An eye-opening experience with Ipswich Oatmeal Stout

I recently experienced a reality check. A sip of one particular beer reminded me that rareness does not equate superiority. I already knew this, of course. It’s common logic we all possess. But it’s too easy to make yourself think a beer tastes better when it receives high praise and is also hard to find.

Case in point - I desire a particularly highly-rated beer that’s found on shelves just two weeks out of the year. It's from a brewery in a magical, far-away land known as Michigan. That beer is Breakfast Stout (FBS), brewed by Founders Brewing. Founders makes some amazing beers and releases two other versions of Breakfast Stout that are even more elusive. But let’s focus on FBS for now.

A stout for coffee lovers, FBS is brewed with Sumatra and Kona coffee, along with flaked oats, and bitter European chocolates. It’s serious, succulent, and gets a lot of attention in beer circles. Beer geeks in New England love tracking it down when it’s released in September. Massachusetts is the only New England state to get it and one of only eighteen states in total to see Founders products. Although Founders says they make FBS available for three months out of the year, I never see it on shelves for anything longer than a few weeks upon initial release.

I bought 3 four-packs of FBS this year and I’m still enjoying them slowly. Meanwhile, I recently re-discovered the Oatmeal Stout from Ipswich Brewing. I thought I'd had tried it before, but couldn't recall how long ago. It was eye-opening. While FBS is technically an imperial stout, and Ipswich’s Oatmeal Stout is not, their alcohol levels differ by only 1.3%, and they have fairly similar flavor profiles. I started to wonder... 

...Let's pretend someone who has enjoyed FBS in the past came by my house to enjoy the first FBS of this year's batch (thus, they haven't had it recently). If I blindly poured them an Ipswich Oatmeal Stout, would they immediately be able to tell it wasn't FBS? If they could tell, how many sips would they require to catch on? Could you trick a few people this way? Maybe. Maybe not. But the two beers are similar enough in spirit that it makes me want to conduct this blind taste test for real. 

While these two beers aren’t technically the same, and FBS is more robust, they seem like siblings that sing the same song. FBS is the more alcoholic brother that sings louder, which doesn't mean everyone would enjoy it more. One could drink either to essentially fill the same desire, and Ipswich is available year-round throughout New England. Given that major difference in availability, it’s hard to not recommend Ipswich over a beer like FBS to a New Englander who hasn’t had either. I say this knowing that some beer geeks would throw rocks at me for making this claim. How dare I compare two beers that are technically different in style. My answer to that is that I love both, so lay down your ax and settle down, Gimli. Some of you are too quick to declare one is not allowed to compare something like an imperial stout with another stout that blurs the lines between regular and imperial. Bah, humbug. It's all in good fun. 

Now that winter is here, it’s time to rediscover porters, stouts, and spicy winter warmers. If you’re looking for a stout, reach for the Ipswich Oatmeal Stout and enjoy it first on its own. Don’t have it with dinner. Have it after dinner. Then maybe another bottle with dessert. You’ll notice chocolate, coffee, caramel, and powdery oats on the nose. It’s very roasty, and tastes of bittersweet chocolate up front, followed by prominent notes of caramel and coffee. A flash of bitterness lingers on the finish. While the mouthfeel is creamy, it isn’t heavy at all and isn’t as dry as other oatmeal stouts. Overall, it's immensely enjoyable.The 7% ABV is very well hidden and while the aroma and flavor is similar to an imperial coffee stout, it drinks much easier. 

Today’s lesson: Sometimes that rare/expensive beer is easily replaced by a local brew you take for granted. Without question, Founders makes terrific beers. But so does Ipswich. And their Oatmeal Stout is arguably one of the most delicious sweet stouts easily found year-round in New England. Instead of hunting for something rare, grab an Ipswich Oatmeal Stout and thank me later. 

Thanksgiving Beer Pairing Made Easy

As turkey day approaches, forums on beer websites start to focus on the obligatory question – “what beer do I pair with my Thanksgiving feast”?

The first response is almost always “a good barleywine”. Other typical responses cover a plethora of Belgian styles. Of course there are no right or wrong answers. Try what you like. Or, look for a brewery to make the process fool proof for you by producing a beer called “Thanksgiving Ale”. We all know not to judge a book by its cover, but when you see a beer with that name, it’s hard to pass up for this purpose.

Thanksgiving Ale is an English old ale brewed by Mayflower Brewing Company, which DBNE recently visited. Given their name, location, and back story, I can’t think of a more appropriate brewery to make a beer solely for our November holiday.

We tasted this brew last night. Pouring it into a tulip glass, we generated very little head but liked its deep, dark auburn color. Aromas of brown bread, vanilla, molasses, and brown sugar were all there. This immediately reminded me how much I like canned brown bread with cream cheese. But I digress.

