Yankee Brew News Archive

Below The Frost Line

Originally Published: 01/96

By: Kerry J. Byrne

Massachusetts

Those looking to get a taste of the Northwest should be at Redbones in Somerville throughout the month of November.

Thanks to the work of Redbones pit master/beer god Rob Gregory, the taps at his landmark establishment will be pouring from 150 kegs of 45 different beers from the great Northwest.

"It's a rare thing for any bar in the Northwest to get in all these beers, let alone a bar in the Northeast," said Gregory. Seventeen to 18 different breweries will be featured. Gregory said that a keg of two-year-old Old Crustacean, an award-winning barley wine made by Rogue, will be included in that selection.

To celebrate, Redbones will hold Brewer's Banquets on Nov. 6, 13 and 20. The three-course dinners will come with four beers and will cost $25. At the risk of sounding like a teary-eyed, sentimental fool: Redbones is simply one of the finest institutions known to man. All who enter are better people for having been there.

Quaint little Boston Beer Company has gone public. The brewers of Samuel Adams made an initial public offering in September of five million shares of stock. So much for Jim Koch and his tiny brewery trying to survive in the big, bad world of corporate America.

By the way, if you've seen the Boston Beer Company's new television commercials you might be interested in knowing that they were filmed at Jacob Wirth's, Boston's first and only landmark beer hall.

Wirth's frequenters might have noticed pub manager Jon Evans in the background of the commercial.

The Boston Beer Company will be conducting a rather ambitious sounding "World Homebrew Contest." The event will be sanctioned by the American Homebrewer's Association and registered with the Beer Judge Certification Program.

There will be three categories: ales, lagers and mixed-styles. The plan is to use the winning recipes in a new line of the world's best homebrewed beers. For more information call your local homebrew club or the Boston Beer Company at (617) 497-2863.

The Brew House became the newest brewpub on the North Shore when it opened in mid-September on Route 1 North in Danvers. Crack YBN reporters were unable to make the opening ceremonies, but we will report on the establishment as soon as possible.

Modern Brewer in Somerville's Davis Square (within nasal distance of Redbones) will be conducting a cider making workshop in November. Paul Correnty, author of The Art of Cider Making, will be on hand to lend his expertise. Modern Brewer will do a custom pressing of cider apples (Baldwin, Northern Spy, Rome, et. al) to have juice available for those who want to make cider at home. Call 1-800-SEND-ALE.

Brewing vagabond Jack Streich hoped to hit the kettles at Boston's new Broad Street Brewing Company (it may go by another name, but will be on Broad Street) soon after he returned from the Great American Beer Festival. The new brewpub may open as early as December 1 and will be owned by the same people who made Ayer's Rock the region's Number 1 (and perhaps only) Aussie pub.

Brewing plans are ambitious. Streich plans on a light ale, a "generic California pale ale," a nut brown ale, a "rich, malty" porter, and three rotating taps which may dispense as many as 15-20 different seasonals over the first six months. Last I checked there were only four seasons in a year, but hey, he's the brewer. One key piece of info: Plans are for incredibly cheap pints, maybe in the $2 to $2.75 range.

As reported in the past, Brew Moon will be opening on Route 1 in Saugus. A rumored new location puts Brew Moon III in Harvard Square. According to hearsay and gossip that is yet to be confirmed, the third Brew Moon will be located in the Church Street Atrium in the vacated space once filled by The Black Rose. By the way, the short, friendly guy with the Brew Moon cap will be Brew Moon founder Elliot Feiner. Make sure you're nice to him.

The Atlantic Coast Brewing Company introduced its fifth product, an ESB, at a festival outside the Charlestown brewery in late September. After their outstanding first four products (Tremont Ale, Tremont Best Bitter, Tremont Porter and Tremont IPA) blew me away, the Tremont Boys would have to invent liquid orgasm in order delight my senses anymore than they already have.

With that said, my own feeling was that the ESB fell shy of the lofty mark made by their other brews. Of course, ESB is not my style of choice. So, screw what I think. Drink it and be merry.

By the way, if you visit Atlantic Coast, the short kid with the Nazi-issue haircut is the former Alex Reveliotty. Reveliotty once rebelled against society by brewing great beer and wearing long, curly hair. He still brews great beer but apparently has kow-towed to the fashion diktats issued by The Man.

We'll miss him.

There's a place in Westborough that does not get nearly the credit in deserves: The Old Vienna Kauffeehaus. It is a subdued restaurant and bar downstairs with an upstairs room that features some of the best folk music acts around.

