The picture on the left is one of the last taken of Marvin "Popcorn" Sutton. He is considered the best and most famous moonshiner that ever lived. I know that he had little or anything to do with craft beer but I sort of like the picture.......He was arrested and face multiple years in Federal Penitentiary so he committed suicide in 2009 instead of doing the time.Every parent of multiple children is eventually asked “Mommy (or Daddy) which one of us do you love the most?” The standard answer is “Well I love you all the same.” In my case I would look to see which of my children was not present and I would say “ Well since you asked, I love Kimberly (or Sarah or Kristina or Jennifer)the most.”
I am now entering my fourth year as a blogger. I have posted several times regarding my top ten or favorite beers. My former employer, The Power Load, provided me the opportunity to obtain many beers that were not available where I currently live. Although it may appear otherwise, I really did not abuse my privileges while employed with them. Yes I transported some beer in the cargo area of the trucks I drove from time to time, but I did not drive out of the way to find some obscure brewery, beer store or brew pub. I never drove a company vehicle after drinking even one beer, I always had someone else to drive. As I have stated in previous blogs, I would constantly purchase a lot of different beers while on the road. Upon learning of where our jobs would be, I would begin researching what beers would be available and determined the proximity of local brew pubs and breweries. Although I certainly drank several of them while “on the road”, the vast majority of them were brought back home with me in which I distributed many of them to my local friends and associates. My brother in law's (boss) father also worked for us. He was such a jovial and congenial soul but I tend to believe he may have relayed that he had seen me hoisting and packing multiple six packs to my motel rooms from time to time. I supposed it could be assumed I sat in my room and swilled all of them down and would arrive to work the next day still intoxicated. That is not true of course, but people can and will believe what they want to believe. With the Power Load that was generally the rule of thumb.
I would be willing to submit that regardless of where you live, you would not have access to every beer being brewed. I used to believe that a beer bar would only be better if it had more tap heads. I now believe too many could be confusing.
In my travels I attempted to visit as many micro breweries and brew pubs that I could. Most of my fellow employees were not as exited or enamored with my hobby/vocation so my opportunities were limited. They were perfectly happy to set in their rooms and smoke weed or drink Miller Lite/Silver Bullets or Bud Light.
I still visited nearly a hundred different places over a nearly five year period.
So, since I am renewing my efforts here at The Brew Chronicles, I hereby submit my top breweries/brew pubs.
Now let me first say that just as my children, there is not such a thing as my favorite. Each is good in it’s on way. But this list expresses my preferences.
Top Three (in no particular order)
Magic Hat – South Burl
ington , Vermont
This brewery is located in South Burlington Vermont. Their flagship beer is Number 9 but they make a ton of other beers. I like Circus Boy, (heffy) and Roxy Roller. Number 9 is now available here in Temple but the others are usually only found in a 12 pack mixer. They make a beer using beets Wacko and to be honest, I am not real fond of it. It actually tastes pretty good but the thought of drinking beets does not set well with me
I visited this brewery/brew pub on the way home from a job in New Hampshire back in 2006. I had two totally useless co workers with me. Although neither of them was aware of it, both were actually already fired. We left Laconia, NH on the way back home. We arvived in South Burlington just before midnight and I went inside and had one beer while they sat in the truck outside, A Roxy Roller (which they no longer brew) and then I got back in the truck and let one of the other guys drive.It is my desire to return and spend more time. This brewery is what I would think all brewers want to do. They exhibit the true joy of brewing and their offerings are always fantastic. I tend to believe that the brewers smoke a lot of weed as they concoct the new beers.
Odell – Fort Co
llins, Colorado
Colorado has a lot of really good breweries. The largest single brewery in the world is located in Colorado (Coors ,located in Golden) Denver has several breweries as well as Boulder. Fort Collins has four craft breweries, a brew pub downtown and a large Anheuser Busch plant out on I-25. Fort Collins is home to New Belgium Brewery brewers of Fat Tire. It is the home of Colorado State University. It is a beer town.
But my favorite is a smaller brewery down the street from New Belgium. If I truly have to choose my favorite I am pretty sure this would be the one.
