Newport Craft Beer Festival Recap

The Newport Craft Beer Festival took place the weekend of April 27^th in beautiful downtown Newport, RI. Sarah had been to Newport previously to take some mansion tours, but I had never been, so we took was a great opportunity to see a great New England seaport town, while taking in one of the premier beer festivals in Southern New England. We had an extra ticket, so we invited our friend Kristina, who is a fellow lover of craft beer (and a Rhode Island native).

We parked near the festival, but opted to have a Bloody Mary and some snacks to shake the cobwebs (and slight hangovers) we were feeling on the way down. Our first stop was at the Brick Alley Pub & Restaurant, which Kristina had raved about their Bloody Mary. They definitely didn't disappoint!

Held over two sessions on Saturday, the festival boasted some of the best local Rhode Island breweries (Ravenous Brewing Co, Newport Storm, Trinity Brewhouse, Foolproof Brewing, Grey Sail), New England brewers (ClownShoes, Mayflower, Cape Ann, Woodstock Inn, Cisco), in addition to several staples in the craft beer world (Stone Brewing, Sixpoint, Green Flash, Lagunitas, and Brooklyn) to name a few.

Grey Sail

Under the tent!

Located at the historic Great Friends Meeting House, you could not have asked for a nicer location. Situated under a giant tent to shade thirsty beer drinkers, ticket holders were able to sample some incredible beers. Although there was the tent, mother nature played a big role in making it such a great day as there was nothing but blue skies over head.

Post festival we opted for a few more beers and snacks in town. Our next stop was at The Black Pearl, which was literally on the water, followed by Pour Judgment (one of the event sponsors).

If we had thought better, we would have booked a hotel room well in advance. By the time we decided we wanted to stay over, all of the area hotels were long gone! Newport is a great little town, with a lot to do in addition to hosting the Newport Craft Beer Festival. We will certainly be back to Newport and to this event. It’s not often (or often enough) that we get to try some great Rhode Island breweries, which this event obviously promotes.

My beautiful partners in crime for the day Kristina & Sarah

Homebrewing Now Legal in All 50 States!

I just received this in my inbox...this is DEFINITELY some exciting news, and of course has been in the works for many years. Congratulations to homebrewers in the deep south!

On Thursday, May 9, Alabama Governor Robert Bentley signed homebrew legalization bill HB9 into law, making Alabama the 50th state to legalize homebrewing.

Earlier this year on March 19, Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant signed a homebrew legalization bill that officially goes into effect July 1, 2013, at which time homebrewing will be legal in all 50 states for the first time since before Prohibition.

For the past five years the American Homebrewers Association, along with Alabama homebrew advocacy group Right To Brew, has been working towards homebrew legalization in their state.

"Homebrewing has been an integral part of the history of America, so it's thrilling to know that soon, all 50 states will support this growing hobby and long-standing tradition," said Gary Glass, director, American Homebrewers Association. "We appreciate the backing of all of the homebrewers, the dedicated grassroots efforts of Right to Brew and the legislators who have worked so diligently to make homebrewing a reality in Alabama. We are especially grateful to Representative Mac McCutcheon who introduced this bill and has fought long and hard for its passage, along with Senator Bill Holtzclaw."

Post-Prohibition, homebrewing was not federally legal until President Jimmy Carter signed H.R. 1337 on October 14, 1978, which officially went into effect on February 1, 1979. Shortly after that bill was signed, the American Homebrewers Association was formed by Charlie Papazian and Charlie Matzen to promote and celebrate homebrewing. Since then, the AHA has taken a leading role in advocating for homebrew rights and supporting the legislative efforts of local homebrew communities.

The American Homebrewers Association (AHA) continues to promote homebrewing rights. Over the past several years, the AHA has advocated for homebrewing rights legislation in more than a dozen states. If you are not already a member, please support the cause and join the AHA today!

Mayflower Brewing Co. 4th Annual Open House

Mayflower Brewing Company 4th Annual Open House!

When: Saturday, May 18th from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm
Where: At the brewery, located at 12 Resnik Road Plymouth, Ma

The open house, which is $10 per person at the door will feature musician Jake Hill. Food will be available to purchase from Little Red Smoke House out of Carver, MA, and from Quahog Republic from Falmouth, MA.

