What are your most underrated breweries?

Oxbow out of Newcastle/Portland ME. They’re often overshadowed by Allagash, but they produce top notch wild fermented and farmhouse style beer.

 

Heist in NC. They haven't gotten the proper notice they deserve. Still making solid IPA's, and have shown they can brew stouts.

In my area though, Mystic is brewing some really great stuff, and barely gets noticed among the trillium and treehouse hype.

 

Pariah Brewing out of San Diego.

 

Aeronaut has me hooked with their Lawnchair Professionals bottle club. Monthly releases of experiments, which you must go to the brewery to retrieve.

 

Underrated and Chicago don't go hand in hand. Being in a metro area, everyone is aware of everything good coming out. I personally drink a lot of Scratch (closer to St Louis, but in Illinois), Imperial Oak, Hopewell, Whiner, Illuminated, Une Année, and Whiner of one that seem to not be on everyone's radar.

Friends all over seem to aware of 3 Floyds, Revolution, Half Acre, & Off Color which I consider to be our torch bearers for quality and consistency.

 

Maybe it's just because their not well known, but Icarus Brewing might be the best in New Jersey besides Kane. But when it comes to NEIPAs, they're second to none.

 

As far as Indiana beer goes, everyone loves to talk about 3 Floyds (which is fair, their beers are great), but I think they have risen to popularity because they have made popular styles really well. One that gets overlooked IMO is Taxman, about 30 minutes south of Indianapolis. They are definitely widely known in the state but are EXTREMELY underrated. They make almost exclusively Belgian style beers, and all are ridiculously good and they deserve more credit for what they do. They brewed a no-sparge Imperial Golden Ale that is just absolutely unique in every way and one of my all time favorites. There are only two reviews on BA, but if you check out Untappd you can see others attest to it. No Sparge Imperial Golden Taxman Brewing Company on Untappd
http://untp.beer/jrrgg

 

1) Licking Hole Craft Brewery in Virginia
2) Wyndridge Farm Craft Brewery here in Pennsylvania

Both make a superb BA Imperial Stout.

 

In the small world category I live in western Canada and have been to Lewistown many times. My best friend and amazing home brewer lives there. I’ll have to ask him about Shy beer

 

I think Hellbender makes the best beer in DC. Ben Evans the brewer and co-owner takes a craft first approach, which means pretty much everything they turn out is solid at worst or a complex offering that subtly pushes a boundary or two in certain styles without ever over doing it. My favorites are the Grampus smoked brown ale, and their distinctively non-boozy triple IPA called Beyond the Infinite.

 

Playalinda Brewery with it’s 2 locations in Titusville, Fl of all places is making some very good beers. Their Cocomel is excellent.

Jdubs is a funky brewery in Sarasota, Fl that comes out with some great variations of their Flagship beer Bell Cow and loves to experiment.

 

Under the radar in Massachusetts - River Styx Brewing in Fitchburg. The locals know about it, but they still have a fairly small capacity, so I don't think they distribute. They make some great NEIPAs and stouts, and have a really cool taproom.

 

if you're into saisons or sours, please continue doing me the favor of paying zero attention to Rowley Farmhouse Ales in Santa Fe, NM. All the flavor/quality of more sought after breweries like SARA, Casey, Side Project without any of the fuss or difficulty to trade for.

 

I've purchased two different variety packs from Lancaster Brewing Co. (central PA) and they've all been very good. I live about 100 miles from Lancaster Brewing, in the next state, and there is very little distribution in my area.

 

Just got their One Kap Kölsch in my Tavour crate today. Can’t wait to try it.

 

District 96 and Rushing Duck in downstate NY come to mind. Both make amazing beers that a lot of people haven't heard of.

 

Strictly speaking to breweries that don't "get the love" locally, I would go with two out of Bellingham, WA, Structures and Chuckanut.

Chuckanut is not a spring chicken, it has been around for a few winters, has won plenty of GABF, WBC, and local awards from gold to bronze. Still, not many people have heard of them or don't think of them as being a top class producer of beers (they specialize in German lagers primarily and some ales). They don't help themselves much since it is rare to see any of their stuff outside of Bellingham and surrounding watering holes or bottle shops but they are always so good and tasty (to me). Thankfully though they aren't going to change things to make a buck. They have stuck to what they do best in their own little community up there.

On the other end is Structures which is only a couple years old atm. Recently expanded tasting room and bottles getting out into Seattle area is starting to grow the name but still relatively unknown to most. They specialize in funky farmhouse, hazy IPA, and wild/brett beers that go down sooo good and I have been pushing their name since my first visit a couple years ago. As I said, they very recently got two bottles out to my hometown (60 mins south of Bellingham) and getting people talking to we will see if they stay underrated.

 

In Central Connecticut (Manchester), there's a young hole-in-the-wall by the name of 2nd Bridge. Family owned and operated by neighbors, they aren't distributors yet but they are worth a visit! They rarely brew the same beer twice, so those who prefer reliable selects will have to take the plunge. Those who prefer variety (and quality) however will be quite pleased with their tackles on Ryes, ESBs, stouts and more. Not knowing what I'll get is most of the fun and well worth my lifetime membership.

 

I would say Staatsbrauerei Rothaus, and their amazing beer, Rothaus pils (tannenzapfle). Although it's been in America for close to 5 years, distribution is spotty throughout the East coast, now in Los Angeles. It is amazing pilsner, and wish it were more widely available, but since they are a State owned brewery, production numbers are limited.....for now.

 

Agreeing with TheHulk there; Oxbow is amazing up here in Maine. The tasting room in Newcastle is intimate and the staff are knowledgeable.

I’d also suggest Odd Ale Wives in Waldoboro; they’re just a year or so old now, and the small batches they run are superb.