In early Spring of 2008 I was driving the company truck from Temple to Ogden, Utah. I had two passengers, neither were beer lovers. We left about 2:00AM with plans to spend the night in Fort Collins. The next day we would drive on into Ogden. I had done some research and I had mapped out a couple of places I wanted to stop along the way. The first one was in tiny Trinidad, Colorado. I had heard a lot of good things about a small brewery located there know as Trinidad Brewery. We arrived around 1:30 in the afternoon and when I finally pulled in front of the brewery I realized that they were closed. We continued up I 25. I would return to Trinidad Brewery a year later and this time they were open. I drank a Wee Lassie Scottish Ale and purchased a cool tee shirt. The brewery is now closed. I knew that the tasting room for Odell would close around 6:00 PM and I knew that the New Belgium tasting room was closed on Monday. It was pretty obvious that we barely make Fort Collins by 6:00 PM. I had been driving for over 12 hours straight as we entered Denver. I switched to the passenger seat and let one of the other fellows drive. I directed him to nearby Longmont, just off of the interstate and before long we were arriving at Left Hand Brewery. We were there about 20 minutes, long enough for me to drink a beer and purchase a pint glass and a high dollar tee shirt. From there we drove another 40 miles or so to our motel rooms in Fort Collins. It was about 15 minutes before Odell would be closing and I contemplated dropping the guys off and at least driving the two miles to the brewery. But they wanted fried chicken so they dropped me off instead and I checked into the motel. About an hour later they returned the keys to the truck and I decided to at least drive by Odell’s and New Belgium. Both were less than two miles from the motel and on the way to Coopersmith’s a place my sister in law recommend that I eat. As I drove the truck for the first time in over 4 hours or so, I noticed a grinding sound emendating from the brakes. I instantly knew something was wrong and as I pulled into the parking space at Coopersmith’s, I called my brother in law (and boss) to tell him the news. He was somewhere in Kansas and was also driving to Utah. He informed me that he would be passing through Fort Collins in about 2-3 hours. I told him I would see him then.
Tony showed up about 9:00 PM and checked the truck out and determined that my diagnosis was correct. He directed me to call “the office” the next morning and have them locate a repair shop I should go to. I told him I was perfectly capable of finding a place but he was insistent that I leave that task to the office staff.
I called my travel mates and told them that they could sleep in the next day.
Early the next morning I did as I was instructed and the office staff directed me to East Lincoln Auto Repair. To my surprise, the repair shop was across the street and within one hundred yards from Odell Brewing Company. (Keep in mind, I did not choose the repair shop). I sat and waited for a few hours as the shop worked on the brakes. Around 10 I walked over to Odell and I drank a beer (IPA) and purchased a cool tee shirt. I walked back over to the shop and I was informed that the truck would be ready around noon. My travel mates called and informed me that they needed to check out of their room by noon. I told the people at the shop so one of their employees drove me back over to the motel to retrieve my co workers. As we drove back I instructed the driver to drop me off at New Belgium Brewery were I drank six or seven small samples of their beer(all free), I bought a tee shirt and cap. My coworkers arrived with the truck shortly after noon and off we went.
I have never drank an Odell beer that wasn’t fantastic. Their flagship beer is called 90 Shillings. Their beers are NOT available here in Texas and each time I have family of friends traveling out West, I plead to have them bring me some back. I strongly recommend any and all of their beers. My very favorite beers of all time, Myrcenary Double IPA, is made by Odell Brewery. The people behind the bar were not that friendly and I much preferred the guy at New Belgium which is less than a 1/4 mile away.
Desc
hutes – Bend, Oregon
I discovered this brewery and their beers back in the summer of 2006 while I was working in the Los Angeles area.. Everything they make is so damn good. Their brewery is located along the Deschutes River in Bend. Oregon. I have yet to visit their brewery but I did have occasion to visit their Public House in the Pearl District of Portland. It had only been open a few weeks when I visited and I really was impressed. I ordered a 9 beer sampler and I was able to drink some of the breweries offering that you can find nowhere other than the tap house of the brewery. I tried a new offering called The Dissident. The food was very very good and I strongly advise a visit to the Public House on visits to the beer rich city of Portland, Oregon. The urinals are massive and worth a trip just to see them. This breweries flagship beers are Black Butte Porter and Mirror Pond Pale Ale. Trust me you will never go wrong by purchasing any of their brews. This was the brewery product I looked for more than any other when I traveled out West (Until I discovered Odell in 2007). Now days you can find Black Butte Porter and Mirror Pond Pale Ale pretty much all over these parts. Occasionally you can find Red Chair NWPA (Spring Seasonal). Twilight (Summer Seasonal), Hop Trip (Fall Seasonal) and Jubeale (Winter Seasonal) as well as Inverness IPA. If you are lucky to find one of those you need to jump all over them. One last thing. If you are a true"Hop Head", it is your duty to make a pilgrimage to Portland Oregon. With 35 microbreweries you are bound to find one you like.