The flavor profile matched the aroma, but with an added note of raisin. The more the beer warmed up, the less sweet it became. I began to taste the essences of wood, peat moss, and earth which provided enough bitterness to keep the sweetness in check. Near the end of the glass I noticed a note of cherry. There are layers of flavor here, and that equals two-thumbs up from me.

If you’re considering a beer pairing with your Thanksgiving dinner, I suggest seriously considering Mayflower’s Thanksgiving Ale. It clocks in at 8% ABV and will run you approximately $6 – $7 for a 22 oz bottle, and you have fewer than forty eight hours to get yours in time to pair with mom’s sweet potato pie.

The revenge of Infinium

In November of last year, Sam Adams released a unique beer called Infinium. It was brewed in collaboration with the great German brewery (and the world’s oldest ) Weihenstephaner. Infinium is technically categorized as a Bière de Champagne, which as you might guess, is a cross between beer and champagne. It's a newer beer style that's usually produced in Belgium.  

Upon Infinium's first release one year ago, it received mixed reviews with arguably more bad reviews than good ones. The majority’s consensus was that it was simply unimpressive, gimmicky, boring, and not recommendable. I didn’t think they’d brew it again. But, Sam Adams and Weihenstephaner teamed up again this year to give it another go. This year's batch, however, has noticeable differences. 

   

A small release party for Infinium 2011 was held at the Sam Adams Brewery last night, and DBNE attended. Sam Adams founder, Jim Koch, was present at the party and I couldn't help but notice that he seemed smaller in person than I imagined him to be. He spoke for a few minutes and expressed that he wanted this year's batch to have a bigger backbone. He informed us that the new version is enhanced by “dry hopping with fresh Hallertau Mittelfrueh hops to impart a fresh yet delicate citrusy hop character.”

Jim’s description accurately represented what we experienced. We didn't have high expectations when we walked in, but we were impressed and surprised how much we enjoyed this year’s batch.

  

While last year's version was more champagne-like. This year's version tastes a lot more like a beer that merely winks at champagne. In a blind taste test , I don’t think I could pick out this year’s Infinium as an obvious champagne/beer crossover. It didn't even sport the fizzy head inherent with champagne. Instead, Infinium’s head is foamy and amazingly doesn't dissipate. An “A” for appearance.

  

The enhanced, grassy-hop profile was noticeable on the nose along with sweet malt and faint citrus. The biggest enhancement on the flavor front is actually the caramel-malt profile. It’s huge. It tastes sweeter and more syrupy as it warms without ever becoming unwelcoming. What makes it lovely is the lining of orange and apricot notes in the mix.

   

Also commendable is that its 10.03% ABV is unnoticeable to the palate. Yes, you feel it later, but there’s no trace of alcohol in the flavor. This is uncommon for a beer with that alcohol level.

  

In the end, we were quite impressed. Anyone who was disappointed with last year's Infinium should give this year's version a chance. The only drawback is that a bottle costs $20. You do get 750 ml, and I’m sure its production requires higher costs. But compared to other beery treats you can buy with $20, is it worth that price tag? That’s debatable. However, Infinium does have a celebratory air about it. So given the situation and company you share it with, it definitely can be worth it.

Sam Adams Single Batch Series

DBNE recently attended a release party at the Sam Adams brewery in Jamaica Plain, MA, in honor of their new, limited-edition, Single Batch Series. The series consists of four new beers touted as “the brewers’ favorite beers”. They’re available nationwide in 22 oz. bottles ($4.99 - $6.99), and this is the only time they’ll be brewed, supposedly. Hence the “single batch” moniker.  

Now, if they’re previously unreleased, I don’t understand how they could be the brewers’ favorites. Favorites out of what? Have they been brewing these behind scenes for personal consumption? What else do they have hiding back there?

The lineup includes four beers: Griffin’s Bow (barleywine), Tasman Red (red IPA), Third Voyage (double IPA), and The Vixxen (chocolate chili bock). Needless to say, these are all bigger, more intense beers.

The event was intimate and well attended without being too overrun. Each of the four beers had their own station with a savory food pairing. Interestingly, most of the stations had unique cupcakes to pair as well. Though the cupcakes ran out quick at some stations.

We received four tokens to sample four beers, and two tokens to sample two food items. The fact we weren’t each given enough tokens to sample all four food items was strange. The food seemed specifically chosen to pair well with, and enhance, the flavors of the specific beer it shared a station with. Regardless, my wife and I split our food tokens to sample everything equally.

In short, the verdict on the beer was that there were two hits and two misses.

Griffin’s Bow was the surprise. It’s an Oaked Blonde Barleywine. What’s funny is that neither my wife nor I get excited over blonde ales. And, while I do enjoy some barleywines, my wife generally steers clear of them (though she appreciates their flavors). Despite all that, we both enjoyed Griffin’s Bow immensely. It’s complex with layers of flavor. Notes of vanilla, cinnamon, oak, caramel, and fresh hops, are all there. It got better with each sip and paired well with the quesadilla served with it. While Griffin’s Bow packs a punch, it's not overwhelming as long as you sip slow.

