Category Archives: United States Brewpubs

BURLEY OAK BREWING COMPANY

United States Brewpubs,

87 – Burley Oak Brewing Company in Berlin, MD | Brews Travelers 365   

BERLIN, MARYLAND

Just eight miles west of Ocean City in a former cooperage, Berlin’s BURLEY OAK BREWING COMPANY opened late 2011 to much local fanfare. Entrepreneurial brewer Bryan Brushmiller and ‘head beer-ologist’ Zach Newton surely know their craft, splendidly delivering stylistically robust ales as well as atypical hybrids to the craving public.

After hanging out at the beach for three hours, my wife and I venture to this gray-shingled prefab barnyard for a few pops during 3rd annual Bikes At The Beach weekend, April 2013.

A front glass window with Burley Oak lettering and stenciled oak tree insignia welcomes patrons to the blue-walled interior, where a large U-shaped oak bar with 20 stools and several oak barreled tables are situated. Through the windowed glass behind the bar lies rustic silver brew tanks. On the left side TV, the Washington Nationals are playing ball while I begin sampling the goods.

Perfect as a mild opener, well-named Just The Tip Kolsch brought lemon-seeded blood orange, mandarin orange, tangerine and orange rot to soft floral hops. Then came a host of diligently prepared Belgian style brews.

Belgian yeast from a Trappist monastery gave Dirty Blonde Ale a peppery herbal notion to go alongside sweet crystal-malted banana fruiting. The same yeast provided a candi-sugared sweetness to viscous nickel-hued Brunette Belgian Dark Ale, where mild plum, raisin, prune and plantain dried fruiting beat a path to its chocolate-y coal-hazelnut finish.

Citra-hopped Honey Comb Belgian Golden Ale brought white-peppered lemony orange-grapefruit spicing to sweet honey comb sugaring.

Next came the India Pale Ale selections, starting with Pale Ryeder Rye Double IPA, a fruitful brown-sugared medium body with pumpernickel-toasted caraway seeding overriding grapefruit and orange rind bittering as well as ancillary peach, apple and pear illusions. Darker fruited MOB Barley Black IPA loaded piney citric Simcoe hops atop bittersweet dark chocolate and black coffee.

Another rewarding choice, crisp-watered Barreled Brown Ale clustered maple-sapped praline, pecan and almond alongside toffee sugaring.

Engaging dark-roasted chocolate malting guided Bunker C Robust Porter, settling above hop-charred ashen nuttiness, cocoa-powdered vanilla-cappuccino conflux and floral-dried bourbon-burgundy-raisin snip.  

As for the barrel aged offering, Lower Class Barleywine (matured in Jack Daniels whiskey) carried cedar-chipped maple sugaring and oaken bourbon illusions to a spicy rum-buttered whiskey soothe.

Down the street one mile west of Burley Oak lies Cheers, a fine liquor store with great independent beers from far and wide.

www.burleyoak.com

FIN CITY BREWERY (HOOPER’S CRAB HOUSE)

United States Brewpubs,

OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND

Situated just over the bridge from Ocean City on Route 50, FIN CITY BREWERY has been housed in Hooper’s Crab House (a spacious barn-styled seafood haven) since 2012. A freestanding edifice with gray weatherboards, fire engine red roof and giant red crab insignia, my wife and I sojourned this mammoth restaurant-brewery during the 3rd Annual Bikers On The Beach weekend, April ’13.

Entering from a wood-planked deck, we ate dinner at the raised section to the right of the bar. In the middle dining area, several cool antiques appear, including a single propeller aeroplane, chopper motorcycle, Dale Earnhardt’s one-time practice car and scattered nautical ephemera. Ancient copper tanks on the balcony level stored brewer Vince Wright’s sessionable suds.

As our drunken mussels, steamed clams, cream of crab soup and moon rings (fried mozzarella with onion rings) got served, I dug into Fin Light, an easygoing dry-bodied pale ale with grassy Saaz hops tingling buttered popcorn, baked bread and maize illusions.

Next up, polite Sneaky Wheat brought mild orange peel bittering to subtle banana-clove-coriander nuances and carameilzed white wheat breading.

