It probably won’t surprise regular readers to find out that I am a pretty big nerd. I have a bunch of geeky interests beyond just beer, including science (which is also my job), video games, Star Wars, fantasy novels and board games. So it should come as no surprise that the first time I saw […]
Category: Beer Review
Banded Horn Vertumnus
Most breweries tend to stick to a rotation of classic styles for their flagship beers, usually an IPA (or a couple), a dark beer like a porter or a stout, and a lighter offering like a blond ale or a pilsner. These are tried and true styles and it makes sense to introduce the brewery to […]
Deciduous Mosaic Sylph
The decision to focus my reviews on non-IPA styles this year leaves some significant grey areas. Many different beer styles have “hoppy” forms, and some of these have been given the “IPA’ designation (usually for marketing purposes). For example some beers are labeled as hoppy amber ales while others are called red IPAs, even though they are essentially the same style. I think the […]
Relic Spectral Beast
My goal of focusing my drinking and reviewing on non-IPAs in 2017 is much easier in the winter, I love porters and stouts and tend to drink a ton of them this time of year. I know some people drink stouts in the summer and pilsner in the winter, but I’ve always been a fan […]
SoMe Whoopie Pie Stout
Well, that escalated quickly. There was no new snow on the ground when I woke up this morning, and by late this afternoon I had almost a foot to clean up. Fortunately I have become a good suburbanite and purchased a snow-blower, that investment has already paid off despite the relatively low snowfall totals this winter. I […]
Cold Harbor Indian Summer and Truffle Stout
After that amazing, unbelievable football game last night I am physically, emotionally and mentally exhausted (not a complaint at all), but I needed to knock out a #MassBrewMonday review in honor of the greatest dynasty in NFL history. On Saturday I had a very small amount of free time and made my first trip to Cold Harbor Brewing Company […]
Idle Hands Thing 1
My son and I both got crushed by a nasty virus this weekend, so I did the responsible adult thing and abstained from beer (or any other form of alcoholic beverage). I actually missed a blind tasting event that I was really looking forward to, being sick sucks. Fortunately the little man and I are both on the mend, […]
Greater Good Imperial Milk Porter
As more breweries join the crowded marketplace it is important for a new brewery to have a calling card, something that sets them apart from their competition. Obviously the most important thing is brewing great beer, but it helps to have a theme that customers immediately associate with the brand. The first session-only brewery in the […]
Brewmaster Jack Art and Industry
I was having an interesting discussion recently about beers in Massachusetts. While the IPA style is king in non-macro circles everywhere, there seems to be a very specific IPA that people in this area covet. This beer is a version of the New England IPA with lower bitterness, a citrus/tropical fruit profile, and availability in […]
Allagash Hibernal Fluxus 2016
Allagash Brewing Company might be the best brewery when it comes to special occasion beers. Don’t get me wrong, their year-round regular releases are stellar, but you don’t get a full appreciation for Allagash until you start tasting their limited release bottles. I call these beers “special occasion beers” because while I would love to drink […]
Hoppy Boston 