become Black Project. A few years later I moved to Michigan and had no idea what Mitch had done, when I found out about Speciation I was so excited, then once I tried it I was simply amazed at how good their beer was. Truly fantastic.

 

The Melvin in Bellingham has already been sold and re opened by a new brewery.

 

New Belgium, both in CO and NC. Employee owned. Doing good things. I have never seen such an engaged workforce anywhere.

Also, Great Lakes here in Cleveland. Super civic presence, doing good things for the community and the environment. Not to mention great beer.

 

Notch Brewing is the only brewery I wish I could add to the crowded list of great brewers who distribute to Pennsylvania.

@ChrisLohring

 

Been to Alesong and Ale Apotgecary, both are very interesting.

 

Burnt Hickory Brewery is my closest brewery and definitely one of my favorites. Just about all of their offerings are high gravity goodness!

 

THIS... I believe this was voted most popular new brewery in MD in one poll. I loved this place when I visited.

 

Strange Roots near Pittsburgh. Uses a lot of local malts, ages their own local hops, makes beer with blue cheese mold, does a whole series of beers with foraged ingredients. To me it is a one of a kind place.

Same goes for the earlier mention of Earth Eagle in Portsmouth, NH.

 

Looks like they are bringing Le Differend, Stone Raft and Berliner Messe: Alleluiavers Grand Cru 2018. All sound great.

 

Locally (NY/NJ)
1) Folksbier - old school German style brews.
2) Plan Bee - all local ingredients and wild ales.
3) Suarez - you all know this one.
4) Kane - great barrel aged and overall dark beers. Excited to try their upcoming sour program releases.

Further away
1) Allagash - some of the best Belgian style brews outside of Belgium. Kudos to the recent B Corp status!

 

As much as I hate to admit it (I rip on juice bombs occasionally), Tree House is the most interesting brewery I have been to so far. The high ratings for the place and their beers is not all due to hype.

What I found interesting was the “Disney” way they move people through the lines, not a lot of breweries have shuttle busses and the grounds are huge and well maintained. There’s a little pond with a waterfall. The vibe was good despite the hour wait, plenty of choices to take home or sample there.

Now I did go to Busch Gardens in Tampa many years ago, that was the largest and I enjoyed the food in the Beer Garden. They did not have many rides back they and I was way underage to drink.

 

Melvin committed economic suicide up here in The Ham. 122 West is now in their location.

We've got 13 breweries in town, so a weekend visit is worth your time.

 

For reference:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/commun...sed-of-sexual-misconduct.563186/#post-5922869

https://www.beeradvocate.com/commun...s-new-local-ownership-and-name-change.619298/

 

Flying Machine in Wilmington, NC. Steam Punk themed brewery taproom. Eclectic artwork throughout. Very fun visuals. Beers are decent.

Burial in Asheville, NC (everyone knows about Burial, but the Leatherface's house theme is fun.

Seneca Lake Brewing/The Beerocracy in the NY Fingerlakes region about 10min north of Watkins Glen. English owner and all English style ales served on old school handpumps. Their Bitter was the best I've had in my life even from the ones I sample while in England. Views in the back yard over the lake are spectacular as well.