As the sun sets on the bay, I quaffed stylistically robust Jackspot Amber, a sharp Fuggle-hopped orange-spiced medium body with caramel-roasted malts and biscuit-y baguette backdrop.

www.hooperscrabhouse.com

BLUE POINT BREWING COMPANY

United States Brewpubs,

  

PATCHOGUE, NEW YORK

Located in Patchogue’s industrial section one mile southeast of Brickhouse Brewery on River Street lies medium-scale craft beer operation, BLUE POINT BREWING COMPANY. Proving to be ‘way cool’ with their free Saturday afternoon 3-sampler offerings and covered outdoor deck, Blue Point was founded in 1997 by avid home brewers Mark Burford and Peter Cotter. Besides having an expansive bottling line, these motivated craftsmen aim to please the local minions that put ’em on the map.

Inside a pale blue garage-like shack, Blue Point’s green-walled tasting room features eighteen tap handles on three fountain heads plus a gorgeously tiled bar top (with sketches of ancient Middle East zymurgists, Abbey monks and brewing regalia), two pews and one large refrigerator (with bottled selections to go).

Joining the casual atmosphere amongst cousins and friends, April 2013, my wife and I order our samples and grab the table across from the bar. Served from the large silver vats located in two separate adjoining rooms, each tapped offering found its own pleasant niche.

First, fruit-dried Spring Fling picked up bitter grapefruit-orange tones and sugared fig-date illusions atop a firm wood-hopped base.

Next, citric-bound Mosaic IPA brought lemon-pitted navel orange, mandarin orange, tangerine and marmalade fruiting to brisk piney-hopped bittering.

As our clan moved outside to the deck area, I reached for the robust Oatmeal Stout, with its oats-flaked toasting and smoked chocolate malts contrasting coffe-roasted hop charred bitterness. Molasses-glazed walnut and hazelnut as well as sour black cherry undertones filled out the backend.

For an amazing pre-dinner closer, sipped Old Howling Bastard (2013 limited edition). A 10% alcohol barleywine based on No Apologies Imperial IPA, its cherry-pureed dried fruiting and creamy caramel malting sweetened rum raisin, sugar plum and honey nut undertones.

www.bluepointbrewing.com

HARDYWOOD PARK BREWERY

United States Brewpubs,
 
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA
 A virtual godsend for the city of Richmond, HARDYWOOD PARK BREWERY resides inside a luxurious 12,000 square foot red brick warehouse in the light industrial section of the former German brewing district. Co-founded by enthusiastic New York transplants Eric Mc Kay (Fordham business grad and creator of GreatBrewers.com) and Patrick Murtaugh (Masters of Brewing at Munich’s renowned Doemens Academy), Hardywood Park takes its name from an Australian sheep station where the pair first discovered hand crafted beer in 2001. Open since October 2011, this outstanding brewhouse bottles, kegs and serves growlers to go.
On my February ’13 journey, a blackboard lists today’s available tapped beers and a community table just to the left of the entrance sports a flatscreeen TV. Glass-encased brew tanks and wooden barrels behind the serving station hold various full-time, one-off and seasonal brews. To the right side, a gray-floored room with high ceilings, exposed pipes and metal beams features a growler filling station and food stand (with cheeses, croissants and locally grown foods).
Hardywood Park serves four libations from its atrium taps. One’s a Belgian styled staple that’s put thru a Randal tube dispenser with fresh fruit and vegetables and the other two are related dark ales.
Sitting at one of the couches to the left of the tap room, I get ready to throw back my 6-ounce samples amongst a litany of beer enthusiasts. One of ’em is a native New Yorker who attended Richmond University. We get to talking while I sip on my first offering.
A zesty citric effervescence brightens the white-peppered grassy hop spicing and Belgian yeast cellar musk of Hardywood Singel (Abbey-style Blonde Ale). Its tangy grape-skinned tangerine, navel orange, pineapple, melon and banana sweetness contrasts lemon-rotted peppercorn, coriander and dank cannabis resin.
Put thru the Randal dispenser (with fresh lettuce plus lemon and orange slices), the fruitier tapped version softens its funky Belgian yeast attributes and tones down the Cascade-hopped carbolic fizz, leaving a fresher citric frisk to mellow out the buttery biscuit bottom.
On the dark side, Hardywood Sidamo Coffee Stout loads Ethiopian coffee (from local Lamplighter shop) atop serene caramel-malted milk chocolate creaminess. Its roasted coffee bean bittering picks up dark-spiced dried cocoa, molasses, toffee and hazelnut undertones for a soothingly approachable Russian Imperial.
For this wintry cold day, the most worthy libation is the fascinating one-half Bourbon Cru and one-half Sidamo Coffee Stout concoction simply known as Brian’s Barrel Blend. Its creamy bourbon-soothed mocha contour outlines sour raspberry, brambleberry and dark cherry fruiting. Dewy peat mossing soaks into the chocolate-covered blueberry center (where tertiary raisin, red grape, oaken vanilla and pecan nuances reside).
While in Richmond, don’t forget to pick up beers at Once Upon A Vine (www.onceuponavine.us), owned by beer enthusiast Robert Kocher. I picked up several cool local brews by Williamsburg Alewerks, Devil’s Backbone, Center Of The Universe, Lost Rhino, Blue Mountain, 16 Mile and O’Connor.

