Category Archives: United States Brewpubs

PROCLAMATION ALE COMPANY

United States Brewpubs,

Image result for proclamation breweryImage result for proclamation ale company

WEST KINGSTON, RHODE ISLAND

At a West Kingston-based stone quarry inside an unassuming tan aluminum warehouse lies one of Rhode Island’s most promising breweries, PROCLAMATION ALE COMPANY. Opened for business since January, 2014, the rapidly expanding alehouse, headed by brewmaster Dave Witham, gained immediate attention for its ‘Big Beer from a Small State’ and now bottles several of its exquisite elixirs.

An amber Proclamation sign (below the arched entrance) leads lucky patrons thru a long hallway to a tongue-and-groove wooded tasting room with pine-lacquered bar top, community table, barrel staves, sofa and exposed pipes.

Upon my initial 4 PM May ’16 visit, the small space packs up as several locals stop by to pick up screw-topped jug handled growlers of their favorite brews and a few out-of-towners sample all five available draught selections before deciding on which ones to carryout.

Knowledgeable tasting room manager, Tom Pereira, provides goblets of two fascinating pale ale ‘derivatives,’ one collaborative rye-spiced IPA and a sessionable German-styled pilsner. I’d already tried excellent citric-embittered IPA, Proclamation Tendril (reviewed in Beer Index), at now-defunct Track 84 a year hence.

For starters, Flummox, a traditional Bavarian-styled pilsner, brought crisply clean spelt-dried Vienna malting to its soft grassy-hopped floral citrus sheen, leaving subtle lemon traces in the recess.

Then, two of the best full-flavored East Coast pale ales caught my attention. Sunny fruited spritzer, Derivative: Mosaic Pale Ale, retained a subdued yellow grapefruit tang, zesty lemon brightener and ancillary pineapple-peach-mango-orange juicing above mild dry-hopped pungency.

Even better, modestly complex Derivative: Galaxy Pale Ale had a dryer, danker profile, spreading Galaxy-Citra-hopped tropicalia all over grassy pine resin and fresh celery watering. Its tangy tangerine ripeness picked up lemony pineapple, mango and grapefruit zest.

In collaboration with nearby Tilted Barn Brewery, Rype IPA provided peppery rye malting for its apricot-pureed tartness, fig-dried tangerine snips and teasing herbal lilt.

THIS WEEK AT PROC

PINELANDS BREWING COMPANY

United States Brewpubs, ,

Image result for pinelands brewing Image result for pinelands brewing

LITTLE EGG HARBOR, NEW JERSEY

At Little Egg Harbor’s Great Bay Business Park in a beige aluminum warehouse with red awning lies PINELANDS BREWING COMPANY,  a nanobrewery looking to expand to a 7-barrel brew system by May 2016. Presently, Pinelands raw space contains an office area, brew tank room and tap room (with slate-topped bar, picnic table, small community table and green-walled beer bottles).

Brewmaster Jason Chapman utilizes exquisite locally sourced water to craft an ever-changing lineup of well-rounded brews. As of my April ’16 one-hour stopover, Chapman’s already created 30-plus elixirs in a few months.

Two fine flagship beers initially caught my senses. Easygoing Pitch Pine Pale Ale brought lemony orange tang to mild leafy hop pungency, subtle pine resin and wispy herbal restraint.

Bright ‘n lively Evergreen IPA bettered Pitch Pine with its crisper clean-watered minerality underlining juicy grapefruit-peeled orange rind bittering and woody dry-hopped astringency.

Smoked rye malts and peppery nuances gave Rye Nugget Pale Ale a certain uniqueness as its carbolic spritz tickled the nose while the diacetyl vegetal tinge never seemed out of place.

Coming on like a beefed-up amber ale, perhaps, Sharpshooter IPA provided an apricot tea-like sweetness for caramel malts, leafy hops, dewy peat and dried fig.

Gathering spiced yellow fruiting, caramelized pilsner malts and grassy hops, Bueno Con Taco (a moderate-bodied lager) must’ve been made to go alongside simple Mexican dishes since it’s light flavor doesn’t overwhelm snack foods.

Great Bay IRA (Imperial Red Ale) softened its sharp grapefruit-seeded orange rind hop pining and black tea-like bittering with caramel-roasted amber malt sweetness, tangy peach-apple-grape conflux and crisp tobacco respite.

Perhaps my personal fave, Evan John Porter, let toffee-spiced vanilla bean sweetness pick up sugared coffee, Kahlua, caramel latte, hazelnut, cappuccino and Coca-Cola tones above its dewy earthen base.

Not to be outdone, Zero Shuck Oyster Stout wedged creamy oyster-shelled sinew into black patent-malted dark chocolate, cocoa bean and vanilla overtones and bitter French-roast coffee sedation.

On early March ’22 stopover, snow came down as I indulged in a few more Pinelands libations.

