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The Voice of Reason

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Brewpubs

Trinity Brewhouse in Providence

Watch City in Waltham

Bars

Track 84 in Warwick

Cafe 412 in Providence

Breweries

Long Trail in VT

Berkshire in MA

Rock Art in VT

Coastal Extreme (Newport Storm) in RI

Mayflower in MA

Smuttynose in NH

I could keep going...

I also wouldn't knock Sam Adams. Jim Koch has done a lot for the industry and has pushed the limits of beer (see Triple Bock and Utopias). They also have a bunch of really good beers.

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Brewpubs

Trinity Brewhouse in Providence

I also wouldn't knock Sam Adams. Jim Koch has done a lot for the industry and has pushed the limits of beer (see Triple Bock and Utopias). They also have a bunch of really good beers.

Trinity was my first love while I attended URI. I miss that basement, then the walk to Lupos for a good show.

And Trust me Boston Beer company get planty of business from me. I made a point to write that I respect what they have done for the industry in my post for good reason. Without Boston Beer company I would quite simply not have a reason to make this post. Utopias is not really a good beer at all, but its a cool science experiment that I respect the hell out of.

I realize I should have posted that my normal beer is Dog Fish Head 90 Minute IPA. Dont get me wrong I would much prefer drinking locally, but DFK know what they are doing. right now City Steam in Hartford has an incredible IIPA. not usually a great brewery, but a great bre pub. this beer is special. "carpenters ale" unfiltered IIPA 7.5ABV

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Trinity was my first love while I attended URI. I miss that basement, then the walk to Lupos for a good show.

And Trust me Boston Beer company get planty of business from me. I made a point to write that I respect what they have done for the industry in my post for good reason. Without Boston Beer company I would quite simply not have a reason to make this post. Utopias is not really a good beer at all, but its a cool science experiment that I respect the hell out of.

I realize I should have posted that my normal beer is Dog Fish Head 90 Minute IPA. Dont get me wrong I would much prefer drinking locally, but DFK know what they are doing. right now City Steam in Hartford has an incredible IIPA. not usually a great brewery, but a great bre pub. this beer is special. "carpenters ale" unfiltered IIPA 7.5ABV

See? I disagree on Utopias. It's beer. It pushes the boundaries. I've had beers that tasted nothing like "beer".

I'm actually not a huge fan of DFH's normal offerings. 60 Min is just an average IPA. 90 Min is good, but not what I look for in a DIPA (I expect hops from a DIPA). Now 120... that's an incredible beer, same with World Wide Stout (though both need a bit of age, in my opinion).

My favorite breweries tend to be from here in New England and a bunch in CO (Great Divide, Left Hand, Boulder). I also drink a lot of Victory and Brooklyn.

Anyway, I wish Trinity would get some better quality control in their beers. They can't seem to be consistent.

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See? I disagree on Utopias. It's beer. It pushes the boundaries. I've had beers that tasted nothing like "beer".

I'm actually not a huge fan of DFH's normal offerings. 60 Min is just an average IPA. 90 Min is good, but not what I look for in a DIPA (I expect hops from a DIPA). Now 120... that's an incredible beer, same with World Wide Stout (though both need a bit of age, in my opinion).

My favorite breweries tend to be from here in New England and a bunch in CO (Great Divide, Left Hand, Boulder). I also drink a lot of Victory and Brooklyn.

Anyway, I wish Trinity would get some better quality control in their beers. They can't seem to be consistent.

I see, so well I have had 120 taste excellent and actually not so excellent. In fact last time it was ho-hum at best. and that was last Saturday. The first time I had it it literally stole my socks. knocked them right off of me and I never Heard from them again. WWS is probably the best beer I have ever had. I wrote 90 mins, because of its consistancy and general great taste. WWS is a special beer I can not drink after work on a Monday. 90 I can. but enough on DFH except that have you had the FORT? damn that stuff is fruity!!!

