What breweries do you wish would collaborate together and why?

I'd like to see Odell and Deschutes collaborate.

 

As much as people praise Founders for being one of if not the best at barrel aging, Bell's can give them a run for their money. Combining these breweries strengths in stout brewing and barrel aging I think we could have something special. 131 Stout, 13.1 ABV and delicious.

To add another brewer who uses barrels well I would like to bring up Matt Brynildson. I would love for him to reconnect to his Kalamazoo roots and collaborate with Larry Bell and John Mallett. While barrel aging would be fun, maybe a Barleywine, Matt and John are two of the best at using hops in the business and an IPA could be in order.

I would love Ron from Jolly Pumpkin and Steve from The Livery to get together on something. Both serious contenders once again for the best in using barrels but in a completely different fashion.

 

I'd like to see one of two things:

(1) Zero collaborations. Close to every one I've had has been pretty good to OK, & that's a bit embarrassing, since many of them have come from excellent breweries, or
(2) Better collaborations. As in, don't water down the styles of two kick-ass breweries who makes damn good beer. Don't compromise, either of you. I give props to a couple of beers I can think of off the top of my head (Baller Stout, Church on a Hill) where there was clearly no quarter given.

 

(1) I think peoples expectations are far too high when it comes to collaborations. Just because multiple breweries are involved does not mean the beer will be exponentially better, it just does not work like that. Many of the collabs that were put out as of late would be praised much more if they were released by one brewery, I believe expectations are more to blame regarding disappointment rather than the beer itself.

(2) I think Baller Stout was an excellent idea is theory, poor example in execution. Blending beers is equal portions was a puzzling decision, if it were blended to taste there would have been real potential.

 

Collaborations don't seem to interest me anymore. I guess I've never been that impressed. For some reason they always seem like pricier untested experiments between 2 or more brewers who just happen like hanging out together. The only one I've enjoyed a good deal was Saison du buff.

But if I had to request a collab. I'd say Berkshire and Hill Farmstead.

 

Sounds like we 100% disagree.

I can only speak for myself, but when two world-class breweries get together, I expect they're going to make a very good beer. Not a 5/5, but something really good, not something routine or just decent enough. Most of the time, that isn't true. And most of the time, they're priced higher than normal beers. That combo has had me passing on most of the collaboration brews that I see on the shelf.

I didn't like Baller the first couple times I sampled it at tastings, but when I finally got around to sitting down with a half-bomber one night, it grew on me fast. Different strokes & all that.

 

I'm not a fan of collaborations in general. Like, it really took Stone/Green Flash/Pizza Port to come up with a Scotch Ale recipe... 9 times out of 10 I don't see the connection between brewers in collaborating except for novelties sake.

That being said, It would be cool to see Maui and Founders make a Coconut Coffee Stout in 4 packs of cans.
Or, Alpine and The Bruery to make a Nelson hopped sour, something along the lines of New Belgium's La Terrior w/Nelson.

 

I'd like to see Russian River and the Alchemist each brew their own interpretation of the other's DIPA.
Pliny Topper / Heady the Elder
And of course, release both beers in both RR's and Alchemist's home markets so we can all compare them.

 

Have you tried Snack Attack?

 

How dare you disagree in a civil manner. I did not even get to challenge to to a bench press off.

 

Jolly Pumpkin and Russian River. Take the barrel characters from both brewers and blend

 

I have never been wowed by any collaboration so I could definitely do without them. And I'll agree that our expectations are sometimes too high given the breweries involved, but have there ever been any "exceptional/world class" rated collaborations?

 

Isabelle Proximus is the first that comes to mind.

 

Good thinking switching to chuck before a bench press challenge.

 

I thought I better be civil. The subtle change of your avatar has freaked me out.

 

I am more freaked out by the beerfool28607 avatar!!! I am wondering if any money changed hands for the rights to use it.
http://beeradvocate.com/community/members/beerfool28607.661013/

 

I would like to see Sierra Neveda and Lagunitas do a collab beer; they are both in my top five best bang for your buck breweries. I'd be interested to see what they come up with.

 

I would like to see:
1) Zombie Dust with Cricket Hill
2) Hil Farmstead with Flying Fish
3.) Russian River with Kane
4.) Bell's with River Horse.

Than I could get something from these breweries in NJ