Thin cream ale, Raspberry Jam, found soapy raspberry chalkiness lingering lightly in salty lemon-hopped astringency.

Juicy tropical fruited floral spicing and dry pine resin indulged Imperial IPA, Tucker’s Beacon, unfurling sunny grapefruit, pineapple, peach, orange and tangerine tanginess upon sugared pale malting.

Nitrogenated Evan John Porter added coffee-roasted cocoa bittering to tarry chocolate malting and molasses-draped toffee spicing.

Milk-sugared coffee and dark chocolate syrup graced Cockeyed Milk Stout, leaving wood-seared hops to buttress its molasses oats bottom.

Bettering all of ’em, Gnarly Pine Barrel-Aged Barleywine let caramelized bourbon vanilla drape brown chocolate sweetness, whiskeyed Scotch warmth and toffee-spiced dried fruiting.

www.pinelandsbrewing.com

BIG OYSTER BREWERY – REHOBOTH BEACH

United States Brewpubs, ,

Image result for fins big oyster brewery Image result for fins big oyster brewery

REHOBOTH BEACH, DELAWARE

Right along Route 1 Coastal Highway at the mall-bound Rehoboth Beach strip lies BIG OYSTER BREWERY, a collaboration teaming Fins Ale House & Raw Bar with brewer Andrew Harton’s equally worthy pub. Inside a Wild West-styled Main Street re-creation, this seafood-related beer joint brings the best of both worlds since Big Oyster joined the fold June ’15.

Broken up into six sections, Fins controls the left side barroom (with wood-top counters, 20 bar stools, 10 taps, tin ceiling and beer-bottled refrigerator) and beautiful brick-enclosed outdoor deck (with 10 tap lines). Meanwhile, Big Oyster runs the far right gift shop, adjoining dining area and rear silver-tanked brew room.

Customizing wide-ranging beer recipes, Harton got his start after college brewing at three different Iron Hill breweries (West Chester, Wilmington and Voorhees).

Fresh oysters were being shucked when I visited late-morning May 1, 2016.

On the light side, easygoing Kolsch brought zesty lemon, mandarin orange tartness and light herbal nuances to its gentle white-breaded spine. Using freshly-chopped ginger, the herb-enhanced Daywalker Kolsch gained a minty tingle to accent citric-perfumed hops and dainty pale malts.

Juicy fruited Session 5 – Pineapple ably combined its sweet-tart pineapple adjunct with yellow grapefruit pith bittering and steadily mild Mosaic hop tropicalia.

Utilizing Ardennes Belgian yeast to gain its barnyard-dried fruit spicing, Solar Power Belgian Blonde stayed crisply clean, letting coriander-spiced yellow grapefruit, peach and pineapple tones receive a brisk Seltzer-like spritz.

Bitterest selection, Hammerhead IPA, a West Coast-styled dry body, allowed yellow grapefruit, orange rind and pineapple to embitter moderated piney hops and mild herbal snips. Another West Coast-inspired medium body, Resistentialism (Imperial IPA) surrendered intense tropical fruiting for lightly creamed crystal malting, leaving grapefruit, mango, pineapple and sweet orange peel illusions on the tongue.

Creamy Big Oyster Stout conveyed a syrupy oyster-stewed brown chocolate richness and bitter dark-roast coffee streak over dried oats (with wavered black cherry nuances).

Best bet: Classic Belgian Tripel, Noir Et Bleu, a limited edition full body strewn with bittersweet blueberry lacquering, banana liqueur splendor, lemony peach tartness and dried apricot snips residing above its recessive black tea adjunct (and finishing with a fusel vodka-licked 9.2% alcohol whir).

On a windy November ’21 Saturday afternoon, revisited Rehoboth’s Big Oyster to enjoy six new libations at the newly furnished red brick-walled side deck.

Musky orange-oiled lemon souring softly settled into crisp Captain Kolsch, a mildly herbed light body.

Tart ‘coconut lime yeast-raised donuts’ were mashed into Donut Kill My Vibe, a kettle sour with coconut-watered Margarita liming and recessive glazed donut sugaring.

Heavily fruited lactose sour, Soft Serve Cherry Vanilla, brought sweet ‘n sour cherry puree to tart cranberry-strawberry musk in a creamy vanilla marshmallow setting.

Briskly sharp hazy IPA, Craig’s Secret, let tangy grapefruit, orange, mango and peach zesting reach creamy vanilla sugaring to contrast herbaceous pine resin.

Waxy floral fruiting coated double dry-hopped West Coast-styled IPA, Big Oyster Boom!, contrasting lemony passionfruit-gooseberry tartness and zesty yellow grapefruit bittering with peachy tangerine tanginess and candied orange licks as resinous pine seeped inside.

