With Ian being involved in a play, we look for different styles to try, and my wife extolls the virtues of Sour Beer. So she and I try the new Cranberry Sour from the newly rebranded Bay of Fundy Brewing, as well as the Mango Sour IPA from Tusket Falls. Not exactly a sour, but it was in the title.
Ross goes solo, trying some wheat beers, while Ian rehearses for an upcoming show. So there’s the Vineyard Ale, a collaboration with Domaine De Grand Pre winery and Garrison Brewing, also the Orange American Wheat Beer from Great Roads, and the Fool Moon Wheat Beer from North Brewing.
Ian and Ross are fortunate to have some barrel-aged beers to try, and settle on the recent Fisticuffs Biere-de-Garde from Boxing Rock, and we choose Sea Level’s Windward Imperial Stout as comparison, both small-batch barrel-aged beers.
Ross is joined on boxing day, by Ian Smith of Tapestry Beer Bar, to try to remainder of their holiday finds, some of which are on tap at Tapestry Beer Bar. Ross drinks the “Tannen Bomb” from Hell Bay Brewing Co, the “Balsam Blue” from Saltbox Brewing, the “Cinnamon Bun” imperial stout from North Brewing, and the “Chocolate Orange” stout from Nine Locks Brewing Co.
Meanwhile, Ian drinks Sackvegas Brewing’s Odin’s Winter Ale (a recipe from Uncle Leo’s), the “Festivus for the Rest of Us” from Big Spruce, and the Cinnamon Bun as well.
Ross and Ian have a lot of Christmas beers to get through, but they settle, for this week, on Stillwell’s “Czech-Style” Amber Lager, Great Roads’ “Naughty or Nice” Double chocolate stout, “All Lit Up” from Garrison Brewing, and Breton Brewing’s “Milk N’ Cookies” stout.
Ross is joined by David, Keir, and Ananda to drink some of the IPAs in the NSLC that we’ve yet to rate. With some difficulty in availability, we manage to discuss the Kilted IPA from New Scotland Brewing Co, and the First Cut IPA from Lunn’s Mill.
Ian and Ross get through some “Pale Ales” they’ve been putting off, since it doesn’t sound very descriptive, but they manage to be pleasantly surprised. Comparing the “Hants Co Proud” from Hill Top Hops, the “Storm Surge” from Saltbox Brewing Co, and the “M*A*S*H Valley Pale Ale” from Annapolis Brewing Co.
Ian and Ross find a couple of stronger IPAs, 7.0% and up. The “Hop Storm” IPA from Hill Top Hops Brewhouse, and the “Frost Giant” Imperial IPA, the last can we have from the now closed Brightwood Brewery.
Ian and Ross get into a couple of blueberry ales, and lament the fact they should have drank several more as comparison. The “Blueberry Express” from Sober Island Brewing, and the “Blueberry Wheat” from Great Roads Brewing.
Ross goes it alone to tidy up some of the beers that don’t really have comparative matches we’ve been waiting on. He get into the “Stone Fruit” Summer Ale from Propeller, the “Crustacean Elation” Ale from Saltbox, and the “Alakai” New England IPA from Heritage Brewing.
