Earth Eagle Brewings to Open in Portsmouth

NEW NANO BREWERY AND TASTING ROOM TO OPEN IN PORTSMOUTH NOV. 17

(Portsmouth, NH) – Earth Eagle Brewings, New Hampshire’s newest nano brewery is poised to open its tasting room doors at noon on Saturday, Nov. 17 at 165 High Street, Portsmouth adjacent to A&G Homebrew Supply. Founded by A&G's Alex McDonald of Portsmouth, NH, and Butch Heilshorn of Kittery, ME, the brewery’s “empyreal ales and wonder gruits” will be poured from six revolving taps in their rustic tasting room – the only beer tasting room in Portsmouth.

Earth Eagle Brewings will offer unique versions of familiar beer styles such as IPAs and porters, but they will also dedicate much of their efforts toward experimental and ancient beers. “Among the first to be on tap will be Puca, a delicious curry pumpkin porter,” McDonald explains. “And another is Exhilaration, an invigorating old-world gruit featuring a common herb called yarrow.”

Gruit was a medieval term for herbal blends used to bitter beer. “Most modern brewers use only hops for bittering but that’s changing,” Heilshorn says. “Today, gruit refers to a beer style made with an herbal blend that actually excludes hops.”

The text printed on the back of their growlers offers further insights:
The qualities Native Americans attribute to the Earth Eagle (common wild turkey) speak to our philosophy as brewers and business owners: ecological, charitable, resilient, and unconventional. “Brewings” is our nod to the first brewers who made small batches for their families crafted from local grain, herbs, and yeast. At Earth Eagle Brewings we embrace a Belgian-inspired, pre-Reformation spirit where hops are but one of the hundreds of ingredients employed in the alchemy of brewing.

A nano brewery is defined by the State of New Hampshire as producing up to 2,000 barrels per year. Unlike a brewpub, a tasting room is a space to sample beer in 4 oz. portions (per state law) and food is not served. Growlers (glass jugs) can be filled for take-out purposes and Earth Eagle Brewings will have 1- and 2-liter growlers available. With the exception of an occasional area bar event, the tasting room will be the only place to purchase their brewings – for the time being. Tasting room hours will be Thursdays & Fridays, 3-7pm; Saturdays & Sundays, noon-4 p.m. Find out more online at facebook.com/eartheaglebrewings.***