Sourly embittered NEIPA, Nectar From the Stars, provided tannic grape wine esters for Nelson Sauvin-hopped passionfruit tartness and Galaxy-hopped orange-pithed grapefruit rind bittering above soft wood tones.

www.bigoysterbrewery.com

CROOKED HAMMOCK BREWERY – LEWES

United States Brewpubs,

Image result for crooked hammock Image result for crooked hammock

LEWES, DELAWARE

Along Kings Highway in the historic sea village of Lewes lies eclectic beach-themed pub, CROOKED HAMMOCK BREWERY, an adventurously fun-filled facility whose ‘perfectly crooked craft brew’ slogan pokes fun at Dogfish Head’s ‘off-center’ catchphrase. In a spacious barn-like complex, this ever-expanding venue serves as a spiffy beer joint as well as a nifty family dining hole. At its gray-shingled entrance, a sand-duned jeep, wood chairs and a hammock capture the proper easygoing beach atmosphere.

Inside Crooked Hammock, the central 30-seat bar services surrounding tables, a separate family dining space and screened-in porch. Along the duct-lined high ceiling, beach buckets and colored ring toss growlers provide further summertime serenity. At the enclosed left side picnic area, a well-groomed garden, rustic patio furnishings and a band shelter capture the eye.

During April ’16, my wife and I grab a table next to the garage-doored picnic access under a wooden American flag to enjoy the Turkey Wrap with seven dulcet homemade brews.

First up, summery ‘signature beer,’ Hammock Saison, shook salty white pepper all over zesty lemon brightener and leathery barnyard funk. Meanwhile, Shoobie Belgian Blonde draped black and white pepper onto lemon-soured orange and tangerine illusions as well as honeyed pale malting and a dainty floral bouquet.

A few more easy drinkin’ suds were next. Mild summer lager, Active Fishing, meshed toasted grain malts with tangy lemon-dried grapefruit, orange and tangerine briskness. Dry earthen peat guided Drive On ESB as caramelized fig and dark floral nuances faded. 

Sedate Backyard Brown (an English Brown Ale) loaded creamy molasses sugaring atop caramel nuttiness and dark fruiting.

Moving into the medium-bodied selections, delightful flagship India Pale Ale, Mootzy’s Treasure, brought dry lacquered wood tones to floral-perfumed grapefruit peel, orange rind, mango and peach tropicalia.

Amiable Haulin’ Oats Milk Stout maintained a creamy milk chocolate sweetness spread across oats-sugared cocoa, vanilla and cappuccino subtleties.

www.crookedhammockbrewery.com

DEWEY BEER COMPANY

United States Brewpubs,

DEWEY BEACH, DELAWARE

Nothing like a rustic shack-like saloon to get thirsty beachcombers and surfers happy. Just a few blocks from the Atlantic Ocean and one mile south of Rehoboth Beach, DEWEY BEER COMPANY keeps this tiny beach community rockin’ with its well-balanced small batch beers. Opened May ’15, this metal and wood furnished pub serves specialized seafood, sandwiches and salads to go alongside its likable liquid fare.

Dewey Beer Company’s low ceilings, small open kitchen, cozy cafe-styled seating, long community table and wood-lacquered bar (with silver brew tanks directly behind) provides relief from the summer heat and a much-needed off-season watering hole for the few hundred townsfolk.

My wife and I settled into Chick Pea Hummus and Plantain Nachos (sour-creamed Cuban picadillo beef, jalapeno, tomato and cheese dip scooped up by fried plantains) while downing nine distinctly varied homemade beers.

One of the first beers crafted at Dewey, sessionable American Pale Ale forwarded floral-perfumed sweetness to tangy citrus subtleties and contrasted dry wood tones.

‘Crushable’ light pilsner, Blonde’s Blonde embraced lemon-limed grapefruit zest and light melon hints over clean-watered mineral graining, utilizing tropical Sorachi, Citra and Galaxy hops to increase its easygoing citric nature.

The more pungent Imperial Blonde’s Blonde picked up dry piney hop resin to embitter its lemony orange tang and sugar-spiced malts, staying just as crisp and clean as its aforementioned lighter version.

Hybridized Amber Batch 2 balanced pale-malted toasted caramel sweetness with dry-wooded IPA-like fruiting without getting too bitter.

Exhilarating Tripel Belgian strong ale laced candi-sugar sweetness thru lemon-spiced banana esters, zesty orange seltzer spritzing, floral hop resilience and peppery yeast herbage.

Easygoing Brown Ale imbued roasted chocolate sweetness with brown-sugared dried fruiting and wispy spicily-perfumed Cascade hops.

Bringing rye-grained Black patent malts to the fore, Do What’s Rye’d (Black IPA) overrode its spicy dried fruiting with coffee-dried dark chocolate tones.

Mocha-bound wintry farmhouse ale, Chocolate Cherry Saison, relied upon spicy French saison yeast to awaken its dry cherry tartness, sweet banana subsidy and chocolate malt backbone.

