St. John Brewers

While on vacation in the US Virgin Islands, I continued my ongoing quest for new-to-me brews. Most especially, local beers and local brewers.

The first beer I had when I got to St. Thomas was Island Summer Ale brewed by St. John Brewers.

I was curious as to how beer brewed on the islands would taste liken considering that fresh water is fairly scarce and the tap water had a distinctive brackish quality to it that, to my taste buds, is nearly unpalatable.

I was pleasantly surprised. It was pretty good beer, light and refreshing. Not the best beer ever but great to relax and cool off with while burying my toes in the sand and enjoying the amazing beauty of the islands.

On further inspection of the bottle, I noticed that the beer was actually brewed practically in my own back yard - Portland, Maine.

Interesting. It only took a quick Google search and a peek at the St. John Brewers website to determine that their beer is contract brewed at Shipyard Brewing.  I was a little disappointed to discover that since I'm generally not a fan of Shipyard.

St. Johns Brewers' standard offerings are pretty good but not outstanding. I especially liked Pale Tourist.  However, their VI Massive series is fabulous.

Since I was vacationing without my beloved spouse, who also happens to love beer, I brought a few bottles back for him.  That was a pretty pricey proposition since I now would have to check my bag at the airport and that's a hefty $25 surcharge.

It turns out that I can buy St. John brews in New Hampshire and Maine. New Hampshire is practically my home away from home! Oh well. At least I may get to try some of the brews that I didn't have when I was in St. Thomas and St, John.

Cheers!

Cold Brews at the Red Parka Pub

One my favorite places to go to eat, drink, and be merry in the Mount Washington Valley in New Hampshire is The Red Parka Pub.  They have great selection of beer, of course, but the food is fabulous and the staff is fun and courteous.  And they have bands and dancing every weekend.

I was in the area for three nights, two of those nights found me at the Red Parka. They have the bestest ribs and I always get them; sometimes even for dessert. Their hot wings are big and tasty so those are a must have, as well. If you want a steak there is no better place! THE best.

As great as the Red Parka is, that's not why you're reading my blog. So let's talk about the beer.





 Pale Ale (5.5% ABV) by Tuckerman Brewing Company is always a good call and is always on tap at the Red Parka. It is an American Pale Ale that is light and refreshing with citrus and bitter hops but not quite IPAish.  It's lightly carbonated and exceedingly drinkable!  So good!  Overall . . . nearly awesome!

Mint Chocolate Stout (9% ABV) by Shipyard Brewing Company. I so much wanted to like this. A mint chocolate stout sounds like it should work but it's the second one I've had. And this one is just as gawd-awful horrible as the one from Bootlegger. It tastes like someone squeezed toothpaste into a bottle of stout. I'm not a huge fan of the brewery and this brew did nothing whatsoever to endear me to them. Blech!

Single Chair (5% ABV) by Magic Hat Brewing Company. An appropriate beer to be on tap for this ski loving venue. Single Chair Ale is named after the famed chair lift at Mad River Glen. It is a very drinkable golden ale that is an easy drinking, refreshing brew that is malty sweet and gently hopped. Overall - good.

Monkey Fist IPA by Shipyard Brewing Company. Why do I torture myself, you ask. Because sometimes you hit paydirt. I'm a big-time fan of IPA's. While this one is not gawd-awful horrible, it's nothing fantabulous either. It's a drinkable IPA with a citrussy hop profile. The sweet malts balance out the bitterness. A refreshing brew. It doesn't suck. Overall: good

Vienna Amber Lager (5% ABV) by Trapp Family Lodge Brewery.  Yes, this beer is brewed by the Sound of Music von Trapps who just happen to own a lodge in Vermont and brew their own beer.  This brew is a rich golden color with a very malty aroma.  The flavor is as rich as the color with toasty and caramel malts, it's slightly sweet and very tasty.  Overall - very good.

Shipyard Smashed Blueberry

I absolutely hate writing a bad review.  But sometimes I have to suck it, pull up my big girl panties and do the deed.

When I heard about Shipyard Smashed Blueberry, I was really excited.  I've had some really excellent blueberry beers and this one sounded absolutely yummy.

Smashed Blueberry is from Shipyards Pugsley's Signature Series.  So, I would expect something of a higher than normal standard.

The label indicates it is a "malt beverage with natural flavor".

Wait . . . what??

Isn't "malt beverage" just a fancy shmancy name for malt liquor? Uhm, ew!  To me, malt beverage equals malt liquor equals Haffenreffer or Mike's Hard Lemonade or Colt 45 or Zima.  You get the picture.


Now I'm confused.  Malt liquor is brewed using bottom fermenting yeast and yet Smashed Blueberry uses top fermenting yeast.  Malt liquors also are generally not hopped, but this brew is.

My confusion is compounded by the fact that they describe Smashed Blueberry as a "beer" that "is a hybrid between a Porter and a Scotch Ale."  If it is a beer then why specifically label it as a malt beverage?

