Category Archives: United States Brewpubs

DETROIT BEER CO.

United States Brewpubs,

DETROIT, MICHIGAN

In the historic Hartz Building, mainstream downtown venue, DETROIT BEER CO. opened September ’03 and has ties to equally centrist Royal Oak Brewery and Rochester Mills Beer Co. Serving decent Americana cuisine alongside predictable, yet well-rounded, hand-crafted libations, this spacious two-floored space with high tin-tiled ceilings, exposed pipes and prominent brass brewtanks sits across Comerica Ballpark and Detroit Opera House.

A veritable sportsbar with multiple TV’s, Detroit Beer  Co. benefits greatly from its accessible central locale. A front porch area gets set up when weather warms up and a relaxed ambiance suits local businessmen.

Though stylistically underwhelming, each on-site beer had its moments. Farmhouse Pale Ale brought hoppy lemongrass herbage to sweet Belgian yeast sugaring undone by phenol astringency.

Local 1529  IPA provided refreshingly clean floral-bound grapefruit and navel orange zest. Detroit Dwarf Altbier maintained a red ale-like citric spicing and caramelized nuttiness over toasted hop bittering. Semi-sweet brown chocolate malting and roasted hazelnut consumed Brokedown Brown.

Belgian yeast affected best offering, Dark Strong Ale, a Belgian-styled strong ale bending grape-soured stewed prune, raisin and black cherry fruiting into coffee-stained burgundy wining.

For dessert, citra-hopped Yeti Barleywine suited stronger tastes with its candi-sugared fruit zest and fusel alcohol burn.

www.detroitbeerco.com  

GUVNOR’S BREWERY

United States Brewpubs,

  

NORWALK, CONNECTICUT

In downtown Norwalk across the street from another beer-centric gastropub, Ginger Man, elegantly detailed GUVNOR’S BREWERY is the brainchild of owner Tony Aulakh, a former basement-bound home brewer with an eye towards well-prepared standard pub fare and high-end cocktails.

Open September 2013 (and closed quickly by 2014), my wife and I sojourned to this quaint glass-fronted, wood-designed, red-bricked saloon during March ’14 for Sunday lunch. Formerly a candy store, Guvnor’s charming interior includes a 12-stooled bar with three beautiful gycol-cooled Italian-styled Perlick tap stations serving Aulakh’s eclectic in-house ales (plus 2 TV’s, fine wines, upscale liquor and beer grafitti). The sterling glass-encased copper brewtanks behind the bar contain today’s six choices listed in erasable chalk.

Seated at one of the 12 right side tables, we enjoy award-winning clam chowder, fresh fried mozzarella sticks and meaty Guvnor’s Burger alongside the three lightest brews.

Lightly creamed Skinny Jeans Light Pale Lager delicately placed grassy hops next to honeyed cereal grains. Dryer Iron Curtain Pils seemed daintier than most stylistized Czech pilsners, gently flowing forth with honeyed malts and light earthen hops.

Served with an orange peel, easygoing Summer Chill Wheat plied coriander-spiced citric niceties to its fragile white wheat spine.

Approachable Guts & Glory American IPA maintained a moderate grapefruit-peeled bittering to contrast its orange-candied peach-apple-pear spicing and sugary caramel malting.

For dessert, two inspiring dark ales took center stage. Intensely roasted Choc-A-Block Porter brought creamy vanilla-beaned cocoa nibs to the fore, leaving Baker’s chocolate, chocolate liqueur and chocolate eclair undertones in its wake.

Even better, subtle nitro-like Black Magic Stout spread heavenly mocha creaminess across ancillary dark cherry-pureed black grape and blackberry fruiting. Mild black coffee, dark chocolate and dark cocoa illusions simmered soothingly.

www.guvnorsbrewery.com

FALLING DOWN BEER CO.

United States Brewpubs,

WARREN, MICHIGAN

Perhaps less eccentric, over-the-top and wide-ranging as Warren’s two magnificent brewpub staples (Kuhnhenn and Dragonmead), FALLING DOWN BEER CO. nevertheless has a fine lineup of craft brews. Located inside a converted diner and open for biz, March 29, 2013 (but closed February 2018), this blue-topped red-bricked pub maintains a charmingly blue collar appeal serving light Americana food with its approachable liquid fare.

