It’s harvest time, with beers made with local hops, local honey and local pumpkins and local apples. This week’s Brew News counts not one, but THREE bevies made with apples and pumpkins from Sunnycrest Farm in Londonderry. Other places such as Mack’s Apples, Elwood Orchards and Wild Way Farm contributed to even more locally-sourced goodness.
Lithermans Limited
On Friday Oct. 30, Lithermans Limited Brewery in Concord is re-releasing a few of its favorite titles; Top-Sail (5.1 percent), a traditional English ESB with a healthy malt backbone and a “slightly-more-than-subtle bitterness” befitting this historic style; LL Cool Haze (8 percent), the newish New England DIPA, hopped with Motueka and Mosaic hops for a tropical juiciness; and No Other Place (4.6 percent), their holiday gose, made with cranberries for tartness and a wisp of French sea salt.
603 Brewery
603 Brewery in Londonderry is coming out with Wood Devil DIPA (9.2 percent) on Friday, Oct.30. It’s a double IPA with a huge tropical and citrus nose and a clean assertive bitterness.
Long Blue Cat
Long Blue Cat Brewing Company in Londonderry just released their Apple Crisp Ale (8 percent), made with apples from Sunnycrest Farm in Londonderry, as well as their popular Black Arts Black IPA (7 percent), which is described as a “perfectly balanced” hoppy IPA with a roasted malt finish.
Ancient Fire
Ancient Fire Mead & Cider in Manchester recently released Cruisé (7 percent), a rose wine style mead made from Concord and Chardonnay grapes and clover honey. It’s described as light and almost dry and mixes well in a sangria.
On Thursday, Oct. 29, they’re releasing Cobbled Together (7 percent), which is a new seasonal release for them, described as “peach cobbler in a glass.” It’s made with peaches from Mack’s Apples and Elwood Orchards, ginger, allspice, orange peel and caramelized honey.
The meadery is raising funds for Making Strides Against Breast Cancer and so far they’ve put up over $1,500 as a team again this year.
Their next Sangria Sunday will be Nov. 22, during which they will kick off the holiday season with new gift packs and a sneak peak at the additional gift options and events coming for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Ancient Fire will also be open for “Spooky Seating” on Halloween and will be open until 9 p.m., with indoor seating only starting at 7 p.m. Tables can be booked online.
Able Ebenezer
Able Ebenezer Brewing Company in Merrimack came out with Homecoming (6 percent) last Friday. It’s a harvest pumpkin ale brewed with fresh sugar pumpkins from Sunnycrest Farms in Londonderry, which have been roasted in the kitchen of New England Tap House Grille in Hooksett.
It will be available on tap and in cans at the brewery, and on tap at New England Tap House Grille.
To Share
To Share Brewing Company in Manchester came out with a handful of recent releases since last week.
They re-released Gold Civic (6.7 percent), their flagship IPA, a hazy juice bomb with aromas of peach and mango from the generous inclusion of Mosaic and Azacca hops. It’s on tap and available in 16-ounce cans and four-packs.
To Share also dropped its first big batch of hard cider, called NH Apples (6 percent). They sourced their apples from Sunnycrest Farms in Londonderry. The cider is light-bodied, crisp and effervescent.
A new twist on their house Berliner Weisse is also out with Secret Wizard Handshake Lime Berry (5.9 percent). It’s tart and loaded with 82 pounds of key lime and 82 pounds of strawberry.
The brewery is hosting a Halloween celebration on Saturday, Oct. 31 from noon to 9 p.m. Reservations are recommended, and COVID-19 safety requirements will be in place. There will be candy and beer pairing, decorations, costumes and autumn-themed beer infusions.
Kelsen
Kelsen Brewing Company in Derry is re-releasing its famous Double Battle Axe DIPA (9 percent) this week in cans, draft pours and growlers to go.
This 2014 Bronze Medal winner in the US Open Beer Championships is an easy-sipping, excessively-hopped DIPA with a unique hop nectar flavor, a beautiful orange color and aromas of citrus.
CRBC
Candia Road Brewing Company in Manchester recently dropped Taj Mohair (5 percent), their annual harvest ale, brewed with New Hampshire-grown hops. It’s available on tap and in four-pack cans.
They also came out with a British-style pale mild ale this week called Honey I Shrunk Your Ego (5 percent), made with honey from Wild Way Farm and Apiary in Deering. It’s said to have a malted sweetness that is balanced by floral and slightly bitter flavors and a dry finish.
Their flagship IPA Cone Zone (6.5 percent) is back in cans as of Oct. 29.
Daydreaming
Daydreaming Brewing Company in Derry is coming out with its new sour oud bruin (old brown) called We’re Just Getting Apps (5 percent). It’s made with cherries and biscuity malts, which lends it tart and bready flavors and a dry finish. The limited, one-time release started Thursday, Oct. 29.
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