1. Beer Tree – Port Crane, NY – First visited in May 2019
Situated about 15 minutes NE of Binghamton, NY, Beer Tree is a farm brewery highlighting beer brewed with local ingredients and hops sourced from the neighboring Willet Hop & Grain. This place is sure to become a favorite stop on our annual Memorial Day Weekend Trail trip. Highlights include Morning Timber - Blueberry, a breakfast stout brewed with coffee and wood-fire evaporated maple syrup conditioned on blueberries, and Slightly Fuzzy, a crazy-good mixed fermentation ale conditioned on strawberries, rhubarb and limes. We can't wait to get back there in May!
2. Cinderlands – Pittsburgh, PA – First visited in August 2019
We liked this place so much that we visited its main brewery and smaller Lawrenceville taproom, both of which are within about 7 blocks of each other. A new kid in town (opened in December 2017), Cinderlands has been blowing shit up ever since with its diverse array of beer styles. Highlights include Full Squish, a hazy golden IPA boasting a huge pineapple aroma and notes of juicy tangerine and dried mango, which turned out to be my favorite IPA of the trip. Pancake Galaxy - Banana Chocolate Chip was also a standout. This creamy, rich, tangy, and fruity hybrid IPA is heavy on maple, cocoa, and cinnamon, flavors you're more inclined to find in a stout.
3. Demented – Middlesex, NJ – First visited in February 2019
I regret to inform everyone that this place is permanently closed. Damn, another good one bites the dust. Perhaps it was because they don't brew hazy-friggin'-IPAs. Everything I sampled here was pretty bangin', and its beers ran the gamut of an English Mild with coffee to a Flanders red aged in Cabernet barrels to a rye barrel-aged barleywine. I was really looking forward to getting back here in 2020. Seriously, this one makes me feel like a sad panda. Kudos if you got to enjoy this place while it lasted. RIP Demented!
4. Ethereal – Lexington, KY – First visited in November 2019
The breweries we experienced in Kentucky exceeded our expectations, and sitting atop of the list is Lexington's Ethereal. It's a shame to think that we might not have even stopped in Lexington had it not been for the need of a quick bathroom break. My personal highlight of Drinksgiving 2019 was one of its beers called Breakfast Baba Yaga, a Russian Imperial Stout brewed with maple syrup and local espresso from Nate's Coffee. This beer was off-the-charts good, and this beer alone solidified Ethereal's spot on our Top 10 list for 2019.
5. Madtree – Cincinnati, OH – First visited in December 2019
Founded in 2013, MadTree is an up-and-coming midwest production brewery with quite an impressive facility and tasting room. I was pretty bowled over by the size and scope of the brewery, with its spacious tasting room featuring a massive bar, merch shop, and plenty of seating. The place is decorated to create the environment of a lush green, forest. The beers were solid, too. Everything from a peach Berliner Weisse to a S'More Stout to a collaboration IPA were enjoyable.
6. New England Brewing – Woodbridge, CT – First visited in March 2019
I didn't even have to think twice about including this place on my list. While all the hipsters with questionable palates are busy hunting for cans of Tree House and Trillium, this place is a true oasis of New England-style beers. I mean, the name of the place is New England Brewing! Seriously, I'd drink a Fuzzy Baby Ducks or G-Bot over one of the aforementioned breweries' beers in a heartbeat. And Mexican Cake Imperial Stout Trooper on tap? Yes please! This beer was an absolute joy to drink and stands up to the best of the best such as Westbrook Mexican Cake, Perennial Abraxas, and Cigar City Hunahpu's. It was so great to finally get to this place after enjoying its beers for many years.