Visited by friend, Dennis Flubacher (who brought back samples to Jersey), Falling Down never tries to be too fancy or audacious, settling for a quaint suburban atmosphere approved by many locals.

During his two-hour dinner stay, Dennis imbibed  six ample samples, starting with easygoing light body, Chiller’s Revenge Amber Ale. Its clean-watered caramel toasting and phenol hop bite may’ve been unremarkable, but it’d suit amateur thirsts.

Next up, Rye My Donkey Rye Saison brought a large yellow-pink grapefruit contingent to Russian rye-breaded pumpernickel flouring and sweet banana-clove undertones.

Perhaps even better, Ninja Chicken American Pale Ale got elevated by an aggressive India Pale Ale-like hop bittering that amplified piney tropical fruiting and zesty orange-peeled grapefruit rind tang.

Royal sour cherry-candied sidestep, Vampire Bunnies Cherry Blonde, offered a tart cherry pucker to crisp crescent-watered freshness.

On the dark side, Cascadian Dark Ale, Black IPA kept its dark-roasted black chocolate malting ahead of mild charcoal hop bittering.

Similar in style, dry Irish-styled FnA Stout worked cocoa-powdered Baker’s chocolate and mild black coffee into clean-watered hop briskness.

www.fallingdownbeer.com

TOP SHELF BREWING COMPANY

United States Brewpubs,

 

MANCHESTER, CONNECTICUT

Located at historic Hilliard Mills in the rustic eastern Hartford suburb of Manchester, TOP SHELF BREWING COMPANY opened its doors during August 2013 – right in the midst of Connecticut’s booming microbrew renaissance (and closed 2014). Distributing product all over the state from a 2,000 square foot warehouse, the three-barrel nanaobrewery has room for expansion.

Taking up the space Onyx moonshine distillery once occupied (and picking up the slack left by the closing of Tullycross Brewery), Top Shelf came into existence when three nearby UConn alumni (home brewer Mike Boney and fellow co-owners TJ Lavery and Joe Frost) gained inspiration from local New England and Back East breweries and decided “it was time to get involved” with brewing on a professional scale.

On my initial one-hour February ’14 Saturday afternoon exploit, the inconspicuous cement-floored tasting room featured samples of various limited edition ales and one winter seasonal as well as three flagship beers (bought for home consumption). Behind the tap room in a seperate space, the immaculate brewhouse puts out the well-rounded selection of generically-named American, Belgian and Irish styled ales.

I reach for Smoked Belgian Ale, an alternate to the regular Belgian, upon entering. Its lightly smoked peat malting, toasted caramel spicing and earthen musk pick up meager orange fruiting. But a lack of true Belgian yeast character hurts.

Three more limited edition brews hit my lips thereafter. Snowed In Imperial Stout brought chocolate-chipped molasses malting to caramel-burnt toffee-cocoa-coconut restraint, creme brulee sweetness and compost-wafted winter spicing.

Village Charm IPA gained floral-perfumed citrus prominence as lemony grapefruit rind and Chinook-hopped resin subtly embittered creamy crystal malts.

Interestingly experimental hybrid, You Be The Judge, an unclassified one-off (?) offered raw-honeyed cider souring to saison-like lemony orange tartness, vinous green grape esters, kiwi-mango-guava tropicalia, fig-dried acridity and sourdough wheat (retaining a crisp watered freshness).

My only problem was that Top Shelf’s Belgian- Style Ale surprisingly had a similar pungent yeast profile as their Irish Style Ale.

For the former, an astringent cider solvency seems to outdo the apple-soured green grape tartness and herbal-peppered guava-kiwi-pitaya tropicalia. As for the latter, a blatantly acrid cider souring overruns the peated molasses malting.

Bottled versions are listed in Beer Index.

www.topshelfbrewery.com

BACK EAST BREWING COMPANY

United States Brewpubs,

  

