[narlus]

ok, let's a get a top 5 list. i wanna hear who you think makes the best, most consistent beer across a variety of styles (so guinness is out). here are my choices, and the best beer of them:

1) deschutes

so many beers which are done to incredible tastiness, and the black butte porter reigns supreme. the brewpub has excellent food too, which is a total bonus and quite unexpected.

2) ipswich

a great local over here...their oatmeal stout is the best i've had, but leaves horrible gas in its wake. the ale is a strong contender too

3) victory

relative newcomer for me, and i need to delve a bit deeper into their repertoire (had no idea they did so many german-style beers) but the hop devil IPA is about as good an example of the form as you'll put across yr lips and down yr gullet. this fine malted beverage alone is good enough to almost atone for the oceans of piss america calls beer but labels miller, coors and bud.

4) sierra nevada

gets the nod over anchor for me. the IPA is an all-time classic, even though it's overshadowed (imo) by similar offerings from victory, dogfish, and harpoon, but their whole range is very solid, from stouts to porters to the seasonal christmas celebration ale.

5) magic hat

another local (VT), and would have an absolute stellar lineup if they just ditched that fruity-ass peach #9 beer.

honorable mention:

full sail, if only for sipping a cold IPA on their roof deck whilst watching the windsurfers below, on the columbia

tremont (when they still brewed in boston and had the bitter on cask)

mcneills (got F'd up on old ringworm at a friends' wedding...good times)

 

[Silver]

Hmm...

1)Alesmith-Speedway Stout, a great ESB, and some nicely done Belgian styles.
2)Sierra Nevada-For Celebration Ale alone...SNPA is always a good choice too.
3)Victory-Mmm...Golden Monkey, Hop Devil, and a nice Barley Wine
4)Stone-IPA is one of my favorites, Pale is perfect session beer
5)Pizza Port-Almost everything. Especially the Solana Beach location.

Most of my all time favorites come from Belgium, but that kind of leaves out the American styles...

 

[narlus]

yeah, i couldn't put in any UK breweries too because i don't haev enough sampling across the ranges, and their ranges aren't too broad to begin with. maybe sam smith? and whoever makes spitfire does a good job (i think they make bishop's finger too).

 

[BikeGeek]

I don't have any favorite breweries, only favorite beers.

 

[-BB-]

Phantome - VERY high quality Belgain Saison's
Mad Brewers - Uses the Rodenbach yeast for soem good seasonal brews (belgain)
Sam Adams - Good easy drinking lagers and Ales
Ommegang - good cheap belgain styles made in US
New Belgium Brewery (Fat Tire brewers)

 

[narlus]

some good lists, but some names i don't know. please expound on yr favorite of the line, and why it approaches deification.

 

[tonyhawk]

1) Sierra Nevada (favorite = Pale Ale)
2) Dogfish Head (favorite = 90 Minute IPA)
3) Magic Hat (favorite = Humble Patience)
4) hmm ... can't really think of another brewery with more than 1 good beer... I'll have to try some of the ones that were mentioned.
5) The Hartford Brewery - now out of business . I was a brewer there for about 2 years. (favorite = Praying Mantis Porter)

 

[McGRP01]

Davidson Bros. [IPA] (Glens Falls, NY - Hometown Brew!)

Long Trail [IPA, Double Bag] (Bridgewater, VT. - My college beer of choice)

Otter Creek [Stovepipe Porter] (Middlebury, VT. - Beer of choice when purchased in keg quantities.)

Harpoon [IPA, ESB] (Boston, MA. - Favorite "larger market" beers)

 

[DamienC]

2) Dogfish Head (favorite = 90 Minute IPA)
3) Magic Hat (favorite = Humble Patience)

Yes! For me, those are #1 and 2. I know I always trumpet Dogfish Head on this board, but I really do think they have an excellent range of beers from their tongue-in-cheek Fo'dee oz. Liquor de Malt to their high end stuff like the 120 Min. IPA and Midas Touch.

Filling out the rest of my top five would be...
New Belgium
Hales
Samuel Smith

 

[Mackie]

ok, let's a get a top 5 list.

US Only
5: Anchor Steam
4: Victory
3: Sierra Nevada
2: Omegang
1:

 

[tonyhawk]

Yes! For me, those are #1 and 2. I know I always trumpet Dogfish Head on this board, but I really do think they have an excellent range of beers from their tongue-in-cheek Fo'dee oz. Liquor de Malt to their high end stuff like the 120 Min. IPA and Midas Touch.

