If I’ve learned anything about craft beer over the last eight years, it’s that craft beer isn’t just about the beer.

In the beginning, our scramble was to get our hands on as many craft beers as we could. With them in hand, we documented them, reviewed them, and catalogued them. But it wasn’t long before things changed. Our tastings grew larger, as we invited more and more friends to participate. We began discussing the beers with friends, who we discovered had immensely different palates than ours, and this was a good thing. We quickly began sharing the beers with as many people as we could, wanting to not only elicit their feedback, but also to share the experience with them.

It wasn’t long before we wanted to expand our audience. We began teaching classes at a local beer store, reaching out to the local beer community every month to share our experiences and what we’d learned. These seminars eventually led us to spearhead North Shore Beer Week and Portsmouth Beer Week.

The continual theme in our progression, in concert with the beer, has been people.

Craft beer is as much about the community that is comprised of its people as it is about the beer itself. With this in mind, American Craft Beer Week is really a celebration of people. The people who make the beer, serve the beer, sell the beer, and drink the beer. Cheers to each and every one of you who we’ve crossed paths with at some point, or will cross paths with in the future.

This is a guest blog post by April Thibert. We were happy to meet April and her crew during Portsmouth Beer Week this past February. To celebrate American Craft Beer Week, here is a story of her journey to Portsmouth Beer Week 2013. Enjoy!   

…. continued from yesterday..

Wednesday the guys humoured me with a trip out to Seacoast so that I could stand on the rocks in the pouring rain and ice. What better way to reward them? Lunch at the Black Birch in Maine. Another recommendation from Bill that came with a warning to get there early or they are packed. We did as we were told and got in before the dinner menu kicked in. Hot soup, warm grilled cheese, house pickles and a great selection of beer took the chill away. Oxbow’s Farmhouse Pale Ale was the lunchtime favourite.

To celebrate the great food we headed to the North Coast tap takeover at the Press Room. We found three seats at the end of the bar and ordered our beer. Again we employed the divide and conquer strategy. We tried the Scrimshaw Pilsner, Brother Thelonius and the barrel aged Old Rasputin XV. Shortly after we sat down and our beer arrived we were pleased to meet Matthew Webster from North Coast Brewing. He had some regular Old Rasputin out of the bottle to compare next to the barrel aged. It should be noted that all craft beer fans should carry a bottle opener, you never know when you will be in a bar and unable to open a bottle to hand out samples.  (Thanks to Ottawa brewery Broadhead, for the keychain bottle opener.)

Our last stop for this Wednesday evening was Portsmouth Brewery. Not only were we in the mood for some dessert but they were hosting a collaborative brew night. Head Brewer Tyler Jones was joined by Rik Marley from Flying Goose Brew Pub and Annette Lee from Throwback Brewery. We were treated to two beers. The first was an oatmeal pale ale that was paired with corn and cheddar fritters. The second was Holy Mole porter paired with chicken taquitos. Both were very tasty and the food, of course, spot on.

Our final day in New Hampshire found us seeking out Milly’s Tavern for lunch and White Birch Brewing for a tasting. The trip back towards Portsmouth was not complete without a stop at the newest microbrewery, Blue Lobster. We ran down the list of their beers, including a bit of a beer they were aging but ran out of room for. (I believe it is to be the Lobster Genome Project)

From there we took the short drive to Throwback Brewery. Again, employing the three man strategy we were able to try the Dippity Doo, the Hog Happy Hefeweizen, Donkey-hote, Campfire Smoked, Oma’s Tribute and the Chocolate Mint Stout.

Our next stop was a quick jaunt over to Gary’s Beverages to sample some Sam Adams. We had some bottles of the red IPA and the Grumpy Monk at the hotel but we were pleased to try Cinder Bock, Imperial White, Double Bock and Verloren Gose. While the place was cramped, many people being in there to buy their evenings beverages, the woman was quite nice and the samples tasty.

Our final two stops were close together. First was Portsmouth Brewery for collaboration brew tasting number two. Here Tyler presented the group with Cirque de Citron, the collaborative brew with Oxbow Brewing. This was paired with a spring roll. The second was a beer done with Great Rhythm brewery. It was a wheat stout called Total Eclipse of the Stout. This they paired with hazelnut brittle. Again the chef had some winning combos.

Second and final stop of our beer week was Coat of Arms British pub. It was firkin night and there were three beers to try. Lemon drop from Smuttynose, Double Dippity from Throwback and Imperial stout from Moat Mountain. Each of us took one and toasted what was a wonderful week.

The week could not have been any better. We ate some amazing food, prepared by some fantastic chefs. We tried over 130 new beers across our entire nine days. (We did spend two days in Boston at the end.) We also met some really great people who helped make our trip that much better. It is nice to see that no matter where you go the craft beer scene is the same. Friendly people who want to talk beer with anyone willing to listen to them talk about beer.

This wasn’t our first trip to Portsmouth but it was our longest. It was also our best which guarantees it will not be our last.

Thanks to Bill, Mike, Tyler, Matthew, 2Beerguys and everyone else who showed us the best the week had to offer.

– April Thibert
@AThibert

This is a guest blog post by April Thibert. We were happy to meet April and her crew during Portsmouth Beer Week this past February. To celebrate American Craft Beer Week, she would like to share her journey with you. Enjoy!

