Three Needs Brewery & Taproom Reviews

Beese	2.5 Three Needs Brown Ale Keg at Three Needs Brewery, Burlington, VT on 02/04/2008. Not too bad, but I had better brown ales. I might have been generally spoiled by Burlington’s other breweries by this point. Tuesday, February 18, 2020
Beese	2.3 Three Needs Belgian Trippel Keg at Three Needs Brewery, Burlington, VT on 02/04/2008. I thought this one missed the mark by quite a way. Sort of had the right flavour profile, but the balance was off and the body rather thin with carbonation that was too large and aggressive. Tuesday, February 18, 2020
Beese	3.4 Three Needs Chocolate Thunder Porter Keg at Three Needs Brewery, Burlington, VT on 29/03/2008. More like it. A nice chocolate infusion; not too sweet and with a decent body. Tuesday, February 18, 2020
Beese	1.8 Three Needs Coffee Stout Keg at Three Needs Brewery, Burlington, VT on 29/03/2008. Wow, this was basically just cold coffee, slightly sweetened. Thin body, murky brown and full on coffee flavour. No real balance or any other flavours coming through. Tuesday, February 18, 2020
bytemesis	3.3 Three Needs Chocolate Thunder Porter Tap at three needs. Pours clear black, medium tan head, decent lacing. Aroma is quite roasty, coffee grounds, baking cocoa and hints of tobacco. Flavors is light sweet, light plus bitter, dark roast and bitter chocolate. Medium body, hint of acridity. Thursday, May 31, 2018
Bulk_Carrier	3.8 Three Needs Winter Ale Poured into a nonic pint glass, the appearance was a dark ruddy amber color with a sly transparency about it. Mild carbonation could be seen rising to fill a one finger white foamy head that dissipated at a nice pace. Mild stringy lace. The aroma had some nice dark and roasty nuts, bready to biscuity malts. Orange peel spice. Dark chocolate. Apple pie spice at the end. The flavor melds the malts to the spice fairly nice. Super subtle aftertaste, somewhat bready. Blended sweet bready to spicy finish. On the palate, this one sat about a light to medium, leaning closer to the medium side. Good carbonation. ABV felt appropriate. Lingering malts lay down on my tongue without any cloying effects. Overall, though brewed at Queen City, this is probably Three Needs best beer they ever brewed. Tuesday, February 7, 2017
Bulk_Carrier	3.1 Three Needs Schwarzbier This was poured into a pint glass. The appearance was a dark brown close to black color with a nice little white cap of a head sitting atop of the beer. No lacing. The aroma had some burnt toast, dark malts, grassy and piney hops. The flavor had some sharp bitter piney-ness to it initially. Malts stay in the background. Blended malty to hoppy aftertaste with the same sort of finish. On the palate, this one sat about a light to medium on the body with a fair sessionability about it. Mild carbonation. Decent ABV. Overall, this is a schwarzbier? Where’s the German yeastiness? Hmmmm....Closer to a black IPA. I don’t know, maybe again. Tuesday, February 7, 2017
Bulk_Carrier	2.1 Three Needs Brown Ale Poured into a pint glass, the appearance was a ruddy semi-clear brown color with a cap of a white head that just slides out into oblivion. No lace. The aroma had some tangy nuts, weird blend, but alright, makes me wonder, still light honey and then burnt malts. The flavor leads with the tanginess. Then the nuts, and malts staying quite separate. Tangy aftertaste. Sharp almost acidic finish. On the palate, this one sat about a light to medium on the body. Hard to take down for a session because of the acidity in this. ABV seems alright to what is said. Carbonation feels fine as well. Overall, weird brown ale. What’s with the tanginess? Well, thanks for the beer tick, don’t see myself coming back to this. Tuesday, February 7, 2017
Bulk_Carrier	3.5 Three Needs Chocolate Thunder Porter Poured into a pint glass, the appearance was a black color with a creamy white to off white foamy head. Dissipates at a nice pace. Sly messy lace. The aroma starts off with a thick sweet milk chocolate and a huge amount of sweet vanilla. Light roasty tones. The flavor leans to the sweet side. Sly roasty coffee to milk chocolate aftertaste with finish. On the palate, this one sat about a light to medium on the body with an exceptionally smooth feel about it. Low carbonation. Overall, pretty good porter that I could have again, definitely a dessert porter if anything. Sunday, October 23, 2016