Cold-infused Sumatra coffee invigorated Mo’s Joe Stout, a smoothly subdued mocha-blackened digestif with light cocoa, chocolate and espresso tones settling above its sugary toasted oats spine.

www.deweybeerco.com

MISPILLION RIVER BREWING

United States Brewpubs,

Image result for MISPILLION RIVER BREWING Image result for MISPILLION RIVER BREWING

MILFORD, DELAWARE

At the back of an industrial mall zone in a silver aluminum building, MISPILLION RIVER BREWING came into existence in the autumn of 2013 when married Delaware natives and co-founders Eric and Megan Williams hooked up with a few interested partners and brewmaster Ryan Maloney to spread their passion for well-crafted homemade beer.

Just beyond Milford’s quaint downtown, this unadorned (as of April 2016) brewery utilizes a rustic cement-floored tap room with 10 bar seats, wood tables, 2 TV’s, Christmas tree lighting, high barn-like ceiling and refrigerator with beer-to-go. Three 15-barrel stainless steel brew tanks are windowed behind the tap room and a few patio tables adorn the adjoining caged yard connected by overhead doors.

Developing over 100 small batch recipes since its inauguration, Mispillion River has continued to beat expectations by keeping the quality of varied suds at a high level. Expect fast expansion for the brewery since its most popular brews (Reach Around IPA, Holy Crap! Imperial Red Ale and Black Tie IPA) have started getting canned on-site and are widely available locally (and reviewed in full at Beer Index).

The lightest draft offerings on my April ’16 rendezvous were citric-splashed Space Otter Pale Ale, a tropical delight with lemony orange zest and light guava-melon-apricot illusions sprinkled atop dank piney hop bittering. Then there was spritzy Diddy Kong, a mild hefeweizen with lemony banana-clove sweetness grazing its oaks-flaked white wheat spine.

Nearly as polite, Reach Around IPA stayed stylistically moderate with its lemony grapefruit-orange bittering and Seltzer-like spritz softened by clean mineral-watered crisping.

A welcome hybrid, winter-spiced Sentman Apple Pie Apple doused its cinnamon apple piquancy with a lightly minted grapefruit-pineapple-orange tang.

Just a tad stronger, ESD Double IPA delivered floral-spiced citrus crisping to pungent pine needling, becoming sugarier as tangy lemon, grapefruit, orange, mango and clementine illusions ascend.

Maybe the finest offering, holiday-seasoned Miss Betty, an easygoing brown-sugared spice ale, gathered subtle vanilla bean, maple syrup and candied pecan adjuncts as well as wispy sweet potato hints.

Made for breakfast, Rise Or Shine Coffee Stout brought coffee-creamed espresso pungency and black-malted dark chocolate bittering to its sugary oats-flaked spine.

For dessert, milk chocolate-y Poundtown Imperial Porter sweetened over time as barley-flaked black malts drifted away to expose the delicious caramel nougat center.

Becoming the first onsite customers at Mispillion River since Covid-19 closed down the state for a few months, my noontime June ’20 venture with wife and dog would lead us to sunny Rehoboth Beach afterwards. But not before trying eight more sassy homemade suds at the rustic covered side deck (with stringed party lights, nautical metal art sculpture and   salvaged furnishings).

Dry corn-buttered pale malts, raw-grained wheat straw rusticity and mild barnyard acridity ushered in pungently earthen Yard Bird, a Euro-styled light lager with hints of musky dried floral herbage.

Briskly floral rosé lager, Ladybug, a quirky hybrid enjoining mild raspberry-pureed rose hips to lemony sparkling champagne spritz, maintained its confectionery sweet-tart snap.

Sweet ‘n sour strawberry zing received hard-candied citric souring and lactic vanilla milkshake creaming for frosty cellar-funked Strawberry Jacuzzi Wild Ale.

A dryer take on a Belgian tripel, Deathly Hallows relegated candi-sugared banana-clove sweetness and peachy quince snips for black-white peppered herbage and musty Belgian yeast funk.

Sharp floral-tinged grapefruit rind bittering and zesty orange peel perfuming rubbed against pungently resinous piney hops for Z-J, a creamy crystal-malted Imperial India Pale Ale hopheads will devour.

Lemon-wedged coffee roast gained creamy vanilla spicing for Seven Swords, an amber-cleared white stout with latent dark-roast hop char crowding cocoa-nibbed dark chocolate malting.

A tad dryer stylistically, Hagrid Imperial Stout let milk-sugared coffee tones infiltrate dark chocolate, espresso and anise whims over maple-sapped oats.

Tarry Blackstrap molasses deepened the dark chocolate, medium-roast coffee and black licorice montage guiding oats-sugared Wonka Bar, a decadent milk stout evoking the toffee-nutted mocha candy bar its named after.

www.mispillionriverbrewing.com

3RD WAVE BREWING CO.