Filling out the rest of my top five would be...
New Belgium
Hales
Samuel Smith

Aha!!! New Belgium! That's the one that was missing from my list - awesome beers.

I actually met the owner/brewer at Dogfish Head the first day they opened their pub in Deleware. He started out with a home-made brewing system consisting of a keg with the top cut off for the mash tun, another for the kettle, no filtration, and half-keg storage containers. Nice to see how well they've done - I sure was happy when I found out I could get their beer all the way up here in CT.

 

[B_A_MTBIKER]

New Belgium

 

[Silver]

Fat Tire sucks though...

 

[dropkick]

New Belgium (1554 is the best) because it's about 10 minutes from my house
O'Dell's..because it's about 10 minutes from my house
St. James Gate
Stoney Creek

 

[Mtbike]

Three Floyds destroys every beer on this thread!

 

[HarryCallahan]

Here are my favorites, not ranked:

Deschutes: Good brews, especially like the Mirror Pond Ale
Their seasonl brew is great, too.

Sierra Nevada: the Pale Ale is always a solid choice, the Celebration ale is outstanding (Get it while it lasts.) Their dark beers are good, but there are better choices

Lagunitas: Great range of brews, plus tasty special and seasonal offerings and off the wall humor
The "Lagunator" with the dog wearing the sunglasses, saying "I'll be bock" was a classic.

Pyramid: their wheat beer and their apricot Ale are especially nice in hot weather. The apricot ale is the only "fruit" brew I've ever really enjoyed. It's utterly dry and crisp, with just this whiff of apricot on the nose. Outstanding with Chinese or Thai food.

(Can't remember the name) brewerey just over Teton Pass from Jackson Hole on the Idaho side: bought a mixed case, it was all fabulous, I was pretty sad when it was gone.
not widely distributed

 

[narlus]

(Can't remember the name) brewerey just over Teton Pass from Jackson Hole on the Idaho side: bought a mixed case, it was all fabulous, I was pretty sad when it was gone.
not widely distributed

probably snake river brewing? my buddy picked up a zonker stout t-shirt from them when he was driving across the country.

 

[llkoolkeg]

I have three good ones within four minutes and twenty seconds of my work:

Frederick Brewing Company
Brewer's Alley
Barley & Hops

 

[qualude]

Brooklyn Brewery, cause they are local and good,
Then Rogue, cause I used to be local to them, and they are good too.

 

[ito]

I haven't been drinking for long now, but my favorite has to be Cooper's Brewery. It's Australian, but no additives or preservatives, I've never had a hangover drinking their stuff and it's by far some of the tastiest beer I've ever had. The Pale Ale is perfect with any meal and the Sparkling Ale is also good. Just bought a bottle of their Extra Strong Vintage Ale last night and DAMN, such a good beer. I still have a few different beers from them to taste, but that's what has been stocking the fridge lately. www.coopers.com.au

The Ito

 

[Acadian]

Then Rogue, cause I used to be local to them, and they are good too.

 

[DaveW]

Only one brewery really makes the list for me. Montieths

 

[GumbaFish]

Sierra Nevada is good...don't know if people outside of the NY state area get it much but Saranac makes a pretty wide range of brews from stouts to IPA to belgian white...yeah they make quite a bit. Anyways I would reccomend the Black Forest or Black and Tan especially, both quality. Another small one that is good is Flying Dog, their Road Dog is really good... says scottish porter on the bottle, but its actually an excellent scottish ale.

 

[DamienC]

...don't know if people outside of the NY state area get it much but Saranac makes a pretty wide range of brews from stouts to IPA to belgian white...

Saranac is pretty common down here in the mid-Atlantic. Their limited production caramel porter is really good. Sometimes I'll buy their 12 Beers box just for the caramel porter.

 

[TreeSaw]

I like (in no particular order):
Magic Hat - Blind Faith & Jinx
Davidson Brewery (Glens Falls, NY) - IPA
Samuel Smith - Oatmeal Stout
Long Trail - Hibernator, Harvest, Blackberry Wheat
Unibrou - La Fin du Monde & Trois Pistoles
Now I need a beer