Berkshire Brewing Co “Cabin Fever Aleâ€
November 16, 2009 10:51 am
Berkshire says, “Copper amber in color, this medium bodied ale has a great balanced flavor. A fruity spicy hop finish compliments in malty caramel taste. Think of English pale ale dry hopped with German Tettnang hops. This ale was made to sustain you during the long New England winter. 6.3%
Cabin Fever is one of our winter seasonals. Cabin Fever comes out in the beginning of November. Seasonals last as long as our inventory does.”
This beer has a “B+” on BeerAdvocate.
Tapped 11/13/09 it is paired with BBC’s “Drayman’s Porter”. Kicked 12/31/09. Good beer for sure – made a nice light beer that wasn’t overly spiced for the holidays.
Time Out to Defrost
November 6, 2009 10:01 pm
It’s been over a year straight since I’ve unplugged it to do some defrosting, so as you can see it’s quite over due. It should only take 24 hours or so… less time than it will take me to reorder and pick up another pair of kegs.
Berkshire Brewing Co. “Oktoberfest”
September 25, 2009 6:59 pm
This will be the 6th keg of BBC we’ve had on tap, and this one is rated a “B+” on BA. (Closing in on all of their beers.)
“This lager is brewed using true German hops and yeast. The orange-amber hue is reminiscent of the coming fall foliage. Berkshire Brewing Company Inc. “fest” is malty, smooth, and finishes with hints of spice and a subtle hop flavor. 6.8%
Oktoberfest is our fall seasonal. Oktoberfest comes out in August. Seasonals last as long as our inventory does.”
Tapped: 9/27/09
Kicked: 10/31/09
Shipyard “Smashed Pumpkin”
5:09 pm
I’m pretty excited for this newly released fall beer. It has a “B” rating on BA but I suspect that’s low. What’s not low is the alcohol by volume, it’s an 18 proof beer!
Here’s what Shipyard has to say about it;
“PORTLAND, MAINE – (July 30, 2009) – Shipyard Brewing Company announces the release of a new beer in its Pugsley’s Signature Series line. Smashed Pumpkin will be available in late August exclusively in 22 oz. bottles and on draft.
Smashed Pumpkin is a big-bodied beer with a light coppery orange color and pleasing aroma of pumpkin and nutmeg. The OG and final Alc./Vol. provide the structure and body. Pale Ale, Wheat and Light Munich Malts combine with the natural tannin in pumpkin and the delicate spiciness of Willamette and Hallertau Hops to balance the sweetness of the fruit. 1.088 OG, 9.00% Alc./Vol.
To fully enjoy all the flavors, this ale is best drunk at 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Smashed Pumpkin pairs well with sharp cheeses, nuts, lamb, hearty stews and desserts like flan or pumpkin pie. Chefs find this an excellent beer to cook with in dishes such as braised short ribs.
Pugsley’s Signature Series is named after Shipyard’s master brewer, Alan Pugsley. Pugsley is from England where he worked with Peter Austin at the world-famous Ringwood Brewery in Hampshire before moving to the United States in 1986.
Shipyard Brewing Company is located on the historic waterfront in Portland, Maine and produces 15 varieties of award-winning English style and seasonal beers. Its products aredistributed in over 35 states.”
Final thoughts – great beer. The nearly 20 Proof beer was certainly an ass kicked and did several of us in on Halloween. Or maybe it was the 3:30+AM evening. Either way, good beer that I’d get again. Thanks again to those at Shipyard who took the extra effort to get it down here.
Tapped: 10/11/09
Kicked: 10/31/09
Gritty McDuff’s “Vacationland Summer Ale†No. 2
July 22, 2009 1:47 pm
Round two!
I love this beer. We first served it in June 2008 and went through a 1/4 barrel pretty quickly. So, we got another one. Perfect for July and August weather.
Gritty says, “You can’t put summer in a bottle, but we may have come close! When the weather gets warm we roll out our summer seasonal, Vacationland Summer Ale. Vacationland is an Extra Special Golden Ale that’s light in color but full-bodied, with a snappy hop finish. A bit of extra time in the conditioning tank rounds out and mellows the ale. We use generous portions of pale malt with just a touch of wheat malt to give VSA unique flavor that’s richer than most summer brews. Cascade leaf hops add a delicate and forward hop character as well. It’s the perfect brew for all things summer.â€
Starting Gravity: 1049
Finish: 1012, ABV: 4.9%
Hops: (22 I.B.U.s) Cascade Leaf, Cascade, Saaz
Availability: 6 and 12-packs, 22 oz bottles, mini-kegs and draft,
April-August
Will be paired with Wachusett Summer Ale.
Wachusett “Summer Ale”
July 9, 2009 4:53 pm
Wachusett’s Summer and Winter beers are among my favorites from the brewery. We’re getting a 1/6 of it on tap tomorrow, paired with BBC’s Limited “Floor Malt Pilsner“.
Wachusett brewery says, “Wachusett Summer Ale SUPER REFRESHING! American wheat ale with a hint of lemon. Available in Stores: April 1st to mid September”. It has an underrated “B-” on BeerAdvocate, but I suspect I’ll end up giving it a “B” to “B+” (it’s been a while since I’ve had it).
Should go quickly – the Wachusett “Green Monsta” flew by to become the fastest consumed beer we’ve served yet.
Tapped: 7/13/09
Kicked: 9/27/09
