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Comment by rm_-rf_slash | Hacker News Reader

Sounds like the writer liked their beer a little too much to make a balanced piece. It is my understanding that from coast-to-coast, America's most beloved craft brewery is Dogfish Head, and that the most popular craft brewery (by sales volume) is Sam Adams.

I have never heard of Heady Topper, and I used to drink like a fish.

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Heady Topper isn't sold outside of Vermont, so that is perhaps why you haven't.

I was able to purchase one when visiting there after learning the beer has a score of 100 on beeradvocate.com [1]

'Most loved' probably isn't the right wording :) 'Highest rated' probably would be better.

[1] https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/27039/16814/

>> Heady Topper isn't sold outside of Vermont

And yet it's "America's most loved"... Never heard of it myself.

Beer hype. I've no doubt someone's gone off the deep end to get their hands on some; people do a lot of stupid things on behalf of the cliques they aspire to. There just seems to be a lot of this when it involves crafty beer stuff.

>> Heady Topper isn't sold outside of Vermont

> And yet it's "America's most loved"... Never heard of it myself.

I would interpret this as, of those who identify themselves as enjoying good beers, Heady Topper might rank high among their favorites. The general American public does not enjoy quality beers /opinion.

>> general American public does not enjoy quality

Even in midwest Trump country where I live atm I have my choice of three excellent craft brewers inside a five mile radius, operating for years now, the places are packed full of "general Americans" every single time I visit. The "general American public" is driving a $22 billion+ craft brewing market and nearly every podunk cow town big enough to have a WalMart also has a "brewing company" now. Tilt your head forward so your snoot isn't so high in the atmosphere and maybe you'll be able to spot some actual "general Americans" as opposed to the knuckle dragging rice beer drinkers you decorate inside your mind.

I've been through all the brew pubs in the Boulder/Fort Collins "Front Range" area as well. Never heard anyone so much as mention "Heady Topper." The story is just hype. Someone buffing up the trademark for a sale maybe.

I think the author is basing that position on this: https://www.beeradvocate.com/lists/top/

Heady Topper is currently number 8 there with ~13k ratings and often leads many "Best of" lists.

Incidentally, Heady Topper is also credited with originating the New England IPA style, known for hazy appearance and emphasis on tropical hop flavors (think: mango and passionfruit). https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/news/new-england-ipa-...

and if you want a good sense of the effect the style has had on the industry, NYT has a great article:

11-Hour Lines for a New Ale? Fans Wait, Breweries Worry

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/06/dining/craft-breweries-li...

It's possible they're going by critical or crowdsourced ratings like Untappd or BeerAdvocate.

I think it was #1 on BA for quite a while, though surely Tree House has surely knocked them down a few pegs they haven't left the top 10 in quite some time.

Doubtful you'll see DFH and especially won't see SA (aside from their Utopias)

I think it's pretty safe to say that Alchemist will never be the most popular craft brewery by sales volume.

Then you need to go up to Vermont and give it a try.

Plus Waterbury is a beautiful town to visit as well.

It is astonishing how different the middle of Vermont is compared to the middle of New Hampshire. I grew up, and live, in New Hampshire, but took my first drive through to NY only a few short months ago, in late October, and now regret the delay. What a beautiful part of the country, I recommend it to anyone with a sense of aesthetics.

FWIW, I recently wrote up my Vermont hit list: https://seancoates.com/blogs/vermont/

Need to make a trip down there as soon as possible. I'm getting thirsty.

Sam Adams is not a craft brewery. I understand that term is subjective, but really truly not in this case. I wouldn't say Dogfish Head is either anymore.

There is a formal definition of what is or isn't a craft brewery from the Brewers Association.

A craft brewery makes less than 6 million barrels per year, less than 25% is owned or controlled by a non craft brewery, and the majority of their alcoholic drinks are beer.

Sam Adams and DFH both satisfy those requirements.

Okay, but no beer drinker would show up to a party saying they brought some craft brews and pull out some Boston Lager...

Indeed. "Craft beer" is basically a marketing term for Sam Adams now, rather than a production model.

It's not the only one. Here in Minnesota, I feel the same way about Summit and the various Schell's sub-labels. They may technically be "craft", but really, they're mass production beers with a smaller market than the giants.

How about Thirteenth Hour?

That might change with the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/sam-adams-is-about-to-be-ki...

The BA changed the definition in order to keep Sam Adams "craft."

http://beerpulse.com/2011/01/brewers-association-enacts-sam-...

The term "craft brewery" is defined by the industry group "the Brewers Association." It's not legally binding.

That group changed the definition of "craft brewery" from a brewery that produces less than 2 million bbl/year to one that produces less than 6 million bbl/year.

They made this change in 2011, as Sam Adams began to produce more than 2 million bbl/year.

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