Besides being a rather cool place to hang out, sip espresso and lounge over rich desserts, they feature a slew of high quality imports (most recently German Oktoberfests have been featured) and New England micros such as Tremont Ale and Tremont IPA.

Located in Westborough center (22 South Street) at the intersection of routes 30 and 135, it is a truly a unique place and a certain find for anyone in the region or anyone wishing to venture that way. Be warned, they do not open until 5 p.m., even on weekends. Make sure to call ahead at (508) 898-2230.

Another unexpected beer bar recently came to my attention courtesy of Randy Reed of the South Shore Home Brew Club. Randy said Skeeter's Tavern, in Brockton of all places, is the area's best beer bar (of course, that is the equivalent of being the coolest guy at a Star Trek convention).

Anyway, I haven't checked it out yet, but have heard some great things about their beer selection. Skeeter's is located at 37 West Elm Street next to the Bryant Hotel.

Wachusett Brewing Company introduced on November 1 their third offering, a Nut Brown Ale, to last through the holiday season. It replaces their first seasonal, an extremely well-done IPA.

Ski bums can try Wachusett products at the Wachusett Mountain Ski Area lodge. They are also available throughout central Massachusetts.

Demolition at the site of the future Boston Beer Works on Canal Street, Boston, began in August. BBW's Steve Slesar could give no set date when his second brewpub will open.

To celebrate the Red Sox playoff appearance, Slesar brewed a 1918 Championship Cream Ale for his original brewpub on Brookline Ave., across from Fenway Park. They will also have an Oktoberfest through November

Tod Mott, Commonwealth head brewer/Santa Claus-in-training, said that the DME Master Brew system for Commonwealth Brewing Company's second location on Boston's Boylston Street was due to arrive in mid-October.

The new brewpub (possibly to be called Back Bay Brewing Company) should open in early December.

Commonwealth has secured a site at New York City's Rockefeller Center for a third brewpub, to open in February. Christmas-time will never be the same: skate around the outdoor rink under the watchful eye of Prometheus; ooohhh and aaahhh as the enormous tree in front of the RCA Building is lit; then follow with a pint of Commonwealth Burton to wash down those roasted chestnuts you bought on Sixth Ave. from a good Christian named Omar. The brewer at the Rockefeller Center pub will be Paul Saylor, formerly of Vermont's Catamount Brewing Company.

I enjoyed greatly Olde Salem Brewing Company's Scarlet Letter Red Ale, a strongly-hopped but well-balanced (without being overbearing) offering; an extremely fine brew.

Perhaps Hester Prynne and the Reverend Dimmesdale shared a few tankards of a similar brew before their infamous copulation.

The "definite tentative date" for the opening of Main Street Brewing Company in Worcester is early December, according to Main Street's Eric Persons. If and when it opens, Main Street will be the first brewpub in central Massachusetts.

Rhode Island

Fall, of course, is festival time throughout New England and the beer-loving world.

With that in mind I wanted to comment on the most recent festival I attended before press time, the loftily-billed Rhode Island International Beer Exposition.

A number of fine local brews were present, but I would be remiss if I did not comment on what I thought was the class of the show: a Hazelnut Porter served up by brewer Forrest Williams of Middletown's Coddington Brewing Company. The porter had a milk-like density without being creamy; crisp, robust flavors of hazelnut and roasted malt came through in the finish; low carbonation made for a smooth drink.

Emerald Isle's latest seasonal, a nut brown ale, reminded me, unless this is just distorted longing of London, of Fuller's famous mild Hock. This was also sampled at the Rhode Island International Beer Exposition.

Bostonians will be happy to know that the Emerald Isle's flagship Bank Street Ale was recently made available at Redbones in Somerville, its first account north of Rhode Island.

I have yet to make it to Aidan's Pub in Bristol, but according to everyone who has ever gone there, it is one of New England's truly great pubs. Many have commented on the skill displayed by the Aidan's barkeeps as they pull a pint of Bank Street Ale.

Connecticut

Eli Cannon's in Middleton, one of that state's finest pubs, recently took on a line of cask-conditioned products from The Shipyard Brewery in Portland, Maine.

After years of rumor and speculation, The New England Brewing Company's brewpub in South Norwalk finally became a reality (see full story elsewhere in this issue). As expected, the pub is loaded with great beer memorabilia.

The new brewpub is just the second in the Nutmeg State. The path was paved several years ago by the Hartford Brewing Company.

I have been unable to find more information on a rumored brewpub to be built in Mystic by New England Brewing Company and a small group of partners. I will keep my ears open.