Beer – Page 2 – Mystic Wine Shoppe

Mystic Wine Favorite Beer List 2018

As the time of year rolls around that kids head back to school and the pools begin to close, many people consider it to be the end of summer. Marking August in your mind as the end of the summer months means missing out on the fun and outdoor activities you could be enjoying far into September! September is the perfect time to host a backyard barbecue and enjoy some of the many great beers on the market this year. If you’re looking to start trying new brands and brews, take a look at some of these top picks Mystic Wine recommends checking out.

Cloud Candy IPA

CLoud Candy

This IPA offers a smoot, crisp finish with hints of mango, papaya, and starfruit. The deep golden-orange color draws you in and the taste will have you coming back for seconds.

Blood Orange Brew Free! Or Die IPA

Blood Orange

This IPA features a 100% fresh blood orange puree for a unique flavor and deep gold color. If you’re looking for a traditional IPA with a twist, this beer is for you.

UFO Splash Down

UFO

UFO released this limited-edition summer variety pack to mix up your flavor picks and it’s been a hit! This pack includes raspberry, white, pink lemonade, and pineapple. There’s a flavor for everyone, or more to try for yourself!

Winter Hill Darlin’s IPA

Winter Hill

This IPA from Winter Hill pours dark and has a flavor all its own. The dark chocolate and coffee like aroma this beer gives off makes for an interesting flavor palette with roasted undertones and little to no hop flavor.

Goose Island IPA

Goose Island

This beer is referred to as a hop lover’s dream for very good reason. The fruity aroma of this IPA is offset by a long hop finish with a dry malt middle. If you want an IPA that really lets you enjoy the flavor of the hops, this one’s for you!

Gripah Grapefruit IPA

Gripah

This beer is a light, citrusy IPA with a 5.5% alcohol content and a great flavor. Grapefruit zest is added during the fermentation process to create the citrus taste and aroma.

Tall Bouy IPA

Tall Buoy

This IPA is a hazy gold color with orange and white highlights throughout. The flavors in this beer are unique, with a sweet aroma and taste followed by a malt that is earthy and full of body, this beer will leave you wanting more.

Castle Island Righteous GOALS IPA

Castle Island

This drink is one for those who enjoy something a bit tart and sour, but still sweet. The guava and passionfruit notes create a flavor and taste that is sweet with a sour twist. There’s a great tangy acidity with every sip of this beer. It’s crushable and light.

Jacks Abby Hoponius on Holiday

Jacks Abby

This beer is a clear golden pour and an aroma with notes of mango and orange. A moderately bitter and tropical beer without being too sweet is hard to come by, but this hits the mark perfectly! This is the perfect refreshing summertime beer.

No matter what your taste preferences are, there’s a new beer for you to try this summer! Summer doesn’t end in August, so get out there and enjoy the weather with a new beer in your hand.

August 3, 2018/by Eric Faiola

Beer, Monthly Brewery

The Shed Brewery

Vermont. Land of Ben & Jerry’s, maple syrup and the beautiful outdoors. Also home to The Shed Brewery, one of the first brewpubs in Vermont that has been a state favorite for almost 50 years.

History of the brewery: The original building was a blacksmith shop in 1830 that was later served as a cider mill and local gathering spot for farmers. In 1965 it officially became The Shed Restaurant after quickly becoming a local variety store. Local legend has it that when the restaurant burned to the ground and reopened a year later, word spilled out of a new addition of a seven-barrel brewery. This news quickly swept the roads and mountains that English-style, handcrafted ale was going to be produced. Production moved to Middlebury in 2011, and for the first time in the brewery’s history, people outside of Vermont are able to enjoy Shed’s brews. The legacy and history of the original Shed live on in every batch of Mountain Ale and IPA.

The Shed Brewery offers two year-round brews and three seasonal ones.

Their first year-round brew is Mountain Ale-a medium to full-bodied ale, with pronounced caramel and toffee notes, followed by a roasted finish.
Their second brew is Mountain IPA- it has handfuls of Simcoe, Centennial and Chinook hops that deliver big notes of pine, resin, and citrus.
Their first seasonal brew is Hellbrook Pilsner. It is named for the rugged trail that climbs Mt. Mansfield and features a straight-up hop spiciness with a crisp finish. Next is Baltic Porter, a deliciously dark lager that is clean, robust and full of dark chocolate notes with subtle hints of caramel.
Lastly, they have their Pumpkin Ale, a bold, balanced and mildly spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Brewed with organic Vermont pumpkins from the Golden Russet Farm in Shoreham.

