Favorite NJ DIPA?

I haven't had the Overhead, but I did have the 077 recently and I loved it.

 

Haven't had Exit 16. Out of the other two I'd go with Overhead, though they're both great. Looking at Kane's lineup, I've had a couple of the other Overhead variants. Never Empower though - anyone hit that one?

 

I haven't. IIRC, that one had a pretty quick run last year.

 

Same boat.

But, I plan to remedy that tomorrow.

 

Had Empower. That was great with its aroma and flavor profile. I look at that as Kane's best IPA. I wish they made more.

 

its hard to find outside of NJ

 

Exit 16 is my top DIPA of all? Maybe it's the rice!

 

Hard to find inside New Jersey, too.

 

That is true about most good NJ beers. I love the beers from High Point but rarely see them foe sale.

 

Yeah- I see the wheat beers, and that's about it. I still don't know why Greg doesn't bottle the lagers, he does a really good job with them.

 

Maybe he is too busy brewing beer for Harvest restaurants!

 

What am I missing here?

 

Harvest Restaurants is a small group of up scale restaurants in north/central NJ. The Trap Rock Brewery Restaurant is the first one opened. High Point brews Trap Rock beers for other the restaurants in the group.

 

I might have to revisit Exit 16. Only had it once or twice. As far as overhead and 077xx, for me it is overhead hands down, and overhead is in my top 5 overall, beating Pliny elder and hopslam and many others. I'd probably put it no. 2 behind heady. If you haven't had fresh heady you don't know what you are missing-i had it at the brewery on canning day and it was silly how much better it was than anything else I've ever ingested.

As for Kane/carton someone above said "overhead end thread" and I feel the same. but I know several beer connoisseurs that prefer 077xx and carton offerings over kane. I can't believe it is even a conversation- I like carton's ingenuity and some of their beers are really good but I've always thought kane was head and shoulders above. But as the other guy above said, palates are like that.

 

Oh and the lack of availability for home consumption for both kane and carton is frustrating. I've had beers from both in my kegerator but it stinks that the two best NJ breweries (not debatable right?) barely can/bottle (carton boat is just as mediocre as all other session IPAs ; as for kane see the bitchy ANTEAD thread about their bottled distribution capabilities )

 

Carton's 077XX is probably my favorite despite them losing points for making me sound like a dick ordering one at the bar.

 

All 3 are very good. I think 077XX is my favorite by a hair.

 

It would be nice if Trap Rock actually brewed good beer. Their beer is bland as hell.

Carton and Kane are solid but most of the other breweries in NJ need to step their game up. Would be nice to have a great NJ beer on the shelves that isn't a session ale. Granted my standards are high, but the likes of Cricket Hill, Bolero Snort, and Climax have done absolutely nothing for my taste buds yet.

 

To each their own. I go to Trap Rock more than any other bar because I think the beers are great.