Next was Vixxen – a chocolate chili bock brewed with ancho and chipotle chilies. We didn't hate it. It just lacked complexity. The notes of chili spice were noticeable, pleasant and subdued. Chocolate was definitely there, but beyond that, there wasn't much to it. There was no visual head to speak of when poured, and I had a hard time creating one in the glass. The mouthfeel was smooth and had that slick feeling that many Sam Adams beers have. Overall, Vixxen wasn’t bad but we expected more excitement, and therefore, felt let down. The food pairing here was chicken mole, and while it seemed to make a nice enough pairing, the food sample was so small one could hardly tell. The cupcake we received along with the chicken had a Mexican chocolate kick and was delicious.

The Tasman Red – a red IPA – is brewed with Topaz and Galaxy hops grown near the Tasmanian Sea. It was nice enough, but not the best hoppy red we’ve had. I wouldn’t choose it over, say, Bear Republic's Red Rocket. But it was still enjoyable and I gladly have another if someone handed me one. The red-malt profile seemed a bit thin with a strange note of plastic. Its hop presence didn't smack you in the face (which we sometimes like, frankly), but it was assertive and pleasing. The macaroni and cheese paired with this beer didn’t elevate anything and was merely a snack. But I never turn down a snack. Heck, I even make a point to go to BJ’s Wholesale Club to eat the free samples, regardless of whether or not I need to shop for anything.

Lastly was Third Voyage. It’s a double IPA (DIPA) brewed with Cascade hops from three different regions of the world. Third Voyage tastes exactly how I expect Sam Adams to make an DIPA – not enough hops, too much malt. While its flavors were nice enough, “enough” doesn’t cut it in the loved DIPA corner of the beer universe. There are too many great DIPAs one can easily find to warrant settling for Third Voyage. What bugged me most was its hop character. In both aroma and flavor, its hops were weaker than what we just experienced in the Tasman Red. And Tasman Red is only supposed to be of “regular IPA” strength. That’s backwards, and speaks to Third Voyage’s folly as well as Tasman Red’s relative success.

In the end, the two hits were Griffin’s Bow and Tasman Red; the two misses were Vixxen and Third Voyage. Griffin’s Bow was the unanimous winner of the lot in our eyes. But see for yourself. They’re all worth trying once.

The event was organized in collaboration with the Boston-based Pintley (www.pintley.com) website. Pintely is another beer-rating website that’s still relatively new, but fun and easy to use.

Pintley has partnered with Sam Adams again for another event (tomorrow) around the release of this year’s Infinium. DBNE will be there. A champagne-like beer brewed in collaboration with the mighty Weihenstephaner, Infinium was first released last year and suffered mixed reviews which lead me to believe we would never see it again. We hear this year’s recipe has changed for the hoppier, so we’re excited to get a sneak peek. Stay tuned. 

Brewery Tour Stop #12: Mayflower Brewing Company

Egyptian servant pouring beer. 

I sometimes forget how significant of a role beer has played in world history. Beer recipes are found on Babylonian clay tablets from over 6,000 years ago. In the 13th century, it was customary to baptize children with beer. And in ancient times, monks who fasted or abstained from solid food subsisted on beer. 

Egyptian woman 

brewing beer.

There’s a seemingly endless number of noteworthy facts involving beer’s purpose and place in historical societies. The Egyptians often come up in these tales. For example, they used beer to treat over 100 illnesses in 1600 BC. But my favorite fact is that the Egyptian pyramids were essentially built on beer. Stonecutters, slaves, and public officials were paid in a type of beer called 'kash’, from which the word 'cash' originated. Two containers of ‘kash’ beer were minimum wage for an Egyptian laborer’s day of work.

I was reminded of beer’s place in history, specifically of its role on board the Mayflower ship, when DBNE recently visited Mayflower Brewing in Plymouth MA.

In 2007, Mayflower Brewing was founded by a tenth great grandson of John Alden. Mr. Alden built and tended to the wooden barrels which carried the Mayflower’s most precious cargo – many gallons of beer to sustain the Pilgrims on their journey to America. Beer was the staple drink on board the ship. Water became infected and spoiled quickly. Beer contained little-to-no bacteria, and hops (new to the brewing process at the time) preserved the beer longer. It was also a terrific source of carbohydrates. Everyone drank beer daily, including women and children. The sailors on board the Mayflower received a daily ration of one gallon.

After sixty-five days at sea, the Mayflower abandoned its planned destination along the Hudson river, and eventually landed at Plymouth Rock because they ran out of beer. The Mayflower's log explains the passengers "were hasted ashore and made to drink water so that the seamen might have more beer". On their arrival, the pilgrims immediately built a common house, which included a brewery.

The Pilgrims’ new colony and plantation in Plymouth contained a “very sweet brook” and “many delicate springs of as good water as may be drunk.” Today, Mayflower Brewing uses water from that very same brook to brew the Mayflower family of ales. I think John Alden would be delighted to hear that.

