I think it might be an easy statement to make, but I think they are the best brewer in New Brunswick. I think if they were known better, outside of the Maritimes, they might be consider a definite up and comer with their lineup. I recently had two beers from Trailway that I think may be up there with the best IPA and DIPA I have had from a Canadian brewery. DDH Hu Jon Hops is an amazing beer that is hazy, juicy and just damn tasty. The DIPA is called Even More Better. This one is not part of their regular lineup, but it may be the best from them I have had. I have to wonder, how many of these beers would be in the top 100 for Canada if they were better known and distributed. For those who have had Trailway, what are your thoughts? Am I alone in this thought? Cheers!
I agree they make insanely juicy tropical IPAs, really fresh and tasty while incredibly well balanced. Best IPAs in all the maritimes for sure, and they get my vote for top 100 too...unfortunately that's pretty much the only style they make! Almost everything they brew taste pretty much the same type of hops, that is the main reason why I would be reluctant to vote them as the best overall brewers, though with more varieties they would easily be the best around.
Other than a coffee porter which was awful, everything I’ve had has been great. I’ve traded for them several times in the past and have something lined up again for the fall. Fuzzy Bubbles and Ellipse were standouts for me.
I'm lucky enough to have a regular source, and I am headed to NB in September, so that will mean even more.
I just spent a week back home in NB, drank a crapton of their beer and finally made it to the brewery. I've had a ton of their stuff, and I agree, for hazy IPA there are reasonably few peers with a portfolio like theirs in Canada. But pretty much nothing I've had from that outside of that narrow band was interesting, and every one of the stouts I've had from them has been disgusting. So I hesitate to consider them an equal to folks like Bellwoods, or DDC or whoever you want to put on the small list of "best breweries" in Canada are. But in terms of hazy IPA, I can't think of anyone I'd put unquestionably ahead of them. It's crazy that Hujon is essentially a shelfie almost anywhere in NB, and a fair number of their special releases also get wide ANBL distribution. The Shediac ANBL had dozens and dozens of Good Weather cans last week when I stopped in. I did a side by side of DDH and regular Hujon on tap at the brewery last week. I couldn't tell the difference at all. Was with two other guys and they said the same thing. Had multiple cans of each during the week and same thing. I liked More Better, and Good Weather really hit the spot for me last week. They recently bought a tiny coolship. Be interesting to see what they do with it, but I'm not holding out much hope. BTW, if anyone in Ottawa is interested in a trade, I have some extra Hujon, Good Weather and their strawberry milkshake IPA right now.
As a follow up, I've had some good stuff from other NB breweries in the past 6 months or so. Hammond River is solid, and I thought what I had from Loyalist City was very well done too. In fact, a couple of the rotating IPAs I had from the latter were excellent.
Acadie Broue is small, but makes generally good product. What I've had from Celtic Knot was fine. Most everything I've had from Grimross has been good. But Trailway is the only one I'd go out of my way to find.
The one bad thing I'd say about Trailway is it's really too bad their location sucks so much. Reminds me a lot of Dominion City here in Ottawa. Crappy out of the way location, parking lot patio. The tasting room itself is quite nice, but such a crappy location.
Unless you live on the Northside of Fredericton, then it's a prime location. Grimross is good,Big Axe can do some stuff well, and last time I was in NB Holy Whale was making progress with their beers . NB has a lot of brewers for its size, I'm pretty impressed with the number for a province with a population smaller than that of Ottawa.
Well no matter where you live in a strip mall behind a pet store with a view of a loading docks isn’t a great location all things considered That’s more what I meant. I wasn’t really talking about geographic location within fredericton.
Hops good...dark beers bad. Had 2 infected dark beers last year. Not much of an apology from them; given it seems to be a theme. But i definitely dig their hoppy stuff.
I have to admit, I haven't had a ton of luck with their dark beers either. However, when I did let them know one beer I had (a 4 pack) was bad, they asked me to bring the rest in and did compensate me with more tasty beer.
I honestly don't know anyone that has had a non-infected dark beer from them. It's stunning to be honest, given their reputation for fruity IPA's. They may not be bad when fresh, but once they make their way to NS they are drain-pour all the way.
