Brewsletter Archives

Allagash is one of the few American breweries truly doing justice
to Belgian style brewing. They have been experimenting quite a
bit over the last year and this offering is one of the best new styles.
A Belgian Stout, brewed a deep black color and fed with Belgian
yeast. At 7.5% abv it is fairly mellow, but has a unique flavor that
was artfully brewed.

Although it is sad to see my favorite BBC seasonal,
Oktoberfest, go the Cabin Fever is yet another stellar
offering from BBC. A rich, smooth, malty ale that
finishes with a touch of hops. It is a kind of heavy
English ale that brings out a touch of fruity spice at
the end. Cabin Fever is a satisfying offering for a
fireside drink or to unwind in the evening after working
outside. FYI - we still have some O-fest left,
get it while you can!

This is not new, but everyone should be excited about
it, especially if, like me, you have been saving bottles
from years past in your basement. This dark, strong,
chocolatey brew ages so well. It's good and strong now,
but in a year or two it will be mellow and even more
delicious than it already is. There is no actual chocolate
used in this brew. All bitter chocolate flavors are derived
from a combination of malts.

This brew may be hard to come by and we do not have much of it,
but it is noteworthy as undoubtedly the nest pumpkin beer in the
area (actually CBC has a pretty serious pumpkin beer, but only on
tap). It rare for breweries to offer a really solid base beer for their
pumpkin offerings because the flavors are all destroyed by the
pumpkins. The base beer, though, is the foundation of what you
drink. A mild stout is perfect. Try it and see.

Another wondrous brew that you all must know by now...
We have 1.5L bottles now though. A grand serving for you and
your friends... or just you. I suggest cellaring these. I think that
5 years of patience will bear an exceptional drinking experience.
The larger bottles age marvelously and after waiting all that time
there will be enough to share in the occasion with your friends...
or just yourself. Cheers.

A great, rich, sturdy stout. The label boasts "intense
coffee", however the coffee flavor is certainly not overdone.
This drinks with a full-bodied flavor from start to finish
unlike some imperials that have thinness in the finish. The
alcohol is completely hidden but the coffee provides subtle
warmth.

From Sri Lanka. For those who remember, this brewery was
decimated by the Tsunami in 2004. After nearly 3 years this
world-class stout is back in market. This stout makes a beautiful
accompaniment to a hearty breakfast or spicy foods. This is one
of the only brews in the world that Michael Jackson personally
endorses (the beer hunter not the boy toucher) and is a must try
for anyone who even thinks that they might like stout.

To celebrate their 10th anniversary of Belgian style brewing
Ommegang has created a rich chocolate stout using chocolate
malts and Belgian chocolate. This is indulgence and is really
a desert in itself. The release was limited so try it while you
can or stock up to share with family and friends.

Not Otter Creek, this is an English brewery first to the
Otter name but late to the US market. This IPA is an
English-American hybrid born from an age old English
recipe. The hops are mostly pacific-northwest, US
grown making the traditional IPA into something with
a bit more bite. This brew is citrusy, aromatic, bitter
and delicious.

It's that time of year again. Even though it really is still summer in New England, it is Oktoberfest in Germany and these lagers are the real thing. I have been disappointed to see the price creep up recently, but come by for a special price of $13.99 for a 12 pack this month. Real German O-Fest is a short lived treat that should be enjoyed by all.

Ridgeway Christmas Brews -
Santa's Butt, Lump of Coal,
Reindeers Revolt, Criminally Bad Elf

Buy these for the labels. What? As a purveyor of fine
beverages I should never, ever, say something like that,
but I can in this case because Ridgeway is such a quality
brewery. There is a funny label with some great beer
in it for everyone. The styles are (in no order) barleywine,
stout, strong ale and more. These are sturdy, fireside
brews that are perfect for the holidays. Enjoy!

Many of you already know this world-class saison quite well
already. It has the acclaim of several top ratings and is really
a landmark for this style of brewing. I bring it to your attention
now as cork finished bottles in both 330ml and 750ml bring
you a delicious accompaniment to turkey sandwiches and post
thanksgiving afternoons of further gluttony. Happiness is
consuming meat and beer in harmony.

For Sierra fans this is best described as right in between Pale Ale and Celebration Ale and delicious. It is hoppy (rich with cascade) and falls right into the IPA category. It shares many characteristics with the Pale Ale and is most fitting for a season of hot days and cool nights.

Although not officially called a spring beer, this is Smuttynose's
spring offering, release only 18 days after the first day of winter.
Someone had to be first out with a spring brew and soon enough
everyone will have there's out. This is a nice light brew made
with cherry juice. The cherry flavor is quite subdued and
compliments the structure of the beer well. This is a great spring
beer, perfect for the January thaw, but maybe a bit light for
the real cold.

This was released in July, can you believe that? I found this offensive and only recently brought it to our shelves. Smuttynose is an excellent brewery, with good people and good beer so I guess we'll let it go. This is made with real pumpkins. They are busy grinding massive harvest of pumpkins into pulp while some others are researching flavor additives. This is a true pumpkin brew and one of the best out there for the season. Buy it early and save it for Thanksgiving.

An Imperial Oatmeal Stout that is perfect for after dinner.
Try this after the Thanksgiving feast with some desert
(chocolate based deserts go great). It is firm, smooth and
rich. There is some hopiness to it, but it is well integrated
into a fantastic blend of big stout styles. You may even
try aging this for 1 or 2 years. The abv (9%) can lead
to exaggerated relaxation so beware.

At the Tuckerman Brewery good people make good beer.
You should go there and see for yourself. It's great
to see new stuff from them, especially considering
that the beer keeps getting better. This stout is
strong, black and clean. It was made to keep you warm
at the top of Mt. Washington (6288 feet) but will do
the trick anywhere. The colder it gets outside them
more you need a tasty stout like this.

Victory Hop Wallop
Hop heads know this one well. It's light in color, pouring deep
blond, and packs a hop punch without being too heavy. The
hops are strong and stick with you throughout the drink, but
satisfy with every sip. This is a limited release and everyone
is talking about hop shortages so get it while you can.