There are other breweries that deserve to be mentioned:
Always Consistent and available all over now a days.
Sierra Nevada- Chico, California (I have been there) Their beer is just about found anywhere. My wife and I both like Summerfest and Celebration Ale is damn good too. Their heffy is about as good as it gets
New Belgium – Fort Collins, Colorado (I have been there, see above) Fat Tire is a good beer but I suggest Snow Day as well as Ranger IPA.
Boulevard – Kansas City, Mo. (I have been there) Their Bully Porter is as good as it gets and Double Wide IPA is probably the least hoppy IPA that you can find. All of their beers are good. I would suggest a 12 pack mixer as a starter.
Spotezel – Shiner, Texas (I have been there) I have been drinking Shiner Bock for years I particularly like their Celebration Winter Beer and 101. I do not like Ruby Red. Somethings should not be in beer such as grapefruit and ginger.
Big Sky – Missoula, Montana (I have been there) This is the brewer of Moose Drool Brown Ale but I suggest Trout Slayer Ale.
If you can find one buy it: Hard to find and probably not available in Texas
Goose Island – Chicago, Illinois (I have been to Tap House at O’Hara Airport). 312 is probably my favorite heffy ...well at least it is close with Circus Boy from Magic Hat and Kellerwies from Sierra Nevada. Check out Honker Ale if you can.
Bell’s Brewery - Kalamazoo, Michigan. If you ever see a beer made by this brewery....BUY IT! Hopslam Ale, Two Hearted Ale and Obsidian Stout are all very good. I particularly love their Octoberfest Beer.
Smuttynose - Portsmouth, New Hamshire. The dog's name is Olive, This is a hard one to find outside of New England. I recommend anything they brew. I know I say that a lot but the fact is anything they brew is worth your money and time.
Firestone Walker – Paso Robles, California (I have been there) We had a job in Paso Roble. (The job went to shit by the way) The city and the area around it is known for it wonderful Central Coast wines. This brewery is owned by one of the local wineries but their beer is outstanding. They make a couple of IPAs but the one you really need to try is Union Jack. If you ever find one you really need to jump all over it. Most of the beers from this brewery is the Pale Ale variety and or IPAs. In other words if you like hops you will love this brewery.
Alaskan - Juneau, Alaska. I have drank a lot of their beers when I visit out West. For some reason it is difficult for me to drink the first Amber but the rest really go down well. Their Christmas Ale tastes like a Christmas tree and is very good. I am really fond of their Summer Ale and White Ale.
Summit – Saint Paul, Minnesota (I have been there) This brewery is close to the Minneapolis St Paul Airport. Occasionally I find this beer on tap at the local pub. This is very good beer and once again I strongly suggest you try it.
Otter Creek -Middlebury, Vermont I discovered this beer on a trip to Maryland a few years ago. All I can say is if you see the label...buy it. I have seen this beer a Spec's in Austin, Texas
Others that I recommend.
Thirty Planet - Texas
512 - Texas
Abita - Louisiana
Stone - California
Left Hand - Colorado
Boulder - Colorado
Rogue - Oregon
North Coast - California
Anchor - California
St. Arnold's - Texas
Long Trail - Vermont
Fort Collins - Colorado
Santa Fe- New Mexico
Hales Ales - Washington
Cigar City -Florida
Uncle Billy's - Texas
Harpoon - Massachusetts
Bridgeport - Oregon
Shafly - Missouri
Flying Monkey - Kansas
I know I have listed a lot of breweries but I can honestly say that regardless of what you chose, you will be pleased.
Yes, I know you can take the safe approach but I recommend that when you travel that you should either look for an upscale grocery store or a nice liquor store and try out a few "different" beers, I am sure you will be very surprised.
Looking forward to next year and next beer....
The Third
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