Bulk_Carrier	3.1 Three Needs Belgian Dubbel Poured into a pint glass, the appearance was a dark red/brown color. Thin white cap of a head. Stringy lace. The aroma takes in a mild amount of earthy to rustic Belgian spices coating a fair amount of bready/yeasty flavors. Some sweet cake. Light milk chocolate. Some vinous quality as it warms. The flavor leans mildly sweet through the cake and bready/yeasty aromas. Belgian spices try to make an effort to balance with an eleoquent use of that dry vinous quality. On the palate, this one sat about a light to medium on the body. That vinous quality seems to punch a little bit of boozy sting to my tongue. But then the bready/yeasty to cake sticky clingy-ness allows somewhat of a balance. Overall, weird dubbel, if anything, it’s alright for what it is. Sunday, October 23, 2016
Bulk_Carrier	3.6 Three Needs Chocolate Stout Poured into a pint glass, the appearance was a black color with a thin white foamy head that dissipates moderately. Speckled lace. The aroma obviously had all of the traits of a normal milk/sweet stout and then some subtle roasted notes of coffee bean, vanilla bean and pecans. The flavor brings all of those previously mentioned aromas together blending nicely. Starts milk chocolate sweet in the aftertaste and then leads into the finish appropriately sweet. On the palate, this one sat about a light to medium on the body with a nice sessionable to sipping quality behind it. Mild carbonation. And fully sweet clingy-ness through to the touch on my tongue. Overall, nice milk/sweet stout that I would have again. Sunday, October 23, 2016
Bulk_Carrier	1.8 Three Needs Belgian Chocolate Stout Poured into a pint glass, the appearance was a ruddy dark red to brown color with no head or lace. The aroma had some sharp Belgian spice over some burnt cake sweetness. Unforgiving dull toast as well. The flavor had that same toasty weirdness it with the Belgian spice pummeling my taste buds. Unforgiving aftertaste and finish. On the palate, this one sat about a light to medium on the body with a sessionability about it a little more unexpectant than I thought would be. Low carbonation. Overall, yeah, not sure what happened here, but I doubt if I would come back to. Saturday, October 22, 2016
Bulk_Carrier	3.1 Three Needs American IPA Only retired because of the brewpub not actually brewing their own beer anymore, thanks to Queen City for keeping their beers going, lol, me, thanks for the tick. Poured into a pint glass. The appearance was a hazy looking "forward" thinking burnt orange collar-ed flow. Yielded a finger’s worth of white foamy head that dissipated at a nice pace. The smell had some grassy sweet to bitter malts flowing on into some faded hops. The flavor takes the previously mentioned aromas to combine and rides it all on into the aftertaste (malty) with a slick (not oily) finish. On the palate, this one sat about a light to medium on the body with a decent sessionability about it. Carbonation rides underneath, sly, moveable. Good. Overall, decent AIPA, almost EIPA, but yeah, I can see it as an AIPA, do-able and could have again, I think. Thanks Doug. Sunday, July 3, 2016
Bulk_Carrier	3.2 Three Needs American Pale Ale On tap at brewpub. Yes, I know this is brewed at Queen City now, still, here are my thoughts on this beer. This was poured into a pint glass. The appearance was a hazy burnt orange color with a finger’s worth of white foamy head. Delicate messy lace. The smell started off with some muted sweet grassy hops. Then some burnt toast, sly amount of caramel malts. The flavor is pretty much the same. Long malty aftertaste. Quick smooth finish. On the palate, this one sat about a light to medium on the body. Decent sessionability. Fairly low carbonation. Overall, hmmm, not much of an APA in my opinion, leans more towards the English wheelhouse a bit. I think I could come back to this, maybe. Thursday, June 23, 2016
chriso	3 Three Needs Kolsch Friday, November 27, 2015
chriso	3 Three Needs Munich Dunkel Friday, November 27, 2015