United States Brewpubs,

Image result for third wave brewing co. Image result for third wave brewing co.

DELMAR, DELAWARE

A few miles from the Maryland border just off Route 13 in a nondescript brown aluminum double-wide trailer, 3RD WAVE BREWING took over the space previously occupied by Evolution Brewery (before its great expansion) during September 2012 (and Burley Oak’s second location took over 2020). A cozy cubbyhole-like pub with 8-seat tasting bar, a few stool tables, glass-encased brew tanks, low drop ceiling and wall-strewn surfboards, 3rd Wave concentrates on providing stylishly efficient and well-rounded brews covering a wide spectrum of flavors. And a makeshift patio with picnic benches and cheap party lights attracts the summer beach crowd. My initial visit came in April ’16.

Ostensibly a flagship offering also available in bottles, 3rd Wave 1st Wave IPA tendered a sharp citric-spiced Cascade hop bittering and subsidiary floral-fruited frolic above its crisp barley base. A tad more aggressive, Bombora Double IPA brought its brisk yellow grapefruit tang to the piney hop bitterness contrasting sugary crystal malts.

Sour champagne wining embraced North Bay Sour IPA, a lightly pungent brettanomyces yeast-infected wild ale with lemony grapefruit tartness cresting over acidulated malts.

Like a tart cherry lollipop, More Cherry Lager retained its moderate red cherry sweetness above astringent hop spicing and wheat-honeyed spine.

Sinewy honey sweetened Shoreline Honey Ginger Cream Ale, a delicate ginger-spiced moderation, gained spritzy orange tartness.

Using Big Barrel Bourbon Belgian Quad as its base, 3rd Wave 136 Strong Ale, aged in Cruzen rum barrels, let its lemony orange marmalade tang absorb crystal malt sugaring.

Charcoal-smoked dark roast coffee and dark chocolate syruping received bittersweet blueberry puree lacquering to create the rich ‘n creamy Blue Balls Blueberry Porter.

Dark-roast coffee affluence also pervaded Dawn Patrol Coffee And Cream Stout, a full-bodied mocha dessert for hearty thirsts.

During June ’16 revisit, found five more previously untried libations.

First up, soft-toned light body, Beach Juice Berliner, brought stylishly salty lemon-limed tartness to woodruff syruping, leaving a mouth-puckering lactobacillus sourness at the finish.

Mild Beachbreak Apricot Wheat allowed polite apricot sweetness to pick up fig-dried hop astringency above its honeyed Graham Cracker base. A powdered orange tang reinforced crisp Gibson Orange Wheat, a spritzy seltzer-like moderation with navel orange, clementine and tangerine influence.

Lovely Sandstorm Belgian Tripel coalesced tangy orange sweetness with rum-spiced banana daiquiri boozing and candi-sugared pineapple-mango-cantaloupe juicing to contrast mustily sharp resinous hop bittering as well as salty black-peppered herbage.

Just a tad stronger (at 8.6% ABV), Upstream Strong Ale’s brisk IPA fruiting and bark-dried hop bittering picked up sugared spicing to rally its pineapple, grapefruit, orange, peach and lemon illusions.

 www.3rdwavebrewingco.com

BLUE EARL BREWING

United States Brewpubs,

Image result for BLUE EARL Image result for BLUE EARL

SMYRNA, DELAWARE

Inside a beige aluminum industrial warehouse close to a large Walmart distribution center in the American Revolution-formed village of Smyrna, praiseworthy BLUE EARL BREWING was established during 2014 and opened for business May ’15 (closing September ’23), becoming Delaware’s seventh brewery. Entrepreneurial guiding light, Ron Price, a former home brewer, runs this huge 11,000 square foot operation (with plenty of room for expansion).

Combining Price’s love for (mostly) strong ales and the Blues, his pristine sienna and pale blue-walled tasting room features a pink guitar and other instruments strewn across the duct-exposed, high-ceiling interior. Three community benches and several wall-countered stools sit across from the 10-seat wood-laminated bar.

On my May ’16 one-hour stopover, I got to sample eight exquisite elixirs, though missing out on what may become Blue Earl’s flagship beer, tropical citric-pined medium body, Walking Blues IPA.

Starting with three fine Belgian-styled offerings, the lightest one, Honeysuckle Rose (Belgian Blonde Ale), brought lemon pepper-glazed honeysuckle sweetness to lemony orange zest, peated malt dewiness, dry Hallertau hops and green grape snips.

Intricate Heavenly Joy (Dubbel) layered candi-sugared yeast with toasted caramel malts, subtle citrus hop tones and dried-fruited cherry, plum and raisin illusions. ‘Complex’ Stardust (Tripel), a deceptive 9.5% ABV medium body, hitched its freshly-squeezed orange and lemon tang to white-peppered sugar spicing and terse fig-raisin nuances.