A simple headline in my RSS feed set things into motion. In October, after visiting New Hampshire and taking in many of the local breweries I promptly returned to Ottawa and began following every brewery I could find on as many forms of media as possible. Imagine my delight and disappointment to learn about all the new and exciting things happening in New Hampshire’s craft beer scene and my inability to enjoy them on a daily basis.

So when I read the headline – “2013 Seacoast Winter Brew Fest” – I followed the link to learn more. Not only was there to be a winter brew fest but it would lead to the Portsmouth Craft Beer Week. Even more intrigued I followed the link to the calendar of events. Immediately I began to wonder if it was a trip we could make. Instead of a weekend we could have a whole week celebrating great craft beer and enjoying a beautiful state.

I began to keep tabs on the events as the list grew. Each one that was added just made a more compelling argument for the trip. I mentioned the Winter Brew Fest and beer week to our friend in New Hampshire. His words, “Is it enough to make my two favourite Canadians come and visit?” My husband and I looked at each other and decided that yes, it most certainly was.

Vacation time was booked and I began a list of the events we wanted to attend. I was pleased to find out that many were walking distance from each other. Timing was also important and while not many overlapped some did and choices had to be made. The plan was altered a few times as we tried to fit as much in as we could without overdoing it and risking getting “beered out.” (I know, it seems far fetched but it can happen.)

First up was the 11:00 am VIP Session of the Seacoast Winter Brew Fest. The list of breweries was impressive and the VIP allowed us tastings of rare whiskey, bourbon and scotch. The fest did as promised and we spent four hours sampling some great beers and spirits. Everyone we talked to was friendly, knowledgeable and engaging. Some beers stood out with Allagash’s FV 13, Dogfish Head’s Bitches Brew, Sam Adam’s Vixen, Great Rhythm Resonation, Widmer’s South by Northwest being just a few.

Sunday found our trio sitting at Earth Eagle sampling their beers. We tried all six of their offerings. The New England Gangsta and Chinese Rock were the favourites though I can honestly say all six were very much enjoyed. The company was great including one of the brewers and another couple who were craft beer fans.

That afternoon we made the walk to RiRa’s for the Rollin’ Out the barrels. Sam Adam’s and Smuttynose were hosting the kick off to beer week with some rare beers. Here again the event’s description did not disappoint. The bar itself is not to be missed (an old jewelry store that has kept the beautiful elements including the ceiling and vaults) and the beers were great. We had a chance to chat with Bill Harris from Smuttynose and Mike Lianza from Sam Adam’s. Both were great guys to talk to.

Monday we arrived at Thirsty Moose for the Founders tappings. The bar itself was not my favorite of the trip though their selection did help make up for the marginal service and ambiance. We ran into Bill Harris from Smuttynose. He gave us a few tips for restaurants to visit, including the event at the Black Trumpet. Admittedly we had been torn between the East vs West event or that one but Bill’s recommendation on the food was enough to sway us. We settled in for a shared flight and some individual pints. Highlights included Founders Centennial Ale, Monk’s Cafe Flemish Sour Red Ale and Rogue Chocolate Stout.

We were not steered wrong. The menu for the Early Blooms tap takeover was amazing. We tried Smuttynose Paradox, Durty, Bloom and the Robust Porter. Each was paired with two small plate tastings that were perfectly matched to the beer. Highlight was the butterscotch pudding with molasse whip that was paired with the robust porter. The group was in complete agreement that all the beers were excellent.

The next day was bright and sunny. We spent the morning snowshoeing before heading back to Thirsty Moose for the Smuttynose food and beer pairing. Good price and interesting mix. Not all the dishes matched as well as I had hoped but overall it was good quality. The highlight for me was the stroganoff while my companions favoured the jerk pork tenderloin and the chocolate cupcake.

We took the short walk to TJ’s for the IPA tap takeover. The best part of a group of three is everyone can order something different and drinks can be shared so that everyone gets to taste them. This is the strategy we employed after looking at the list of fourteen different IPA’s. Standouts of this delightfully hoppy night included Stone Ruination, Bengali Tiger and getting to try Sam Adam’s Grumpy Monk on tap versus the bottle.

Come back tomorrow to hear the rest of this amazing adventure!

– April Thibert
@AThibert

We measure time and archive events in many ways.  If you are in business, it is the fiscal year. Academics? Semesters.  Some reflect by birthdays, others by certain holidays or family gatherings. If you are a brewer, it could be the ebb and flow of the brewing and fermenting cycle itself. For others in the beer world, it could be annual festivals or events. For me and the past year, it has been Portsmouth Beer Week.

Portsmouth Beer Week 2012 (PBW12) was a week of firsts for me.   My first Kate the Great Day experience, my first pub crawl (thank you Bill Harris from Smuttynose!), my first time pouring at an event (Victory Brewing’s Prima Pils at the Seacoast Winter Brew Fest), my first Redhook tour with Byron, and my first 2Beerguys Beer 101 class.  How is it possible that since the induction of 2beerguys in 2006 that I hadn’t done these things yet? Even my husband Ryan was surprised with comments like, “Weren’t you with us when…” or “How have you not met BYRON yet???”  (My response was always the same: life and babies, people!) I felt like I was coming into my own that week.  I made new friendships and solidified others.  I was so proud of my sister-in-law Amber for leading the panel discussion for the “The Love Of Beer” East Coast movie premiere.  Some of my stand-out beers of the week (besides Kate) were Throwback’s Amber’s Amber, Portsmouth’s Grand Cru, Smuttynose’s Brett and I, and Peak Organic’s Mocha. Life was good, beer was flowing. I was looking forward to the summer and attending the Beer Bloggers Conference in Indianapolis.