HALF FULL BREWERY

United States Brewpubs,

 Half Full Brewery - Stamford, CT - Beers - BeerAdvocate

STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT

Plopped into a light industrial complex right off major corridor, Route 95, Stamford’s HALF FULL BREWERY was the brainchild of entrepreneurial zymurgist, Conor Horrigan. Open for business, September ’12, Half Full’s raw white-walled space (with exposed pipes and metal fixtures) offers enough square footage for future expansion.

As I enter through the inconspicuous front door in early January ’13 for a one-hour stopover, the rustic interior where the tasting room resides is completely empty except for a wall-bound brewery insignia, blackboard with flagship beers listed, Tap Map (instructing customers where to get the brewery’s suds), silver stooled tables and two wood community tables.

Down the hall lies the high ceiling brewing space, an unassuming echo-drenched room with silver brew tanks across the temporary serving table. My wife chats with two post-collegiate femmes as I try Half Full’s four fine offerings.

Next to newfound mega-brewery, Two Roads, and decades-old standby, Cottrell’s, this fully-formed operation stands as the third biggest Connecticut brewery.

“We didn’t want to have to scale up immediately,” multi-faceted chief beer organizer Jordan Giles explains. “We have four 40-barrel tanks and room for at least eight more 40-barrels or 60-barrel tanks.”

While Two Roads, twenty miles north, is a multi-million dollar operation with large East Coast distribution, Half Full serves the local community with kegs and growlers to go.

“It’s Conor’s baby,” Giles admits. “He wasn’t happy in his Wall Street job and found it unfulfilling. He wanted to bring people together. After being a home brewer, he worked at New England Brewing for one year with Rob Leonard. Then, he got an MBA and wrote our business plan.”

One of their best clients is Coalhouse Pizza – a beer-centric pizzeria a few miles west. Word is spreading quickly.

As we converse, I settle into the splendidly easygoing sessionable flagship blonde ale, Bright Ale, a pilsner-evoking Vienna-malted moderation with grassy-hopped lemony grapefruit florality and honeyed grain sublimity caressing the soft white-breaded spine.

Next up, simply named fellow flagship, India Pale Ale, utilized dry rye malts to deepen the piney citric profile, earthen peat dewiness and juicy Cascade hop-oiled orange and grapefruit bittering (as well as ancillary pineapple, peach, mango and passion fruit tropicalia).

As a collective, Half Full’s handful of employees all brew. Test batches are made on a half-barrel nanosystem.

“When I heard Conor was interested in brewing, we went for a run and grabbed a brew at (local hotspot) Brennan’s. It’s a famous hole-in-the-wall tavern from the 1800’s. Conor had investment money and just got this space. They were installing tanks when I arrived. We did three months of construction before brewing began,” Giles confides.

A sessionable seasonal from an “unplanned batch” gets poured post-haste. Not far removed from a toasted lager, the one-time InAugur Ale, blends sourdough breaded Vienna malting with grassy-hopped mineral graining and airborne whey-alfalfa-wheatgrass, gaining lemony orange tartness down the stretch.

“All our beers are slightly hybridized. Bright Ale’s a blonde ale hybrid. The IPA’s rye malts taste different than the stylistic standard. We’re doing an amber ale tasting tomorrow to see which recipe is best. Plus, our chocolate coffee brown’s not a stout or porter,”  Giles says as he smiles.

Before heading to dinner at nearby SBC, I sample the above-mentioned Chocolate Coffee Brown Ale, a nifty collaboration with a local Darien coffeeshop. Its mild ground coffee roast brings sourness to brown, dark and Baker’s chocolate malting as well as molasses-sapped Brazil nut, hazelnut and walnut illusions (plus dark toffee snips).