Elegantly detailed Trouble In Mind (Doppelbock) placed crystal malt sugaring and barley-toasted toffee sweetness above reluctant date and fig undertones in a rich, yet understated, manner.

Spicy rye malts inundated Gnarly Red-Eyed Rooster (Imperial Red Rye Ale), a fruity medium body with woody Chinook hops and tropical Cascade-Citra hops illuminated by tangy ruby red grapefruit zest as well as scrappy apple, peach, apricot and tangerine illusions.

Velvety Big Boss Man (Barleywine) allowed tropical fruited sweetness to inundate its chewy caramel-toffee sugaring and cereal-grained malting for a strong 10% ABV uplift.

On the dark side were two well-executed potions. Mightily mocha-smoked Blue On Black (Smoked Porter) retained bold black chocolate-syruped coffee richness above wood-burnt hop char.

But best of all was Top Of The World (Imperial Stout with bourbon vanilla beans). A thick and chewy 9% ABV libation, its prominent bourbon vanilla sweetness gained syrupy brown chocolate licks, roasted caramel sugaring, hazelnut coffee riffs, light espresso dabs and vaporized dried fruiting.

Presently, Gnarly Red-Eyed Rooster is available in 22-ounce bottles while Walking Blues IPA and Honeysuckle Rose are marketed in 6-packs.          

blueearlbrewing.com

DOGFISH HEAD BREWERY – MILTON

United States Brewpubs,

Image result for dogfish head brewery MILTON Image result for dogfish head brewery MILTON

MILTON, DELAWARE

Standing head and shoulders above all their fabulous Delaware competition, DOGFISH HEAD BREWERY is the long-lasting brainchild of highly respected and dutifully diligent brewmeister, Sam Calagione, a worldly zymurgist whose capacious Milton-based complex continually expands to meet international demand for his luxuriously ‘off-centered ales for off-centered people.’

In a multifarious art-deco New World designed complex just off the beaten path in rural colonialist Victorian haven, Milton, the incomparable Dogfish Head compound contains a roomy brewpub, bottling plant, red-bricked warehouse and several large grain silos.

A rust metal treehouse sculpture with winding steps guides privileged customers to the laithe wood-fronted tasting room (with several barrel tables, a quartz-countered bar top and large exposed ducts). A food truck serves bratwursts, but will convert to Cuban sandwiches, Curry Chicken Salade, Reuben and chili menu June ’16.

On my pleasurable mid-afternoon April ’16 venture, I sampled two previously untried elixirs, one enhanced fruit ale and a cask version of one fabulous milk stout.

Firstly, stylistically superior Firefly English Pale Ale delivered oats-sugared Maris Otter barley malting to dewy peat earthiness, grassy hop astringency and floral lemon drops, staying mildly creamy to its mossy finish.

Next, approachable Alternative Takes #1, a sharp piney fruited Imperial IPA, parlayed its tropical pineapple, papaya and passionfruit adjuncts into lemony grapefruit-peeled orange rind bittering, leaving a distant apricot tea remnant.

By upgrading Dogfish Head Aprihop with mango and ginger, the resulting apricot-dried Imperial IPA really gains vigor, from its syrupy peach sugaring, honeyed melon sweetness and cantaloupe-juiced mango tang to its mellow herbal-hopped scamper and bitter grapefruit respite.

For dessert, the lactic coffee bean-enhanced cask version of Chicory Stout hit the tongue softly with its lightly creamed dark-roast coffee entry, heavenly milked espresso undertones, roasted chicory influence and peat-smoked innuendo.

During January ’20 revisit, consumed four brews available onsite only (as of this date).

Rustic light-bodied pre-Prohibition lager, Corn Stalker, allowed oats-dried maize astringency and cereal-grained barleycorn grist to pervade lemon-rotted hop bittering.

Peculiar sour IPA, Kernel Haslet, let bacterial brettanomyces funk soak into lemony perfumed white grape esters, dry lime zest and tangerine snips over its corn grit adjunct and oats-flaked pilsner malting.

Delightful Medieval Dutch-styled Koffee Koyt utilized pilsner-malted white wheat and lemony Hallertau hop musk to back up its light-roast Guatemalan coffee tumult as well as cocoa-shelled Madagascar vanilla beaning.

Heavenly Knob Creek bourbon brought light oak-charred bourbon vanilla sweetness to dry whiskey tones for Assemblage, a barleywine-stout mix draping dark chocolate syrup upon tertiary maple syrup, burnt caramel, toffee and espresso nuances.

On a clear sunny Monday in November ‘ 21, revisited mammoth microbrewer to try five newly designed elixirs.

Rustic clear straw Czech-styled pilsner, Blue Hen, brought barley-husked spelt, alfalfa, maize and wild oats to lemon-peppered Saaz hop herbage in a damp earthen manner.