Well, it was not the summer I had planned.  I felt unusually bloated during PBW12 and figured it was the beer. (Disclaimer: I am a sharer. I try to share honest stories.  I think it makes us feel like we are not alone).  I kept gaining weight, so I went to Pilates with Amber, thinking a little exercise was all I needed.  I felt a pain on my right side, and thought I pulled a muscle, so I stopped going. My husband finally convinced me to get it checked out, because my stomach was growing to the point where it was obviously not me “letting myself go,” and I was not pregnant.

It turns out I had a tumor the size of a basketball coming off of my right ovary.  It was growing so fast, that everyone assumed it was benign.  It wasn’t. During the 3.5 hour surgery, Ryan had to make decisions that we had agreed upon ahead of time because what we feared was true: the pathology of the tumor came back, and it was cancer. No more babies for us.

Recovering from surgery was hard.  A typical recovery is 4 days in the hospital.  I was there for 10, due to a mysterious infection caused by the tumor itself.  Yes, the infectious disease people really are like the characters on “House”.  Ryan was by my side, overnight, almost the entire time.  He balked at the “Visiting Hours” signs and may have given one the finger, which he will neither confirm nor deny. He wooed the nurses and made them teach him how to take care of me.  I’ve always known that I snagged a good husband, but the depth of his concentrated attention and care was endless.

Coming home to the kids was harder.  Zoe, our youngest, was only 17 months old.  I couldn’t pick her up.  Patrick, our oldest, who had recently turned 3, was a trooper—he helped mommy pick things up and was fascinated by my scar. I started to feel better and panicked because I was facing 9 weeks of chemotherapy.  It seemed counter-intuitive to feel so good, and then turn around and poison myself.

Chemo was awful.  I’m not going to go into it here.  I am one of the lucky ones—people from church and work made us meals, and I had friends and family drive and sit with me during my infusions.  They kept my spirits up (Sean, my brother-in-law, was at the ready for us to wear superhero costumes). Chemotherapy in general has come a long way, and for that I am grateful.  But it was no cakewalk, and the experience was light years away from the festive atmosphere of PBW12.

One of the side effects of chemotherapy is that your palate is shot.  Everything tastes like metal.  One evening during my chemo stint, Ryan brought home some Dippity Do from Throwback, which is my FAVORITE beer, in hopes that I could have a taste and it would cheer me up. It was disastrous.  It tasted like crap. I thought I was licking a dirty penny. I was devastated and feared that my palate would never come back.  It had always seemed strange to me that during life’s big events or challenges it is small things that can derail us, and this was one of those moments for me.  Not only could I not go to beer events and socialize, but beer couldn’t even come home to me. Beer for me at that point symbolized a part of life that I feared I wouldn’t get back.  I knew I would be fine—my prognosis was good, even if the road to recovery was ugly.  It was a moment where I realized that the side effects of the chemo could alter how I would live my life in the future, even in small ways.  It was a little jarring.

Flash forward to Portsmouth Beer Week 2013 (PBW13).  So much had happened, yet there I was, a year later, hanging out with the same beer crew. I felt out of my comfort zone. There were a few freak-out moments when I had a running dialogue in my head saying, “Last time this year I didn’t know that the evil, nasty tumor was making itself at home—what will this summer hold for me?” It took me a while to reconnect, but after a few smiles and high-5’s, I was put at ease—good times, good friends, good beer. I even had an opportunity for more “firsts.”  It was my first time meeting Kristen and Scott from Great Rhythm Brewing, learning their story and trying their tasty beer.  It was my first time going to the Coat of Arms Pub, and this will be my first 2beerguys blog flying solo. It has been a good marriage of old and new experiences.

In some ways, PBW13 felt like old home week. I saw Bill from Smuttynose at RiRa for the rolling out of barrels, with me and my son Patrick proudly sporting our Smuttynose gear. At the Fun with Firkins Night at Coat of Arms I had a moment that probably went unnoticed by most but was spectacular for me. I had Throwback’s Double Brown Ale that was lightly smoked, which was like Dippity Do on steroids, and it tasted INCREDIBLE.  My palate was back!  Don’t get me wrong—I’ve had a few brews since chemo, but this was one of those life-affirming moments where I felt like everything was finally made right. I teared up in the middle of the pub.  We’ve all cried over good beer, right?

Just when I thought PBW13 couldn’t have any more surprises in store for me, on to “Beertickers” movie night.  I went on my SECOND Redhook tour with Doug and Uncle Frank as our fearless guides. We received the royal treatment by getting to experience the “hop room” and felt like we were in Willy Wonka’s factory, soon to be accused of stealing fizzy lifting drinks.  Post tour, we got cozy with our popcorn and brews and watched the short film “Motel” by William Peters, featuring beer lover Ben M. Watts, and the documentary “Beertickers: beyond the ale” directed by Phil Parkin. Proceeds from the movie night and VIP tour went to rebuilding the historic Ioka Theater in Exeter, NH.  Sean honored me publicly at the event and then surprised me by saying that part of the proceeds would go to any cancer related organization of my choosing. I went back and forth with a few, but I really wanted to support Portsmouth and the Seacoast, so I am choosing Amy’s Treat.  I have no affiliation with them, as I had my treatments at Beth Israel in Boston, but they look like a great organization—they get that little, positive things really do matter when you are going through life’s challenges, and going through cancer in particular.