BLOOMFIELD, CONNECTICUT
Located at a red brick industrial park just outside Bloomfield’s small downtown center next to Dunkin’ Donuts north of Hartford, BACK EAST BREWING COMPANY currently can and keg thier growing inventory of easygoing fare in a 4,500 square foot space. Expanding from a nearby Southington garage, founding cousins Edward Fabrycki and Tony Karlowicz, along with current head brewer, Mike Smith (ex-Mayflower), crafted a few sessionable pale ale offsprings alongside substantial Imperial Stout and Porter stylings during my initial early February ’14 sojourn.
Serving local restaurants with draft beer and offering growlers or canned versions since opening for biz, August ’12, Back East is already one of the Constitution State’s largest microbreweries. A walk-in serving station provides samples of each available brew for the large afternoon crowd.
Upon entering the apartment-sized serving station (with expansive backroom brew area), several local patrons dive into the year-round offerings. First up, light-bodied flagship Back East Golden Ale retained a refreshing soft-watered summertime pleasantry, draping creamy crystal malts with a modicum of lemony grapefruit rind bittering.
With a tad more body and character, easygoing American Pale Ale moderation, Back East Ale, brought floral citrus brightness to sugary malts and herbal celery frisk.
Just as approachable and mild considering its richer style, Misty Mountain IPA caressed lemony orange-peach-pear-apple fruiting with astringent raw-honeyed herbal hops, dry wood tones and wispy 7% alcohol burn.
Enigmatic raw-honeyed seasonal, Back East Winterfest, sprinkled cinnamon atop evergreen-fresh spruce, fern and pine nut illusions as well as perfumed herbal notions.
As for the dark ales, musty coffee-dried Back East Porter gained black chocolate and dark cocoa sustenance above soy-sauced cacao nibs, toffee and walnut undertones. Affluent cocoa-seeded black chocolate roast and reedy hop char ascend above ashen pine-tarred tobacco chaw bittering for Back East Imperial Stout. (Full reviews at Beer Index).

BROAD BROOK BREWING COMPANY

United States Brewpubs,
Image result for broad brook brew  
EAST WINDSOR, CONNECTICUT
In a red-bricked industrial strip mall behind a busy brown-sided billiards hall at Sofia’s Plaza in the quaint Tobacco Valley town of East Windsor, BROAD BROOK BREWING COMPANY occupies the suede-textured walls of an unfinished plank-boarded warehouse. On my initial Saturday evening sojourn, February 2014, Broad Brook reached full capacity as local beer enthusiasts, traveling brew hounds and New York Times scribe Chris Brooks crowded the tiki-lounged central serving station.
My wife and I grab one of the tables across the bar to taste a few generous samples while the bartenders keep busy distributing growlers-to-go.
Owned and operated by three seasoned homebrewers, Broad Brook did well at a few local and national beer contests before opening its doors during the winter of ’13.
The wide ranging beer selection includes flagship, Broad Brook Ale, with its earthen ESB-like morning dew picking up mild perfume-hopped bittering and moldy orange compote above biscuit-y caramel malts.

Light-bodied Chet’s Pale Ale brought honeyed red-orange-yellow fruiting to floral spiced whims for familiar sessionable alacrity. Equally affable German-styled moderation, 6 Balls Alt, prodded dried fig and grapefruit with light peppered hop bittering and toasted caramel sugaring.

Possibly the most intriguing elixir on this cold winter’s night, Pink Dragon Wit offered soft-toned hibiscus flowering to champagne-fizzed lemon zest and saison-like sour fruiting. Its herbal Belgian yeast peppering and cider-sharpened banana-clove-bubblegum whir receded at the doughy bottom.
Homewrecker Holiday Ale plied molasses-sugared coffee tones to cherry-pureed prune, raisin and fig dried fruiting as well as dirty earthen minerality.
For dessert, easygoing Porter’s Porter retained a dry stout likeness as Baker’s chocolate, cocoa nibs, raw molasses and sour cherry illusions flooded its dark-roasted hop char.
Before leaving, picked up growler of Broad Brook Chocolate Oatmeal Stout, a clean-watered English-styled dark ale with chalky cocoa bittering leading the way for oats-roasted dark chocolate malting and spiced iced coffee follow-up. Its nutty bottom heightened the overall bitterness.