SHED010-16-Mountain-Ale_6PackFront_3D-HR

Visit their tasting room in Middlebury, VT (seasonal only). They also have a great pub onsite, so stay and grab some grub with your tasty beer. Guests can learn more about its history and local natives who used to fill the original mill to drink a good cider and spirited conversation.

Live too far from the Green Mountain State? Don’t worry, stop in Mystic Wine Shoppe and pick-up some delicious Shed Beer…. with a little taste of the countryside and history of its Ale, you can drink like a local.

July 2, 2018/by Eric Faiola

Beer, Monthly Brewery

Brewery Spotlight: Bent Water Brewery

Science, art, and love. The three ingredients that created Bent Water Brewery. Located in Lynn, Massachusetts, this brewery got its roots from 3 friends from the North Shore. Bent Water’s philosophy is, “Every beer begins with water, and with careful, creative manipulation, we bend water into unique, careful brews.” They are a self-canning, self- distributing brewery with 13 rotating taps in their taproom. And the best part is- they welcome pets on their patio during the warmer months. Good brews, great weather, and furry friends, what more can you ask for?

Bent Water offers a very wide variety of brews from IPA’s to Pale Ales and everything in between. They have released an experimental series called the X-Series. There are 22 different batches in this series, that are each brewed differently with their own distinct flavor.

Here are a few listed below that sound too good to be true –
X-6: Raspberry Lime Wheat Ale
X-9: Apricot Ale
X-12: Vanilla Chamomile Stout
X-15: Chocolate Milk Stout
X-17: Blood Orange Acid Beer

They also have a selection of new arrivals to try, such as –

Double Thunder Funk Double IPA and Sluice Juice New England IPA.
Double Thunder Funk Double IPA: a recreation of the original Thunder Funk, adding more grain and more hops, resulting in more power and flavor.
Sluice Juice New England IPA: With aromatics of orange, tangerine and lime peel, this is their juicy, hazy and smooth New England IPA.

From their bold packaging and can designs to their wildly interesting flavors and brew names, Bent Water Brewery has a lot to offer. With Summer almost coming to a close, if you haven’t gotten a chance to try their X-Series or new brews now is your chance! With one of their 6-pack’s and a good group of friends, your night has already transformed from a good one to a great one.

Stop into Mystic Wine Shoppe and shop the Bent Water Brews we carry!

Photos from the Bent Water website.

June 5, 2018/by Eric Faiola

Beer, Monthly Brewery

Brewery of the month: Cisco Brewers

Located on the beautiful island of Nantucket, Cisco Brewery is a must-see when visiting the famous New England Island. Guests are invited to sip their delicious Cisco beer, enjoy wine from their sister company Nantucket Vineyard, sample liquors from their second sister company, Triple Eight Distillery, and take a tour! It’s truly a great experience.

Can’t make it to the island? Stop into Mystic Wine Shoppe and shop Cisco Brewery products!

How Cisco Brewers was born: Cisco Brewers was founded by Randy and Wendy Hudson. Wendy started home brewing with some friends while living in California, but in 1992 she returned to the island and met Randy. Instantly, she not only knew that Randy was her soul mate, but that he would make a great brewer. And so she bought him a beer kit.

When Randy and Wendy started selling beer, the entire operation-except the cold room, which was cooled by an air conditioner-was outdoors in the backyard. Wendy always called the original setup a “nano-brewery” because although they dreamed about it, they certainly were not yet a “micro.” Many people thought it looked like they were making moonshine and they were right! Cisco Brewers had the distinction of being America’s Only Outdoor Brewery.

While Cisco has a wide range of beers to try, we’re going to highlight their Classics collection:

Whale’s Tale: An amber English-style ale that has a nice balance between hops and malt. It’s the most popular of their beers and the most versatile in terms of pairing with food or people.
Sankaty Light Lager: A light American Golden Lager. This delicious creation is light-bodied with tremendous balance and distinct hop character. At 3.8% alcohol and 126 calories, this light beer has true flavor and body while being easy to drink and easier on the waistline.
Indie I.P.A: This beautiful red-orange ale has a full malty body balanced by a fruity apricot/grapefruit nose. Mounds of dank Summit hops in the whirlpool and dry-hop additions provide a delicious finish to this East meets West-coast ale.
Grey Lady Ale: Named for the often-foggy island where it is brewed. This wheat beer is fermented with Belgian yeast and brewed with fresh fruit and spices. A unique ale that emits a complex, earthy nose and a soft, mid-palate maltiness with hints of tropical fruit. Dry and spicy.

