Beers

Homebrew Cleansing

I used to be an avid home brewer… quite a few years ago… nearly 8, to be more exact. Over the 5 years that I participated in this worthwhile hobby, I accumulated quite a...

A VTHopHead Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving at the VTHopHead house is all about family, close friends, great food, football and, of course, good beer. While most people are focused on the turkey n’ stuffing, cranberries and pumpkin pie (I like these too) for my son Jamie and I it is also a time to pull out a “special” beer (or few) to add to the holiday cheer.

Pumpkin Ales – A Sign of the Season

I have been drinking a few pumpkin ales lately… ’tis the season for harvest-type ales, of course. I am not usually one for pumpkin beers… typically the spices are just a bit too much for me, but below is a run down of three of my most recent samplings.

Requiem for Pennichuck Brewing Company?

It is not uncommon for me to search the Web for artifacts concerning the particular beer I am drinking at the time. I am sitting here drinking a Pennichuck Brewing “The Big O” Oktoberfest Lager and have just run across some very sad references to the Pennichuck Brewing Company. Apparently it has escaped my attention, until now, that Pennichuck has been on the brink of closure for the last month or so; a fact that now seems virtually inevitable.

#880 – Long Trail Imperial Porter

One their new “Brewmaster & Limited Edition Series”. Like many quality craft brewers these days, Long Trail has created this growing collection of “premium beer”. Currently includes their “Coffee Stout”, “Double IPA” and this “Imperial Porter”.

Clipper City Heavy Seas – The Great Pumpkin Imperial Ale

Pours a nice “pumpkin” amber in color with a very small whitish head that fades to almost nothing… low carbonation. Aroma is slightly sweet and almost all pumpkin spice (clove, nutmeg, cinnamon,etc.) and nothing else. Flavor is a bit more complex. Some pumpkin, spices ( as noted) and a bit of harsh, unpleasant alcohol character. Slightly bitter and astringent at the end. Lingering bitterness with little else.