FIREFLY HOLLOW BREWING COMPANY

United States Brewpubs,
The Beer Show – Firefly Hollow Brewing Co. – Cygnus Radio
BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT
Residing at a historic factory on a spooky hillside above downtown Bristol, FIREFLY HOLLOW BREWING COMPANY certainly makes the most of its raw warehouse space. Open for business, October 24, 2013, this rustic partner-owned microbrewery takes advantage of its ample size, using a wood-furnished left side lounge (with upholstered benches and exposed ducts) to provide a relaxed vibe across from the 20-seat L-shaped serving area.
Becoming part of a growing Connecticut trend, Firefly Hollow’s conveniently located inside an industrial warehouse plant – just like nearby Broad Brook and Relic. Rad logo-designed black-and-blue pottery mugs and homemade ceramic tap handles welcome visitors to the serving station.
As my wife and I settle in late Sunday morning early February 2014, Elton John’s clap-happy “Bennie & The Jets” plays loudly. We take the two far right chairs closest to the seperate brewing area. Though Firefly Hollow’s popular Toad Stool Oat Stout is out today, there are two fine midrange beers for softer palates as well as one galvanizing porter (even better on nitro) and a unique smoked beer.
The place fills up as I quaff the five ambitious prospects.
Dewy ESB-like mossing and tea-like hop toasting front the dried-fruited Moonrise Amber, a sensible moderation with wispy fig, passionfruit and grapefruit undertones.
Next up, pleasantly light-bodied The Wisp American Pale Ale (the second lightest offering next to the unavailable Ramshackle Golden Mild) brings a gentle caramel-spiced citric spritz to tangy orange-grapefruit-peach sweetness and tropical guava-kiwi-passionfruit souring.
Bourbon-soaked wood chips and Scottish peat malts consume the fine Smokey Moore Scottish Ale, a smooth medium body with mild ruachbier tendencies.
Ecuadorian cocoa nibs bring a subtle complexity to velvety Emily’s Choconut Porter. Nearly majestic, its dark-roasted coffee nuttiness, chocolate-chipped mocha malting, toasted coconut affectations and vanilla-beaned Baker’s chocolate bittering drape the delicate soft-watered backdrop.
On nitro, Emily’s Choconut becomes a softly creamed maple walnut milkshake with coffee-chocolate overtones and wispy dried fruiting.

SHEBEEN BREWING

United States Brewpubs,

  

WOLCOTT, CONNECTICUT

The amazing proliferation of brewpubs and breweries in Connecticut during the past few years has been extremely encouraging. Some of my favorites popping up recently include Cavalry, Back East, Half Full, Relic, Two Roads, Beer’d and nearly a dozen yet to be discovered by 2014.

One of the finest new craft beer operations, SHEBEEN BREWING, opened on Cinco de Mayo, 2013. Inside a red brick warehouse near the west-central city of Waterbury in suburban Wolcott, the parquet-floored, green-walled space features a cozy tap room (with wood tables, two serving tanks, and beautiful cobblestone row-housed Galway-inspired murel) plus expandable right side brewing area.

Entrepreneurial head brewer, Rich Visco, is a mad scientist “combining hybrids with a twist and a new aspect.” And there’s a certain wizardry to his madness. Concocting some of the most enjoyably peculiar elixirs in the Constitution State, Visco initially hooked up with established Harpoon brewer, Scott Shirley, a long-time inspiration who’d help the self-described ‘beer designer’ get off the ground.

Three fully functional direct-fire silver tanks are used to experiment with small batches. And Shebeen recently converted from a one-barrel to thirty-barrel system in less than half a year.

As my wife and I visit in mid-December ’13, Visco’s in the middle of trying an unfinished cucumber-pureed Wasabi Ale. Upon inspection, its soft-toned approachability contrasts rice-wined saki sweetness against horseradish-like sour ale eccentricities and coriander-salted celery plainness.

“I like to be experimental making beers no one else is doing,” Visco explains. “Everyone’s got India Pale Ale’s covered so I’ve taken the next step with many other hybridized styles. We only distribute to Connecticut now, but we’re looking to expand.”

Nevertheless, Visco offers hop-heads busy medium-bodied Royal IPA. Unlike fruited American IPA’s, it’s a peaty British-styled version with chocolate-malted Cascadian Dark Ale likeness reinforced by perky Cascade-hopped yellow grapefruit seeding, black currant tartness and earthy pine resin.

Bettering Smithwick’s similar peated malt fare, Irish Pale Ale counters honeyed apple-orange fruiting with sharp hop spicing and woody hopped florality.

A transcending delight, Cannoli Ale, utilizes unsweetened Girardelli chocolate for a cinnamon-spiced dessert beer with outer-shelled cannoli flavor rocking out above orange-dried tartness, nutty hop astringency and vanilla-creamed nutmeg sweetness. Try it with glass-rimmed powdered sugar for best results.

