Blue Hills Brewery

You know how they say the average American now lives within 10 miles of a brewery? Well Blue Hills is that brewery for me. To be honest, I wish I liked them more. Out of the 7 beers I've tried of theirs, i find them to range from poor to more or less mediocre. I don't mind Black Hops but its name is misleading. Thought the Wamputuck Wheat was decent (not the watermelon version). The IPA tasted ok once at a bar, then quite poor at another restaurant. Didn't like the imperial red. Thought the Octo Brau was awful. Just my honest opinion....

 

When BH first opened I didn't care for any of their beers. At all.

Fast forward to about a year & a half ago, I tried one of their 1st Antimatter beers (single hop series) on draft & was impressed. I've had a few of the subsequent beers in the series & enjoyed them. Also had a few seasonal items & thought they were decent.

Definitely think this brewery has improved since their beginnings. Props.

 

Thanks for all the kind words. I try to take all the feedback (positive & negative) I read on BA and do my best to keep our customers happy. We may be a small brewery, but we are a great group of people working hard every day to make the best beer possible. Thank you to all BA members who vigorously support local craft breweries like ours.

 

I like the idea behind the antimatter series as it shows what an individual ingredient brings(obviously I am a homebrewer). I find the BH beers mostly solid, having tried the 4 antimatter beers, the pale and IPA. I remember one of the antimatter beers being pretty nice, I believe it was the all Vienna malt one.

 

When I visited you guys last year, you were definitely good people, and I could tell you were passionate about your beers. I believe in honest feedback and stand by comments. But from what others are saying here, it sounds like I should revisit the anti-matter series at least.

 

Pretty good, I like the red ipa and a couple of anti matters but other than that everything else is kind of meh...not bad but not great. I used to like them a lot more and they are pretty much what got me into craft beer because I work literally across the street, but once I expanded my tastes I realized they were middle of the road. Everyone there is super nice and hard working though...in fact this reminds me that I need to stop back in there sometime the tastings on friday are a good time.

 

Blue Hills is also the closest brewery to me.

My honest assessment is very mixed.

On the plus side, they are priced right, which is something very few breweries do anymore. I think they do a pretty good job with malt, and IMO their best beers are their Marzen and Dunkel.

On the down side, they still have a lot of inconsistency. For example, their Oktoberfest bottles last year had major issues, but the draft was fantastic. Also, I don't think they do hops very well - their worst beers are the ones they came out of the gate with. (IPA and Xtra Pale)

IMO, it's a brewery that hasn't figure out what they are yet. Too all over the place stylistically with no killer beer or notable flagship. I really think they should consider just going the full-on German route. The market for IPA's is so unbelievably overcrowded right now, that they're never going to crack it, even with significant improvement. One thing this area desperately needs are more local german style breweries - not just hefes and marzens, but go all-in with kolsch and alts, and start getting more into lagers. That, IMO, could really turn the brewery into something desirable.

 

Blue Hills is the closest brewery to the house I grew up in, but my family sold it over ten years ago.
I had high hopes for this and didn't dig it.
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/19213/74779

Also they aren't sold at my local craft store, so if I want to try anything I have to get adventerous. I hope they make it, for odd child hood reasons that don't make any logical sense. But I agree with the IPA comments above.

 

I really like the Impy Red and the Holiday Stout. Black Hops is solid too and as someone else said, the prices are right

 

Their pumpkin beer this year is quite good. I bought several bottles and was impressed.

 

Yes on the Black Hops. A very nice beer.

 

Off topic:
But They sell bombers of black hops at Gillette for the same price as a large BL. You just have to know where the one stand is that sells it. Just a heads up for all you Patriot fans.

More beer + Better beer + same price=

 

1. I'm from Stoughton (could almost touch BHB) but I never visited. Unforgiveable.

2. They sell bombers at Gillette of Blue Hills? Where?

 

Where is that stand? They do sell all their craft beers in the large 24oz cups, so that's probably why they price the bomber equivalently. I usually just go with the SA homebrew contest winner... but I'm curious where this stand is as I've never seen it.

 

I'm not sure how to explain it as I don't remember a row # or anything. It is a stand that has 2 or 3 taps some Sam Adam ls I think. And they have a two door stand up cooler behind them that they keep BBC and blue hills bombers in.
If i had to guess i would say it is at about 30/40 yard line closest to the pro shop.

 

The "craft beer" enclave for the Pats game used to be at the lower NE corner. Berkshire & Shipyard bombers reasonably priced ($11). I'm going tomorrow & will arrive early to scope it out.

 

I am dying to try the Blue Hills Pumpkin Ale. Only problem is, I am in Florida. Does anyone want to trade a Cigar City Good Gourd for a Blue Hills Pumpkin?

Cheers!
Mike P

 

I'm in on that. I'll message you.