Your State's Up & Comer

Georgia's Craft Beer Upcomers:

Wild Heaven > Jailhouse> Monday Night > Red Hare
Honorable Mention: Burnt Hickory (Still hasn't hit east of Atlanta, not enough to try!)

 

It goes both ways...it's nice to have MN next door. While we get solid distro here, I enjoying picking up beers like Surly and Deschutes across the river and its been even easier ever since La Crescent Wine and Spirits opened.

 

Ill second both Sante Adarius and Almanac in Cali.

 

Good call on Parkway Brewing Co. I've tried three of their offerings thus far and enjoyed them all. Raven's Roost is one I could see myself enjoying quite often.

 

I see really nice potential in Strangeways as well. I'm not normally a white ale type of guy, but the Albino Monkey is quite good. Plus, being able to play a classic like Ms. Pac-man while enjoying fresh brews just seems so right!

 

I think Bozone Brewing has potential. They're growing, trying new things. They definitely need some more time though. I hear good things from Blackfoot in Helena. Unfortunately, beer is only available at their taproom.

Wisconsin people...anyone drink at Vintage Brewing? They had some very solid stuff years back. I wonder how they're doing?

 

Head Hunter is killer man. That's all I've seen in Indiana tho. Looking to try some other brews from them.

 

I'll throw Enlightenment Ales into the mix for Massachusetts. Still a *very* small operation (nano-stage), but everything I've had has been super tasty. Just popped two bottles at a local bar last night.

 

Tired Hands (Ardmore, PA) has a chance to be big if they choose to go in that direction.

 

I live in Maryland and I would say DuClaw Brewing Company is a huge up and comer, as well as Heavy Seas. Of the two, DuClaw is probably the front runner.

 

Rising Tide out of Maine

 

Toppling Goliath is killing it in Iowa. Watch out Zombie Dust, here comes Pseudo Sue. Their Hop Patrol series is incredible too; I'm yet to try one that was anything less than outstanding.

 

Another up and coming brewer in Virginia is Champion Brewing in Charlottesville. Everything they do is very solid.

 

I would have to disagree about Sun King. Every time I go to IN I try to stock up on Sun King and FFF beers. I really enjoy the Osiris, Wee Mac, and the Wee Muckle is terrific.

 

Kane/Carton coming up in NJ doing some really good stuff. Both of them have fantastic IPAs/DIPAs right now, however they also make great beers out of that style as well. Kane makes a Belgian Strong Dark named Solitude that blew me away.

 

Indeed or Flat Earth (now that they will be going into the Hamm's Brewery)

 

SC has a lot of good up and coming breweries (thanks a lot to COAST and the work they have done changing the silly conservative SC beer laws), but the two brweries that stand out to me are COAST and Westbrook. Westbrook will probably hit the national scene and get more recognition due to their financial backing and means that allows them to increase distribution (and they do make some great beers), but for me COAST makes the most consistently good beers of any brewery I have had to date. I hope they get the recognition (outside of SC) that they deserve.

 

Wait until Wicked Weed has any kind of area. North Carolina will never be the same.

 

I'd have to say Fulton and Steel Toe. I'd have to think a bunch of MN guys will say Surly but they've been around 7 years and they have pretty much established themselves and an incredible staple in the MN craft scene. Surly has an incredible following from around the country while still remaining a smaller brewery in comparison. Surly is no longer up and coming. Surly is as much a part of MN as.....Summit, Schells? You bet.

 

I just had Daredevil Ripcord this weekend. SOLID. If their other brews are even half as good, Daredevil will be huge.