“Our work is still not done,” Giles concludes as he fills a few growlers. “The front space will become the main tap space soon. Then, we’ll fill out the back.”

www.halffullbrewery.com

TWO ROADS BREWING COMPANY

United States Brewpubs,

STRATFORD, CONNECTICUT

Becoming the Constitution State’s biggest brewery at birth, TWO ROADS BREWING COMPANY occupies a mammoth red brick warehouse previously housing metal factory, US Baird. Just off Route 95 between New Haven and Bridgeport, Two Road’s impressive 100-barrel system bottles, cans and kegs four original staples and a host of seasonals, specialties and one-offs also served at the spacious 3,000 square foot oval-shaped bar up the stairs from the rustic brown-wooded right side entrance.

Headed by renowned Southampton brewer (and former New England Brewing associate) Phil Markowski, and helped along by local assistant brewer, John Rehm, the master craftsmen have created some well-balanced recipes that push the limits without losing focus. Four banners hanging over the centralized two-storey brew tanks sport the names of each signature beer conveniently available on tap for all to sample alongside light snacks. By 2015, two food trucks, a picnic area, growler station, hop yard shed and beer-accessory shop had been added to the expansive property.

A month after celebrating their long-awaited December 18th soft opening, I sojourned to this renovated landmark on a wintry January ’13 afternoon. Sitting next to the keg handles under long pendulum lights, I dig into the fine samples (fully reviewed at Beer Index) while classic rock echoes thru the crowded draught room.

My session begins with perfectly pungent Ol’ Factory Pils, a musky German-styled pilsner with lemon-candied tartness draping resinous grain-husked earthiness, dry-hopped bitterness and toasted rye malting.

Moving forward to a slightly more complex offering, Belgian candi-sugared Workers Comp Saison gained a tangy tropical fruiting above flaked rye, dried oats and straw wheat. White-peppered pineapple, banana, mango, peach and passion fruit illusions increase intensity.

Then, two contrasting India Pale Ales take center stage. For lighter thirsts, Honeyspot Road White IPA brings lemon zest, lemon curry and marmalade tones to white-peppered floral spicing.

Seasoned hopheads will prefer briskly assertive Road 2 Ruin Double IPA, a ‘hop-centric’ full body layering ample yellow grapefruit rind bittering above woody Cascade hop acridity. Ancillary apricot, pineapple, mango and tangerine fruiting deepens the attack.

On tap during the holiday season, a limited edition Biere De Garde simply named Holiday Ale, maintained an easygoing soothe (but drifted a tad from its traditional French farmhouse styling). Crystal-malted cinnamon toast, spiced tea, ginger and vanilla illusions battled for ground against a backend alcohol burn.

An instant success thanks in part to its highly accessible location, Two Roads’ lofty 100,000 square foot brewery has quickly expanded Connecticut’s beer-friendly landscape.

Following Boston trip, March ’21, revisited Two Roads to consume three newish sour-leaning fruit ales and one offshoot rye-aged stout.

Two totally tart ‘Tanker Truck’ kettle-soured ales led off, each featuring a salty lemon-limed Seltzer dryness. Passionfruit Gose let acidic citrus salinity wash over rhubarb-licked passionfruit tartness.

Meanwhile, Clementine Gose indulged lemon-peeled clementine salting with fizzy tangerine-pineapple snips.

Easygoing sour wheat ale, Peach Jam, left spritzy peach tartness in the dust as lemony hibiscus salting approached.

Mellowly creamed coffee-roasted whiskey tones topped Espressway Rye Barrel Aged Stout, a dryer variant with milked espresso tones and sugared maple oats softly punctuating its bourbonized rye finish.