If you haven't visited the Mayflower brewery, this is the perfect opportunity to do so! They have gone through a few expansions to their facility over the past few years, which is good to see. Additionally, they have increased distribution to NH, and are continuing to grow in Rhode Island (they were featured at the Newport Craft Beer Festival last weekend).

Spring is the best time to visit Plymouth. The sun will hopefully be shining on our friends on the Cape, and this should be a great time for anyone who attends!

Brew England Turns 4!

So...we quietly turned 4 years old in March. So quietly, that we actually forgot. Unlike some other blogs, we haven't celebrated the years of writing, event attending, and beer drinking in one celebration - although that sounds like it would be a good time. But, it's fun to think back to all of the entries we've done over the years.

We started off incredibly slow in 2009. In fact, we really only posted a few times in the entire year. It wasn't until 2010 where things really started taking off and we had a great year in 2011. 2012 - present has slowed down considerably due to our work schedules...BUT, we have still attended some great events.

Hopefully we'll be able to find more time to write beer reviews, post recaps of events, and visit some more great breweries in New England.

To everyone who stumbles on this website, is a regular reader, likes our Facebook page, follows us on Twitter, etc, we'd just like to say thank you!

Cheers,
Adam & Sarah

2nd Annual Newport Craft Beer Fest

What: Second Annual Newport Craft Beer Festival

When: April 27^th, 2013. Two Sessions: Noon and 4pm

Where: Great Friends Meeting House Lawn. Newport, RI

What: 30 Breweries, 100+ Beers to Sample, Local Food, Live Music, $45 ticket

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NewportCraftBeerFestival

Website: http://newportcraftbeerfestival.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/NewportBeerFest - @NewportBeerFest

Tickets: http://newportstorm.com/gearstore/category.php?id_category=12

A festival is growing in a town known worldwide for its festivals. The Newport Craft Beer Festival (NCBF), in its second year, will be adding a second session to the festivities on Saturday April 27th 2013.  The event will be held in the same location as last year - on the daffodil-filled lawn of the historic Great Friends Meeting House - with sessions at Noon and 4pm. 

The NCBF is produced by Newport Storm and Pour Judgement Bar and Grill with proceeds benefiting the Rhode Island Brewers Guild. There will be an emphasis on Rhode Island craft brewers and New England in particular, but the event will feature exquisite beers from across the US. Guests will be given the opportunity to sample multiple styles from thirty different breweries and converse with the folks who crafted them. Come taste the difference between a stout and a porter, learn the impact a unique yeast strain can have on aroma and celebrate the joy of craft beer! 

This festival celebrates Newport’s rich brewing history (dating back before the American Revolution!) and is being held on a Newport Historical Society site. “Brewing craft beer is an art,” states Hank Whitin of Pour Judgement, “and that art has been ‘brewing’ locally for over 400 years! We want to celebrate that history and give brewers an opportunity to show off the brews they work so hard to hand-craft. It will be a ‘different’ kind of beer festival, with the focus on personal interaction between the brewers and guests. Set on the historic Meeting House lawn, the venue itself reinforces the history we are trying to bring attention to.” The NCBF is literally a few blocks from the bay and Long Warf where there's plenty of free parking and several hotels within walking distance. Newport is undoubtedly one of the great New England road-trip destinations, and now it's just gotten a little bit better.

The Newport Craft Beer Festival is strictly a 21+ event. "Tickets are $45 and available atwww.NewportStorm.com/GearStore. Tickets include admission, unlimited beer samples, live music, a souvenir glass and a home brewing demonstration.  Neighborhood restaurants the Fastnet, Perro Salada and the Fifth Element will be offering small plates for sale. For up to date info follow the Festival’s Twitter feed: @NewportBeerFestival, Facebook page:facebook.com/NewportCraftBeerFestival or check out www.NewportCraftBeerFestival.com.

Newport Storm is Rhode Island’s Microbrewery, handcrafting over 35 unique brews since 1999. Their Visitors Center is open for tours and tastings from 12pm-5pm on Weekdays and Weekends (except Tuesdays). Newport Storm beers continue to be distributed throughout RI, MA and CT, with their beer lines including the flagship Newport Storm-Hurricane Amber Ale, Newport Storm-Rhode Island Blueberry, the Cyclone Series of limited release beers, the Storm of the Season beers, and the Annual Limited Release Series of bottle-conditioned beers.

