Visiting Equilibrium, where else?

Tin Barn, Drowned Lands, District 96, Obercreek, Hudson Valley.

Honestly I'd probably go to any of those over EQ.

 

I’d add Rushing Duck to the Drowned Lands and Tin Barn stop. All within minutes of each other.

 

Suarez for lagers, farmhouse- top in the the NE for them
Rushing duck (ipas but variety as well)
Drowned lands- sour ipa, neipa
Hudson valley-sour ipas, probably the best I've had in the category
District 96-NEIPAs,I think better than EQ
Obercreek- bit of everything

Edit: I see I'm repeating by the time I hit enter. Apologies.

 

Yeah but I think the question is what is the Op looking for? Pastry stouts? Then EQ despite QA issues and luster coming off their NEIPAs still beats anyone in that area. Otherwise I agree.

 

EQ's taproom finally reopened, and their barbeque is quite good. That alone makes them worth the stop now IMO.

 

In order I'd go to them:

1) Drowned Lands


2) Obercreek
3) Hudson Valley
4) Plan Bee
5) District 96
6) Arrowood Farm
7) Two Villains
8) Rushing Duck
9) Tin Barn
10) EQ

This is no slight on the breweries on the bottom and there are breweries I'd recommend that didn't even make the list, there's just SO much in the HV within a two-hour drive. It's insane.

Drowned Lands has the most beautiful space, biggest variance on taplist and IMO best beers in NY behind Grimm and Suarez so that's why I think they're far and away the place you need to go to most.

Suarez didn't make the list only because they're to-go only. They'd be no. 2 if they were open for pours.

 

I notice Sloop didn’t make anyone’s list. I’ve had their beer but never been there. Not worth the trip if stopping at Hudson Valley?

 

I still like Sloop a lot but have never been to the factory location so can't speak on it. And their beer is easier to find on tap or at distros in the HV than probably anybody else's which makes them an easier skip. If you're in/around Fishkill though I'd imagine it's worth stopping in.

(I do really miss the barn also.)

 

Sloop's problem is they make consistently good beer in an area where you can get consistently great beer. I've been to every brewery in the 10 that @IGaveYouPower listed. I can also easily name another 10-15 that I've been to in the Hudson Valley that I wouldn't necessarily recommend because there are only so many hours in a day.

Sloop, Newburgh, Hudson Ale Works, Keegan's, Clemson Bros, Two Way, Long Lot, From the Ground, King's Court, Zeus, Peekskill, Glenmere, Industrial Arts, Mill House and so on. It would crack my top 20 breweries in the Hudson Valley, but probably not my top 10 and definitely not my top 5.

Sloop's tasting room also really reminds me of a high school cafeteria. This isn't necessarily a good thing or a bad thing, but it always sticks out to me whenever I stop by.

Sloop is also available everywhere kind of like Industrial Arts. I drink a ton of both of their beer since JB and Wrench come in 12 oz cans, so they're great midday weekend beers. I can count the number of times I've been to both breweries on one hand.

 

God damn I completely forgot Industrial Arts. They'd be the absolute best brewery in a LOT of cities in this country and I just... forgot them. That's how stacked the Hudson Valley is.

FWIW I'd put them sixth on that list and just move everyone else down a slot.

 

I forgot them too despite having bought four different beers from them in the last month.