www.tworoadsbrewing.com

TIRED HANDS BREWING COMPANY

United States Brewpubs,
   Tired Hands Brewing Company - Absolute Beer
ARDMORE, PENNSYLVANIA
After taking a three-hour break following Farmer’s Cabinet perusal, we head out on a chilly winter’s eve, December ’12, to the sleepy village of Ardmore (ten minutes west of Philly) to initially visit well regarded TIRED HANDS BREWING COMPANY. Open for business in June, this cozy two-story red-bricked pub is located just a few steps from the rustic downtown area.
An impressive array of mostly dry-hopped saisons, lagers and pale ales with boundless complexities are available, yet only two remain staples thus far. The remainder are high quality one-off limited edition elixirs experienced brewer Jean Broillet (originally from West Chester’s Iron Hill and Weyerbacher) concocted for the short term but hopefully will revisit in the future.
Packed to the hilt on this Sunday evening, we grab a few seats next to the eight tap-handled fountain at the right side elongated bar. Across the 15-stooled bar are four left side tables along the green window-shuttered maroon wall. A small Sunfire heater cooks up a limited food menu featuring fresh breads, homemade dill pickles, cured meats and cheeses from local farmsteads. Bronze fermentation tanks located at the rear serve Broillet’s imaginative creations.
A crowded second floor with 12 dining tables, V-shaped bar and stairwell-sided food menu perfectly suits the young families, partygoers and businessmen that gather here during the weekdays. Tonight, many preppy post-collegiates and local denizens of every stripe stop by for dinner or to fill up growlers on the go.
Both Tired Hands staples prove to be fruitful successes and were poured by enlightened assistant brewer, Colin “Magick Man” Mc Fadden, a self-proclaimed Renaissance man with steep beer knowledge.
Elegant Hop Hands Pale Ale brings zesty citric-spiced crystal malting to the fore, as grassy-hopped lemon meringue, yellow grapefruit, kiwi, pineapple and marmalade illusions get backed firmly by peated minerality. Not far removed from New York’s Empire Cream Ale, its delightful soft-bodied warmth and creamy eggshell head will please light thirsts as well as heartier palates.
Dried-fruited Farm Hands Four Grain Saison regaled brisk orange rind bittering and bruised lemon-rotted sourness with barnyard-like earthen graining.
The Clash’s fiery “Spanish Bombs” plays loudly in the background as three more rounded saisons pique my interest. Motueta -Single Hop Saison kept its dry-hopped herbaceous florality, lemon-puckered grapefruit souring and earthen white peppering above wood-parched hop bitterness. Mocha-bound Yes Yes Yes Killing The Ego Dark Saison seared beechwood-smoked habanero peppering into maple syrupy Ecuadorian cocoa nibs, dark chocolate and powdered cocoa notes.
Better still, sour brettanomyces-funked Domo Black Rye Saison plastered puckered lemon seed tartness onto vinous white grape tannins as well as stove-burnt coffee and peanut-shelled walnut above molasses rye breading.
Two stylishly differentiated lagers stood out as well. Light-bodied yellow-paled California Uber Helles Hoppy Lager seeped tangy lemon, grapefruit, orange, apricot and kumquat fruiting into juniper hop bitterness.
On the dark side, Deep Sleep Black Winter Lager placed wood-charred dark-roasted graining and pine-needled bittering atop nutty dark chocolate-y cocoa nibs.
Another worthy offering, Falco’s Mirrored Flight IPA contrasted floral grapefruit-peeled orange rind, lemon zest, peach and pineapple tropicalia and mild bark-dried hops against creamy crystal malts.
Hooked on making well-ranged small batch beers for an increasingly mesmerized audience, Tired Hands truly is an outstanding cafe-styled pub in the laid-back suburbs of west Philly.

ROUND GUY BREWING COMPANY

United States Brewpubs,

LANSDALE, PENNSYLVANIA

On a dangerously snowy Saturday at noon, December ’12, my wife and I leave Jersey and venture South towards Philly. Before landing there, we stop by Lansdale, a quaint industrial town 25 miles northwest of Philadelphia that houses ROUND GUY BREWING COMPANY. Owned and operated by a Penn State and Notre Dame grad, the tap room opened for business in June.

Located at a diminutive art space just off Main Street behind a pretzel place, the pale blue-walled boutique pub (with dramatic ebony ceiling) keeps it simple with a light food menu, sofa lounge, popcorn machine, TouchTone jukebox, electric dartboard, small TV and easygoing sessionable ales.

Sitting at the bar directly in front of the tap handles, we order the bratwurst (cooked with Doppelbock), Grilled Ham & Cheese with hot-peppered provolone and The Bird (turkey, cheddar, bacon and Ranch dressing on sourdough bread). These menu items go fine with the lighter selections on the beer menu above the wood bar.

“We had been corporate and were both tired of our jobs,” PSU grad Rich Diliberto explains as my samples get poured. “We wanted to try something different. I called Scott (Rudich) one night and said we should start a bar or a band. Since we didn’t play any instruments, we decided to open a brewery. A few weeks later we got a home brew kit. Our second batch won first prize for an Octoberfest. Our stout even won a local contest.”

Getting the ball rolling by 2011,  Diliberto and Rudich waited for permit approval while perfecting their craft further, leading to a host of stylistically diverse libations.

“I’m a big fan of German lagers,” Diliberto says before proving his case with Round Guy Doppelbock. Its peated dewy earthiness and plum-sugared toffee malting allow wintry nutmeg-cinnamon-coriander spicing to emerge alongside whiskey-dabbed black cherry, raisin and date illusions (as well as chestnut, pine nut and praline).