chriso	3 Three Needs Chocolate Thunder Porter Friday, November 27, 2015
chriso	3 Three Needs Biere de Garde Friday, November 27, 2015
rarbring	3.6 Three Needs Bamberg Rauchbier Overall: Sweet dark fruits, chocolate, dry ashes, Note: Bottle 750 ml at home. Reviewed 2015-11-05. Thursday, November 5, 2015
Dedollewaitor	2.7 Three Needs Rye Pale Ale Bottle @ Invasion U.S.A, Ulfborg 2013. Pours clear golden with a small white head. Lots of toffee and grain. Dusty and mew.. No hops. Saturday, November 23, 2013
Glouglouburp	3.4 Three Needs English IPA In short: A refreshing semi-sweet fruit cocktail with a mild leafy hops bitterness. Nice How: Tap at brewpub The look: Cloudy amber body topped by a small off-white head In long: Nose shows a generous hopping with a whole lot of fresh leafy hops with a citrusy edge. Body packs a lot of cereals with a honey sweetness (no caramel), some dried fruits, sweet bananas, oranges, pineapples, passion fruits and other exotic fruits, fresh juicy leafy hops. Mild bitterness. A bit of tartness/acidity in the finish with the strong orange flavor. From the aroma I was expecting a classic Americanized English pale ale (a whole lot of leafy hops) but in mouth the beer turned out more like a refreshing semi-sweet fruit cocktail. Maybe a bit sweeter than I would have liked but very easy to drink nonetheless. A decent beer from this low profile brewpub that is Three Needs, and I don’t want to sound too pretentious or anything but I find that Three Needs have some of the nastiest toilet seats I have ever licked. That probably didn’t sound too pretentious. Monday, April 2, 2012
johnnnniee	3.8 Three Needs Munich Lager On tap at the source, actually the only brewery beer available at the source Saturday night. Pours a slightly hazy deep golden almost copper color with a bone white head that persists with nice lacing. Smells of bready caramel and pilsner malt with a faint hint of butterscotch. Taste follows the smell but adds a bit more spicy floral hops that I summarized from the aroma. Medium body with a moderate level of carbonation and a slick sweet mouthfeel. Nice brew, maybe a bit hoppy for the style, but I enjoyed it. Sunday, February 26, 2012
hbmason	4.3 Three Needs Lambic On draft at the brewery. Light orange clear color. Very clean, sour, and tart. Refreshingly very nice, Saturday, January 7, 2012
hbmason	3.4 Three Needs English IPA On draft at the brew pub. Served in a pint glass. Orangish copper color. Nice white head. Toffee and caramel. Lightly bitter. Saturday, January 7, 2012
hbmason	1.7 Three Needs Rye Pale Ale On draft at the brew. Dark amberish color with a thin white head. Nice lacing. Dyacetal bomb. Sucks. Not sure if in the beer or dirty lines. Taste a little bitterness. Saturday, November 19, 2011
Glouglouburp	4.1 Three Needs Berliner Weisse In short: An intensely refreshing thicker-than-average beliner weisse. Wow! How: Tap at brewpub The look: Cloudy yellow-blonde body topped by a very small white head In long: The strong nose is musty and acidic. Taste packs a whole lot of wheat, this is not a watery Berliner Weisse. Intense taste of wheat, refreshing lacto-acidicty, crackers, a bit of funk. Thicker body than what I’m used to for a Berliner Weisse but just as refreshing as the best of them. I’m not sure what the other raters below me were served (only bad ratings so far) but my pint was fantastic. Anyway, even if I don’t agree with the other reviewers, I respect their opinions, I never look down on people, except short women with cleavage. Sunday, November 13, 2011
Glouglouburp	3.6 Three Needs Centennial Wheat In short: A refreshing blonde wheat beer hopped like a fruity IPA. Nice. How: Tap at Vermont Brewers Festival 2011 The look: Clear dark blonde body topped by a small off-white head In long: Nose is fruity (citrusy + tropical fruits). Taste has a lot of wheat without dwelling into bananas territory, plenty of fruity hops (citrusy + tropical fruits), nothing resinous, medium bitterness level, very refreshing. I’m really liking this recent trend of hoppy a pale wheat ale as if it was an American IPA. With the proper hop bill this style really works. One of the many nice beers I enjoyed during this outdoor beer festival, a beautiful setting by the lake, and I’d find it hilarious when a drunk falls face first in the mud during this outdoor beer festival if it happened to someone else. Sunday, November 13, 2011