Crisp Bavarian pilsner, So Flo, brewed at Dogfish Head’s Miami brewery, placed dainty floral-spiced lemon herbage alongside wet grain musk for light-bodied splendor.

Summery fruit ale, Tango Crush, let briny mango souring and tart tangerine zesting gain lightly embittered lemony grapefruit and orange zesting over silken pilsner malt base.

Centrist hazy IPA, Replicant, gathered ripe grapefruit-seeded orange and pineapple bittering for mild piney hop resin above gentle pale malts.

Cold-brewed milked coffee expanse guided Istanbuldozer, a mocha-laden milk stout with mildly creamed black chocolate, dark cocoa, nutty espresso and spicy toffee illusions.

www.dogfish.com

ARGILLA BREWING CO. @ PIETRO’S PIZZA

United States Brewpubs, ,

Image result for argilla brewing openedImage result for argilla brewing pietro

NEWARK, DELAWARE

Boasting the simple slogan ‘tasty suds and laidback grub,’ Newark, Delaware-based nanaobrewery ARGILLA BREWING CO. may’ve come into fruition during February 2012, but brewer Steve Powell’s father manned Pietro’s Pizza since 1978. Starting with a home kit brewing system ’round 2008, Powell became increasingly interested in designing craft beers, inspired partially by Anchorage, Alaska’s Moose Tooth Pub & Pizzeria and Washington State’s eclectic breweries. A former Iron Hill brewer, Powell’s general fare is soft-toned, daintily expressive and well-rounded, pairing well with the tremendous assortment of pizza pies offered.

Inside the red-bricked Meadowood Mall, Argilla celebrated its fourth anniversary recently. A small stage with pink couch and beer list line the right side wall while left side seating and wooden booths surround the central food and bar area. Windowed brew tanks at the left rear served seven approachable ales on my April ’16 lunchtime sojourn. My wife ordered the delectable Arugula Pie to go with my house-brewed samples. Waylon & Willie, Johnny Cash and several other country artists play in the background while several locals start to arrive.

It’s worth noting that Argilla also has a refrigerator full of respectable bottled-canned Delaware beers from Dogfish Head, Fordham & Dominion, 16 Mile, Mispillion River, Third Wave and Blue Earl (all of which I found later on this fun-soaked statewide journey).

By June ’16, Argilla expanded brewing operations from 1.5 barrels to a 3-barrel system.

For starters, easy drinking Blonde On Belgian brought brisk lemon zest to mandarin orange tartness, coriander-spiced banana sweetness and candi-sugared crystal malts.

Next, sweet-honeyed Session Pale Ale mixed lemony grapefruit souring with mildly bitter orange rind tang.

Just as mild, raw-honeyed Golden Goldings gained a subtle lemon spritz over bready malts, herbal hops and vegetal hints.

Bettering those delicate choices was soft-toned Meeting House Pale Ale, the nitro version of Session Pale Ale. Its lemon-pitted grapefruit and orange tartness gained prominence above doughy English yeast fermentation.

Dried oats anchored mildly embittered Toatally Falconer Oat IPA, a polite lemon-limed spritzer with astringent hops guiding piney grapefruit pith briskness to the surface.

‘Fruit juiced’ Flute Luplin, a wildflower-honeyed Imperial IPA, delivered a delightful citric punch above creamy pale malts as its lemony grapefruit and orange tang quietly surged.

Before hitting the road, lovely oats-flaked dry body, Sin City Stout, contrasted light coffee and cocoa bittering with medium-roast brown chocolate sweetness and wispy dried fruiting.

www.argillabrewing.com

ALIEN BREW PUB

United States Brewpubs,

Image result for alien brewpub Image result for alien brewpub

ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO

A galvanizing intergalactic experience, Urban Square’s ALIEN BREW PUB succeeds at being a “low key tavern” with its snickering moniker parodying New Mexico’s secret underground alien base. There’s a diamond-shined flying saucer (shown above) crashing above the resin-topped U-shape bar and a beer-drinkin’ green alien on the left wall welcoming those daring enough to step inside this cosmic Albuquerque-based clubhouse.

Inside a well-kept freestanding corner building with a flat brown stone base and rust aluminum awning, Alien’s extraterrestrial interior features a skylight Cathedral ceiling, ample seating, rear brew tanks, stucco-walled tap handles and 3 TV’s. A cement-floored side deck with black metal furnishings offers outdoor splendor.

Veteran brewer Rich Weber’s relaxing craft brews get complemented by delectable pub fare such, though the daringly heated bacon-wrapped jalapenos with cheddar cheese should be gobbled separately ’cause its a tempestuously terrific tongue burner.

Open December 2015 (in conjunction with Weber’s long-time Moriarty-based Rio Grande and Sierra Blanca breweries), I initially visited Alien for a Sunday April ’16 noon swoon.