At this point, Buffalo native Rudich chimes in as I down the beige-hazed, lemon-puckered, limestone-salted, white wine-soured Berliner Weisster (a lactic brettanomyces-affected light body with dry barnyard funk that really shines when raspberry or woodruff syrup gets added).

The Golden Domer recalls, “My dad drank Old Milwaukee and Piels. We lived a few minutes from Canada and drank lots of Molson and Labatts, the better Canadian versions with a more challenging flavor. The first legitimate 6-pack I bought was Pete’s Wicked Ale. Though the beer of choice at college was Miller Red Dog.”

Getting into Belgians and Guinness, the first beer that really ‘wowed’ Rudich was Theakston Old Peciulier, followed quickly by Morland Old Speckled Hen. Currently, he’s trying to keep up with the demand for his own Pennsylvania suds.

Three soft-toned Belgian stylings capture my attention at this point. First, there was Buh Nanan Hammack Saison, with its saltine-crackered banana-clove entry, white-peppered lemon pucker and light alcohol burn.

Next, candi-sugared Chubby Bob Dubbel brought subtle plum-dried banana sweetness to its honeyed wheat base. 

Moisson Saison, a mellow cask ale, offered Citra-hopped orange souring to tart lemon-limed Granny Smith apple, cherry and mango illusions (as fusel alcohol notes embitter the backend).

Though the cocoa-powdered cherry-tart Chocolate Pooch just kicked, bittersweet Fuzzy Muttness Stout filled the gap for dark ale lovers with its black chocolate-sweetened dark toffee entry, oats-charred coffee roast and dry rye malting as well as tertiary bourbon, molasses, vanilla and licorice dabs.

Dry India Pale Ale fruiting, resinous hop-charred grains and chocolate malts enveloped Alpha Black Back, a Black IPA deepened by Blackstrap molasses, licorice and currant undertones.

Finally, as the food finished and the snow continued to fall, I got around to possibly the most approachable ale on tap. Soft-toned Mini-Bob Belgian Pale retained a black-peppered earthen dewiness and rye-spiced dried fruiting.

A milk stout and new porter are being brewed for January as well as an apple brandy barrel-aged saison and rum-barreled IPA.

Tired Hands, another fascinating 2012 find located 25 miles South, may craft richer elixirs, in general, but those looking for milder moderations may lean towards Round Guys.

ww.roundguysbrewery.com

BEER’D BREWING COMPANY – STONINGTON

United States Brewpubs,

STONINGTON, CONNECTICUT

Arriving a bit early for Saturday’s 1 PM pouring at BEER’D, I stroll around the old storage and arts warehouse this new 3-barrel brewery in Connecticut’s seafaring Stonington calls home. Amongst the art galleries and photography studios at the Velvet Mill, Beer’d is the pride of owner-operator Aaren Simoncini, a Rochester Institute of Technology grad whose boutique nanobrewery opened belatedly due to the loss of electricity during Hurricane Sandy. Despite the historic storm’s northeast devastation, Beer’d began serving the local community by mid-November 2012. Upon my mid-December visit, three flagship beers are out strictly because of the storm’s impact.

Starting as a homebrewer, Simoncini (an accountant by day) thought about getting a loan for a larger brewing setup, but decided to keep his ambitions small, settling at this rustic white-walled, gray-floored space for the time being.

A few couples (one with a German Shepherd) and a single male drop by for growler refills while the courteous Simoncini pours me some samples. My wife and daughter head down the hall to a furniture restoration shop as I grab my first sips.

Appealingly casual chartreuse-hazed Whisker’d Wit did a fine job emulating the bright fruited Belgian style, despite purposely leaving out coriander (a key ingredient). A dainty candi-sugared curacao orange peel theme spread across its hop-spiced lemon zest, carbolic Gose-like salting and wheat-honeyed Munich malting. Citric tangerine, navel orange and clementine undertones and a wavering banana sweetness filled out the sourdough back end.

When Beer’d gets rolling full strength, other flagship beers to look for include Midnight Oil Oatmeal Stout and Anomaly Black IPA. There is a Belgian Tripel planned as well.

Anyway… my friend Dennis sojourned to Beer’d during April ’13 and got two more delectable libations. Coarsely rich Beer’d American Brown Ale tossed dark-roasted coffee bittering at dry hop-charred earthen peat, peanut-shelled walnut, Blackstrap molasses and lemon-peeled souring. Gaining acceptance by more robust thirsts, this fine offering still took a backseat to one of the best Imperial India Pale Ales in New England.

