|
Cambridge House in Granby has new owners and a new brewer as Steve Luke has moved out west.
Connecticut
Adam Reed takes over the brewing duties with experience working at Magic Hat. Adam’s first brew is going to be a brown ale followed by a seasonal bock. Adam is also going to implement monthly guided, beer tastings, pairing his brews with cheeses and other foods.
Cambridge House in Torrington keeps the ownership but has a new brewer as well, with Max Silverstein taking over the kettle. His first beer should be on line by the time you read this column. Max is a recent graduate of the World Brewing Academy and was an active homebrewer before his schooling. Come to the pub for the Super Bowl for free food and beer specials. Max has scheduled a beer dinner for late February, see the pub or website for details.
Willimantic Brewing Co. has purchased its building and is no longer leasing, which is good news. Dave Wollner will be pouring PS Pale bock, a 6.3% smoked bock brewed with German pilsner, Munich, and smoke malt. Also look for Pushing the Envelope IPA, a 6.8% brew hopped with Columbus, Simcoe, and Chinook hops. SWAK Stout will be pouring for Valentines, this is a 5.7% stout with a Kiss of Vanilla. Feb. 10 is Sierra Nevada nite, look for a keg of Life and Limb, Bigfoot, and the last of “Edge of Darkness”, the beer from Dave’s trip to beer camp in Chico, CA. The pub will open at 11:30 a.m. on St. Patrick’s Day (March 17) look for games, prizes, drink specials and other fun.
Ron Page of City Steam in Hartford has prepared another batch of fan favorite Careless Love. This biere de garde mixes deep malt flavors with vanilla and registers 7.5%. Also look for Carpenter’s Ale a hearty American IPA at 9% and 100 IBUs. Finally Ron will have an unnamed Dunkel wheat bock at 6.5%.
Rob Leonard of New England Brewing in Woodbridge is releasing the Gold Stock ale in draft only format for late February. Also look for a new beer, Ghandi-Bot Double IPA an 8.3% 85 IBU treat brewed with Columbus, Cascade, Galena, and Simcoe hops. This new beer will be found in 16 oz cans. Bad news is Lucasfilms has sent a cease and desist for the Imperial Stout Trooper label. Good news is all the beer was out the door and only the label has to change for next year’s batch. There is also some bourbon barrel aged that may be released in late March.
Another sad note for CT beer folks is the Hops in Newington closing. Good news is a new owner will be opening up a non-chain brewpub. Matt Giugglio will stay on as the brewer with potential opening of the new place in late February or early March. Matt should be able to experiment a little more with recipes and styles.
Olde Burnside Brewing in East Hartford has expanded their distribution further into Massachusetts. Also bottles of the Barrel Aged Reserve Ale could be available in late March. Look for info of a Brewfest/concert/campout on June 5. Tickets and information will be available on the brewery webpage.
Frank Fermino at John Harvards in Manchester has several brews planned for the February and March drinking period. Look for Foo-Fighter IPA and Bitter Break-Up IPA both brewed with Centennial hops. A Raspberry dark ale named Lost Love will be ready for Valentines Day. Dr. Metal’s Dark Lager, a schwarzbier will hit the draft lines in February and the 2009 barleywine will be poured at the end of February as well, with a possible short vertical if any 2008 is left in the pub. March will see a dry Irish Stout and possibly an Irish Red Ale. Visit the pub for a bagpiper experience on St. Patty’s Day. Frank will be naming his March beers after the band Rush in tribute to their debut in 1977.
Thomas Hooker will be releasing a batch of the Imperial Porter and the Liberator Doppelbock this spring. Both beers will be available in four packs for the first time.
Eli Canon’s in Middletown has several events coming up in February. There will be a beer dinner partnered with Stone Brewing Co. sometime this spring. Also look for Long Trail promo on Feb. 2, Saranac on Feb. 9 and Magic Hat on Feb. 16. This is also a beer spot to find draft Imperial Stout Trooper which is getting tapped at the end of January, so head over now and there might be some left for you.
Rhode Island
The new Visitor Center at Coastal Extreme in Newport will open in February. All brewing equipment has been upgraded and a full tasting room is also part of the completed project. Details on tours and hours will be available at the brewery webpage. Cyclone Series Mark will be released in February, this beer is a coffee milk stout and is the latest in the cyclone series. Also the spring ale will hit the shelves in late February as the spring seasonal. This Irish style red is a popular selection from the guys in Newport.
Aaron Crossett of Union Station in Providence will have the Vanilla Porter on cask through February and March. Also look for the release of Everyday IPA a sessionable IPA that will feature all American hops with only 60 IBUs. Aaron is also planning a Triple, Funky Monk and a Saison to move through the rotation this spring. He has been juggling beers to keep the new extra draft lines full with usually eight of the 10 lines pouring brews.
Sean Larkin of Trinity Brewing Co. in Providence has brewed up an oak aged Imperial Stout with 100 IBUs and 10%. Flavored with some candied ginger and dry hopped with Centennial and Tettnanger hops, this beer is perfect for the chilly February weather. Also look for a Schwartzbier on draft with 60 IBUs and hopped with Northern Brewers, Tettnanger and Saaz hops. Finally in February a Belgian Winter White with only 8 IBUs from Saaz only hops. Brewed with orange peel in the mash and dry-hopped with Saaz and coriander. For March a Helles Bock, Imperial Marzen, Coffee Stout, and Scotch Ale will be featured. Sean will also periodically release oak barrels of some special cellared versions of barleywine, IPA, and Imperial Stout. Sean also now has help one day a week from Sam Walker who is an avid homebrewer and will be an intern position at the brewpub. St. Patricks Day will feature a street party for four days at the pub, with a beer garden co-sponsored with Narragansett. Finally a second beer engine is planned for installation in late spring and Narragansett Bock is planned for a release in 16 oz tallboy cans.
|
