Legacy Brewing Co: Hoptimus Prime

I have to admit, I chose Hoptimus Prime due to its label and catchy name. This is a Double IPA, and is brewed at Legacy Brewing Co. in Pennsylvania. This caramel-colored beer has a spicy aspect to it, and also a little hint of pine flavor. The bitterness and hop flavor do not really show up until the end, leaving you with a sort-of surprising aftertaste. Overall, I enjoyed my first taste of Hoptimus Prime. Legacy Brewing Co. brews a handful of beers such as a red-ale, a German style ale, an amber lager, and Euphoria Ale, their sweet yet peppery Belgian style ale. I’ve heard rumors that some of these brews have been discontinued, but I will be on the lookout and report back with reviews. Cheers!

Introducing..Clown Shoes Black IPA

This is my first post on Beers in Boston, so I thought I would introduce myself. I am 25 years old, with a love for great beer and great food. I absolutely love to travel, and I will always try whatever the locals are brewing. I currently live in Boston, where there is always something new to try!

Anyone who knows me, knows that the way to my heart is through a delicious IPA. A few nights ago, while out in Somerville, I spotted an unusual IPA that I had to get my hands on. The tap read Clown Shoes Hoppy Feet Black IPA. The name and graphics alone were intriguing enough to prompt me to order one…then two..then three..

The Hoppy Feet IPA is one of four offerings from Clown Shoes, and it really lives up to its name. There are hints of dark chocolate, nutty flavors, and lots and lots of hops.

Fast forward to the morning after, my “clown shoes” still in tact, when I did some research on this newly discovered IPA. Clown Shoes, based in Massachusetts, also offers a Brown ale, an Amber ale, and a Belgian-style white Clementine ale. I look forward to trying the rest of these pours, and I suggest you do the same!

Solid Pale out of Plymouth

Mayflower Brewing Company is somewhat of an underrated brewery in my opinion.  I’ve yet to taste a disappointing beer from this group.  Mayflower, for whatever reason reminds me of Cape Ann Brewery. Maybe is the working-class, fishing towns that they hail from on opposite shores. I think its the fact that they offer some of the most solid, no-frill ales in the Greater Boston area.

The Mayflower Pale Ale is an English Style Pale Ale, that pours with a very healthy head. Has a light herbal aroma, which after doing my Beer Advocate research, seems to be attributed from the East Kent Goldings Hops from England.

The taste is great – it’s a little maltier than I normally like for a Pale, but finishes so smoothly that you cannot complain. Overall, this is a extremely solid Pale Ale out of Plymouth’s Mayflower Brewing Company.

THE GRADE: B+

Hello, Mr. Cranberry Ale

First off, I want to say hello and introduce myself. I’m Matt, a pretty avid beer drinker and enthusiast, to whom Chris was nice enough to give a chance to get some stuff up here. I lived in Boston for college and for a number of years since, but recently moved out to Framingham. Thankfully I work in Cambridge, so, along with metro-west stuff, I should still have good number of Boston bits to write up. This is, obviously, my first post, and I’m hoping to make a habit of it. Anyways, enough of me, on to the beer!

Ah. Fall. Colder weather. Colorful leaves. A complete saturation of the market in pumpkin beers and octoberfests. Don’t get me wrong, I like a good pumpkin beer (Shipyard Smashed pumpkin, especially the bottle from last year I aged and just cracked!), and certainly like a good Octoberfest/Harvest beer (Note to self: write up how awesome the Mayflower Harvest Ale is). But, like anything, I can only take so much. Everyone has a fall seasonal now, and they are mostly pumpkin and/or spice laiden.

Enter the Harpoon Thankful Harvest Cranberry Ale. Not your (well, my) typical “fruit” beer. This isn’t very sweet. Not really at all, in fact, and certainly isn’t like any cranberry beer creations I’ve had before- I’m looking at you Sam Adams Cranberry Lambic. It pours clean and clear, with a pretty minimal head that clears off in a hurry. Clear and amber in color, with a hint or ruby red to it, it looks as malty as it tastes, but it doesn’t end there. There is just the right amount of tart-ness (thank you, wife, for the vocab help) to this ale. I can’t stress that enough. Its just the right amount of tart. Its there, and you noticed it pretty early in the taste and it holds on through the finish, but its not over-powering, or mouth puckering. It’s as if (and this sounds gross, but after this beer not so much), you took a nice, simple matley ale and splashed it with cranberry juice.

