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In this episode, we are at Cask Night hosted by Harpoon Brewery in Boston, MA. Cask Night was the last of the many hospitality events offered at the Craft Brewers Conference. This event featured 60 different cask conditioned beers, some that have never been brewed before and others that were making there premier, such as the Imperial IPA by Otter Creek Brewery (a must have for all of you fellow hopheads out there at 135 IBU this beer was like a great dream).

This event was also my personal favorite as you can see in frames 1:29 and 2:22. I enjoyed myself so much that I forgot to change the setting on the microphone, so I must apologize that most of the interviews are difficult to hear. I promise to do better next time.

Listed below are the beers available at this event.  By the way,  I actually typed that all in for you guys – do you feel the love??  I hope so!  We will see you next time on Here for the Beer!  Amy

Allagash Brewing in Portland, ME

• Allagash Burnham Road a Belgian Style Smoked Strong Ale (IBU:35 OG:1.065 ABV:7.4)
• Allagash CBC Barrel Blend a Blend of several barrels from their Wild Barrel Room (ABV:8.5)

American Flatbread Burlington Hearth in Burlington, VT

• London Calling an Original Bitter (IBU:26 OG:9.8P ABV:3.7

Amherst Brewing Company in Amherst, MA

• Graduation Ale a Dry-hopped Golden Ale (IBU:40 OG:14P ABV:5.8
• Super Stout a Cocoa infused Stout (IBU:33 OG:15.5P ABV:6)

Berkshire Brewing Company in S. Deerfield, MA

• Imperial Stout (IBU:30 OG:20P ABV:8.5)
• Lost Sailor IPA (IBU:40 OG:15P ABV:5.9)

Bobcat Cafe in Bristol, VT

• Lincoln Lager (IBU:25 OG:1.043 ABV:5)
• Ripton Red (IBU:30 OG:1.056 ABV:5)

Boston Beer Company in Boston, MA

• International IPA (IBU:47 OG:15.5P ABV:6.13)
• Ungespundet Pils (IBU:30 OG:13.5P ABV:5.27)

Boston Beer Works (Canal St) in Boston, MA

• The Big Gouda a Smoked Lager (IBU:28, OG:18P ABV:7)
• Splendid Splinter a Golden Ale (IBU:25 OG:12P ABV:5)

Boston Beer Works (Fenway) in Boston, MA

• Old Ironsides an English-Style Old Ale (IBU:35 OG:1.064 ABV:6)

Cambridge Brewing Company in Cambridge, MA

• The Colonel a “Vatted Ported” (IBU:55 OG:15P ABV:6.5)
• Spring Training IPA (IBU:40 OG:14.5P ABV:6.3)

Cambridge House Brewpub in Torrington, CT

• Cambridge House IPA (IBU:60 OG:15P ABV:6.4)
• Three Steve Stout (IBU:30 OG:12.5P ABV:4)

Cape Ann Brewing Comapany in Gloucester, MA

• Fisherman’s Tea Party a Barley-wine made with 3 styles of tea (IBU:86 OG:1.089 ABV: 9)

Gardner Ale House in Gardner, MA

• Chair City Pale Ale (IBU:32 OG:11.5P ABV:4.8)
• Chocolate Porter (IBU:35 OG:12.5P ABV:5.5)

Gritty McDuff’s in Portland, ME

• Black Fly Stout 2001 Gold Medal Winner at the Real Ale Festival (IBU:16 OG:1.045 ABV:4.1)
• Gritty’s Best Bitter 2000 Gold Medal Winner at the Real Ale Festival (IBU:25 OG:1.050 ABV:4.9)

Harpoon Brewery in Boston, MA

• Harpoon IPA (IBU:42 OG:15.8P ABV:5.9)
• Harpoon Summer Beer (IBU:26 OG:12.8 ABV:4.8)

Haverhill Brewery/The Tap in Haverhill, MA

• Merrimack Mild an English Dark Mild (IBU:19 OG;9.4P ABV:3.8)
• Scapegoat Bock a German Dunkel Dark Bock (IBU:26 OG:16.4P ABV:6.6)

John Harvard’s Brew House in Manchester, CT

• The Dark Bootlegger Ale a blend of a traditional Brown Porter and Barley Wine aged in a Thomas Tew rum barrel for 7 wks (IBU:37 OG:16.8P ABV:6.7)

Kennebunkport Brewing Company in Kennebunk, ME

• Taint Town Pale Ale the local favorite (IBU:32 OG:1.048 ABV:4.75)
• Vintange 2008 Prelude Holiday Ale a traditional strong Enlish Ale (OG:1.078 ABV:7.5)

Lowel Beer Works in Lowell, MA

• Bohemian Pilsner made with all Moravian malt & dry-hopped with whole Czech Saaz (IBU:25 OG:1.050 ABV:5)