Bacon Kona Stout brings chocolate-smoked Kona coffee overtones to bacon-greased charred hop spicing. Perfect for breakfast.

Dry cocoa-chocolate malting, dark rye breading, nutty minerality and sharp hop spicing inundate Rye Porter, a full-bodied mocha brew that provides sturdy foundation for truly sublime whiskey-aged Double Rye Porter. Its barleywine-like richness picks up molasses-sapped sherry-brandy-bourbon overtones for ultra-rich dark chocolate creaminess and chewy dried fruiting. Bruised cherry, blackberry, raisin and prune illusions infiltrate the crowded dry rye backbone.

Revisited Shebeen one Sunday afternoon in February ’14 after Hartford area brewpub tour to get two new brews.

Quaint Pineapple Wheat offered lemony pineapple tartness to candi-sugared pale wheat malting and distant peach tones.

Another understated fruit ale, copper-toned Concord Grape Saison, worked semi-dry Concord grape juicing into lemony grapefruit saison souring and black-peppered herbal whims while allowing vinous green and white grape tannins to bring forth soft champagne-wined honey mead spicing.                     

www.shebeenbrewing.com

FREE WILL BREWING CO. – PERKASIE

United States Brewpubs,

Image result for FREE WILL BREWING PERKASIE

PERKASIE, PENNSYLVANIA

Perched between Philly to the south and Allentown to the north, Bucks County’s rural industrial village of Perkasie blends old farmhouses with small mills outside its red-bricked downtown perimeter. Inside a basement warehouse, FREE WILL BREWING CO. opened for business during January 2012.

Originating at a tiny 800 square foot garage before moving into its current spacious 8,600 square foot Walnut Street walkdown, Free Will now sells a heap of growlers, kegs and bottles to the surrounding community.

Established by brewmaster John Stemler and managing partner Dominic Capece, the capacious microbrewery serves free samples to walk-in customers at its raw, cement-floored, 14-draught tasting room. The windowed left side brew tanks occupy only half the remaining space but expansion seems imminent.

Stopping by mid-January ’14 in the late afternoon, I got to enjoy healthy 6-ounce samplers as the place filled up quickly with enthusiastic local minions and travelling beer geeks like myself.

Tasting room manager, Michael Standish, offered friendly tidbits and helpful flavor illusions concerning each beer. He claimed, “I’m a Scotch and bourbon man by heart, but now I also enjoy the art of drinking craft beers.”

His favorite Free Will offering, 7 Course Red, an easygoing Irish-styled medium body, brought roasted coffee and sweet chocolate to wispy caramel-spiced red fruiting.

A few more soft-toned brews captured my attention thereafter.

Destiny’s Wit, a reliable Belgian white ale, scattered mild white-peppered orange and lemon peel bittering across coriander-spiced candi-sugared Belgian yeast and banana-chipped lemon meringue pie.

Another well-rounded moderation, Saison De Rose, gathered lemony pink grapefruit, black-peppered pink peppercorn and ginger-leafed hibiscus for its herbaceous floral-fruited climax.

Despite loading 200-plus IBU’s and 10% alcohol volume into its soft-toned veneer, Sputnik 17 Chasing The Dragon managed to stay deceivingly laid-back for a full-on India Pale Ale. Tropical yellow-pink grapefruit, pineapple and lemon pick up grassy-hopped peach-pear-apple undertones.

Based on the second grain runnings of Black Friday Belgian Quad (an apple brandy-barreled elixir), Sputnik 20 worked well as a hybridized English bitter with crisply clean mineral watering countering earthen dewy musk and murky mocha mustiness. 

After these libations, I bought a 6-pack of fabulous Free Will C.O.B. (Coffee Oatmeal Brown), a nutty coffee-ground roasted dark ale with dry pale-malted hop bitterness contrasting dark chocolate, vanilla, hazelnut and molasses tones (reviewed fully in Beer Index).

www.freewillbrewing.com

VAULT BREWING COMPANY – YARDLEY

United States Brewpubs,

YARDLEY, PENNSYLVANIA

A few blocks away from the Delaware River in the bohemian Bucks County village of Yardley lies VAULT BREWING COMPANY. Opened October 11, 2012, its historic Cathedral-like brownstone frontage and stoic Goth-like visage stand out amongst the rural downtown surroundings.