Mayflower’s brewing facility is located in a shared business building, tucked away in a quiet corner of a well-kept business area. Open on Saturday’s, their tasting room has a more inviting feel than others we’ve been to. It’s very clean and still looks new. There are a few tables and a nice-looking bar that beckons you to sample the five different beers they have on tap. Don’t mind if I do.

We sampled Mayflower’s four beers that are always in rotation and available in stores; the Golden Ale, Pale Ale, IPA, and Porter. The fifth tap is dedicated to their seasonal offering, which at the time of our visit was the Autumn Wheat.

Golden Ale is similar to a blonde ale and was the lightest beer in the bunch. Crystal gold in color, its malt character brings biscuits to mind. Mild floral hops balance it well. Overall, it’s dry, refreshing, and clean with little bitterness.

Pale Ale is Mayflower’s flagship beer. It seemed old-fashioned, and that's neither a good or bad thing. Compared to some of the other American pale ales found today, this one’s mild and as balanced as can be. The malts are toasty and woody. And while the hops do offer herbal esters, they’re busier balancing things out.

Moving along, the IPA showcased both hoppy and sweet characteristics. It uses pacific northwest hops with highlights of pine, citrus, and toasted honey-like malt. I’ve had the IPA in bottle and on tap, and experienced something different each time. It's hoppier from the tap, sweeter from the bottle. But the bottle I had may have been a bit old, and therefore lost its hop punch. I couldn't tell because the date imprinted on it was smudged. 

Next, we tasted the Autumn Wheat  which is their fall seasonal release. I’m often leery of wheat beers, as I find too many to be mediocre. Thankfully this one was anything but. However, I could see some beer geeks declaring it mediocre because it’s subdued. It drinks like a yeasty brown ale, and brown ales rarely astound beer geeks. But its flavors of brown bread, caramel, wheat, and banana are balanced and mixed seamlessly. This one surprised us.

Porter is my favorite style, so I was excited to finish with theirs. I’ve had it once before, on cask. I remember feeling conflicted about it. But, since I firmly believe beers taste slightly different at different times because of many reasons (the way it’s served to you, bottle vs. draft, your palate that day, company, environment, food accompaniment, etc.), I wanted to meet it again for the first time.

The porter is generally one of Mayflower’s most talked-about brews. I overheard it's one of their best sellers along with the IPA – and with good reason. What I like about it is how it reminds me of pilgrims. Earth, wood, smoke, molasses, and oats; those are all things I associate with a stereotypical pilgrim scene or old-fashioned New England food. And Mayflower’s porter hits all of those notes. Given their story it’s fitting that Mayflower Brewing delivers a solid, classic porter. But it’s modest. Its robustness doesn’t make you bang on your chest. It’s almost elegant.

After all that sampling, the beer we ended up taking home was not one we tried. Their limited-edition Thanksgiving Ale is sold in 22oz bottles only, and at 8% I hear it’s a tasty Strong Ale. I’ll find out soon.

We did get a brief, standard tour of the facility. Tours seem to happen spontaneously. As soon as a handful of people show up who are interested in a tour, one of the bartenders shows everyone around.

I encourage you to visit Mayflower for at least the easy-going and welcoming vibe you experience as soon as you walk in. A handful of people showed up while we were there, and the tasting bar at times felt more like your friendly neighborhood pub. People who seemed like regulars came in to refill their growlers, but would also hang out, chat, and sample all the beers as if they hadn’t had them before. The staff didn’t seem to mind at all. And I don’t blame the patrons because the pours here are generous.

Mayflower's brewery is easy to like. If you didn’t already have a reason to visit the pleasant town of Plymouth Massachusetts (especially in the summer), now you have one.

Mayflower Brewing Company

2 Resnik Rd, Plymouth, MA

508-746-2674

www.mayflowerbrewing.com

Tastings and Tours:

Thursdays and Fridays 4:30PM to 6:30PM

Saturdays 11AM to 3PM

Brewery Tour Stop #11: Element Brewing

I love the phase a new brewery is in when they’ve only got a handful of beers to their name. To me, it’s those first few beers a brewer produces that represent the soul of the brewery’s vision. They’re the reason someone decided to put everything on the line and start a business.

Or, maybe I just enjoy breweries with fewer choices. More choice is not always better (I’m looking at you, Mikkeller). I was reminded of this when DBNE recently made a visit to Element Brewing.

Located in the small town of Millers Falls, the brewery sits in a space one would hardly imagine a brewery to be in. It looked as if a modest-sized town store once occupied it. Turns out, as we later learned, the space was previously home to a post office.

This is the smallest brewery I have ever been in. Because of its size, I was immediately reminded how young Element is. It’s just two years old. But, I can already say this with assurance – it has a very bright future.