As I mentioned earlier, my prognosis is good.  My palate is back.  My hair is coming in, although curly and a bit gray! I’m a little tired and a little clumsy due to some neuropathy in my hands. Menopause at 31 is awesome, so you may see me fanning myself on occasion. Other than that, life as usual! My future beer plans include the Beer Bloggers Conference in Boston this summer, with a pre-excursion to Portland, ME.  I also hope to see you all out and about for the many events of North Shore Beer Week (NSBW13) coming this September, one of which will be 2beerguys Wives hosting some sort of event.  We also hope to plan an event with Greater Newburyport Ovarian Cancer Awareness during NSBW13, since September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness month.

All this to say, what a difference a year makes!

– Jennifer Jansen
@jlj_love

As times get crazy, it’s difficult to stay on top of everything — thank you for supporting 2Beerguys.com over the past eight years.

As you probably already know, today is the official start date for the 2013 American Craft Beer Week.

Beer weeks are giving craft beer fans across the U.S. ever-increasing options to enjoy and share the beverage they love. Beer weeks celebrate the culture and community of craft beer, and give breweries and beer businesses the opportunity to connect with the fans.

The Brewers Association, the national non-profit association on behalf of the majority of today’s U.S. breweries, and publishers of CraftBeer.com, celebrate the culmination of these events each May with American Craft Beer Week (ACBW), The Mother of All Beer Weeks.

American Craft Beer Week - May 13-19, 2013

ACBW offers an exciting opportunity for small and independent craft brewers and the community of better beer retailers to celebrate the ever advancing beer culture here in the U.S. Plus, tens of thousands of today’s beer beginners, beer enthusiasts, and hard core beer geeks make time to toast the week.    For information about American Craft Beer Week, please visit:  http://www.craftbeer.com

If you are looking for some local events, please check out this list of events across New Hampshire:   http://www.nhcraftalliance.com/american-craft-beer-week2013/

———-

How’s it going? Things are going great!! Unfortunately we have been behind in writing, but still crazy busy in our local craft community.

If you haven’t had a chance to watch or listen, please check out our weekly ramblings on the #SBLPodcast – http://wiki.seacoastbeveragelab.com/index.php.

We have recorded 34 episodes, which include many special guest interviews.  The #SBLPodcast can be heard live (on Monday’s at 8 PM)  , viewed on YouTube or listened to on iTunes.

Stay tuned to the blog this week for some special articles from the 2Beerguys.com friends and family.

In addition, please visit our calendar to learn more about events in your area:  http://2beerguys.com/events.php

Cheers!

Sean
2Beerguys.com

Drink Craft Beer, You’ve Earned It!!!

The craft beer world is something truly remarkable. There is so much heart: in supporting creativity, in supporting one another, and in appreciating the community that supports them. I feel honored and proud to be even the tiniest bit part of this community.

We are all now well aware of the horror that took place on Monday, April 15th at the Boston Marathon: an atrocity in a great city that we have not seen the likes of since 9/11. The effects have been devastating: four people are dead, over 200 more injured and our city is left with the impact of overwhelming emotional distress in the wake of this senseless act of violence and the week that followed.

That was how so many of us felt: “our city”. Big Papi probably said it best in a not-so-eloquent fashion, but he still said what was on all of our hearts. This city is ours, so are the people in it, and now came the time for us to take care of our own. That is exactly what the amazing people at Jack’s Abby Brewing stepped up to do.

Just forty eight hours after a terrorist attack rocked our city, the craft beer community came together in an event to raise money for the victims of the Marathon Day bombings. The idea began with David Carlson at Marshall Wharf Brewing Company and was then organized by Eric Hendler of Jack’s Abby Brewing. Twenty five brewers came forward, each reaching out to Eric asking to participate as all were eager to be involved in supporting this effort. Raffle items came from various vendors “26 gift certificates coming from Craft Beer Cellar, Berman’s, Blanchards, Zaftig’s, Skybox, Brookline Liquor Mart, as well as a plethora of high end beer including Night Shift, Mystic, Westvleteren, Cantillion, Russion River, and many others.” (according to Jack Hendler) and were quickly donated as soon as requests were made. The out pouring of generosity from so many was simply remarkable.

Paul Sanford of The Tavern in Framingham (hometown of Jack’s Abby Brewery) was contacted and proved more than willing to provide the space for this fund raising event to take place. He even brought on extra staff for the evening to provide service for the massive amount of attendees.

All of the beer was donated and one hundred percent of the proceeds from beer sales and raffle tickets at this event were donated to the One Fund Boston, a charitable fund set up to raise money to help pay for the catastrophic medical expenses that the victims of this bombing were now facing.

I was in attendance the night of this fund raiser. Even though everyone there was enjoying truly fantastic craft beer and the atmosphere seemed light and jovial, there was not a soul there who did not feel personally affected by the tragic events of Marathon Monday. This was very apparent when the room fell silent as the national anthem began playing on the television. As all in attendance started to sing the Star Spangled Banner, an enormous feeling of pride resonated through the crowd. A thunderous cheer erupted with the conclusion of our country’s most treasured song and it was beautiful.

So what was it that prompted the people of Jack’s Abby to take action? Did they have any employees who were affected by the attack? No, thank goodness. Did they have friends or loved ones who were injured or present during the bombings? Of course they did. We all did: our city Boston. It’s our city, and we take care of our own. These guys worked as hard as they could and pulled off a huge event that came together in less than twenty four hours and raised over $8,800 for the One Fund Boston.