Martha’s Exchange in Nashua, NH

• Dr. Hoppenstein’s Double IPA Hopped thoughout the entire brew process from mash-in to cask (IBU:93 OG:1.091 ABV:9.1)
• Revolution Red a medium bodied red brewed with beets and carmalized malts. (IBU:42 OG:1.056 ABV:5.5)

Mayflower Brewing Company in Plymouth, MA

• Mayflower Golden Ale the moderate mineral content in there water is perfect for this style of beer (IBU:18 OG:10.5P ABV:4.2)
• Mayflower Pale Ale made with Victory Malt, Caramel Malt, East Kent Golding Hops, and Nugget Hops (IBU:40 OG:11.9P ABV:4.9)

Mercury Brewing Co. Ipswich, MA

• Ipswich Dark Ale (IBU:40 OG:14.1P ABV:5.8)
• Ipswich IPA a cross between an American and English style IPA (IBU:60 OG:14.3P ABV:6.3)

Moat Mountain Brewing in North Conway, NH

• Moat Pale Ale an American Style Pale Ale with a firm bitterness (OG:11.5P ABV:4.5)
• Moat Spruce Brown standard session Brown Ale both malty and bready in body, medium bitterness (OG:12P ABV:5)

Opa Opa Brewing Company in Williamsburg, MA

• Opa-Opa IPA (IBU:55 OG:14.7P ABV:6)

Otter Creek Brewing in Middlebury, VT

• Imperial India Pale Ale has a generous supply of hops throughout the entire process providing an enormous hop flavor (IBU:135 OG:24.5P ABV:11)
• Russian Imperial Stout brewed with double the malts and four time the hops of a regular stout (IBU:65, OG:24P ABV:10.6)

Pennichuck Brewing Company in Milford, NH

• Chief’s Imperial IPA unfiltered and dry-hopped with Centennial, Cascade, and Simcoe (IBU:106  OG:23.3P ABV:10)

Portsmouth Brewery in Portsmouth, NH

• Baltic Porter dry-hopped with Warrior (IBU:38 OG:19P ABV:7.5)
• Saison Prentemps dry-hopped with Rose  Hips and pepercorns (IBU:32 OG:16.75P ABV:6)

Redhook Ale Brewery in Portsmouth, NH

• Triple Nelson made with Candi sugar, Crystal malts, and dry-hopped with Nelson Sauvin in the cask (IBU:40 OG:20.5P ABV:9.6)
• Saturnaleia Double Red rich malty notes of a traditional red and dry-hopped with Amarillo and Centenial (IBU:71 OG:19.5P ABV:8.1)

Salem Beer Works in Salem, MA

• Customs House IPA full hop character, Cascade & Amarillo, with a supporting background of solid malt (IBU:56 OG:12.5P ABV:6.25)

Sabago Brewing in Gorham, ME

• Boathouse Brown Ale brewed with Caramel, Chocolate and Black malts and hopped with American hops (IBU:24 OG:11P ABV:4.8)
• Full Throttle Double IPA featuring Cascade, Centennial, Chinook, and Simcoe hops and has been dry-hopped for over a month (IBU:85 OG:20P ABV:8.2)

Shipyard Brewing in Portland, ME

• Chamberlain Pale Ale featuring Pale Ale, Crystal and Chocolate malts and Fuggles, Cascade and Tettnang hops (IBU:37 OG:1.050 ABV:5)
• Old Thumper Extra Special Ale from the Ringwood Brewery in Hampshire, England (IBU:35 OG:1.060 ABV:5.8

Smuttynose Brewing Co.  in Portsmouth, NH

• Smuttynose IPA includes Simcoe, Amarillo, Warrior and Centennial hops (IBU:70 OG:15 ABV:6.6)
• Star Island Single spicy, light bodied with drinkablity (IBU:30 OG:13P ABV:5.5)

Thomas Hooker Brewery in Bloomfield, CT

• Liberator Dopplebock, chocolaty with notes of figs, raisins and brown sugar (IBU:45 OG:20 ABV:8.4)

Trinity Brewhouse in Providence, RI

• Scotch Ale oak aged in barrels for 8 months (IBU:32 OG:21 ABV:9)

Tuckerman’s Brewing in Conway, NH

• Tuckerman Headwall Alt a German style brown ale (IBU:32 OG:12 ABV:4.75)
• Tuckerman Pale Ale (IBU:39 OG:12 ABV:5.5)

Watch City Brewing Co. in Waltham, MA

• Bitter (and Jaded) ESB in honor of their original beer from 13 years ago (IBU:40 OG1.04)

Willamantic Brewing Co. in Willimantic, CT

• Well Read Ale an English Red Ale (IBU31.5 OG1.057 ABV5.7)

Woodstock Inn Brewery in North Woodstock, NH

• Pemi Pale Ale (IBU:56 OG:1.057 ABV:5.7)
• Pigs Ear Brown Ale (IBU:25 OG:1.054 ABV:4.3)

Related Posts:

• 2009 Here for the Beer – Year in Review
• The Brewers Plate 2010
• Hefeweizen vs. Witbier
• Blue Moon
• Finally A Practical Use For A Case of Corona

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In this episode, we head to Terrapin Beer Company in Athens, GA. We meet with owners and co-founders John Cochran and Brian “Spike” Buckowski, who is also the head brewer.