Walking inside, we were greeted by a friendly young lady and a gentleman named Tom Fields. Tom explains he’s one of the brewery’s three partners. A self-proclaimed “numbers guy”, Tom admits that he “can’t make you an ounce of beer”. He leaves that up to his two partners, Ben Anhalt and Dan Kramer, who combine nearly forty years of brewing experience.

We quickly received a sample of a beer called Extra Special Oak (ESO), and Tom brought us back to briefly show us the brewing space. Although he admits no credit to anything they brew, he still knew the process and pointed out where they milled, mashed, boiled, fermented, conditioned, and bottled.

I enjoyed my sample of ESO. Light amber in color, it contains the malt characteristics of an English Strong Ale without the typical bitterness.  Earthy, citrus hops and a little smoke make up its aroma. Its flavor profile serves notes of lemon, oak, vanilla, and toasty malts.  It’s very smooth, and boasts 7.75% ABV. Element refers to this level of alcohol as “the sweet spot that gives you a gentle warming sensation of alcohol without the shock value and booziness of more extreme styles”. They preach it creates a more full-bodied, multi-dimensional and pleasant beer. I certainly don’t disagree.

That ABV sweet spot, 7% - 9%, is found in all three of Element’s flagship beers, and six of the eight total beers they have produced.

A second common trait among their beers, beyond the ABV, is that they’re all bottle conditioned. So expect them to age well.

Our next tasting was Red Giant, the second of their three flagships. Solid caramel malt, along with a solid hop presence make up its backbone. Its flavor also brings to mind citrus, pine, bread, and earthy fruits.

Dark Element, an American Black Ale, rounds out their three flagships. This is the one Element brew I’ve had before, albeit a year ago. I loved it then, I love it now. Picture a hoppy schwarzbier blended with the fruity qualities of a Belgian Dubbel. It offers layers and layers of flavor with an amazing balance of roasted malts, hops, and soft fruit. Notes of apple, cherry, dates, and grapes are at play. I like to think there's something in Dark Element’s flavor profile for everyone.

We finished with samples of two seasonal beers. The first was their summer seasonal – an “Oatmeal Pilsner.” Those are two words I’d never seen next to each other. Needless to say, it made for an interesting brew. Oatmeal is usually associated with oatmeal stouts, which have a creamy mouthfeel. Pilsners often have a crisper mouthfeel. So, marrying the two styles was not something my brain could compute easily. But I had to try it. Firm biscuit-like malts balanced assertive hops, while mild oats provided an almost powdery sense and a soft mouthfeel. It weighs in at 8.8% ABV and is truly unique.

The other seasonal we had was called Altoberfest. It combines an Altbier with a traditional Oktoberfest marzen, and brings it up to Element’s ABV sweet spot. Bready malts, spicey hops, and a little faint fruit round out this one. It’s a more robust take on the fall classic, without any booziness rearing its head.

Though I loved everything we tasted, and probably their three flagship beers the best, we took home a bottle of the Oatmeal Pilsner, as well as a one-year aged bottle of the Altoberfest. They were both just too unique to pass up, and I’m sure they’d be nearly impossible to find in stores.

What you can find in stores more easily are their three flagships; Dark Element, Red Giant, and ESO. However, Element is only distributed within Massachusetts, and only the better beer stores carry them. But believe me, they are worth it. Yes, their product is priced above many other choices, but the quality matches what you pay.

Among the online beer geek circles, Element is known locally, but not yet recognized nationally. But I don’t think much time will pass before the hype train makes a stop on Element’s doorstep. As word slowly creeps out of New England, beer trading circles will see people outside of Massachusetts looking to trade their local gems for Element. But the hype will be backed up in this case. Element’s beers are too good to go unnoticed for long.

Look for Element’s beers at your closest fine beer purveyor in Massachusetts. They’re easy to spot on the shelves. Practically gift-wrapped just for you!

Element Brewing Company

30 Bridge Street

Milers Falls, MA 01349
Phone: 413- 835-6340

www.elementbeer.com

Brewery Hours:

Monday: Noon - 6PM

Thursday: Noon- 6PM

Friday: Noon - 6PM

Saturday: Noon - 6PM

Impromptu tours and tastes available most times.

Growlers and Bottled Conditioned 750's available to go. 

  

Brewery Tour Stop #10: Berkshire Brewing Company

South Deerfield, Massachusetts, seems like a sleepy little town. However, I’m guessing it gets a fairly large number of visitors and tourists. Maybe not to visit the Berkshire Brewing Company (BBC), but to visit a place that is 0.5 miles down the street. That place is the Yankee Candle flagship store.

We recently made the trek out to BBC, but first made the obligatory stop at Yankee Candle. The store is a time warp with no shortage of Christmas decorations. As I walked through themed rooms, such as the Bavarian Christmas village complete with blowing snow, I no longer knew what year it was.

After exceeding my nose’s threshold of sniffing 748 different candle scents in thirty minutes, and bumping into too many people who adore gingerbread houses, it was time to leave. Things were, as BBC likes to say, "looking up".