This amazing effort is a huge tribute to humanity, honor, community and perseverance. Our craft beer community did not hesitate to immediately jump in and take action. There is still so much work to be done as our city continues on the path to recovery, and it’s incredible people like David at Marshall Wharf, Paul at The Tavern, Eric and the staff at Jack’s Abby, all the brewers that donated and everyone who showed up to support the event that will keep Boston on that path. When I asked Jack Hendler of Jack’ Abby why they wanted to take on such an incredible task, he responded “to make people feel better and to start the healing process”. That is what this craft beer community came to do and exactly what happened that evening. There were heroes on the streets of Boston that fateful day, and these guys, through organizing this event, are heroes still.

Jack’s Abby would like to thank all the breweries that donated beer (listed below), The Tavern, Marshall’s Wharf, all the vendors who donated raffle items and all the attendees who came out and so generously gave.

If you would like to donate to the One Fund Boston please visit www.onefundboston.org/donate.

There will be other events coming to benefit the One Fund Boston. Jack and his crew won’t necessarily be the organizers, but they have told me that other brewers and breweries are planning other fund raisers. Keep an eye out for upcoming events and other ways you can contribute.

Thank you brewers!

• Allagash Brewing Co
• Atlantic Brewing Co
• Battle Road Brewing Co
• Brash Brewing Co
• Cape Ann Brewing
• Cambridge Brewing Co
• Clown Shoes
• Enlightenment Ale
• Idle Hands
• Ipswich
• Jack’s Abby Brewing
• John Harvard’s Brew House
• Left Hand Brewing
• Mahr’s
• Maine Beer Co
• Marshall Wharf
• Night Shift Brewing
• Oxbow Brewing Co
• Samuel Adams
• Six Point
• Stone Brewing Co
• Tree House Brewing Co
• Tuckerman Brewing Co
• Wormtown

Cheers and Beers,
Lisa, The Hefeweizen Hunny

It’s time to get your CASK on and this is an event that you shouldn’t miss!

The 17th annual New England Real Ale Exhibition (NERAX) will be held from March 20 – 23, 2013 at

Somerville American Legion Hall Post 388
163 Glen St
Somerville, MA 02145

Get ready for four days of cask-conditioned beers and ciders!

For tickets, please visit http://www.nerax.org/nerax/

Incredible. I almost feel like that’s all I have to write. But then I know that you, the reader, would not possibly get any sense of  journey I actually took during Portsmouth Beer Week at The District. And, frankly, that would be completely selfish and unfair of me to not share appropriately. So…away we go!

The District owner, David Takis, informed me that Bill Herlicka and Brain Parda of White Birch Brewing approached them a week before the dinner was held, with beer in hand and an idea in mind. David, being a fan of White Birch was immediately on board. Sure, the short time line might have had any other restaurant owner shaking in his boots, but David has an amazingly talented and not-so-secret-weapon in his kitchen named Ian Thomas: executive chef since The District opened in July of 2011. David, who refers to Ian as “insane, but genius”, brought the selected brews to his chef who tasted each one once and then wrote the four course menu in a day, having been inspired by the flavors of White Birch.

The first course was a trio of flat breads with such exotic flavors as creamy avocado with spicy jalapeno, an Indian inspired curry of mango, raisins and onion and a fried oyster flat bread with feta and pepperoncini tapenade paired up with White Birch’s Belgian Pale Ale (ABV 6.3%). What was so great about this pairing was both the avocado and oyster flat breads had some heat to them that the BPA quite easily cut through while the sweetness of the curried flat bread really allowed the more subtle hop character in the BPA  to come to the forefront of the flavor and stand out sip to sip. Being able to taste anything but curry is a difficult task, as normally I find it to be such a strong flavor that it nearly ruins my capacity to register anything else during a meal. Add to that the heat this first course brought and it makes for a bold first move. Bold but brilliant.

The second course featured White Birch’s Hooksett Ale, their Belgian IPA. I’ve had this beer plenty of times (heck, I’ve even served it a few times!) and know it to be delightfully hoppy, yet surprisingly not boozy in flavor despite the large 8% ABV.  This came paired with a pork short rib with pineapple and habanero bbq sauce with grilled onions.  The intensity of the habanero sauce was countered by the hops of the beer which were then perfectly balanced by the sweetness of the pineapple. The layering of the palatal experience in this one dish was nothing short of culinary genius. And then, there was still absolutely amazing piece of pork that just melted with the touch of a fork tine and elegantly presented wrapped in a leaf. This may have been the most incredibly tender piece of pork I have ever had the tactile pleasure of experiencing.

Course number three featured White Birch’s Rusalka: a multi-grain extra stout coming in at 6% ABV. I’m just going to stop right here and give White Birch a virtual high 5 on this one. This was the first time I’d had this beer and it was heavenly! Flavors of roasty grain, light char and CHOCOLATE!!!

But wait…Chocolate with dinner? That sounds more like dessert. How could this be something I’d want with savory dinner flavors? Here comes our culinary master Ian Thomas again. Chocolate for dinner was perfect when enjoyed along side buttermilk fried squab and braised swiss chard served with a sweet potato waffle drizzled with cherry balsamic reduction. The beer was an incredible balance of sweetness from the malt and the bitterness of the char. This balance was then mimicked on the plate by the sweetness in the sauce and waffle and the salty, crispy buttermilk breading  and the oiliness of the squab. Both the food and the beer carried an equilibrium between sweet and savory flavors, and no better match could have been made between these two. This was definitely the pinnacle of the meal for me.