7. Pen Druid – Sperryville, VA – First visited in March 2019
Pen Druid borrows its moniker from an old family farm situated on the Thornton River in Rappahannock County, just a few miles downstream from the brewery. This tiny brewery operates using a 10bbl wood-fired (yes, you read correctly: WOOD FIRED!) brewery, employs coolships, and is all about spontaneous fermentation, barrel aging, and bottle conditioning. It's one of those places that's known for its unique flavors derived from microflora, house cultures, and other little critters roaming around the brewery that aren't visible to the naked eye. I simply can't wait to get back here to dig into more of their beers!
Pen Druid borrows its moniker from an old family farm situated on the Thornton River in Rappahannock County, just a few miles downstream from the brewery. This tiny brewery operates using a 10bbl wood-fired (yes, you read correctly: WOOD FIRED!) brewery, employs coolships, and is all about spontaneous fermentation, barrel aging, and bottle conditioning. It's one of those places that's known for its unique flavors derived from microflora, house cultures, and other little critters roaming around the brewery that aren't visible to the naked eye. I simply can't wait to get back here to dig into more of their beers!
8. Shy Bear – Lewistown, PA – First visited in August 2019
We first sampled Shy Bear's beer at the Selinsgrove "Hops, Vines & Wines" festival in 2018 and were pretty impressed. It was a long time coming, but we finally made the trek off the beaten path to Lewistown, PA, this past August. The beers were routinely solid, and the presentation of the sampler flight was memorable. But what surprised us most was the food, which was upscale and well-executed, especially for the brewery's locale. Factor in a sweet beer garden-esque outdoor music venue, and you've got a winning combination. I look forward to our return visit!
We first sampled Shy Bear's beer at the Selinsgrove "Hops, Vines & Wines" festival in 2018 and were pretty impressed. It was a long time coming, but we finally made the trek off the beaten path to Lewistown, PA, this past August. The beers were routinely solid, and the presentation of the sampler flight was memorable. But what surprised us most was the food, which was upscale and well-executed, especially for the brewery's locale. Factor in a sweet beer garden-esque outdoor music venue, and you've got a winning combination. I look forward to our return visit!
9. Urban Artifact – Cincinnati, OH – First visited in December 2019
Our first true taste of Cincinnati, Urban Artifact celebrates "wild culture" by focusing on sour and wild beers for the most discerning palates. The building itself is quite impressive and features a taproom built into the lower level of the historic St Patrick’s church in Cincinnati's Northside neighborhood. The brewery, on the other hand, resides in the old gymnasium building just behind the church. The beers we sampled, which were primarily labeled as "midwest fruit tarts," were all world class. Pachycephalosaurus, an oak-aged ale featuring marionberries and a blend of wild-caught cultures curated to highlight the terroir of the Ohio River Valley, was arguably my favorite. Seek out any of its beers and I doubt you'll be disappointed.
Our first true taste of Cincinnati, Urban Artifact celebrates "wild culture" by focusing on sour and wild beers for the most discerning palates. The building itself is quite impressive and features a taproom built into the lower level of the historic St Patrick’s church in Cincinnati's Northside neighborhood. The brewery, on the other hand, resides in the old gymnasium building just behind the church. The beers we sampled, which were primarily labeled as "midwest fruit tarts," were all world class. Pachycephalosaurus, an oak-aged ale featuring marionberries and a blend of wild-caught cultures curated to highlight the terroir of the Ohio River Valley, was arguably my favorite. Seek out any of its beers and I doubt you'll be disappointed.
This was the brewery that set off the "five-hour piss break" that because a jaunt around Lexington, KY, during Drinksgiving 2019. Our first brewery visit of the trip, West Sixth's German Chocolate Snake Cake set the bar ridiculously high for breweries to come, and turned out to be my second favorite beer of the trip by such a minuscule margin that I'd almost call it the "co-best beer of the trip." This place has a pretty legit barrel-aging program, and everything we had here was top-notch.
Once again, this year's list proved to be a difficult undertaking. Here are a few "honorable mentions" that came oh-so-close to making the final ten.