BBC's brewery really is just a homerun’s distance from Yankee Candle. Weekly tours at the brewery are scarce. You get your choice of one. It’s Saturday at 1pm.  

Many people showed up for the tour and we all waited outside. There was no sign of anyone working at the brewery. No lights were on. But at exactly 1:00pm, the door slowly opened and we were let in like kids waiting to enter Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory.

As soon as we walked in, we were directed straight to the bar to get a 5-6 ounce pour of whatever we desired. Good way to start. Just about all of BBC’s offerings were on tap, excluding  off-season seasonals. I eagerly ordered the Russian Imperial Stout, as I hadn’t had it before, and enjoyed it greatly. My better half got their “coffee nitro” and I liked that even more. It was velvety with a delicious coffee character, and a hint of oatmeal. Absolutely divine. I suspect it’s their Coffeehouse Porter recipe placed on nitro.

Once everyone had beer in their hand, the tour began and lasted for about a full hour. Brewery tours are often cookie-cutter. But this tour, while basic at first, became geekier as it progressed. Questions from the group came from people who obviously homebrew often. Without flinching, our tour guide, Don, answered all questions knowledgably and was never stumped. At times I felt I was in a chemistry class as chemical compounds were discussed in greater detail than I’ve ever experienced on a brewery tour. Though I could not follow all of it (Science wasn’t my strength in school), it was still entertaining.

We learned that BBC only uses whole cone hops when brewing, and never hop pellets. Don preached this practice leaves extra/unnecessary bitterness out of beer. Suddenly, something then clicked in my head. I realized that BBC’s beers always lean to the sweet side (not a bad thing at all). This practice of only using whole cone hops apparently explains why. Or, partly explains it, at least. I’m sure the amount of hops used has something to do with it.

The more I thought about BBC’s tendency to stay malty rather than hoppy in almost everything they do, the more impressed I was. If you glance down their list of beers, just about everything is malt-forward mainly because of the styles they choose to approach. Even their take on a pale ale, a style that can be either hoppy or malty, ends up malty in BBC’s hands (and delicious). They only have one IPA in regular rotation – “Lost Sailor IPA”. It’s nice. But it’s an English style IPA. Classic English IPAs by nature serve a more subdued hop profile, and are more balanced than their American brethren. Subdued hops don’t often impress American beer geeks, who are often hop fanatical and lust over big, citrusy, piney, bitter hop profiles. Give a geek a double IPA and watch their eyes light up.

It’s admirable that BBC focuses on malty beers and succeeds. Plenty of people enjoy malty beers, but I can’t help but think that it must be more difficult for a brewery that doesn’t produce hop bombs to be sensationalized and hyped in the beer community. BBC knows exactly who they are and sticks to their plan. I want to high-five them for that.

The lengthy tour ended in the bottling room where Don was peppered with even more difficult questions. He answered them all unfazed and then brought us back to the tasting room to sample another beer before heading out.

I sampled the “Shabadoo Black & Tan” ale. I’ve seen this one on store shelves many times but never tried it. To me, a black-and-tan is for indecisive bar patrons who can’t decide if they want a Bass or a Guinness. When ordered at a bar, a black-and-tan is supposed to look separated; the pale beer in the bottom of the glass, the dark beer sitting on top. A bottled black-and-tan can’t achieve this. Shabadoo, pre-blended with BBC’s “Berkshire Ale” and “Drayman’s Porter”, is dark brown through and through. There’s no visual separation of course, but that doesn't affect my enjoyment of it. Shabadoo was delicious. Sweet (surpise, surprise), with a fairly fruity nose, and a flavor profile showcasing notes of chocolate, caramel, and faint fruit.

BBC donates 10% of Shabadoo’s gross sales to the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, so I encourage you to at least try a bottle.

My wife tried the Cabin Fever Ale, which is BBC’s winter seasonal released in November. Amber in color, it has lovely spice notes with bready, nutty malts and clean hops.  

Though BBC doesn’t offer a multitude of tour times to choose from, I encourage you to show up on Saturday at 1PM. What’s great about this area of Massachusetts is the large handful of breweries all within easy driving distance from each other. You can piece together one hell of a beer tour in this neck of the woods. Be sure you include BBC on that tour to experience how a well-crafted, malty brew is made.

Berkshire Brewing Company
12 Railroad Street

South Deerfield, MA 01373
Phone: 413-665-6600

Free Tours: Saturdays, 1:00PM

www.berkshirebrewingcompany.com

Using the Other Autumn Fruit in Beer – Autumn Ale from the Woodstock Inn

When we think of fruit-oriented beers released in autumn, we naturally think of pumpkin. It’s the most commonly used fruit in beer released during this time of year. However, the Woodstock Inn and Brewery does something a little different, and to great effect.