Finally, we reach the dessert course. Now, we’ve already seen a beer that carries chocolate flavors put brilliantly into a main course. Wouldn’t it have made more sense intuitively to put that beer in the dessert course? Surely that’s what you or I would have done (you know, if we had gone to culinary school and worked at a creative, new American dining establishment). But this is why David refers to Ian as “insane, but genius”. He could have gone the obvious route and put that stout in the dessert….a chocolate stout cake perhaps? But Ian took one sip of White Birch’s Ol’ Cattywhompus, 9.1% ABV English Barleywine and instantly thought “dessert”.

Try this on for size: Ol’ Cattywhompus Barleywine ice cream float with banana coconut ice cream and topped with toasted marshmallows. One of the most incredible, flavorful, and pleasing ends I’ve ever had to a meal. This dessert had it all. It quelled my sweet tooth with out over doing it, rounded out the flavor experience and packed a nice, warm alcohol punch. Normally after dessert I find myself saying “why did I just eat that? It was so rich and I’ve over done it”. This one had me saying “Please, sir, may I have some more?”

I really don’t know what other adjectives to use other than incredible, amazing, sensational or fantastic. This meal was far and above any other beer dinner I had attended previously. I am a massive fan of White Birch Brewing out of Hooksett, NH and have been for some time. I think that their decision  to collaborate with the culinary talent of Ian Thomas and the creative direction of David Takis at The District (who pride themselves on using local ingredients in all their culinary creations to support local economy) was the perfect marriage of beer and cuisine. And how glad I was to be there to enjoy the fruits of this labor.

Before I end this, I wish to give special thanks to bar manager Jay Milligan for taking such good care of us that night. And to Mike Johnson for being my dinner partner and photographer on the scene. And I will leave you with this tid bit: if this recount of my beer dinner experience leaves you salivating and finds you wishing you had been there, fear not. Rumor has it that this is the start of a beautiful friendship between White Birch and The District and a prelude to a summer beer dinner series. Stay tuned….

Cheers and Beers,

Lisa, The Hefeweizen_Hunny

Mississippi Passes Bill to Legalize Homebrewing

Boulder, CO ● March 19, 2013 – The American Homebrewers Association (AHA) is pleased to announce that Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant has signed a bill that will effectively legalize homebrewing throughout the state. Mississippi is now the 49th state to permit homebrewing. A Senate version of the bill passed in early February and it was then voted on by the State House of Representatives in March.

“From our founding fathers to our current President, this country has a long and storied tradition of homebrewing,” said Gary Glass, director of the American Homebrewers Association. “We appreciate the support of all of the homebrewers, the dedicated grassroots efforts of Raise Your Pints and the legislators who have worked so diligently to make homebrewing a reality in Mississippi. We are grateful to Senator John Horhn who introduced this bill and to Governor Bryant for his quick action and support.”

The 21st Amendment predominantly leaves regulation of alcohol to the states. Therefore, even though homebrewing is federally legal, it is still up to individual states to legalize homebrewing in state codes. Prior to today’s announcement, Mississippi and Alabama were the only two states that did not allow homebrewing. The AHA will continue working with homebrewers in Alabama to legalize homebrewing.

The hobby of homebrewing has seen exponential growth in recent years. The AHA estimates that more than 1 million Americans brew beer or make wine at home at least once a year. Mississippi is home to an estimated 2,200 homebrewers who may now enjoy brewing without the restrictions of a state-wide ban.

From left to right: Gary Glass, Director of American Homebrewers Association; Senator John Hohrn;
Craig Hendry, President of Raise Your Pints

###

About the American Homebrewers Association (AHA)
The American Homebrewers Association has worked on behalf of the homebrewing community since 1978 and celebrates a membership of more than 36,000 homebrewers. The American Homebrewers Association (AHA) organizes events including the National Homebrewers Conference and National Homebrew Competition. The AHA also publishes Zymurgy magazine. The AHA is part of the Brewers Association, whose Brewers Publications division is the largest publisher of contemporary and relevant brewing literature for today’s craft brewers and homebrewers.

Beer lovers are invited to learn more about the dynamic world of craft beer at CraftBeer.com. Follow the AHA on Twitter, and join us on Facebook.

Newburyport Brewing Company

By IAN COWPAR @craftbeered & RYAN JANSEN @thirstynobeard
NEWBURYPORT, MA — It has been said that behind every great man is a great woman. Such is the case with the Newburyport Brewing Company. In 2008, at a party that co-founder Chris Webb’s band, Das Pintos, was playing, Bill Fisher’s wife casually mentioned to Webb that her husband played the trumpet. With that a friendship, and ultimately a business, was born.

“We have a story we want to tell, and the tasting room and the open brewery space allows us to tell that story.”

The Newburyport Brewing Company, or NBPT Brewing, is set to open its doors this spring, a confluence of successful fundraising, unique positioning and branding and, as is often a part of success stories, some fortuitous events. NBPT Brewing set out with an initial goal of raising $750k through a combination of investors and their own capital. “We committed early on to go brick and mortar,” recalled Fisher, “and knew we’d have to raise a nice chunk of change to make that investment, and the return on that is our commitment to the industry that we’ll be able to maintain capacity, it helps us hit those volume targets, and it help us commit to distribution without even having a product yet.”