Bradley Brew Project – Bradley Beach, NJ – First visited in February 2019
One of the stand-outs of our weekend trip to Jersey, I was first struck by the distinct West Coast vibe of this place which, appropriately enough, is located in a beach town. Our favorite beer was Sí Monster, a Mexican-style lager brewed with sea salt, lime peel and agave. Delicious and refreshing!
Screamin' Hill – Cream Ridge, NJ – First visited in February 2019
This tiny but rustic farmhouse brewery is nestled on a back road in the small town of Cream Ridge, about 30 miles west of Asbury Park. When we arrived, I was immediately struck by its simple charm and cool logo, a screaming owl in flight. I really enjoyed the Barn Burnin' Ale, an amber rye ale brewed with smoked applewood chips boasting a smokey-sweet flavor and touch of caramel apple in the finish. I liked the brewery logo so much that I bought a shirt... something I rarely do these days!
Against the Grain – Louisville, KY – First visited in November 2019
The only Louisville-based brewery I'd been familiar with prior to our Drinksgiving trip, Against the Grain is the kind of brewery every major city needs. Perhaps most well-known for Bo & Luke, an Imperial Smoked Porter (so right there, bonus points for not only the style but also its name, which is a nod to The Dukes of Hazzard), Against the Grain takes experimentalism to new heights. Take its experiments with Ambruana wood, which is derived from a deciduous tree indigenous to the forests of South America. The wood itself lends a unique woody aroma and spicy kick to the beers with which it comes into contact. We also had a blast hanging out in the bottle shop with a pair of chatty employees. More bonus points!
So, just how many "new-to-us" breweries did we visit in 2019?
79
Not quite as impressive as last year's total of 110. This year's total includes the new Guinness Open Gate Brewery & Barrel House in Baltimore, which I visited sans Pleeps and Brewslut (so it wasn't eligible... otherwise it definitely would have made the cut), as well as Strange Roots, which is basically just a re-brand of Draai Laag.
We look forward to continuing our tradition in 2020. Thanks for reading! Until next time...
One of the stand-outs of our weekend trip to Jersey, I was first struck by the distinct West Coast vibe of this place which, appropriately enough, is located in a beach town. Our favorite beer was Sí Monster, a Mexican-style lager brewed with sea salt, lime peel and agave. Delicious and refreshing!
Screamin' Hill – Cream Ridge, NJ – First visited in February 2019
This tiny but rustic farmhouse brewery is nestled on a back road in the small town of Cream Ridge, about 30 miles west of Asbury Park. When we arrived, I was immediately struck by its simple charm and cool logo, a screaming owl in flight. I really enjoyed the Barn Burnin' Ale, an amber rye ale brewed with smoked applewood chips boasting a smokey-sweet flavor and touch of caramel apple in the finish. I liked the brewery logo so much that I bought a shirt... something I rarely do these days!
Against the Grain – Louisville, KY – First visited in November 2019
The only Louisville-based brewery I'd been familiar with prior to our Drinksgiving trip, Against the Grain is the kind of brewery every major city needs. Perhaps most well-known for Bo & Luke, an Imperial Smoked Porter (so right there, bonus points for not only the style but also its name, which is a nod to The Dukes of Hazzard), Against the Grain takes experimentalism to new heights. Take its experiments with Ambruana wood, which is derived from a deciduous tree indigenous to the forests of South America. The wood itself lends a unique woody aroma and spicy kick to the beers with which it comes into contact. We also had a blast hanging out in the bottle shop with a pair of chatty employees. More bonus points!
So, just how many "new-to-us" breweries did we visit in 2019?
79
Not quite as impressive as last year's total of 110. This year's total includes the new Guinness Open Gate Brewery & Barrel House in Baltimore, which I visited sans Pleeps and Brewslut (so it wasn't eligible... otherwise it definitely would have made the cut), as well as Strange Roots, which is basically just a re-brand of Draai Laag.
We look forward to continuing our tradition in 2020. Thanks for reading! Until next time...
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