MadTree Brewing Company

When Shannon Went: August 21, 2020

Where: 3301 Madison Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45209

MadTree Brewing Company started pouring pints in Cincinnati, Ohio back in 2013. Since then, they have evolved into one of the top producing breweries in Cincinnati and southwestern Ohio. If you don’t have the pleasure to visit them in person, you can take a virtual tour of the expansive taproom on their website. The virtual tour starts at the entrance, leading directly to Catch-a-Fire, the brewery’s pizza restaurant. Turn around and you’ll be greeted with a huge bar with 32 draft handles, a vast sea of bar top tables, a merch store, and a view of their canning and brewing production. Off the main taproom in one direction are two very large private event spaces, and in the other direction, is an entire outdoor bar with tons more outdoor seating. I’m not kidding when I say that MadTree Brewing is HUGE!

Shannon: Something I’ve learned pretty quickly is that Cincinnati loves good beer and big breweries. The size of taprooms in Cincy seem to be bigger than any I’ve ever been to outside of Ohio. Consider MadTree Brewing another beer giant at home in the Queen City. If the size of this brewery hasn’t impressed you yet, their draft list surely will. During my visit they had 29 beers on draft, 4 canned beers, plus wine and cocktail options!!! There was a beer for every style. Even the pickiest of beer drinkers will find a drink they’ll like. Heck, there were some beers on draft that I have never even heard of before – like an American super stout or a hoppy porter. Someone tell me what a hoppy porter is please! The only negative thing I have to say about MadTree is that I haven’t found their canned beers to be very fresh. That’s not to say their canned beer isn’t good though – they’re just not as fresh as beer straight from the draft.

Other Cool Things:

  • MadTree has donated 15,000 tree saplings to aid in regenerating our forests! They also donate 1% of their sales to non-profit organizations focused on environmental sustainability!
  • They can 72,000 beers a week in their Cincinnati production facility
  • They also use 50,000 pounds of spent grain to feed local cows each week
  • Trivia every Monday in their huge indoor and outdoor brewery!
  • Lots of cool brewery merchandise available
  • In house kitchen that make some really great brick oven pizzas
  • MadTree offers tours of their brewing and canning facilities!

What Shannon Drank:

Shannon: Snoot Boopin (NEIPA) 7.4% ABV – 3.5 out of 5

Shannon: Dreamsicle (Kolsch) 4.7% ABV – 4 out of 5

Shannon: 42 Mile (Cider) 5.6% ABV – 3.5 out of 5

Brewing Persuasion: rating 4.5 out of 5

Feeling persuaded yet?

Hop Culture Farms and Brew Co.

When Chris went: August 29th, 2020

Where: 144 Cato Corner Road, Colchester, CT 06415

Like many craft breweries, Hop Culture Farms and Brew Company was started by two home brew enthusiasts who decided to take things to the next level. Heather and Sam Wilson wanted to create more than just a brewery, so they bought a 40 acre plot of land in Colchester and turned it into a farm. The taproom itself is a converted old cattle barn, not unlike Fox Farm in Salem. Hop Culture officially opened in 2019, and its large outdoor property gives it a huge advantage in these times as there are plenty of picnic tables that are safely spread out. This also allows Hop Culture to be dog and family friendly, in the warmer months anyway. The converted cattle barn reminds me of the Yankee Candle village on the outside and a summer cottage on the inside. Hop Culture is the peak picnic venue for you and your beer.

Chris: I went to Hop Culture during covid to celebrate my brother’s birthday, and I loved the fact that we were both able to bring our dogs. They had their inside seating open, but we decided on staying outside. They have a pretty good system; each picnic table was at least 15 feet apart and servers came around delivering beer avoiding any crowds at the bar. It made all of us feel pretty safe. When it comes to the barn inside and outside aesthetic, they pass the vibe check as the kids would say. I always like a place that comes up with clever names for their beers, like There She Gose Again, and Hop Culture does a great job of that. My favorite beer from this place was their Java Boot coffee stout, but the other beers I had from here were average. They have a smaller brewing capacity than other places meaning they only have 5 or 6 beers on tap. Overall I would say that Hop Culture is a great place to go to on a nice day, especially if you want a brewery that lets you spread out.

Other cool stuff

  • Dog friendly
  • They have their doggy treats (our dogs approved)
  • Grow their own hops
  • Merch for sale

What Chris Drank:

Chris: Java Boot (Coffee Stout) 6.5% – 4 out of 5

Chris: There She Gose Again (Sour) 5% – 3 out of 5

Chris: Blue Jean Baby (Fruit Beer) 5% – 3 out of 5

Brewing Persuasion: 3 out of 5

Feeling persuaded yet?

Wallenpaupack Brewing Company

When We Went: July 25, 2020

Where: 73 Welwood Ave, Hawley, PA 18428

Wallenpaupack (Wall-in-paw-pack) Brewing Company, one of the few brewpubs found in the far corner of Northeastern PA, opened its taproom in 2017. The brewery is named after Lake Wallenpaupack, the state’s second largest man-made lake, and is located less than a mile away from the recreational body of water. While it does not have that “traditional” pub aesthetic, it does have delicious food, including our personal favorite, poutine (with REAL cheese cruds.) They have two bars with taps at either end of the building, and the walls are decorated with barrels and labels from the hops they use. The brewery boasts large rooms with plenty of seating and a nicely decorated outdoor patio for more seating. When we went, they designated half of the brewery for cans-to-go and the other half for dine-in food and drinks. They were also letting people tailgate in the parking lot, which must be a PA thing?

Chris: We have been to Wallenpaupack a few times, and I have been a big fan of their food and location. When it comes to their beer, they always seem willing to try new things, like my stout ice cream float which you can see below. While it looks delicious I was a little disappointed to be honest, but I was happy that they tried it. I was a big fan of their This Is Sour. Can you guess what kind of beer it is? It had a nice citrus taste to it that wasn’t too sour and at 4% you can knock back quite a few. They always have a big variety and selection of beers, so you will be able to find something you like.

Shannon: As a Pennsylvanian local to the area, Wallenpaupack Brewing Company has a special place in my heart. Outside of the Scranton/ Wilkes Barre area, this little corner of PA does not have many breweries. So when Wallenpaupack decided to buy the long closed Arby’s and knock it down to build a brewery, I was on board! Like many small town businesses, Wallenpaupack has immersed themselves into the community by taking part in festivals and creating menus of locally sourced food. A large majority of their beers are inspired by the lake and one of my personal favorites is No Wake Zone. A 5.3% lager brewed with orange peels and citrusy German hops, No Wake Zone is a light and refreshing beer that goes down fast. One of their stronger lagers, Smoke on the Water, is an excellent smoky beer that has a noticeable smoke flavor and aroma without being too overpowering. If you’re looking for a lager with a little something more to it, I highly recommend this smoky brew.

Other Cool Stuff:

  • Cans-to-go and food curbside pick up. They also do dockside and boat slip delivery!
  • Huge menu of great food!
  • Largest craft brewery in Wayne County, Pennsylvania!
  • Located just off Lake Wallenpaupack
  • “Pints with a Purpose” is a monthly event held in the taproom that benefits nonprofit organizations
  • They brew their own seltzer (because who doesn’t at this point)

What We Drank:

Shannon: No Wake Zone (Helles Lager) 5.3% – 4.5 out of 5

Chris: This is Sour (Sour) 4% – 4 out of 5

Brewing Persuasion: 4 out 5

Feeling persuaded yet?