Planning an NE trip...help and suggestions

Grey Sail - dunno
NEBCO - dunno
Jack's Abby - it's all over the place, best stuff is at the brewery though, along with very good pizza
Tree House - Only available at the brewery, go there and get anything and everything they have. Check their hours.
Trillium - See Tree House.
Night Shift - Some of the better Boston-area liquor stores get cans of Santilli (IPA) and Whirlpool (PA), plus bottles of other stuff. Availability can be sporadic though, best bet is the brewery, it's close to Trillium and it's a nice taproom.
Bissell - Never been but I'm pretty sure it's the same deal as Trillium and Tree House. Go there and get whatever they have. Also they're literally next door to three other excellent breweries.
Maine Beer - Dinner is only released a few times a year and sells out that day. Lunch should be available though.
Alchemist - Read the forum, every other thread is about how to get this stuff.
Lawsons - See Alchemist.
Fiddlehead - dunno. Think it's a Tree House/Trillium deal for the most part.

Also, Hill Farmstead. Go to Hill Farmstead. No, really, go to Hill Farmstead.

 

If you're gonna hit Bissell you need to check out Austin St, Foundation, and Allagash. Those 4 are all within a hundred or so yards of one another and the beer is fantastic.

As the above poster said Dinner will not be available. Here's a release schedule for Bissell: https://www.facebook.com/BissellBro...0.1447345274./925260130899685/?type=3&theater

 

Day of the week is critical regarding Tree House and Trillium - their hours change depending on the day. Coming from the west, Wednesday might be your best bet. You can hit up Tree House for cans (No growler fills. 2 canned offerings, 6+ cans per) anytime after noon on Wednesday, stop at Jack's Abby for as much beer as you can carry (new tap room has absurd selection), and then get to Trillium in the afternoon / early evening for whatever they've got available. After Trillium, swing up to to Night Shift and you can pick up whatever you want at the brewery.

If you aren't coming through on a Wednesday, Tree House's hours are 5-8pm (Thursday, Friday) or 11am-6pm (Saturday). Wednesdays are cans only, all other days are cans + growlers. Usually 3 different cans available Thursday/Friday, sometimes 4 cans Friday/Saturday.

 

Lot of good info about traveling through VT and ME in this thread http://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/critique-my-ne-road-trip-itinerary.346333/ . Just tack on a swing through boston and monson and you will hit a lot of what you are looking for.

 

I wouldn't go out of my way to find Captain's Daughter in RI. You can find it in MA from time to time, so I would just hit a good "packie" in MA like Redstone Liquors in Stoneham if you really want to track it down.
You can often find Nightshift whirlpool and santilli there, too, if you can't make it to the brewery.
I would focus on Treehouse and Trillium in MA if I were you.

 

Nope. http://www.bissellbrothers.com/find-cans/

 

You basically have 2 reliable choices for Substance:
1. show up at Bissell Bros when they open at noon Wed-Sat (they routinely sell out each afternoon, sometimes quickly)
2. Bier Cellar in Portland gets it on Tuesdays and it usually sells out the same day

 

Use Twitter as a source for real-time information on what is available at a lot of these breweries, especially Tree House, Trillium, Night Shift, and Bissell.

 

I may be in the minority here but if there is one place you should not cut out its Vermont.

 

Skip VT. you arent going to find anything really rare in southern vt and burlington is wayyy out of your way for a three day trip. Plus treehouse regulars are better than anything not on special release in vt anyway. If you felt you needed to go to vermont, visit worthy kitchen or burger for a likely selection of hf, fh, alchemist or lawsons.

 

It's a solid plan. Vermont is great but given the time restraints Portland is probably a better option. Don't forget about Bissell's neighbors!

 

Sounds like a great trip! Northern VT is indeed quite a haul so I think you're smart to leave it for it's own dedicated trip at another time.

One potential tip: on your way from Jack's Abby to Everett you will go right past the Craft Beer Cellar in Belmont (assuming you take Route 2). They sometimes have Wormtown Be Hoppy and they'll generally have most of the good local stuff that isn't brewery only.

 

Ohh! Forgot to mention to check armsby abbey in worchester. They have hf on tap often sometimes treehouse. http://armsbyabbey.com/on-tap/