Formerly a bank with a large vault (hence the name), its metal lattice and bronze-topped tables exude an archaic Romanesque feel further defined by stucco-textured tan walls, plum-hued barroom ceiling, incandescent street lamps, tin crown moulding, mirrored bar canope, mahogany-framed green marble columns and bronze beer tanks (utilized as pizza ovens in the open kitchen).

Besides making fine craft beer, the retired safety deposit boxes contain vintage stored wines. Four brass brew tanks behind the roomy six-seat bar contain today’s five available beers ranging from summer soft to heavily roasted.

Free jazz plays as my wife and I grab a table in the far left corner during lunchtime mid-January ’14. The menu features flatbread pizzas with beer-infused dough, sandwiches, panninis and salads. We settle for the excellent Wild Mushroom Pizza with bleu-cheesed honey, garlic truffle ricotta and caramelized onions.

As for the libations, sunnily upbeat Sorachi Ace Blonde brought herbal citric pleasantries to the fore as its lemon-peeled yellow grapefruit sugaring received mild lemongrass, vanilla and coconut vagaries.

Tropical-fruited Galaxy Pale Ale layered yellow grapefruit, white peach and lemon seed tartness above a pungent grain-toasted hop bittering reminiscent of robust Czech or German lagers.

Truly defining, the milder and less tart second batch of Cherry Dunkelweizen provided ample black cherry puree bluster to banana-clove-vanilla sweetness, dried plum-fig-grape illusions, wheat-honeyed apple ripeness and sharp hop spicing.

Piney grapefruit and pineapple embittered the dark chocolate roast and dried cocoa powdering of stylishly rewarding Cascadian Dark Ale.

For dessert, the smooth nitro version of The Vault’s  Breakfast Stout maintained a luxurious La Colonbe coffee bean roast sweetened by Vermont maple syrup as well as bourbon-tinged dark chocolate, vanilla and cookie dough nuances.

www.vaultbrewing.com

 

FOREST & MAIN BREWERY & PUB

United States Brewpubs,

Forest & Main Brewing Company | visitPA

AMBLER, PENNSYLVANIA

At an inconspicuous corner in a rustic old Victorian homestead with a white-fenched porch near the center of Ambler’s small center of town resides FOREST & MAIN BREWERY & PUB. Open for business since April 2012, the quaint English-styled plank-floored pub sixteen miles north of Philly relies on its cozy ambiance to set the proper relaxed atmosphere. During 2022, the pub expanded its capacity with a second location on Butler Avenue.

Specializing in small-batch British and Belgian styled beers while offering a fine rotating food menu (Roasted Guinea Hen with butternut squash and braised leeks, Croque Madame pork rillette with egg-fried green tomato jam and Parmesan Gnocchis), this Montgomery County hotspot keeps gaining respect.

The intimately candlelit green-walled bar room has four barstools and several chairs along the walls. A private right side dining space and two upstairs lounges get serviced by the backroom kitchen and rear brewtanks. A draught menu to the right of the bar lists three disparate saisons, one cask-conditioned Extra Special Bitter and one mocha-laden dark ale during my initial two-hour mid-January ’14 twilight jaunt.

As Beck’s tantilizing retro-rocker “Hot Summer Girl” emulates from the speakers, I dig into St. Mary’s Saison, an approachable ‘classic’ saison that borders on a golden ale with its crisply dry grassy-hopped citric entry. A wild yeast strain brings leathery barnyard, hay and herbal notions to the resilient lemony grapefruit-orange tartness.

Next up, dry-hopped Farmhouse-styled Saison Aloof brought a fresh floral bouquet to peppery coriander-spiced fruiting. Its lemon-pitted grapefruit-peach-nectarine tartness superceded banana bubblegum whims.

Just as good, sessionable light-bodied flagship Folk Saison draped lemon-soured brettanomyces acidity above compost-wafted lemongrass-peppercorn-wheatgrass illusions and coriander-salted leathering.

Hand-pulled Tiny Tim took British malts on an ESB trail where dewy peat and herbal-tinged grains softly recline atop the dry rye backbone.

For a robustly complex dessert treat, Gmork Imperial Stout lathered creamy molasses-smoked dark chocolate malts across oats-charred hop bittering, soured dried fruiting and oaken bourbon notions, leaving ancillary Baker’s chocolate, roasted coffee, dark cocoa, chocolate cake, hazelnut, anise and toffee illusions in its rich wake.

