Comments on: Beer Debate: Top 5 American Breweries

By: Brad

Brad — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 07:22:03 +0000

Top 5 in no particular order

Port/Lost Abbey/Pizza Port
Dogfish Head
Russian River
Avery
Ommegang

By: Tracie

Tracie — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 15:38:58 +0000

Sierra Nevada is too commercial now. Cant believe more people didnt pick Deschutes in Bend. Great beer. Six Rivers outside of Arcata is awesome. And, can’t get to North Coast often enough for my taste.

By: tanis38

tanis38 — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 19:09:12 +0000

1. Dogfish Head
2. Sierra Nevada
3. Flying Dog
4. Oskar Blues
5. Boulder Beer Company

By: Tom

Tom — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 03:18:00 +0000

Good to know Richard. Stone beers go on tap in Illinois after April 1st, which has got a lot of people excited. When I started drinking beer I was a huge hop head. I’ve tried Hop Stoopid and thought the hop extract was overkill. Two Brothers (a Chicago suburb based brewery) makes a good DIPA called Hop Juice. I enjoy that from time to time. Over the last year or so I’ve gotten into more malty beers. I will definately try to locate the ones you mentioned in your top 5. I’m currently on an Oak Aged beer kick, but do get a hop craving from time-to-time. If you have not given Goose Island’s IPA a try…please do…just for the sake of saying you tried it at least. I really like it.

Cheers!

By: Richard

Richard — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 02:40:06 +0000

Tom,

Definitely try the West Coast brews – admittedly, I do like the massively hopped beers – more hops, no malt. My idea of a perfect IPA or DIPA is very little malt. Founder’s is doing some great beers and Dog Head as well – though, for a West Coast hop head, Dogfish just doesn’t get the hops and uses too much malt! Just as Three Floyd’s, Avery, and Southern Tier – all great beers, but they are the “traditional style” based on the British style of hopped bitter malts! Didn’t we have a revolution in 1776 (to 1789!) that said “the he!! with England and the Queen! And this is why I like the all American hoppy beers – they are so hoppy they would beat the Easter Bunny in a hop race! So, please do try the beers you haven’t – Alpine is very possibly the best brewery on the West Coast – coming in a very close second behind Russian River. Ballast Point is a close third and Port Hop is up there in the top five. I think, though am not sure, that the Stone, Lagunitas, and Green Flash are fairly widely distributed – but all good brews in the top 10. And, Founders, Alesmith, and Dogfish would round out that top 10. If you need a supplier, there’s a great beer store near San Diego who ships nationwide – let me know and I’ll give you his info. Don’t publicize it because I want to selfishly keep him to myself!

Richard.

By: Jason

Jason — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 01:57:42 +0000

1. north coast
2. dechutes
3. lagunitas
4. rogue
5. alesmith

By: Tom

Tom — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 03:30:15 +0000

Richard,
Thank you for your comments! I appreciate and respect your taste for massively hopped-up West Coast beers. I have not sampled a few of those breweries you listed and I’m eager to do so.

By: Richard

Richard — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 00:16:06 +0000

My favorites:
1. Russian River Brewing
2. Alpine Brewing
3. Lagunitas
4. Green Flash
4. Port Hop
5. Stone
5. Ballast Point

Oh, wait! That’s too many. As for who “should” be in the top five – you didn’t give criteria – so, how do I judge – very subjective. Breweries that have brews available nationwide? or the best? but if the best, that’s very subjective! I would put who “should” be in the top five the same as above because it’s very subjective. Perhaps better to say who shouldn’t be in the top five? But then I would put “Three Floyds” on that list and offend lots of people!

By: Al

Al — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 05:05:23 +0000

Ninkasi
Dogfish Head
Lagunitas
Full Sail
Deschutes

By: Craig

Craig — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 01:06:42 +0000

Who is the best? I have no idea. Which breweries are my favorite? That’s easy – my favorite breweries are those breweries that, if they were to go out of business, I would deeply miss. Based on this I can only name three:

Three Floyds
Bells
Dogfish Head

Lets qualify this with a short list of breweries that I have little to no exposure to: Rogue, Stone, Russian River, Deschutes, Avery, North Coast, and a host of others likely worthy of consideration.

Let me qualify this with another list, one that includes breweries whose beer I thoroughly enjoy, but ultimately could live without: Boston Brewery, Sierra Nevada, Founders,and Victory.

One brewery that just doesn’t do it for me: New Belgium.