Best Breweries in the North East US | Beer Geek Nation Craft Beer Reviews

Great segment Chris. A few us just got to try Jack's Abby Barrel Aged Framinghammer over the weekend and it was some phenomenal stuff. I think the South/Southeast would be interesting to rate next. There are a few obvious names, but the region as a whole is building more and more. - Andrew

I've never seen you do a Hill Farmstead beer. Is there some reason you haven't? Imo, best brewery anywhere.

I am from Wisconsin and I have a hard time picking my best WI breweries. I would be interested in seeing your take on the upper-Midwest.

Chris you have to make the trip over to Kane Brewing in Ocean Township, NJ.  Caution: You may have to rewrite your list after doing so ;-)

Southern California... have fun ;)

Victory is so awesome, i like the way they use their Belgian influence. Correct me if i am wrong but i feel they are not trying to be belgian, they use it as a influence.
 I live in Portland Maine and i think Allagash sucks. All the flavors are in the background.(you cant argue with that?) . I have had most all the beers except for the real expensive stuff, which i should have tried by now they get alot of good reviews. But it says Allagash on the bottle so i have a hard time buying it. My vote is for Ommegang.
I need to find some Jacks Abbey!

CHEERS!!!

I love their Hoponius Union and their Mass Rising... It's nice living in Boston where this is available

No troegs?

How come you didn't say any beers from Vermont?

With the caveat of focusing on breweries with decent accessibility, great list! Really happy to see that you have Jack's Abby that high. Cheers!

Do the southwest region please.

Midwest is certainly a region that has some heated competition; between 3 floyds, founder's, bell's, shorts and many many more!

Also speaking of North East breweries, I want to know what you think of the new Sixpoint RAD!

Great vid Chris
I am sure everyone has a place they wish was "number one"
But picking three from so many, all solid places.
I will mention two other top listers IMO
Ommegang and Unibroue(Canada)

Keep,up the great work Chris, Thanks!

Chris, I've started to follow your channel via RSS.  Great stuff.  I'm fairly fresh to craft beers but I've hit it hard.  Would love to see a California breakdown, but in trying to come up with my favorite breweries, it's not easy, so perhaps a Southern California video and a Northern California video.  So far, I've only hit Stone, but I'm going to be in the Bay Area next month and will be hitting Russian River and Lagunitas.  Thanks for the great vids, keep 'em coming my friend.

A fine list.  Understandable that you would only include accessible breweries too.  Care to expand and list some that didn't quite make the cut?  I would add Maine Beer Co, Clown Shoes, Sixpoint, Brooklyn.  Course if you are talking brewery that actually makes the best beer - Hill Farmstead hands down.  Not even close.  Thanks for the list.

Haha, I knew Jack's Abbey would be your number one. Love that brewery. All three are great breweries. Have fun with everyone bitching about you not having a Vermont brewery on the list. ;)

We get a lot of Allagash in my area, and Curieux was the first bourbon barrel aged beer I ever had, and on my Birthday. Now it's become a birthday tradition to drink it (have one waiting in my fridge for my bday in August).

Weyerbacher! Troegs! Yards! Southern Tier!

Can't wait to see you talk about the West coast! 

Obsessed with Jack's Abby as well. I live about 15 minutes from it and got a chance to stop by a couple weeks ago and LOVED it. You really should do a review for their Mass Rising double IPL. Amazing stuff. I was able to pick up a bottle of their Cherry Barrel - Aged Berliner Braun which I cannot wait to try. Was very surprised to hear they were your number one, I was expecting something along the lines of Troegs... but I do not disagree.

Hi Chris. Great idea to list your favorite breweries by region. I would like to see you do a list of your favorite breweries in the Midwest / Great Lakes states. Maybe Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan. Illinois, etc.

North Carolina area! Foothills brewery is awesome, If you haven't had any beer from there i advise you to check it out!