Ultimately, they were able to raise $1MM. According to Fisher, the additional funding afforded he and Webb the opportunity to accomplish several things, including the chance to engage additional potential customers, ramp up their marketing funds earlier than they anticipated, and it also gave them the chance to make sure they were doing things right from a customer perspective. “We have a story we want to tell, and the tasting room and the open brewery space allows us to tell that story.”

“There’s a long history of rum in this city, there’s tunnels underneath Newburyport where they use to get the rum in and out. We want to be able to connect into the history of alcohol in this city, the Coast Guard was founded in Newburyport, one of the first Senators, Dalton, lived in Newburyport…This is one of the quintessential New England towns.”

Yeat!

The story that Fisher and Webb have to tell includes, among other things, the rich history of Newburyport which until 2012 had not had a brewery in city limits in over 200 years. NBPT Brewing, along with RiverWalk Brewing Co., which moved to Newburyport last year, have changed the brewing landscape. As Webb explained, “There’s a long history of rum in this city, there’s tunnels underneath Newburyport where they use to get the rum in and out. We want to be able to connect into the history of alcohol in this city, the Coast Guard was founded in Newburyport, one of the first Senators, Dalton, lived in Newburyport…This is one of the quintessential New England towns.” As you look up the coast in New England, it is lined with breweries from Nantucket to Gloucester, Ipswich to Portsmouth, and up to Portland. Newburyport, however, was a glaring hole in the industry.

As one might expect most brewery business plans begin, Webb and Fisher discussed the idea over some beers while watching a Bruin’s game together. The next day, Fisher went online to start collecting domains and found that nothing had been registered related to or for Newburyport Brewing. “It surprised me…It was nice, too, because it told us that we had a potential business here, and opportunity and, sure enough, it came to fruition.” Both Fisher and Webb had successful business careers and, early on, knew that they’d have to execute on a very well-defined business plan. Both share a passion for music and for beer, and it was Fisher who introduced Webb to homebrewing. “He is my champion for homebrewing,” explained Webb. To integrate their shared passions, they knew they wanted to build and operate a production brewery instead of a brewpub. Simply put, Fisher stated, “We didn’t want to be in the food business.”

“Number one, we want to have some of, if not the best, beer in the marketplace.”

Enter Mike Robinson

Webb noted that the brewery is grounded in three brand promises, the first of which is centered around the quality of the product. “Number one, we want to have some of, if not the best, beer in the marketplace.” Despite their combined experience in business and homebrewing, they knew that in order to deliver on that promise, they would need to hire a brewmaster. It just so happened that Webb’s dad knew a guy.

Mike Robinson is a remarkably accomplished and highly decorated homebrewer, who has won countless competitions, including the 2010 Samuel Adams Longshot Competition with his Old Ben Ale. However, despite all of the accolades, it was a banking relationship that brought the trio together. Robinson was working as a loan officer at a bank and to the ultimate joy of Fisher and Webb, one of Robinson’s clients was Webb’s father. Knowing that Webb and Fisher were searching for a brewmaster and of Robinson’s credentials, he facilitated the introduction. “No, that never would have occurred to me.”, Robinson reflected when asked if he could have imagined this opportunity rising up from his position in banking. “I would cross paths with lots of people from all walks of life and types of businesses, and it just goes to show you never know when a cool opportunity like that will come up. I never would have imagined that working at a bank would segue into this.”

When they approached me, I couldn’t have been more excited, and it still feels that way.”

When Webb and Fisher approached Robinson in 2012 to talk to him about becoming their brewmaster and introduced him to their three brands, it was evident that there was a symbiosis. When we asked Robinson how that initial introduction and conversation with Webb and Fisher went, he recalled, “Incredibly exciting. For years and years, I always said I wanted to work in the beer business, but it was hard to make a living at it. I was a cellarman at Redhook, but I wasn’t able to fuel my creative outlet. I like to create beers and I like to make beers from start to finish. When they approached me, I couldn’t have been more excited, and it still feels that way.”

The conversation eventually led to a discussion about the products that NBPT Brewing was looking to bring to market. The three brands are Newburyport Pale Ale, Green Head IPA, and Plum Island White. As Webb recalled, Robinson said, “The white is the best beer I make. It’s totally dialed in.”

With that, the remainder of their first brand promise was in place as Webb elaborated on their vision to deliver a premier product. “We believe that happens by having great recipes, which we believe Mike has, great ingredients; we’re the only brewery within a couple hundred miles using the base malt that’s known to be one of the best. We’re not afraid to spend money on ingredients because we want people to be like, damn, this is good beer. We don’t want to cut any corners.

“Life’s about adventures. Take great beer with you.”

The second brand promise speaks to a core differentiator of NBPT Brewing. As ‘Massachusetts’ first exclusive keg and can brewery’, Webb and Fisher are looking to tap into the ingrained outdoor spirit of New England. An ancillary benefit of cans, which are inherently better equipped to protect beer and are 100% recyclable making for a more green product, is that they are highly portable. The pair felt that cans were the perfect vessel to house their product

“It’s Newburyport, it’s the North Shore, we’re New Englanders, we’re outdoorsmen, we want to take the beer on our boat, we’re going fishing, we want to take it to the Pats game, we’re tailgating. We believe that cans are the wave of the future.”

To ensure that their product reaches their customers at the peak of freshness, they’ve worked closely with their distributor to determine a methodology for an enjoy by date that will be printed on all of their cans.