Crisply fresh Beer’d Epiphany Double IPA brought brisk piney citrus brightness to soft-watered floral spicing in a totally seamless manner. Juicy pink grapefruit, navel orange, blood orange and tangerine fruiting led the way for this truly approachable classic.

During quick June ’13 stopover, picked up growler of Beer’d Realization Double IPA, a distinct full-bodied charmer with succinct orange-peeled grapefruit bitterness lacquering mineral-grained piney hop bitterness as well as brisk red apple, brown pear, tangerine, pineapple and plum illusions.  

Found two more incredible Imperial India Pale Ales while stopping by for half-hour, March ’14. Triumphant hophead delight, Beer’d Vegemite Sandwich DIPA, hid its massive 9.5% alcohol whir below delicious yellow grapefruit-peeled pineapple tang and bitter wood-dried juniper hop bite. Tertiary lemon rind, navel orange, clementine and lime illusions got sweetened by sugary crystal malts.

Utilizing the same sunny citrus template, the equally compelling Dogs & Boats DIPA gained a tropical assertion to go alongside its lusty yellow grapefruit aromatics and candied pineapple-orange-berry insistence. Crisply clean-watered Citra/ Mosaic hop influence brings springtime freshness to the brute citric force.

Also bought growler of cocoa-chalked Midnight Oil Oatmeal Stout, a solid-bodied dark ale with oats-charred brown chocolate malting and dark-roasted hops inundating dry burgundy wining, coffee-oiled bittering, burnt toast acridity and sour soy snips.

www.beerdbrewing.com

GRISWOLD INN

United States Brewpubs,

ESSEX, CONNECTICUT

In rustic seafaring village, Essex, a stones-throw from the marina, lies historic GRISWOLD INN. Its colonial-styled white-painted exterior and forest green shutters bring a Classical provincial appeal to this landmark 1776-built restaurant-hotel.

Old wood furnishings and dozens of framed nautical photographs line the multi-room facility where several private Christmastime parties take hold this Friday afternoon in mid-December ’12. My wife and I settle behind the Tap Room in the caliginous dining area to enjoy hummus and clam chowder with Griswold Inn’s one and only perfectly centrist beer.

Not sure who truly brews Griswold’s proprietary Revolutionary Ale, but its pleasant red-orange fruit spicing and creamy honey-roasted caramel malting contrast the wispy vegetal-tinged sea-salted hop bite in a very demure manner.  

For wine lovers, several worthy pinot grigios, pinot noirs, Chardonnays, Merlots and Sauvignons are available. Enjoy the Essex Steam Train and Riverboat when in town as well.

www.griswoldinn.com

HOPCAT

BEER PUB, United States Brewpubs,

HopCat - Grand Rapids Restaurant - Grand Rapids, MI | OpenTable

GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN

In the heart of Grand Rapids at the first floor of a surplus box warehouse just down the street from the newly renovated Grand Rapids Brewing Company lies the absolutely essential HOPCAT. Serving 48 revolving tapped beers along with a phenomenal bottled and canned selection, not to mention their own worthy craft brews, this unassuming midwest watering hole may be America’s best brewpub.

As Grand Rapids quickly becomes one of Michigan’s greatest cities for finding a large assortment of fascinating local, national and international beers, this midsized corner saloon certainly leads the way. Open for business in 2009, Hopcat will impress even the snottiest beer enthusiasts.

Visited November ’12 with long-time friend, Paul Garone, and his new pug puppy, Spanky, we hung out at the left side enclosed porch (with four community tables, porch furniture and sconce lights) to try three on-site brews over a late Friday night dinner.

As we enter from the bluegreen exterior, the gorgeous mahogany bar is packed as the Doors wondrous “Light My Fire” blasts above the noisy din. Sidled by opposing TV’s, the bar’s set up across left side community tables separated by mid-room stool seating. Brew tanks in the rear ready three to six in-house beers at any given time.

For a more intimate atmosphere, an upstairs lounge with couches, tables and food service is available for the lunch and dinner crowd and accessible by climbing the rustic yellow-walled stairwell where Jazz posters, a Gueuze Kriek Lambic poster, Beck’s Beer emblem and Mort Subite beer tray decorate the walls across overhead shelves full of vintage beer bottles.

As I settle into a moist talapia sandwich, my buddy Paul delights in the fish ‘n chips while sitting on the porch. Our very attentive waitress Renee relays stories about Hopcat and its first-class beers while advising us on cheap hotels and craft beer stores.