hbmason	3.4 Three Needs Chocolate Thunder Porter On draft at the brewery. Black color with a light tan head. Chocolate aroma and taste. Well made. Very drinkable. Saturday, November 5, 2011
hbmason	2.6 Three Needs Berliner Weisse On draft at the brewery. Light golden yellow with a light to no white head. Refreshing and crisp, but missing laco, and tartness. Nice attempt at a berliner, but is missing something. Saturday, November 5, 2011
czar	3.4 Three Needs Scotch Ale on tap at brewpub. pour is murky brown, red tint, with a decent light beige head, some retention. lot of caramel malts, toffeeness, earthyness, light smoke, hint of sweetness. soft to average carbonation, medium to full body, short to medium long grassy-resinous hopping. Thursday, October 6, 2011
czar	2.7 Three Needs Belgian Chocolate Stout on tap at brewpub. dark brown, red tint, with a small but creamy beige head, low retention, some lacing. obvious chocolate, spicyness without all that belgiumness profile, lots of roasted notes. average carbonation, light body - clearly lacking, porter-esque feeling. medium long bitter finish. Thursday, October 6, 2011
czar	2.3 Three Needs Rocktoberfest on tap at brewpub. clear copper-reddish with a decent off-white head, some retention and lacing. some nuts, light acidity, fruitiness. plain amber. no german feeling here, nor noble hops. Thursday, October 6, 2011
czar	2.4 Three Needs Berliner Weisse on tap at brewpub. hazy very pale yellow with a small and disappearing head. nose is lactic notes, faint malts, some fruitiness. taste is lactic-lacking, disappointing malts. soft carbonation, light body, short acidic finish. Thursday, October 6, 2011
czar	2.3 Three Needs German IPA on tap at brewpub. hazy pale yellow with a decent white head. light floralness, malts, cereals. taste is cereal tartness, faint hops and malts. aggressive carbonation, light body. Thursday, October 6, 2011
rodenbach99	3.4 Three Needs Session Sour Une pinte sur place. La bière est dorée, peu de mousse trône au sommet de la pinte. Le nez est très invitant mais peu complexe, après tout c’est une bière «session». Le brett traverse le nez. Des arômes d’écuries sont bien présents. La bouche ressemble au nez où l’écurie, les brett et la facilité déconcertante de cette bière de soif. À boire à grande lampée. Je suis agréablement surpris de cette bière. Sunday, May 15, 2011
LilBeerDoctor	3.5 Three Needs Belgian Pale Ale On tap at the brewpub. Pours a cloudy orange with a small white head. Aroma of bready malt, yeast, and light spices. Flavor is very cereally (but nice) with a pronounced malt character. Interesting Belgian pale ale, rather drinkable. 6/4/7/4/14 [3.5/5] Sunday, May 1, 2011
LilBeerDoctor	3.2 Three Needs Chocolate Thunder Porter On tap at the brewpub. Pours a dark brown with a white nitro head. Aroma of chocolate malt. Flavor also chocolate malt but also roasted malt and a touch of medicinal notes. The palate is smooth but weak. A mediocre chocolate porter. 6/4/6/3/13 [3.2/5] Sunday, May 1, 2011
Glouglouburp	3.5 Three Needs ImPaler Imperial IPA In short: An archetypical well malted and well hopped American IIPA. Pleasantly standard. How: Tap at brewpub The look: Cloudy dark blonde body topped by a small white head with good lacing In long: Nose of grapefruity hops with grassy notes. Solid toasted malt backbone with usual caramel presence. A bit yeasty. Generous hopping with a character that is at times citrus fruits, pine-tree and grapefruits. Ends medium dry with a bitterness of medium intensity. Overall well balanced. This is a IIPA that is more about drinkability than intensity. A nice beer from a brewpub I don’t visit very often because their clientele is just a bunch of low-life losers. Oups, turns out people can still see me pointing at them and laughing even when I’m wearing my sunglasses. Tuesday, December 14, 2010
williamstome	3.2 Three Needs Stalwart Stout Black pour, with small smooth milk-brown head. Big roast flavor, with chocolate, and much more chocolate in the taste. Milkshakesque. Sunday, October 17, 2010