Located in North Woodstock, New Hampshire, the Woodstock Inn Brewery’s generically named “Autumn Ale Brew” is brewed with apple flavor. Although aromatic esters of apple are not uncommon in beer – especially in Belgian styles – I can’t recall another beer I‘ve had with apple infused into it. As unique as this beer may be, I also can’t help but think it shouldn’t be unique. Aren’t apples just as much of a staple fruit in October as pumpkins are? Why don’t brewers use apple more often?

Heck, why not use both apple and pumpkin? It tastes like that’s what Woodstock is doing here. In fact, if you look closely on the bottle’s label art, you’ll see what looks at first to be three ghoulish figures whose heads are carved pumpkins. Look closer and you’ll notice that those heads are actually apples carved like jack-o-lanterns. Clever.

This is a good-looking beer. It’s dark amber in color, a bit hazy, and is capped with an off-white head. Despite apple owning Autumn Ale's character, its aroma still offers pumpkin pie in addition to apple cider and cinnamon.

The taste hits you up front with pumpkin, then cinnamon spiciness in the middle. It finishes with big notes of apple that linger strongly on the finish and help form a crisp mouthfeel.

I really enjoyed this beer. The apple-cider character added another layer to an otherwise familiar seasonal brew. It was all in balance, and not too sweet. Look out for this one in the store soon before it’s gone for the season. Or, if you happen to be near Woodstock New Hampshire, stop in the brewery.

The Woodstock Inn Brewery is a convivial brewpub for families and ski bums equally. I’ve only been there during winter months, but I remember its various rooms serve different purposes. Families dining with kids stick to their own two rooms, while two bar areas are typically where skiers from Loon Mountain join at the end of a ski day.

 

Grade: A-

Brewery Tour Stop #8 and #9: Newport Storm and Coddington Brewing

Beer lovers would enjoy a road called “Coddington Highway” in Newport Rhode Island. It isn’t much of a highway. Just a little single-lane road, less than two miles long, connecting one town road to another. But on that road, within 0.8 miles of each other, are two small breweries quietly going about their business. Not bad for a little town that is known purely for beaches, boating, and mansions.

My wife and I found ourselves in Newport RI this past weekend and decided to knock those two breweries off of our to-do list. One is Coastal Extreme (aka Newport Storm), and the other is Coddington Brewing.

We hit Coastal Extreme first. To be honest, I’ve never given Newport Storm the time of day. I naturally group the brand with Rhode Island’s other primary  brewery – Narragansett – and subconsciously consider them both to kitschy Rhode Island fare alongside Del’s Lemonade. It was nice to get a closer look at something I never took quite seriously.

Finished in the spring of 2011, a new facility houses the Newport Storm brewery, distillery (they also make rum), and visitor’s center. I got the sense the new facility was built to encourage visitation and to use tours/tastings as an additional source of income. $7 gets you a tour, a souvenir tasting glass, and four beer samples. You also get a card describing the four beers you will taste. If you pay a couple dollars more, you can taste the rum. I didn’t, however. Somebody has to drive.

I will say, the souvenir glass is the best one I’ve ever received from a brewery tour. It’s a tulip glass; my favorite, go-to beer vessel. What I love more about it is its size. My wife and I often split 22-ounce bottled beers at home and when we use regular tulips, or other glasses, they’re either too small or too large. These two Newport Storm glasses are the perfect size to split bombers. I’m sure I’ll use them often.

Newport Storm’s facility was hopping with activity. The tour group was large, and it was given by an enthusiastic man in his thirties. Before the tour started, the guide ensured that everyone had beer in their glass. So we went ahead and got our first sample – the “Rhode Island Blueberry Beer”. I didn’t, and never do, have high expectations for a blueberry beer. But I say with all honesty, that I think it may be the best blueberry beer I’ve ever had. I don’t try many, and avoid most. But I’ve had a few in my time. Unlike what you see at a place like Beer Works, this version does not have blueberries floating in it (thank god). It’s a Kolsch ale made with juice from hand-pressed, local Rhode Island blueberries. The authenticity is noticeable. It tastes like the skin of the berry, without extra sugar or flavoring added. It’s earthy and pleasantly bittersweet.

As the tour began, everyone climbed up to a wooden balcony about fifteen feet off the ground that looked down onto the brewery floor. Our tour guide stood on the floor and bellowed his spiel up to us like Romeo wooing Juliet. He knew his stuff, cracked jokes, and spoke for twenty minutes without taking a single breath. Impressive. Back to the tasting room…

Sample # 2 of 4 was Newport Storm’s flagship. The Hurricane Amber Ale. Neither my wife or I were impressed. I was fairly certain I had it before and now I knew why I couldn’t quite remember much of it. It’s not exactly memorable. The caramel malt profile is weak for the style, and the spicey hop character it claims to have must be on hiatus. It’s dry, and a bit too watery.

