Brew News Mashup | Nov. 28
Get ready for stout season, and more barrel-aged bounties!
Also, brewers in New Hampshire are abuzz with some well-percolated partnerships with local coffee roasters and cafes.
And Able Ebenezer reaches again into the annals of New Hampshire’s revolutionary past to pull out another independence-inspired brew, leading the charge for the growing popularity of New England IPAs.
WHAT’S ON TAP
Able Ebenezer
Last Friday, (11/22) Able Ebenezer Brewing Company in Merrimack debuted a new brand called Glory not the Prey (6.3 percent), a New England IPA “loaded with rich, citrusy hop flavor,” according to the brewers. Able Ebenezer co-owner Carl Soderberg said he expects the beer to last as long as it lasts in the tasting room. The plan is to have it as a draft option exclusively in the tasting room.
“It’s going much faster than anticipated,” Soderberg said.
The name comes from the motto for the 2nd New Hampshire Regiment, which formed in 1775. The motto, “The Glory, not the Prey” is on one of the oldest American battle flags known to exist, and is based on the 16th century quote by Sir Philip Sidney: “In victory, the hero seeks the glory, not the prey.”
“We’ve been at work quietly behind the scenes developing this brand, an effort which eventually evolved into the “Ingenuity” project. With the amount of effort & emotion we put into its development, we wanted an equally strong, meaningful story to inspire its name,” the company said in a Facebook post.
You can read more about the history here.
A couple weeks ago, they also relaunched their coffee porter, Kilgore (6 percent), named for one of novelist Kurt Vonnegut’s popular characters and brewed in collaboration with A&E Coffee & Tea. This year, the brewery is featuring the “Norma Lara” coffee blend from Honduras.
A&E describes the blend as having a chocolate and vanilla aroma, with a juicy body and clean, smooth finish.
Soderberg expects Kilgore will last until spring 2020.
603 Brewery
If you like Russian imperial stouts, take heed! 603 Brewery in Londonderry is launching a Russian Imperial Stout Venture on Black Friday (Nov. 29), which will include four variants of The Mitz Russian Imperial Stout (all 10 percent).
They will also be the first New-Hampshire-made beers in the state to be released in 19.2-ounce cans. A launch event will be held at the brewery on Black Friday from noon to 11 p.m.
The flagship version of their RIS starts with a hearty backbone of “biscuity” base malt and is layered with caramel and dark-roasted malts, according to 603 marketing manager Morgan Kyle. The grain blend imparts flavors of biscuit, toffee and dark chocolate, she said. The Mitz is also named after Mitzy the brewery cat, who holds the titles of “head of security,” “protector of the grain,” and “night shift manager.”
The other three variants being released Friday are The Mitz Salted Caramel RIS, The Mitz Cappuccino RIS and The Mitz Apple Brandy Barrel-Aged RIS.
The salted caramel RIS is a slightly sweeter version of the original, fermented with caramel and finished with a touch of salt to complement the chocolate undertones. The cappuccino variant is aged over “copious” amounts of espresso roast and Brazilian coffee from Flight Coffee Roasters. And the apply brandy RIS was aged in apple brandy oak barrels for one year, producing sweet apple aromas that lead into a blend of chocolate, toffee and dark fruit flavors.
Candia Road Brewing Company
Candia Road Brewing Company released two barrel-aged beers on Nov. 27.
The Barrel-Aged Separate States (8 percent) is a twist on their French-style saison, brewed with Spelt and Danko rye from Valley Malt in Hadley, Massachusetts. It’s aged in pinot gris wine barrels from Hector, New York for 36 weeks.
The Barrel-Aged Neighbors, Night Terrors and Nitrogen Bombs (7 percent) is the brewery’s classic American stout aged in syrah wine barrels from Hector, New York for 36 weeks.
Both barrel-aged beers will be available only in 500mL bottles, and you can drink them at the brewery for $12.
On Dec. 1, Candia Road is also launching Right Across the Front (8 percent), an American stout with a boosted malt bill for extra roasted flavors and higher ABV, during a release party at the brewery from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
The stout is brewed in collaboration with Cafe La Reine in Manchester, with gallons of their house blend cold brew and lactose sugar for an extra smooth, creamy flavor and mouthfeel.
It will be on draught and in 16oz cans.
Lithermans Limited Brewery
Speaking of coffee collaborations, Lithermans Limited in Concord relaunched their coffee stout Ground Control (5.1 percent) Nov. 27, along with two other seasonal returns. Ground Control is made in collaboration with True Brew Barista in Concord, using their cold brew.
Lithermans co-owner Michael Hauptly-Pierce said the beer is not a big imperial, but rather just a simple, easy-to-drink stout with some light and smooth roastiness and a big nose of coffee. He expects it will be on tap in the brewery and a few other pouring establishments for at least about three weeks. It will also be available in about 45 cases of cans.
On Black Friday (Nov. 29), they’ll also be tapping a Barrel-Aged Ground Control (5.9 percent), which will be available starting that morning at 8 a.m. The Lunch Lady Food Truck will also be on hand offering brunch specials at the brewery.
Hauptly-Pierce said the beer is aged in two different kinds of barrels; a Bully Boy baby bourbon barrel and a Woodford Reserve double oak bourbon barrel. They were both aged for over a year and blended together.
Lithermans is also bringing back two more labels today. Cosmic Bakers (6.2 percent) is a fruitcake sour inspired by traditional fruitcake “except it’s a gift that you would love to receive,” Hauptly-Pierce said. It’s made with candied orange and lemon peel, candied cherries and pineapples, with a darker “cakey” grain build.
That will be on tap for a few weeks at the brewery. They also sold half a dozen kegs to other pouring establishments and canned 100 cases for retail.
L.L. Cool Haze (8 percent) is one of Litherman’s rotating double IPAs, made with mosaic and motueka hops in the New England style — hazy and juicy with a pillowy mouthfeel and low bitterness. It should last a few weeks at the tasting room and they canned 100 cases.
Backyard Brewery
Earlier this month, Backyard Brewery in Manchester dropped two cans for retail: Swipe Right (7.4 percent), which is a juicy, hazy New England IPA, and Ruby Sunset (5.8 percent), a raspberry and black currant sour.
Ancient Fire Mead & Cider
On Dec. 5, Ancient Fire in Manchester is releasing two new meads: Partridge Free (7 percent), which is a session mead with pears, white grape and elderflower, and 60% of the Time (15.5 percent), a pink grape honey wine.
EVENTS
On Dec. 14, To Share Brewing Company in Manchester will be celebrating its 1st Anniversary Party from noon to 10 p.m.
It will include live music, catered food (by Caroline’s Fine Food) and raffles, as well as some new beer releases which we will hopefully describe in the next Brew News Mash-Up.
Just a reminder that Winterfest is coming up on Dec. 6 at Backyard Brewery in Manchester from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Tickets are now sold out, so hopefully you got yours.
If you would like to include news about a new beer or mead your company is releasing, an award your brew just won or a special event at your tasting room please send us an email at ryanmlessard@gmail.com!