williamstome	3.4 Three Needs ImPaler Imperial IPA On tap at Three Needs as "ImPaler Imperial IPA" (go figure) Similar name to medieval brewing co’s ImPaled Ale? Hmmm Gold-amber pour. Big grass/fruit hops aromas, and a really fresh bitter bite in the fllavor. Light, maybe a bit soupym but smooth and a big biting finish. Sunday, October 17, 2010
craftycarl21	3.4 Three Needs Wild Blonde On tap at Three needs. Hazy golden pour with minimal head. Aroma is light, with some grain, nectar fruit, and a touch of Brett. Flavor is much nicer, with Brett, apricot, nectarine, and a touch of spice. Reminds me of Orval, but not as complex or balanced. Palate hides the 8% pretty well, although there’s a touch of bite at the finish. Pretty nice brew. Thursday, August 12, 2010
jcwattsrugger	3.1 Three Needs Oatmeal Pale Ale on tap-pours a long settling white head that laces and hazy amber color. Aroma is mild sweet grain, citrus. Taste is mild sweet grain-bready/cereal. Kind of nondescript. Wednesday, December 9, 2009
jcwattsrugger	3.1 Three Needs Chocolate Thunder Porter on tap-pours a tan ring for a head and black color. Aroma is sweet, molasses/bakers chocolate. Taste is sweet, molasses/bakers chocolate/caramel-dark malt, some earthy hops. Wednesday, December 9, 2009
jcwattsrugger	3.4 Three Needs IPA II on tap-pours an off white ring for a head and hazy amber color. Aroma is mild pine hops. Taste is pine/some lemon hops, secondary medium malt-biscuit/some coriander. An interesting, medium body session pale ale. Wednesday, December 9, 2009
jcwattsrugger	2.8 Three Needs Pilsner American Pilsner–on tap-pours a white head and yellow color. Aroma is sweet grain. Taste is sweet grain, musty/spice hops. Wednesday, December 9, 2009
jcwattsrugger	3.2 Three Needs Schwarzbier on tap-pours a tan head and brown color. Aroma is dark malt-roasty/some coffee, some pine hops. Taste is dark malt-roasty/chocolate, some pine. Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Glouglouburp	4 Three Needs Lambic In short: An intense acidic lambic recreation. Feels true and tastes great. How: Tap at brewpub The look: Almost clear copper golden body with almost no head In long: Nose is barnyard and fairly acidic. Taste is intense and very mouth drying. The beer is quite sour but it is more acidic than sour, very acidic in fact. Also very very dry with a light sawdust/dry wood sensation. I was told this was made using a Cantillon yeast and it has been aging for seven years!!! Wow, that thing truly feels authentic. To add to the authenticity feeling even the price was authentic. At $3.75 for a glass I felt like I was back drinking high quality affordable lambics in Belgium. With a product and a price so “authentic” I’m hopping they will one day have a special Filipino prostitutes night. Friday, August 14, 2009
JoeMcPhee	2.9 Three Needs American IPA Tap at Vermont Brewer’s Fest 2009. Pale amber with a light woody aroma with a kiss of citrus. Light pale malt and a touch of straw. Hops are a little bit subtle. Not all that punchy or interesting. Meh. Tuesday, August 4, 2009
TaktikMTL	3.8 Three Needs Lambic En fût. Verre de 12 oz dégustée directement à la brasserie. Arôme: Odeur très sûrette avec une pointe fruitée. Apparence: La couleur est ambrée dorée. Présence d’un mince col mousseux et d’une fine dentelle sur le verre. Saveur: Goût de cerises sûrettes. Durée moyenne de l’arrière goût. Palette: Le corps est moyen avec une texture légèrement légèrement vineuse. Moyenne effervescence en bouche. Arrière goût légèrement sûrette. (Rating #2555) Tuesday, August 4, 2009
TaktikMTL	3.3 Three Needs Munich Dunkel Verre de dégustation, provenant d’un fût, au Vermont Brewers Festival 2009 (Burlington, VT). Arôme: Odeur de céréales. Apparence: La couleur est ambrée foncée. Présence d’un mince col mousseux et d’une fine dentelle sur le verre. Saveur: Goût de caramel légèrement fruité avec une pointe d’houblons. Durée moyenne de l’arrière goût. Palette: Le corps est moyen avec une texture légèrement huileuse. Moyenne effervescence en bouche. Arrière goût légèrement houblonné. (Rating #2549) Monday, August 3, 2009