Interested in learning more about Cisco Brewers? They offer tours and tastings for all three of their business’. The tour price includes a tasting glass and you will be able to sample two wines from Nantucket Vineyard, two beers from Cisco Brewery and two spirits from Triple Eight Distillery. Come out and enjoy their Nantucket haven- just prepare yourself in case your mind blows up from all the awesomeness.

April 11, 2018/by Eric Faiola

Beer

Porter vs. Stout

What is the difference between stouts and porters?

Since the dawn of drinking beer, this question has perplexed many, but the answer is both complex and simple. Porters were first brewed in 18th century London and were made to be a dark, medium bodied, malty beer with lots of hops to balance it out. As the Porter became more popular, brewmasters started to experiment with their recipes making stronger Porters with higher alcohol. So traditionally, Stouts are just stronger Porters. In fact, Stouts used to be called Stout Porters. However, nowadays the answer isn’t as easy.

Many breweries make Porters that are stronger than Stouts and Stouts that are weaker than Porters. The one difference that most brewers still seem to agree on is that Porters are made with malted barley and Stouts are made with unmalted roasted barley giving Stouts that rich coffee flavor. However, brewers also continue to blur the line between these distinctions making Porters with unmalted roasted barley.

So is there a difference between Porters and Stouts? The best way to answer that would be to say kind of and sometimes. Ultimately the only thing that matters is how the beer tastes and the modern beer world is in no short supply of delicious Stouts and Porters. Don’t worry about the silly distinctions and drink up!

February 20, 2018/by Eric Faiola

Beer, Monthly Brewery

Lord Hobo Brewery Co.

Happy New Year!! We’re starting 2018 off on the right foot with our Brewery Spotlight on Lord Hobo Brewing Co. Their beers are proudly brewed in Woburn, MA and they bring the New England Beer experience to thirsty fans everywhere. We love carrying their lineup at Mystic Wine Shoppe and hope you’ll try them out and visit their tap room soon.

Lord Hobo Brewing Co. opened the tap room doors to the public in June of 2015 and was founded by Daniel Lanigan, a well-known craft beer restauranteur. Beer lovers… If you haven’t already tried their brews, you’re going to want to. Lord Hobo puts beer on a pedestal using only quality ingredients to make these acclaimed brews.

They’re currently a BYOF (bring your own food) venue; featuring local restaurants and Food Trucks every Friday and Saturday. So, if you want to tour their brewery, sample their beers in the tap room, or to grab a bite to eat, it’s a great spot to visit with your kids and dogs!

We hope you’ll try out the array of beers we carry by them at Mystic Wine Shoppe:
• BOOMSAUCE IPA
• Hobo Life Session IPA
• STEAL THIS CAN IPA
• Consolation Prize Double IPA
• GLORIOUS Galaxy Pale Ale

Cheers!
-Mystic Wine Shoppe

January 2, 2018/by Eric Faiola

Beer, Monthly Brewery

Newburyport Brewing Company

A new season is upon us and we’re excited to announce our first local BREWERY SPOTLIGHT! We carry many craft brews and want to make it easier for you to decide which beers to take home. This week, we’re featuring the amazing Newburyport Brewing Co. out of Newburyport, MA

Newburyport Brewing Co.’s doors have been open since 2012 and we absolutely love carrying their line of delicious brews. Their brewery aims to capture the essence of Newburyport’s quaint seaside character across a line of the highest quality, best tasting, craft beer products.

This brewery is also known for all-natural beers for people love music and the great outdoors. They host many events with local businesses like Metzy’s Cantina on Thursdays and you can also enjoy live music in their Tap Room!

Newburyport Brewing is kid and dog friendly, too! This past weekend, we stopped by Barks n’ Brews, a fundraising event they hosted with Sweet Paws Rescue. We love how involved they are in their community and we hope you’ll sip local and try out the array of beers we carry by them at Mystic Wine Shoppe.

Try out their year-round beers:

Melt Away Sessions IPA
Plum Island Belgian White
Newburyport Pale Ale
Greenhead IPA
Maritime Lager

Or their special small batch series available on draft in their Tap Room:

Joppa Grande
Double IPA

Happy Drinking!

-Mystic Wine Shoppe

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September 20, 2017/by Eric Faiola