For an opening salvo, Hoppopotamus American IPA plies a tropical fruit punch to its peppery floral-pined juniper hop bite. Brisk orange, lemon and grapefruit peel bittering securely contrasts lively peach, pineapple, mango and quince ephemera above sugary wheat-cracked crystal malting to its salty bottom.

MGMT plays on the stereo as I dip into Hopcat Breadwinner ESB, where wood-lacquered floral-perfumed hops and orange-oiled citric niceties recede to a dry rye malt setting.

For an after dinner relaxer, Hopcat American Porter with Ghost Chilis truly sufficed. Its backend chili pepper burn worked its way through hop-charred black coffee, oats-flaked dark chocolate and pureed black cherry illusions.

A must-go destination spot for all brew mongers, Hopcat never fails to deliver quality libations. Just take a look at the copious amount of unique Michigan-based brews on tap during my initial visit:

Local hand pulled draughts included Arcadia Cannonball Gold, Brewery Vivant Big Red Coq, Founders Porter, Michigan Sunshine and Short’s Kind Ale.

Regular stateside draughts included Arcadia Hop Mouth Pale Ale and Warcraft Black IPA, Atwater Grand Circus IPA, Bell’s Lager Of The Lakes and Oarsman, Hideout Helles Bock, Jolly Pumpkin Bam Bier and ESB Bam, Odd Sides Citra Pale Ale, Perrin Ale, Right Brain Shadow Watcher Stout and Saugatuck Bonfire Brown Ale as well as multiple selections from Short’s (The Curl; Good Human; Woodmaster; Huma Lupa Liscous; Liberator; Black Cherry Porter; The Wizard; Uncle Steve’s Irish Stout; Cup A Joe Coffee Cream Stout) and New Holland (15th Anniversary Ale; Beehive Triple; Farmhouse Hatter; Four Witches; Black Tulip).  Fascinating!

www.hopcatgr.com

BREWERY VIVANT

United States Brewpubs,

GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN

Inside an ivy-vined red brick church (with green trim) on Cherry Street at the outskirts of Grand Rapids, Belgian-inspired BREWERY VIVANT fits perfectly within its quaint neighborhood. Open since December 2010, this sacrilicious stain-glassed sanctuary with a 20-barrel system serves not only a wide variety of in-house tapped beers but also a bunch of canned versions (for sale on-site or at local beer stores).

Accessing the chapel entrance, my friend Paul and I reach the 12-seat altar bar through a promotional lobby (where canned beers, clothing and ephemera are sold). Several rustic community tables, hanging lanterns and corner booths decorate the cozy oak-framed cathedral.

A Belgian flag hangs from the front balcony and three more community tables and other furnishings adorn the outdoor beer garden. Rooster-laden wood boards provide beer menus and the projection screen at the front wall shows Michigan State football at noon this brisk Saturday in November ’12.

Our friendly hostess leads us to the altar to take our food order. We try the deliciously humungous pretzel-bunned 8-ounce tenderloin burgers (with caramelized onions and bacon). Soon after, attentive bartender Shawn Hudson brings me the five in-house beers I couldn’t buy in cans for the ride back to Jersey.

Head brewer Jacob Derylo, formerly of famed New Holland Brewery, delivers some stylishly hybridized brews, many of which rely on citric soured tendencies this initial autumn visit.

For a soft-toned starter, Wit Knight offered fresh-watered lemondrop souring over orange-oiled wisps.

Whiskey-soured 2nd Annual Sgt. Peppercorn Rye brings lemon-pitted orange rind bittering to caramelized rye malting and subdued peppercorn spicing.

Colliding a sour ale with a harvest ale, Grand Pumpkin allows lemon-rotted souring to overwhelm vegetal pumpkin spicing, white-wined green grape esters and tealeaf earthiness.

Lightly beechwood-smoked Ancho Rauchbier places its soothingly soured citric mantra across ancho-peppered mocha and peanut-shelled soapstone.

Smoothly aggressive Rye Porter lets pumpernickel-rye breading infiltrate tobacco-roasted chocolate nuttiness and peanut-skinned dry coffee undertones.

And mocha-bound Organic Brown Ale sidles cacao-seeded stove burnt coffee notes next to walnut-charred hop oils.

In the Beer Index, find Brewery Vivant’s Big Red Coq, Escoffier Bretta Ale, Farm Hand French Farmhouse Ale, Solitude Abbey, Triomphe Belgian IPA and Zaison Imperial Saison.

www.breweryvivant.com