Pour Judgement Bar and Grill is Newport’s place to ‘have a night out without spending a day’s pay.’ Located in the up and coming section of Newport’s lower Broadway they offer great food and a wide selection of craft beers. www.PourJudgement.com

The Rhode Island Craft Brewers Guild is organized and operated exclusively for non-profit purposes. The Guild is organized to promote beers made in Rhode Island and the breweries that make them, facilitate technical collaboration between Rhode Island brewers and be an advocate for Rhode Island Brewers in government and community affairs.

Trillium Brewing Retail Shop Open Tomorrow

Tomorrow will be an exciting day for Jean-Claude and Esther Tetreault, owners of Trillium Brewing Company, and brewer Adam Goodwin. The first full day of spring will be the first day that Trillium Brewing Company's retail shop will open to the public, and marks the official release of "Trillium."

TRILLIUM BREWING COMPANY

OPENS RETAIL SHOP

Boston, MA, March 20, 2013 – Trillium Brewing Company is opening its doors.  More than two years in the making, Trillium will launch retail operations tomorrow and introduce their eponymous flagship, Trillium, a pale farmhouse style ale.

“Opening the retail shop and releasing our first beer, Trillium, is the realization of an extensive family and community effort.” said JC Tetreault, co-owner of Trillium Brewing Company. “Esther (wife and co-owner) and I couldn’t be more excited; we can’t wait to see you at the brewery!”

Brewer Adam Goodwin describes the beer: “The simplicity of the recipe lends to a wonderfully complex yet still approachable beer. A beautiful nose of spice and pepper, coupled with flavors of fermentation-derived fruit and breadiness. Firm bitterness, nicely carbonated with a dry finish, but there’s also this elegant smoothness to the mouthfeel from the wheat in the recipe.” While there are eventual plans to bottle beers at the brewery, Trillium will be initially available in 64oz. growlers, which are glass containers that can be refilled at the brewery. 

The retail shop will open for the first time on Thursday, the 21st of March at 4pm and will have regular hours on Thursday and Friday (4-7:30PM), and Saturday (10AM-4PM). Growler fills and merchandise will be available for sale, but sampling of the brewery’s beers won’t be available until a permit can be obtained by Boston’s Inspectional Services Department. Initial draft accounts will be The Publick House & Monk’s Cell in Brookline and Vee Vee in Jamaica Plain.

For more information about Trillium, and to get up-to-date notifications, visit their website to get updates by signing up for the mailing list.

  www.trilliumbrewing.com

twitter.com/trilliumbrewing

facebook.com/trilliumbrewing

instagram.com/trilliumbrewing

Bull Jagger Closing Doors

Bull Jagger Brewing Company, a lager-only brewery out of Portland, Maine announced yesterday it is closing its doors and selling off the brewery. My buddy Brian over at Seacoast Beverage Lab hinted at this yesterday, as he saw a Craigslist add out of Portland listing Bull Jagger's brewing equipment up for sale, and the announcement was confirmed by the brewery yesterday on Facebook.

The brewery was founded in the Fall of 2011 and had been turning out 16.9 oz bottles to Main craft beer drinkers by offering up Portland Lager, Big Claw Pilsner, Original No. 19 Baltic Porter, and Dirigo Crimson Lager, among a few other smaller releases.

The Facebook announcement read,

"Friends of Bull Jagger~

As some of you know, the brewery is for sale. Bull and Jagger are going their separate ways, and under the circumstances, we have no choice but to close the company. In the coming weeks, we will have fresh beer to package and sell. Our lagers are and will be available in Maine through our distributor, retailers, and to the public while supplies last.

Tom Bull, co-owner and head brewer, has been asked by the owners of the Big Claw brand to work with another local brewer to brew Big Claw Pilsner (and keep Tom brewing in general) for the coming spring and summers seasons . . . and beyond.

A world of gratitude to all of you who have supported us-- we have learned a lot, laughed a lot, and made lots of new friends along the way.

After the brewery is sold, Tom will regroup and continue to pursue the passion that made him Maine’s 1st all lager craft brewer. Until then, enjoy our local lagers and keep supporting your local craft beers and beer sellers.

Drink up boys and girls, the brewery needs the kegs.

Prost!"