Top 3 MA Breweries

I won't rank things here because access is a huge part of my beer consumption, but it's hard to argue with Tree House and Trillium being at or near the top. The only TH beer I've had was Double Shot with Sumatra Mandheling, which was absolutely incredible. Congress Street is an amazing IPA, and Fort Point and Wakerobin (which I seem to like more than most people) are also great. That said, I'm grateful that we have so much variety in MA. I'd like easier access to TH, sure, but so many MA breweries are putting out great things that I don't feel like I'm missing out. The Wormtown citron wit and pilsner, Mystic gruits and Greensleeves, CBC Morning Dew, Breakfast Exorcism, and Enlightenment Titania have all been outstanding. Not to mention consistently good beer from JA, PT, and Berkshire. Just so many great options.

 

I'm happy someone mentioned Brewmaster Jack!! They have several very good offerings!!

I'd put Tree House and Trillium in a tie (i've been to both places at least 5+ times each) it's a split. As far as quality goes there's no better breweries in the state (if not in the entire country….gasp!!) than TH and Trillium. There's several very good breweries in this state besides those two, but as for 3rd place I'd have to go with either Brewmaster Jack or Wormtown (i'm an IPA guy).

 

Yeah, it's probably Tree House, Trillium, and Jack's Abby for me too. Lots of great runners-up though. Night Shift and Clown Shoes in particular have been on fire the last half year or so.

 

Trillium, Treehouse and Wormtown are my top three.

 

Opposite, it was sweet and kinda boozy. Probably just an old keg, but I've had mixed results with the beer on tap in the past too. Love it fresh in cans when I can find it, which is never.

 

I still haven't been to Tree House yet, so my vote would be Trillium>Night Shift>Jack's Abby

Night shift has been hit or miss for me, but when they hit they hit hard. I've never had anything bad from Jack's Abby, but never anything spectacular either. Trillium is just about perfect with every beer they attempt. I am planning a trip out to Tree House in the next week or two, so I will see how they stack up.

 

My emphasis added to the quote above - relating entirely to Berkshire Brewery. How many other breweries have the likeness of their owners on the cans? I have seen cans with caricatures of people or crude pencil drawings. But the exact likeness (sometimes in costume) on most of their bottles? The word that comes to mind every time I see the labels on the BB bottles (which are usually dusty) is 'double douche'.

No, that is not entirely true. Whole foods has a large and varied selection of bottles, and I have seen housewives buying Berkshire Brewery offerings. To be fair, I will buy a BB coffee house porter tonight. And side by side it against a Tree House double shot tonight. I suspect it will be a like a Mazda Miata vs. a Maserati respectively. But lets see. Something tells me I will be pouring most of one of these down the sink.

I will offer a full retraction if BB surprises to the upside. Who knows. Maybe it will not be Mount Tom (remember that one) against Killington Mountain...

 

Why not put Julius one on one with founders all day? These beers aren't trying to be the same thing or cater to the same crowd. If you can't appreciate coffeehouse on its own fine, but putting it up against one of the best stouts period and a stout with a significant bump in ABV and just over flowing with coffee addition is silly.

 

Wish they would bring back Bailey's Blonde Ale. Such a great hoppy drink. Heard its still available on the island but no longer in six/twelve packs. That beer changed the game for me.

 

Totally agree. We have so many great choices I'm not going to rank them.

My wife and I were at Wormtown this weekend and weren't big fans of anything other than Be Hoppy. I will look for the wit and pilsner next time.

 

Berkshire's recently undergone a redesign and the labels no longer feature the likenesses of the founders, and, for what it's worth, they think you're ugly too.

 

Top three as determined by my purchasing habits, in no particular order:

Pretty Things
Notch
Jack's Abby

 

Never said that I would not appreciate BB coffeehouse on its own. But since this whole thread is about the top three breweries in MA, I think the side by side is exactly in order.

Why not compare Julius against founders all day? Because this thread is about MA breweries. Wait, is founders brewery also in MA? If so, my apologies.

Funny, the name of the BB beer I will be trying tonight is called "Coffee House Porter" right? So besides the ABV differential, what other style differences have I missed out on here. I would not compare an IPA against a Trappist Quad. But these two beers are the same style and flavor, and save for the difference in ABA, would make a fine side by side pairing.

I would greatly appreciate a suggestion on the BB beer to side by side against my 750ml growler of Double Shot. Berkshire Brewing named their beer Coffee House Porter. And I thought Double Shot was the same style and with coffee flavor. What I am missing here?

 

This whole thread is about the "Top 3 Breweries in MA" It's OK that people like BB and rate that Brewery in the top three.

And I meant it when I said that I would offer a full retraction if BB turns out to be good enough to stand up to Tree House Double Shot.

Let me know if there is a BB offering that is more like Double Shot so I can do my side by side against the proper BB offering. And while you are at it, give me the name of a BB offering to side by side against Tree House Green. I have a 3 week old 750ml growler of TH Green in the fridge. So I might as well side by side that against the best BB IPA/double IPA as well.

Oh, and I see you have been a member here for one year but have not rated a single beer. I have only rated a few beers myself. Are there many here who join just for the forums?

 

Picking nits. Are you going to compare Julius to Lost Sailor or Tornado to Steel Rail? It a foolish comaprison as they aren't remotely trying to be the same thing.

That 1.) Beer is not a competition and 2.)That not all beers are appropriate for a side by side. You just seem hurt in some fashion that someone put Berkshire in the conversation with the precious Tree House. You don't even have to do the side by side you arelady have decided which beer is best.

 

1. Tree House - Been with them since the early days, and the beers continue to improve.
2. Trillium - Hoppy offerings are arguably the best in the state.
3. Clown Shoes - They seem to be love/hate, but I dig the stouts. Ext Angry Beast and Breakfast Exorcism are the tits, in my opinion.
3a. If contract is out, then Jack's Abby slips into the list.