Let's move on to the other descriptor on the label "with natural flavor".  What is that supposed to mean?  I'll tell you what I think it means based on a little bit of research.  Natural flavor means that it doesn't actually use fruit to flavor the beer or malt liquor or malt beverage or whatever the schmuck it is. What it means is this: natural flavors may be oils extracted from a natural source or they may, in fact be derived as the result of blending hundreds of individual chemicals to make a flavor that tastes like, say, blueberries.  

I'm not saying that's what Shipyard does or did or whatever.  Because, frankly, I don't know. But that is certainly what can be inferred by simply reading the label.

So, anyway, on to the review.

Note that I didn't notice the "malt beverage with natural flavor" on the label until after I drank the  beer or malt liquor or malt beverage or whatever.

Smashed Blueberry (9.% ABV) pours a deep cherry red with a quickly dissipating tan colored head.  The complexion in the glass is impenetrable blackness.

As I poured I was immediately struck by a huge blueberry aroma that reminded me of fresh blueberry pie.  Very promising!  A big boozy quality was evident in the nose as I was sipping.

The taste?  It wasn't the luscious blueberry yumminess I was expecting.  It was alcohol.  In a very BIG way but not in a good way.  The booze was all I could taste.  This was followed by an overt bitterness at the end.  No blueberry, no coffee, no chocolate.  I'm not sure what it was; something akin to what you would swab a wound with.

An awful mess.  I literally poured it down the drain.  It was that bad.

I was so disappointed because I wanted to like it so much.

I would like to point out that I waited a full two weeks to write this review.  I deliberated wanted to wait to temper the ire I felt in the wake of my dashed hopes.  It didn't help. Apparently time does not heal all wounds, but I guess I could pour some Smashed Blueberry on it to disinfect it.  Oh SNAP! 

ಠ_ಠ

A beer excursion at Hilly Billy's Barbecue

While on our little Thanksgiving weekend mini-vacation in North Conway, NH we decided to stop for a couple of beers in between beer stops.  Well, to be honest we stopped here after a mead run at the Sap House Meadery, but it was before going for beer at the Red Parka.  

I kid you not, hubby and I are beer whores.  

So, we decided to try out Hill Billy's Barbecue.  We're in the area several times a year and Hill Billy's is one of those places we keep meaning to check out but never seem to get around to.   I'm glad we did . . . great beer, good food, helpful wait staff!

Figuring out what to get to snack on was a no-brainer . . . sweet/spicy chili wings (as recommended by Meghan, our lovely and talented bartendress), hot wings and onion rings. Yum.  The beer selection made picking a beer very difficult.   So, we just went for it and tried as many of the ones we hadn't had before as we could . . .  we couldn't squeeze them all in but got most of them.

Oh, relax.  We didn't get slooshed.  We each had a pint and then opted for a sampler.  

This is how it went . . . 

Hex (Ourtoberfest) by Magic Hat Brewing (5.4% ABV) - it smells pretty much the way it tastes . . . caramel malty with a bit of hops.  The first thing you taste is  mildly sweet maltiness with pleasant bitter finish.  Hex is clean and refreshing and quite tasty.  I would've gone for a second if it not for the other taps screaming at me.



Slick Nick Winter Ale by Sebago Brewing (6.2% ABV) - a nice winter ale.  Plenty of caramel and hints of spices . . . lightly sweet with nice effervescence.  I liked it a lot.



Dead Guy Ale by Rogue Ales (6.6% ABV) -  I haven't met a Rogue beer I haven't liked . . . and this is one no exception.  Dead Guy is very malty up front but has a crisp malt finish to add balance and cleanse the palate for your next sip . . . and your next and your next.  Yum!



Rainbow Red Ale by Trout River Brewing (5% ABV) - The tap head caught my attention with this one . . . it's a trout . . .  so I asked about it.  The bartender said that it was one of their most popular beers.  I can see why, it's really really good.   Lots of caramel malt flavor and exceptionally drinkable . . . Rainbow Red goes down smooth and easy . . . too easy.  


Curious Traveler by House of Shandy (6.5% ABV) - This is another one with an interesting tap head, that and it was right in my face.  So, I asked about it.  The bartender said it was her personal favorite.  Enough said.   It's a refreshing wheat style beer infused with lemons and limes.  It goes down easy and is very tasty.  Another good one! 



Old Thumper by Shipyard Brewing (5.9% ABV) - This is and extra special /  strong bitter ale.  And while there is lots of bitter there is plenty of malt and a bit of fruit to keep all that hoppy bitterness in check.  It finishes clean and begs for another sip.  Quite good.

I really enjoyed our Hill Billy's Barbecue experience.  Frankly, if your mouth doesn't start watering as you're walking in the door then you've got no sense of smell.  I wanted one of everything I was smelling . . . drooool.  If you're in the area give Hilly Billy's a try.  The food was really good and the beer selection impressive.  And, if you're into sports they've got games up on several big screen TVs.