I have not bellied up at Trinity for several years now, and really want to try the beer again after having developed a taste, a respect for the craft. I get what you are saying about concistancy. City Steam in Hartford has the same problem. But right now I do not care Carpenters Ale is a IIPA that blows the taste buds of a 90 min and lands somewhere between 90 and 120 in flavour. but its at lower in alcohol. got a growler tonight.

but back to Utopias

"See? I disagree on Utopias. It's beer. It pushes the boundaries. I've had beers that tasted nothing like "beer"."

really, but is it a good taste? I am not saying its really really bad, but its more of a novelty than good.

so wait what about your favorite buildings that bring you in to their warb brick interiors?

the brew pubs?

Trinity is now in a nice area I understand when it used to be on that nasty wind blown sand in your eye plaza right?

but the buildings that make the street?

richardson5790.jpg

City Steam in Hartford next to my office.

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About a month ago I was at a place called City Steam in Hartford, not bad place. There's been better, but there's been worse.

Brewpubs that are close by, have (surprisingly) not visited yet:

- Brew City, Worcester

- Willimantic Brewing Co.

- 12 Crane complex, Southbridge (MA) - *not sure of official name*

Many friends of mine frequent this one local pub. This place has Magic Hat No. 9, Harpoon UFO, UFO Raspberry, Sam Boston, and Sam Seasonal and on the cheap. I've seen the Wachusett blueberry beer in bottles there too. This may not be out of the ordinary... but for a small town bar popular with local 20 somethings I'm happy. My friends get their BMC whatever (cough Bud Light cough), I got some decent pickings.

There's this place in Worcester called the Dive Bar, whole bunch of American brews there. Been having a lot of Berkshire, Smuttynose, and Dogfish Head on tap there.

A week and a half ago I was at a package store in Orange (CT), picked up some stuff from Blue Point and Smuttynose, their winter seasonals. My friend meanwhile picked up the winter seasonals from Red Hook and Magic Hat.

Since Pennsylvania counts as Northeast here - my personal favorite is Yuengling. Not the greatest thing in the world, but I just can't say no either. Same with their porter and their black n' tan. Still a lot better than the alternatives.

And because it also needs to be mentioned at some point in time - Sunset Grill in Allston section of Boston.

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  • 1 year later...

is it wrong to add some more to this?

never!!!!

Lately my regular beer has bee Great Divides Scotch ale "Claymore" damn that stuff is just right for the cool weather.

I have since writing earlier returned to Trinity. damn change hurts... :(

ok, so the beer was fine, no complaints at all, because I have no real memory of what I liked or disliked, but the downstair lost some of the old appeal for me. I do not like the pool table down there. do they still have live music?

I dont know it was packed, so Myabe thats what turned me off. It used to be chill downstairs. and BEARDS! there were bearded staff everywhere. just an amusing observation.

Also went to all the Portland and Portsmouth breweries. All have decent buildings, but Grittys is best. it feels the most comfortable to me, and has been there the longest. Portsmouth brewing company was the biggest dissapointment. nothing special on tap at all.

anyone been to any other good places lately?

City Steam still owns me.

they are now bottling some of their more tame beers

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I have since writing earlier returned to Trinity. damn change hurts... :(

ok, so the beer was fine, no complaints at all, because I have no real memory of what I liked or disliked, but the downstair lost some of the old appeal for me. I do not like the pool table down there. do they still have live music?

I dont know it was packed, so Myabe thats what turned me off. It used to be chill downstairs. and BEARDS! there were bearded staff everywhere. just an amusing observation.

Also went to all the Portland and Portsmouth breweries. All have decent buildings, but Grittys is best. it feels the most comfortable to me, and has been there the longest. Portsmouth brewing company was the biggest dissapointment. nothing special on tap at all.

anyone been to any other good places lately?