Next was the Regenschauer Oktoberfest. This is the brewery’s only lager, and is supposed to be brewed true to Marzen style.  After tasting this, I thought the brewery should create a different fall seasonal beer next year, or just avoid lagers altogether. A Marzen shouldn’t smell and taste like eggs. It was unpleasant and disappointing. I choked it down just to get to my final tasting.

The last beer was a pale ale made with rye, and is part of the brewery’s limited-release “Cyclone” series of bigger beers. This particular beer was called “Ryan”. I was eager to try it because I have a soft spot for beers brewed with rye grain. Thankfully, Ryan catapulted me out from the horrible depths of the Oktoberfest and dropped me in an oasis of beer deliciousness. Tons of earthy rye malt and Amarillo hops danced on my tongue. Big, balanced, and delicious. At 8.0% it had a little punch and was easily the highpoint of my tasting.

In the end, I found it funny that my second favorite beer of the visit was the blueberry ale. I didn’t see that coming.

Although Newport Storm didn’t impress me with A+ beers across the board, I did find the visit fun and worthwhile for any beer fan in the area.

Coddington Brewing Company

That night, my wife and I had dinner at the Coddington Brewing Company. Picture an Applebee’s that happens to make their own beer. That’s what this place is like.

It was busy there, and I didn’t get the chance to chat with the bartender about the beers. I started with their pumpkin ale and found it a bit thin. The typical fall spices I expect in a pumpkin beer were extremely faint in this one. Its description claimed that vanilla beans were added to the kettle. I tried, but couldn’t find any trace of them. It is session brew at 4.5%.

Next I had an “oatmeal porter” which was utilitarian. Roasty grain, faint bakers chocolate, and oatmeal were all noticeable, yet faint. The oatmeal did not have the same effect on its mouthfeel as it typically does with an oatmeal stout. Unfortunately, its carbonation was a bit too absent for a beer that didn’t pour from a cask.

My wife found her Oktoberfest flat in character, thin, and uninspiring. Not offensive, but not spectacular by any means.

I did get a small taste of their “Irish Stout” which, at just 3.8%, was delicious. Its frothy head gave off a big coffee aroma which carried through on its flavor profile. Bittersweet chocolate was also noticeable. I could have drank a lot of this one. But it was a long day of beer tasting, and I had to draw the line somewhere.

Do I recommend a visit to Coddington? If you’re visiting Newport Storm and have another twenty minutes to kill, the Irish Stout alone is worth your time. Otherwise, keep driving down to the beach. 

Coastal Extreme Brewing (aka “Newport Storm”)

293 JT Connel Rd

Newport Rhode Island
www.newportstorm.com

Coddington Brewing Company

210 Coddington highway

Middletown, Rhode Island
www.coddbrew.com

Pumpkin Beer Installment #3: Cambridge Brewing’s Great Pumpkin Ale

Remember the Seinfeld episode where Kramer meets Bette Midler? The girly, high-pitched shriek Kramer lets loose upon meeting Bette is similar to the sound Boston beer fans made some months ago once learning that Cambridge Brewing Company (CBC) would bottle and sell their beer in stores.

CBC is a well-loved brewpub in the Kendall Square neighborhood of Cambridge. Until recently, the only place to get their beer was at the brewery (or occasionally on tap at a few select bars).

Not all CBC beers will be bottled and sold in stores. It seems just a few will. But CBC picked a great one to start with – the Great Pumpkin Ale. It’s widely considered to be the original pumpkin ale as CBC first brewed it twenty two years ago, before any other New England brewery tried brewing pumpkin beers. Easily one of the most exciting local beer releases this season, 22-oz bottles of the Great Pumpkin Ale can now be enjoyed in the comfort of our homes.

CBC makes this beer with local, organic sugar pumpkins and organic malt from Massachusetts.

Pouring from a bottle noted as “batch 1”, I saw a hazy orange brew. I could barely see my finger’s shadow through the glass. It’s fizzy off-white head isn’t substantial and quickly fades to a cap.

The aroma was mild but not boring; notes of pumpkin pie and raw pumpkin were present. Its flavor offered more pumpkin pie, but not as sweet as other pumpkin ales do. The separate layers of earthy pumpkin, fall spices, bready malt, and elegant hops are all in harmony.  A creamy mouthfeel brought to mind the dollop of whip cream one would place on top of their slice of pie.

I loved this beer. I loved that its alcohol level, despite its full flavor, is amazingly just 4.2%. The more I drank it, the more I realized how I preferred the earthy pumpkin flavor in this beer over the candied-pumpkin character in some other pumpkin beers.  

You can still find this in stores. But probably not for much longer. If you don’t see it on shelves, get it on tap at CBC until Thanksgiving. There’s actually no better time to do that than on Saturday, October 29, when CBC puts on the Great Pumpkin Festival. On tap, from 1:00 PM – 12:30 AM, will be over thirty different pumpkin ales from across the country. Dust off that dracula costume and get down there.

Grade: A

Cambridge Brewing Company

1 Kendall Square, Bldg 100
Cambridge, MA 02139

617-494-1994