“We’re dedicated to quality,” described Fisher. “We’re going to keep the beer fresh by turning inventory over quickly and we’re comfortable with our distribution warehouses that they’re climate controlled and our beer will be kept at a consistent temperature.”

The third brand promise that Webb described is centered around the complete integration of music. It was music that brought Fisher and Webb together in 2008 and it will be an integral part of their operation, from the packaging to the brewery and tasting room. From a guitar pick being in every six pack to a stage with an integrated sound system in the brewery, Fisher and Webb see NBPT Brewing as a perfect fusion of their passions for music and beer.

Part of Webb’s vision for the the business includes sponsoring bands, music festivals, open mic nights, and live sessions right in the tasting room. “Get a great New England band, an up and coming band, come up here and brew beer with us, and do a private concert that’s live from the Newburyport Brewing Company. You get to see your band in a different way, and hear your band in a different way.”

“We didn’t consider a brewery quite this size.”, recalled Fisher. “This opportunity here, for New Pasture Road, presented itself in the fall and it fell in our laps, and when we saw it we instantly knew this place would work perfectly for our brewery.”

As for the physical brewery, it is housed in an 8,330 sq ft space located at 4 New Pasture Rd in Newburyport. The building is quite a bit larger than Webb and Fisher had envisioned. “We didn’t consider a brewery quite this size.”, recalled Fisher. “This opportunity here, for New Pasture Road, presented itself in the fall and it fell in our laps, and when we saw it we instantly knew this place would work perfectly for our brewery.”

The finishing touches were recently put on a 20-barrel brewhouse, built and installed by SMT Food & Beverage Systems out of North Carolina. NBPT Brewing will serve as a showcase brewery for potential SMT customers, and Fisher and Webb have already spoken with SMT prospects from Georgia to places all the way up the east coast. Fisher credits SMT for being instrumental in getting them to this point. “They’ve had an engineer and a brewer here every week for the last three weeks helping us get the equipment dialed in, it’s been incredibly helpful, and that includes all of the plumbing and electric. Quick turn, great customer service, all-American.” That last point was something that Fisher was proud of, as it was evident as he spoke that they are heavily focused on supporting local businesses. Their general contractor, plumber, and electrician are all from Newburyport.

From the ground up

“As far as the equipment goes, there’s no intimidation factor for me.” — Robinson

One of the benefits of identifying and on-boarding Robinson early on as their brewmaster was that he was able to be present for the installation of the brewhouse from the very beginning. “Well, I’ll say this, the first day when we started getting the equipment was incredibly exciting. It’s like the puppy my family just got. He’s gained 23 pounds in a couple months, but you don’t notice it because it’s gradual. I’m here every day, and it’s gradual, bits and pieces every day, so it’s not like I walked in and was like woah, there it is. On that subject, what a valuable experience to see it in bits and pieces and how it comes together. That was fantastic.”

Although this is Robinson’s first position as a professional brewmaster, he is no stranger to working with, and brewing on, commercial-scale equipment. “We used 400 hectoliter tanks at Redhook, huge equipment, huge hoses. As far as running the brewhouse, I’ve worked on 10-barrel brew houses, I’ve brewed at Sam Adams three times, I’ve brewed at Nutfield. As far as the equipment goes, there’s no intimidation factor for me. The beer community is always friendly and helpful, and always willing to lend a hand.”

In addition to their three core brands, Robinson will brew a series of rotating, tasting room-exclusive beers. This will allow NBPT Brewing to focus heavily on establishing and executing on Newburyport Pale Ale, Green Head IPA, and Plum Island Belgian White, while allowing Robinson to flex his creative brewing muscle to create distinct, small-batch beers that will be a value-add for customers who visit the brewery.

“We want to make things that we like, and we want to make things that we think our customers will like”

“We want to make things that we like, and we want to make things that we think our customers will like,” explained Robinson. “The great thing about the tap room series is that we can get some feedback, see how they go, and of course if something takes off, we can bring that to market if we want to. That’s my playground, that’s my creative outlet that I was talking about. I imagine over the course of time that it’s inevitable that after I brew these beers a hundred times, it might get to be a little bit of going through the motions. Bringing in the pilot brewery and making some cool styles, that’s what it’s all about.”

Fisher agreed, noting, “We want Mike to explore other beers. The one way to go about keeping someone from going through the motions, like Mike was talking about, is to brew other styles. The other beers that Mike has made, and he currently makes, are awesome, and this tasting room is the perfect venue to roll some of those out.”

“We know that an esoteric style may not be hugely marketable, but so what? We can make 20-25 gallons of it, put it out here, and have fun with it.” added Robinson.

“For me, that’s what’s most exciting, the community being excited about fresh, local beer, brewed by locals, canned for quality and adventure, bring it with you, have fun with it, and be proud of your brewery and your town.” — Webb

Fisher, Webb and Robinson are targeting an early April opening, as soon as the product is ready. Once open, the public will be able to visit the brewery for tours, growler fills, pints, and tastings from 5pm to 9pm, Wednesday through Friday and from noon to 9pm on Saturdays. “For me, that’s what’s most exciting, the community being excited about fresh, local beer, brewed by locals, canned for quality and adventure, bring it with you, have fun with it, and be proud of your brewery and your town,” summarized Webb.

Visit nbptbrewing.com for more information, and be sure to following them on Twitter at @nbptbrewing for all of their up-to-date news.