Best breweries that can "do it all"

“A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.”

I don't think it's possible for a single brewery to be elite at everything they make. But there are certainly brewers out there who do everything reasonably well and will often also have a wheelhouse in which they really excel.

I'm a little shocked it took 20 posts to get a mention for Firestone Walker! They might be the top of the list with their flagship hoppy beers and Luponic Distortion series, the amazing stouts and porters (Parabola, Parabajava, Velvet Merkin & Merlin), fantastic sours and saisons in their Barrelworks division.

Boulevard is another pretty good example. I'm not a fan of everything they make, but they have a broad range of styles they do well, and there are a few elite-level standouts--Saison-Brett, Rye-on-Rye, Love Child, etc

The others I would add to that list have already been named: Deschutes & Bell's (although Bell's is pretty much skating by with Wild One for sours and I don't know if they make a saison)

Others that almost make the cut, as they are renaissance brewers in their own right, but are missing one piece of the puzzle:

Sierra Nevada has Otra Vez, but after that, they have a grand total of one "sour" style out of 200ish beers and it's a one-off American Wild Ale with single digit ratings.

• Stone doesn't have *any* sour styles that I can tell or think of.
  
  
• Founders is also lacking in the sour department. Like, none.
  
  
• New Belgium seems to lack in stouts aside from a few one-offs with a low quantity of ratings. They have Potage Porter, I suppose...

 

Sierra Nevada immediately came to mind. I'd say Stone, but do they brew any sours?

 

I have to agree with others on Wicked Weed, Grimm, and Night Shift. I also toss out Jack's Abby. They make a huge variety of beers and they're all pretty good.

 

Cigar City. They have Jai Alai, Invasion, Maduro, Lager, Zhukov, Huna, Grove sours. Not all are world class but they are well above average.

Also Sierra Nevada. Great variety of styles and nationwide distribution.

 

Stone's Rosecrans Special is the only one I've tried that is sour. It was a good attempt.

 

There isn't any brewery that can do it all* and do it really well. Sorry.

*My meaning of "all" is different than the OP's intention.

 

Looks like a couple people beat me to Boulevard, but I'll throw another vote their way. Not to mention I can usually find 6 packs of theirs for under 8 bucks at just about anywhere that sells beer. The "easy to acquire" factor makes the beer taste that much better

 

I think Tired Hands is the exact opposite. Look at the reviews on basically every malt-forward beer they've done.

 

Hill Farmstead is the only one that really nails all the hyped styles.

Firestone Walker and Boulevard both are in the next tier, but I would also add in Great Notion, who seem capable of doing sours in addition to the rest (if Berliners count).

Minneapolis Town Hall has made a ton of beers, and they've had at least one in each of the hyped styles that was amazing.

The Bruery is worth mentioning if Humulus Lager can count for IPA.

 

I'm going to throw in The Bruery, their stouts are 90+ rated, their sours are 90+ rated, etc.

 

I disagree with you here. I had a can of Only Void (Coffee) and IMO that beer was Outstanding. The BA score of 91 (outstanding) agree with me.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/28383/224488/

Cheers!

 

only void (especially coffee), and tony vecchio were fantastic

 

Agreed. Only Void with coffee was a top 25 stout for me. Unreal.

 

Trillium.. Cranking out great stouts and sours right now. Their IPAs.. Of course, are good.

 

agreed. Cuvee de tetreault is one of my favorite sours. They need to work on the saison yeast culture they currently use though IMO.

 

Their Saisons are great too, but they still refrain from the IPA's.

 

I'll take a BT over an IPA any day.

 

I hear ya. I'm into their "Double/Imperial Lagers", but it's kinda nice to see them stick to their guns. Don't fix what ain't broke

 

Add Evil Twin to the list for breadth and strength of a very wide stretch of beers. They stumble a fair amount but stretch the boundaries and creativity just as much.

 

Bell's immediately jumps to mind. People who never make it to the Eccentric Cafe miss out on a lot of their breadth, but all of their standard release beers are at or near classic.

Sierra Nevada comes to mind, since I pretty much enjoy everything they do. Their hop forward focus probably detracts from this a bit, however.

Another nod to Boulevard

I'm surprised not to see Victory mentioned. I usually enjoy anything they do, especially lagers and hoppier offerings