Trinity is hit or miss and it's always random. Sometimes their beer is great, sometimes it's not. The IPA is almost always good, mainly because it's their flagship. The RIS is also usually excellent. Lots of beards in Providence in general. I don't know why, it's just how it is. The downstairs hasn't changed since I've been going there (6 years now). The pool table has always been there. Sometimes they'll have a special event with live music, but usually not. It's a tough place to go when it's packed.

I have yet to have a Portsmouth Brewery beer that I didn't like. They're all great beers. Gritty's is an underrated place in my opinion. I've only been to the one in Freeport, but it was great.

You should check out Sunday River Brewing in Bethel, ME. They're the only place you can get Stone Coast beers now and they're all pretty solid beers. I love the IPA and the Alt. You should also get up to VT and visit the Alchemist in Waterbury and American Flatbread and Vermont Pub & Brewery in Burlington. Magic Hat also usually has some good stuff on tap at the brewery.

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Trinity is hit or miss and it's always random. Sometimes their beer is great, sometimes it's not. The IPA is almost always good, mainly because it's their flagship. The RIS is also usually excellent. Lots of beards in Providence in general. I don't know why, it's just how it is. The downstairs hasn't changed since I've been going there (6 years now). The pool table has always been there. Sometimes they'll have a special event with live music, but usually not. It's a tough place to go when it's packed.

I have yet to have a Portsmouth Brewery beer that I didn't like. They're all great beers. Gritty's is an underrated place in my opinion. I've only been to the one in Freeport, but it was great.

You should check out Sunday River Brewing in Bethel, ME. They're the only place you can get Stone Coast beers now and they're all pretty solid beers. I love the IPA and the Alt. You should also get up to VT and visit the Alchemist in Waterbury and American Flatbread and Vermont Pub & Brewery in Burlington. Magic Hat also usually has some good stuff on tap at the brewery.

I have had a bunch of nice magic hat beers at various tap houses(Eli Cannons does a good job hosting their beer). they do some nice cask aged beers. I am not sure if they are different than at the brewery, but I am sure I will get up there eventually. Eli Cannons is so much closer though :) Flatbread is good too, and their building is I think a large part of what gives Burlingtons downtown a good reputation. very visable, and crawling with people summer or winter. I also had their selections at the Big E once :) There is a place in Woodstock NH, I think that was pretty good. the building was cool too.

If you get to Portland, you should check out Grittys back entrance :) it makes you feel like a salty fisherman back from a voyage or something. definately a back alley cobblestoned street experience. but the beer was definately good.

My beef with Portsmouth was that their beers on tap were LAME. Their beers are generally good, so I am not saying they stink, but the best beers they had on tap belonged to smuttynose, and even with what? 12 taps they did not have a single "big" beer or anything remotely bold or interesting. I was completely let down. In fact, my wife lamented that for being "big named" brew pubs, none of them had anywhere near the goodness or style of City Steam. and we know citysteam is just our local, not the best or anything. sometimes reputations are wasted. Sebago had the best beers on tap of any we visited at the time. for clarification, the places we visited on this little trip were Grittys, Allagash, Sebago, Shipyard, Sea Dog, and Portsmouth. Now Allagash has big beers, but you have to love the belgains to love Allagash, and I am not really in that catagory. too yeasty for me. I definately want to try sunday river. I will have to take care of that next time I head north East.... Sunday river, and the Magic Hat Brewery :)

Trinity used to have music all the time, but it was just a trio playing acoustic or even a single person plugging away on a stand up bass with some Jazz. very chill, very nice. The pool table was definately not always there. mind you I am going back to 1995ish, before Provisdence had a river a mall or was even remotely nice ;). I was I think just 21 if even, and there used to be a tiny corner stage, and an old golden tee golf game before it became cool to have the golf game. I distinctly remember sitting right where the pool table is now, with maybe 8 friends getting pitcher after pitcher of the IPA (from upstairs because they did not have the IPA on tap downstairs at the time) watching something(football) on tv before heading out to lubos, or some other place for a show.

ahh memories...