To top it off, $1 from each 6 pack sale goes to local food banks. Perfect for the Thanksgiving Season. I say go for it, give it a try. I’m sure glad I did. Its a limited brew, so who knows when you’ll see it again, if ever. And hell, its something different out of the normal crop of Pumpkin-Spice-Fest beers.

Sebago Brewing Company – Slick Nick Winter Ale

Sebago Brewing Company – Slick Nick Winter Ale

THE POUR: Sebego’s Slick Nick Winter Ale pours a light and clear amber.

THE AROMA: A malty spice, usual for a winter beer. Not an overpowering smell here.

THE TASTE: Smooth, and and slightly sweet. Very crisp, and I would almost say “light” for a winter ale. Lots of caramel malts produce the sweetness.

THE DECISION: A malty winter ale, and a nice one. The sweet-spiciness works well and produces an original winter brew that stands out from the pack. I wouldn’t say it is in the head of the pack, but stands out nonetheless.

THE GRADE: B+

Wachusett Brewing Company – Winter Ale

Wachusett Brewing Company – Winter Ale

THE POUR: Wachusett Winter Ale pours a lightly clouded, red-amber.

THE AROMA: A mild sweet malt smell, with light spiced hops. This beer is labeled as a “Classic Scotch Ale” with little spices. As you would expect, the aroma is that of a classic ale.  Nothing out of the norm here.

THE TASTE: Smooth, and malty mouthfeel, with light spice and mild hops.  This is a classic ale – not too spiced up as in other Christmas/Holiday seasonals.

THE DECISION: Maybe a little too ordinary – yet highly enjoyable. This is a great holiday go-to, when you are in the mood for a mellow, yet full-bodied Winter Ale.

THE GRADE: B+

Harpoon Chocolate Stout

THE POUR: Harpoon Chocolate Stout poured dark and opaque topped with a thin brown head with almost a twinge of purple

THE AROMA: The beer smelled strongly of roasted malts and an occasional sniff of chocolate.

THE TASTE: Good bitter flavor, likely from the roasted malt. Hop flavor is not very present, not should it be in this style. The chocolate gives the taste an added element of sweetness.

THE DECISION: Very good beer, would go great with a piping hot bowl of chili or beef stew. I’ve seen it suggested to top  a bowl of vanilla ice cream, I’d prefer Hershey’s Syrup.

THE GRADE: A-

Beer Stats:

16 degrees Plato, 190 EBC, 5.9% ABV, 40IBU

From Harpoon Brewery – Chocolate Stout

Rock Art – Herb Jasmine Pale Ale

Rock Art – Herb Jasmine Pale Ale

THE POUR: Cloudy amber with light carbonation.  Little head retention with almost zero lacing around the glass.

THE AROMA: As the name implies, plenty of herbs.  Like the pour, it’s very earthy in smell.  Nice jasmine flowery freshness.

THE TASTE: Slight hint of hops accompanied by more earthy-herbal tones. Overall dry taste that is not overpowering.

THE DECISION: I like when a beer tastes similar to what you would imagine when looking at the label and reading the name. This beer accomplishes that. Overall I would like a more hoppy bite, but its unique, which is appreciated and expected by a Vermont beer.

THE GRADE: B

Harpoon Ginger Wheat

THE POUR: Pours a clear pale gold with foamy head. Small bubbles of carbonation float to the surface as the head settles to a thin later.

THE AROMA: Greeted by the sweet aroma of honey. Strong scent of ginger, awakening the nose.

THE TASTE: The taste is of a mild wheat beer at first, with the ginger appearing boldly towards the end of a sip. The ginger obscures any other flavors, almost overpowering.

THE DECISION: I like ginger in foods, and I now know I do not like ginger in beers. Lots of potential, but I can’t get past that single flavor.

THE GRADE: B-

This beer is #29 in Harpoon’s 100 Barrel Series, a limited production of specialty beer styles.

Haverhill Brewery/The Tap – La Dame De Peronne

Haverhill Brewery/The Tap – La Dame De Peronne

THE POUR: Thick, bronzish pour, with frothy foamy head. Head retention lasts less than a minute, yet a half inch remains.

THE AROMA: Citrus and floral scents, with caramel and grain notes throughout.

THE TASTE: A very malty beer, with mild alcohol flavor at 6.8%. Bready after-tones, which leave your palate clean and dry.

THE DECISION: Almost too much malt flavor for my tastes, yet it goes down very smooth. Great pairing with cheese and crackers. A overall solid offering from Haverhill Brewery.

THE GRADE: B-/C+

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