I agree with Allagash but I think you have the Victory and Troegs backwards. I love Victory beers but they are far from solid across the board. They drop the ball and are always just missing something. Troegs, I will admit, can drop off just like anyone but their beer is incredible and they have excellent scratch series stuff almost all of the time. Not to mention the food

Chris, you really need to take a trip to Vemont for some Hill Farmstead and Lawson's Finest Liquids....seriously.

This is what a local tap house does, they have 24 beers on tap, 6 per region, Southeast, Northeast, Midwest, and Western. Their flights are shaped like the region that the beers are from, you can purchase by region or go for the full United States of Beer and they'll give you four flights covering all 24 beers on tap on planks that when combined form the shape of the U.S.A. Great way to try beers from all over the country and a great way you're reviewing breweries. Cheers!

The north west territory

Great video. Victory new IPA is called Moving Parts.

So many great breweries in the New England area, how to pick only 3!

I can understand some people getting bent out of shape by not mentioning a few notable ones in Vermont, but come on people. While their beer is great, it isn't readily available unless you go to the brewery. Would love to get some Heady Topper without having to drive to Vermont to get it, same with Hill Farmstead.

I am on the east coast in Canada, and usually have at least one trip over the summer/fall to the US where I fill up (to my limit) on beer to bring back (we are only allowed to bring back 24bottles per person if the trip is 48hrs or longer).

Have had a few Victory ones, Prima Pils is one of my favorites. Anything Allagash makes is outstanding. Had my first Jack's Abbey last year with their 2nd Anniversary Lager, and it was pretty awesome. I will be looking for more from them when I am back down in about a month and a half. Also based on your recommendation from your last video, I will be also checking out some from Trillium as well. So many to choose from, and wish we didn't have the limits we do when bringing them back into Canada, but then I guess that stops someone like me that would fill up a u-haul trailer to bring it back! LOL

Central USA (if Illinois is central).

Tough to nail it down with so many greats there. Lawson's, Alchemist, NEBCO, DC Brau, and, of course, Hill Farmstead/Grassroots were all viable options, too. HF/GR is the clear winner for me, but their distribution is so limited.

Allagash over Bruery for Belgians eh?

No Maine Beer Company or Carton beer?

I disagree with your list.
Victory only has one good beer, Dirt Wolf, and recently it has sucked ass.

Can't believe no Southern Tier or Ommegang or Sixpoint.

since you are from pennsylvania and i am from pennsylvania, how about a top 5 best breweries of pennsylvania? would love to know if we have the same tastes!

California as a region

Can you list the brewery's in the description and maybe have there website so I can easily look them up. I would like to see if I can get any of these beers in my area. Thanks

Living in Connecticut and working in NYC, I potentially agree with your choice of Jack's Abby. As a matter of fact they just expanded into CT last week! As far as a list, I think 3 is just too few per region. It should be at least 10. Also I don't think availability or distribution should have anything to do with what's "BEST." IMHO. CHEERS!

No ommegang?!?!

great segment. It came across that you put thought and effort your answer.

I respect this list but being in the Northeast myself I would have to say Hill Farmstead ranks as one of the top breweries in the world. Although looking at the other comments you're probably tired of hearing that. Maine is def top 5. Kane here in Jersey is also a contender maybe not top 3 but def in top 10. Cheers!

Next time you make it up to Maine, be sure to visit (if you haven't already!) The Great Lost Bear in Portland. They have a section of their taps called "Allagash Alley" which is entirely devoted to Allagash beer, rare and otherwise.

New England Brewing Co!!!  CT's best brewery by a mile.  

When you do the Midwest, definitely check out  Tallgrass Brewing out of Manhattan, Kansas.

Yeah Jack's Abby stuff is so great. They actually helped me appreciate the lager style. I try to grab a six pack every time I visit my parents in MA.

Ever hear of Finback? Trillium? Alchemist? Hill farmstead? Treehouse? Nightshift? Maine beer company? Beer'D? Bissel brothers? Lol. Cmon man....

great list. so many lists would be Treehouse, Trillium and Tired Hands Good to hear Jacks Abby is getting some recognition, they brew amazing beer. I may have been sleeping on Allagash looks like i should try some more from them