We were lucky enough to be there on a Saturday evening, just in time to enjoy their beer tasting and tour. I must admit this was one of the most entertaining brewery tastings I had ever been to.  The atmosphere was great, we were outside on a beautiful sunny evening, with games and live music playing.  No surprise that there was a really impressive turnout. I felt like I was at a picnic in the park, but with access to much better beer!  Every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 5:30pm – 7:30pm they open the doors for these beer tastings and tours.  The only requirement is that you purchase an $8.00 Terrapin Pint Glass from the gift shop, this pint glass includes tickets that are good for 8 4-oz sample pours of beer. Tours run every half hour during the tasting.  A great way to start off your evening.

This Georgia beer is not yet available in New England, but over Christmas we received a box in the mail containing two Terrapin Beers: Big Hoppy Monster (Imperial Red Ale) and India Style Brown Ale.   One of our wonderful guests at our Vermont B&B, Forty Putney Road (they were from Georgia) had sent them as a gift.   It only took a few sips to recognize the quality of these beers, Terrapin was immediately added to our must visit list.  Luckily it wasn’t long before we were in the area for an innkeeping conference and were able to take the field trip.  Of course, Other than the quality of these beers I of course really enjoyed the branding…I just love that turtle…he gets to do everything.

In the video John gives us some insite into the branding and that crazy turle while Spike gives us an inside look at some new beers he is working on.  We enjoyed meeting both John and Spike and hope  that you all enjoy our video. We will see you next time on Here for the Beer … Cheers!

Related Posts:

• Classic City Brew Fest – Athens, Georgia 2009
• Northshire Brewery in Bennington, VT
• Happy New Year 2010
• Cheese Discriminator
• Beer Gear Halloween Special Presents the Franken-Brewery

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While visiting Georgia for an innkeeping conference, we were invited to the Classic City Brew Fest in Athens.  This event is put together by Owen Ogletree, BJCP National Beer Judge and columnist for Southern Brew News and Athens Magazine.  The event is a charity fund raiser for the Athens Area Humane Society.  We really enjoyed this festival it seemed to have a little something for everyone.  The venue provided both indoor and outdoor space, which came in handy as we had a mix of sun and rain.  They had a funky band Swords & Whiskey playing a mix of Classic Rock, Blues and Celtic music. We were surprised to find that the food and bottled water for sale was very reasonably priced, only $1 for a bottle of water.  Usually at a Brew Fest food and drinks are marked way up because of the captive audience, but not here.

The best part was the BEER!  This particular festival had a mix of breweries and beer distributors representing there brands creating a large variety of beer.  From the novice beer drinker to the a more sophisticated  palate, Classic City Brew Fest had a variety for beers for both and everyone in between.  They had some larger brands such as Shocktop (Anheuser-Busch), Blue Moon (Coors) and Yuengling (new in the state of GA).  We were amazed to see some of the more interesting brands from importers such as Merchant duVin featuring several of their products including Rochefort, Westmalle, etc… not just the 6 and the dubbel but the 8 and the triple.   Another distributor brought their full line of Rogue including XS Imperial Porter and XS Imperial Red…these beers run $17-$20 per bottle retail.  Quite a treat and not often found at a beer festival.  During the day we got a chance to speak with a few brewers and owners including:

Cooper Creek Brewing Company in Athens, GA – Matt Buley, Brewer

Atlanta Brewing Company (Atlanta’s oldest Brewery) in Atlanta, GA – Dave McClure, Brewer and Dave Weil, General Manager

Holy Mackerel Gordash Brewing Company in Fort Lauderdale, FL – Robert Gordash, Owner

Terrapin Beer Co. in Athens, GA – Spike, Brewer & Co-Owner and John Co-Owner

All in all I would recommend the Classic City Brew Fest.  We have lots more from the Georgia area on the way – so we will see you next time on Here for the Beer!

Related Posts:

• Terrapin Beer Company – Athens, Georgia
• Brattleboro Brewers Festival and Pub Crawl
• Happy New Year 2010
• Cheese Discriminator
• Brick Store Pub – Decatur Georgia