Perfect as a casual neighborhood cafe or nifty beer-centric destination spot, Forest & Main’s just another welcome addition to the revolutionary 21st century craft beer crusade.

On my second trip to Forest & Main, the brewery, now a seven-barrel nano system, had expanded with an ivy-lined front porch and white subway-tiled right side bar featuring community tables and a small stage. In seven years of operation, the pub’s now crafted over 300 different one-off beers.

Dry Chinook/ Huell Melon-hopped Evening King IPA plied lemony passionfruit, gooseberry and kiwi tartness to orange blossom-honeyed wheated oats with cool assurance.

Pleasantly wheated dark ale, Running Friend, a mixed culture sour saison, let sharply spiced orange-dried lemon rot infiltrate mildly vinous green grape acidity, hard cider bittering and tart plum-prune sedation.

Bright Mosaic-hopped IPA, Secret Kind, allowed lemony orange-candied tanginess to saturate sugary wheated oats, leaving minor wood shavings at the fruited tail end.

Cold-brewed coffee insistence overlaid nuttily-oated Maris Otter malts for casked dry stout, Man & Bear, a lightly creamed sedation with charcoal-stained Goldings hop astringency battling back chocolate brownie residue.

A true community watering hole, you’ll find sundry locals of every race, creed and sociopolitical affiliation at the fabulous Forest & Main.

www.forestandmain.com

HOURGLASS BREWERY

United States Brewpubs,

LONGWOOD, FLORIDA

Pitched between Sanford and Orlando in Central Florida, Longwood boasts one of the finest nano-breweries the Sunshine State has to offer. HOURGLASS BREWERY is the pride and joy of brewers’ Brett Mason and Sky Conley, two beer enthusiasts who couldn’t resist starting thier own neighborhood pub.

Tucked behind an inconspicuous beige clapboard-sided ranch house in a glorified garage just off the main strip, Hourglass may be small, but its everchanging small-batch output (60-plus recipes since mid-2012) matches operations thrice its diminutive size.

It’s barely noon as I arrive at Hourglass for my initial December ’13 sojourn. At the right side driveway is a rustic outdoor patio setup. As patrons move towards the white door entrance, there are a few wood tables and chairs for outdoor quaffing. Upon entering, the taproom features an L-shaped black bar where Mason pours me four pints of homemade ales duirng a 90-minute session.

Snazzy surfboards, framed Florida-bound photos and a stenciled Back To The Future mural bedeck the walls and a beautiful maroon-glowed Salvadore Dali portrait is painted into the jet black ceiling. At the bay window across the glass-encased brewtanks is a drawing of Peter Griffin fighting the chicken in Family Guy.

Hourglass is the perfect little fort-sized hideway. And that’s fine with Mason, whose photos of his own ‘mancave’ a few miles away includes many vintage toys and loads of beer memorabilia, some of which he sold to get the brewery going.

“Why wouldn’t anyone want to start a brewery? It’s a place for friends to hangout and have some good beers,” Mason maintains as I down flagship A Maize Zing Cream Ale, a dry-bodied moderation with light maize-honeyed creaming and slight citrus spicing perfect for summer sessions.

A custom-wood designer by trade, Mason’s well-rounded job profile is reflected in the diversity of the recipes he and Conley craft. One of their best designs happens to be a ‘delectable strawberry, vanilla and Graham Cracker concoction.’

Despite all the one-off projects, the popular What Do You See? Brown Ale, with its sweet nougat center, peanut-shelled hazelnut roast, black chocolate bean bittering and minor hop-charred soap-stoning, can be found on many occasions.

Better still, richly expressive Prestissimo Strong Scotch Ale brought sugary cookie dough sweetness to black cherry-pureed dried fruiting and spicy cinnamon toasting.

Even more fantastic was today’s encore, the barleywine-like Schizandra Belgian Cherry Quad. Melding warm cognac, sweet sherry and dry burgundy into cherry-bruised orange tartness, its chewy caramel malt creaminess seals the deal. 

Not only does Hourglass boast its own fine lineup, but there’s a refrigerator with at least 50 bottled selections. Before leaving, I picked up Beer Here’s Kremlin Crude Russian Imperial Stout, a rauchbier-smoked hybrid with a chocolate chip signature (reviewed in Beer Index).

 www.thehourglassbrewery.com