Top 3 MA Breweries

I think your guess is probably spot on, though there are others here who could tell you for sure what the thinking was.

OTOH, the outdoor setup for the Anniversary Party was awesome, and it's great that they're rebuilding the Koi pond out back. Really seems like it will be an amazing outdoor space, and it would be a shame if it can't eventually be put to what surely is its proper purpose!

Hopefully the plan is to show the town and their neighbors that they can responsibly handle their crowds without on-site consumption before they take the next step. All the neighbors I talked to at the Anniversary Party (a biased sample, to be sure) had praise for the way things have gone so far.

 

We'll see. Brewing lagers correctly is an entirely different ball game than IPAs and stouts. This isn't to say they can't do it, but I find the best American brewed lagers come from those breweries that have been around for awhile (Sierra Nevada, Troegs, Victory...etc.).

And to be fair, I haven't read about German breweries cranking out hoppy beer at the level of something like Heady Topper.
Regardless, I hope they succeed and look forward to trying those beers. Can't have enough lagers in my opinion.

Well I added the winky face! Come on! But seriously, I realize it may have come off as a bit offensive, and for that I apologize.

I also didn't mean for "beer geeks" to be offensive. Simply that those who are newer to craft beer tend to prefer IPAs and imperial stouts, and will rate those accordingly. Therefore, breweries such as Trillium and Treehouse who primarily brew those styles (albeit quite well) will have inflated ratings. This also effects a newcomer's perception of these breweries.

And yes, my mileage does vary. I noticed many of the users that "liked" my post have been here for quite some time, and most who appreciate breweries such as Berkshire probably went through the IPA phase years ago. And their preferences may lean towards the more subtle styles, such as pilsners. None of this is meant to be insulting though, and again, I apologize if it was. Beer is one hell of a roller coaster ride, and an exciting one at that. It's a good time to be in MA though, with new breweries cropping up every year, and those that are newer are gaining experience. And this experience is becoming quite noticeable in their products.

Cheers!

 

While Treehouse and Trillium make exceptional beer that I really enjoy drinking and are at the top of the MA list for me*, when I head out on a quick weeknight liquor store run, Mayflower (Spring Hop, their IPA, and Porter, in particular**), Ipswich (Route 101 IPA, in particular), and Jack's Abby (HP, usually) are regular grabs; they round out my easy-to-get top three.

* Along with Cambridge Brewing Company, namely for their sour lineup
** If Mayflower's Alden was around more often, I'd pick that up from time to time. I thought it was delicious.
*** Yeah, I like footnotes.

 

I walked into my local craft beer store the other day and grabbed a Brewmaster Jack "Good Sense", their newest offering on a whim. I popped the bottle open and poured it into a snifter and after the first pour I was amazed that the bottle didn't read: "Vicinity" by Trillium. Absolutely incredible stuff....if this is the way Brewmaster Jack's hop offerings are leading then they absolutely deserve a spot in the MA top 3.