I just decided to combine the thread. Basically, has anyone been to either of them? I'm heading to Remnant tomorrow (never been to Bow Market at all actually), and maybe Winter Hill this weekend too. They're two of the few (maybe the only two) breweries in the Boston area I haven't been to.
I've been to Winter Hill. I found everything unremarkable and have not found a reason or desire to try again. Maybe they have found thier flow but I can't drum up any excitment to return.
I’m local to Remnant and have been a few times since they opened in late spring. In my opinion the beers are solid to very good. I’ve enjoyed the “Clip Art” variants with different hops while my wife has enjoyed their sours. They have a nice little dog friendly outdoor patio and there is usually some type of pop up food vendor. Bow market is interesting to walk around and my wife always finds something to buy in one of the shops.
Traded for a couple of Winter Hill crowlers at a ski school reunion (Otis Ridge, if anyone knows about it) in February. Unremarkable. Nothing horribly wrong but nothing to seek out or ask for a second glass either; not recommended.
Agree that the beer at Winter Hill is basically just fine. The food was really good both times I went, though. Have only been to Remnant once so far when they first opened. Solid beers to start.
I used to ski Otis a lot in the '70s and 80s, a good friend's family belonged to a ski club that had a lodge across the street. Since he was an only child, they'd always invite me for him to have someone pal around with. Good times, but I much preferred when they'd go to their lodge at Mad River.
I've been to Remnant a couple of times and Winter Hill is very close to my house so I go pretty regularly. Like Lamplighter, both Remnant and Winter Hill serve coffee and are open in the mornings for the cafe crowd. Winter Hill has a full menu. Remnant has croissants and a couple of snacks. Remnant is right in the middle of the new Bow Market with lots of great food options you can carry into the brewery. Both have nice spaces with outdoor decks. Winter Hill is kind of a lone outpost on Broadway. It's not far from Magoun Sq, but there's not much in terms of other bars or restaurants in close proximity. They have a few dedicated parking spots and there is tons of metered street parking nearby. Winter Hill does cans and pre-filled crowlers. Remnant just started doing crowlers. I like the food a lot at Winter Hill. The beers are fine. The only one that stands out in my experience is their roasty imperial stout called Russian Ending. I've enjoyed the 3 or 4 beers I've had a Remnant quite a bit. Juicy IPAs and an interesting rye-barrel "oat wine" stand out. They also had a nice pils earlier in the summer. Maybe I've been lucky, but I've never run into the straggling "work from home" laptop crowd at either Remnant or Winter Hill. This always seems to be a problem at Lamplighter. I think Winter Hill has a "no laptops" policy after 12pm on weekends. Let us know how things turned out for you.
We didn't end up going to Winter Hill. Heard from too many people the beers were just ok, I still want to check it out at least once though. Remnant was cool, it's a great spot to hang out. I thought their IPAs were ok, but I really liked their Gose. I also enjoyed their corn lager. I can't wait for their Oktoberfest in late September, should be great walking around Bow Market with some Oktoberfest beers. I also had a perogi and a macaroon. Both were very good. Side note: We went over to Aeronaut beer garden yesterday in Arlington but it wasn't there. Anyone know if they were just closed yesterday?
One visit was enough to Winter Hill. Between the highly mediocre beer & the gathering of hipster moms with their uncontrolled kids (which I’ve discovered is common there), have no desire to return. I also tried one of their IPAs on tap elsewhere in metro Boston & it was pretty bad. If I’m in that area & want beer I’ll just go up the street to Magouns.
Would have been nice if they updated their Facebook page. Leone's and Alfredo's are right there too though...can you bring in outside food I wonder? I doubt it if they have their own food.
Remnant put out a collab beer with Dancing Gnome from down here in Pittsburgh. "Exquisite Corpse: Chewy, deep and DARK! Collab with Dancing Gnome (PA), this luscious Imperial Stout features local chocolate from Taza and Madagascar vanilla beans. CONTAINS LACTOSE. Will be aging most of this batch in Mad River and Bully Boy barrels until at least the Spring but some will be released straight up to tide us over. A relatively high final gravity, but not full on pastry stout territory: sweet and full without being an instant trip to the dentist. 11 bbl batch @ 10.10%ABV, 56 IBU " lmk how it is.