GTech looks good out front though. way better than that dusty plaza.

Did I mention my love of the Wilibrew building in Willimantic CT?

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I have had a bunch of nice magic hat beers at various tap houses(Eli Cannons does a good job hosting their beer). they do some nice cask aged beers. I am not sure if they are different than at the brewery, but I am sure I will get up there eventually. Eli Cannons is so much closer though :) Flatbread is good too, and their building is I think a large part of what gives Burlingtons downtown a good reputation. very visable, and crawling with people summer or winter. I also had their selections at the Big E once :) There is a place in Woodstock NH, I think that was pretty good. the building was cool too.

If you get to Portland, you should check out Grittys back entrance :) it makes you feel like a salty fisherman back from a voyage or something. definately a back alley cobblestoned street experience. but the beer was definately good.

My beef with Portsmouth was that their beers on tap were LAME. Their beers are generally good, so I am not saying they stink, but the best beers they had on tap belonged to smuttynose, and even with what? 12 taps they did not have a single "big" beer or anything remotely bold or interesting. I was completely let down. In fact, my wife lamented that for being "big named" brew pubs, none of them had anywhere near the goodness or style of City Steam. and we know citysteam is just our local, not the best or anything. sometimes reputations are wasted. Sebago had the best beers on tap of any we visited at the time. for clarification, the places we visited on this little trip were Grittys, Allagash, Sebago, Shipyard, Sea Dog, and Portsmouth. Now Allagash has big beers, but you have to love the belgains to love Allagash, and I am not really in that catagory. too yeasty for me. I definately want to try sunday river. I will have to take care of that next time I head north East.... Sunday river, and the Magic Hat Brewery :)

Trinity used to have music all the time, but it was just a trio playing acoustic or even a single person plugging away on a stand up bass with some Jazz. very chill, very nice. The pool table was definately not always there. mind you I am going back to 1995ish, before Provisdence had a river a mall or was even remotely nice ;). I was I think just 21 if even, and there used to be a tiny corner stage, and an old golden tee golf game before it became cool to have the golf game. I distinctly remember sitting right where the pool table is now, with maybe 8 friends getting pitcher after pitcher of the IPA (from upstairs because they did not have the IPA on tap downstairs at the time) watching something(football) on tv before heading out to lubos, or some other place for a show.

ahh memories...

GTech looks good out front though. way better than that dusty plaza.

Did I mention my love of the Wilibrew building in Willimantic CT?

The Woodstock Inn is what you're talking about. It's a decent little place. It's much better there than bottled. Burlington was easily the best beer town I've been to. 2 great brewpubs across the street from each other and a third just a couple blocks away. Magic Hat is OK, but their brewery is great and the new bar they have setup at the brewery is awesome. It's definitely worth a visit. Rock Art was also a great little brewery to visit just north of Stowe. They have a new tasting room that was still being built when I was there. But what I loved most about drinking beer in VT in general was that even the "swill" beer was local beer. VT has a very strong "eat, drink, buy local" mentality and that carries over to their beer.

I need to visit Portland. I know what you mean about Belgians. I like them, but they're not my favorite. I do really like some of the stuff Allagash is doing though. I think Portsmouth usually has only 5 or 6 of their own beers on tap with a few taps dedicated to Smutty (owned by the same people) and a guest tap. You probably just hit it at the wrong time. Many of the bigger beers are made in smaller volumes because they're expensive to make. I'll be going up there for Kate the Great day in March. Should be a good time.

Willibrew is great. I don't get there very often and actually only went once while I was in college at UConn (wasn't quite as into beer back then and it required a car).

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  • 4 years later...

http://www.hartfordbusiness.com/article/20140804/PRINTEDITION/308019961

 

A nice article giving CT some love.

 

 

I think many of the new breweries are not very good, but at the same time some of the new additions are extremely welcome additions.

 

the craft beer movement has been a tastebud delight!

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