A hidden gem on Main Street in downtown Hyannis, family owned and operated OAK BAY BREWERY opened its doors, Memorial Day 2024. A black awning with white Oak Bay lettering welcomes patrons to the harmonious bungalow-like nanobrewery. Nestled amongst thrift shops, boutiques and music stores, this alleyway pub features a cozy pergola-topped courtyard with plastic furnishings to go alongside its tiny oak-lacquered barroom (with four-seat table, stark wood floor and white ceiling).
Oak Bay’s silver stainless steel tanks feed directly into the draught lines and a small pub food menu suffices. My wife and I settled in on a warm September afternoon ’24 to sample four brisk golden hued offerings.
An interesting witbier variant, Marlo Whit, united salty mango, sweet peach, Chinese plum, kumquat and kiwi tropicalia with stylishly sweet orange-peeled coriander spicing above its honeyed pale wheat bottom.
Made with phenol fruited Omega yeast ale, Irish Blonde Ale, NormAle, draped barley-flaked pale malt buttering atop dewy peat, mild herbage and raw-honeyed orange oil.
Soft-toned New England IPA, El Zapparado, let raw-honeyed oated wheat creaming seep thru subtle mandarin orange, white grapefruit, white peach, guava and cherry seduction.
Spirited West Coast IPA, Rooks, laced its floral yellow grapefruit and orange peel tang with sour passionfruit, sweet apricot and red apple goodness in a lightly lacquered wood setting given spicy caramel malting.