Attentive bartender, Rachel, made damn sure my friend Dennis and I tried all 15 diverse house brews while mellowing out at a few centralized bar seats.

Perhaps Alien’s most approachable brew, Crop Circle Wheat contrasted sharp curacao orange bittering against coriander-spiced navel orange tang above the light white wheat base.

Crisply clean Rio Grande Pilsner brought mild Noble hop bittering to German pilsner malt sugaring as well as brisk celery, fennel and radish vegetalia. Refreshingly smooth Galaxy Lager (a.k.a. Outlaw Lager) coalesced caramelized pale malts  with light citric hop dryness.

Sun Chaser Pale Ale (a Sierra Blanca spinoff) delegated caramelized Munich malts to sweeten zesty grapefruit and orange sunniness atop oats-dried cereal grains.

A few other Sierra Blanca-related brews included Alien Amber (the most popular beverage), a barley-roasted moderation with lemony orange fruiting, and the second best seller, Bone Chiller Nut Brown, an English ale yeast-infested medium body with polite grain-roasted coffee and dark chocolate tones.

Two simple, likable India Pale Ales were next. Voluptuous Rio Grande IPA brought bright grapefruit, orange, pineapple and peach tropicalia to syrupy honeyed malts and relegated herbal hop notions. Dryer Area 51 IPA polished its yellow grapefruit tang with soft piney hop lacquer and currant-glazed peach and apricot illusions.

Cascadian Dark Ale, Black Hole IPA, allowed cocoa-powdered dark chocolate bittering to consume copious dried fruiting over its piney hop char.

Pleasant Cranberry Sour may have seemed out-of-step here as the lone sour ale, but its tart lemon-limed cranberry pucker, musky crabapple subtlety and lactic acidulated malting sufficed.

Mild pilsner-infused Poncho Verde Green Chili greeted the tongue with roasted chili peppering atop olive bread crust.

Sweet raisin and fig fronted molasses-sugared Alien Dubbel Belgian while banana bubblegum inundated rum-spiced, white-peppered Alien Triple Belgian.

For dessert, two divergent dark ales hit the spot. First up, stylishly easygoing Imperial Stout leaned on light-roasted coffee overtones to upend nutty chocolate sweetness.

Meanwhile, creamy Milky Way Stout recalled the iconic candy bar by serenading its caramelized chocolate nougat center with vanilla, toffee and dark cherry nuances.

A charming alien-themed pub, this cosmic joint generates a varied crowd of sports fans, businessmen, lighter beer aspirants and lucky New Mexico vacationers.

www.abqbrewpub.com

BOSQUE BREWING

United States Brewpubs,

bb-1-photo Image result for BOSQUE BREWING SAN MATEO

ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO

Just off Route 25 in a beige-pinked stucco mini-mall, ever-expanding BOSQUE BREWING on San Mateo Boulevard was going through remodeling to double its size while completing a major menu overhaul during my initial April ’16 two-hour stopover. Makers of award-winning Scale Tipper IPA (now bottled), Bosque also has a Girard Boulevard Public House and Las Cruces Taproom nearby.

Named for the cottonwood forest bordering the Rio Grande, Bosque sprung to prominence October 2012. Its wooden bar top has the brewery’s insignia etched in. For future expansion, the 20-seat taproom (with eight tables) will be expanded on the right side with 50 more seats available. Brew tanks are located in a separate left room space.

Though Bosque was out of its flagship Scale Tipper IPA, there were 12 more vibrant choices available for perusing as Villanova beat North Carolina University for the NCAA Basketball championship.

Out of the six brews examined this Monday eve, only sweet-tart Fruited Wheat, with its cranberry-soured raspberry rasp and sugared wheat spine, was in limited edition. The rest were virtual mainstays, though as of springtime ’16, Bosque had already crafted 90-plus different beers – many in small batches.

Impressive Bosque Lager retained a brisk off-dry flow with its light milled grain minerality, sugary pilsner malting, and lemony snicker hovering softly above the baked bread spine.

Approachable moderate-body, Brewer’s Boot Amber Ale, brought sweet ‘n sour citrus tartness, light-roasted barley-oats and subtle earth tones to sweet honeyed biscuit malting.

Mild peated Scotch malts anchored Scotia Scotch Ale, a honey-sugared wee heavy with red-fruited sweetness picking up dewy moisture.

Exquisite Riverwalker IPA shined brightly as grapefruit-dried piney hop bittering contrasted perfumed tropical fruit sweetness. A tangy array of pineapple, mango, peach, navel orange, tangerine and passionfruit illusions add sunshine to the yellow grapefruit entry.

Before leaving, mocha-bound dry body, Driftwood Oatmeal Stout, brought oatmeal molasses sweetness to black chocolate, nutty coffee and black cherry illusions.        

www.bosquebrewing.com