New Brew Thursday: 'I See You' from Finback

Way back when, in mid-March, when I received my New York City Brewer’s Guild beer week case I was filled with happiness. Due to my hectic schedule I knew there would have been NO way for me to attend in person and when I first heard about the case (shout out to IPA.fan on Instagram) I new I had to have it. Now that I am down to my last beer I only have one thought. I cannot believe this case lasted so long and that I left this absolute beauty from Finback for the end.

‘I See You’ pours into the glass a hazy yellow with a thick white head. It has soft notes of melon that do not overpower the nose, just subtly whispering into the nostrils (that might be one of the most pretentious sentences I have ever written). The taste is phenomenal. The label promises cantaloupe and boy does it deliver on that promise. While I have never had an IPA with Belma or Blanc hops they definitely play a supporting role to both introduce and round out the Mosaic, as the beer has the juicy and thick mouthfeel of a classic hazy Double IPA. A slight bitterness lingers on the back of the tongue to punctuate each sip. Despite having an ABV of 8% it is not overly boozy and you will be three-quarters through the glass before you start to feel it.

In all, when it comes to this beer, this case, and the New York City Brewer’s Guild Beer Week I go with an old standby quote: Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.

Cooking With Beer: Allagash Jerk Chicken

North meets south in this is a recipe I have been working on for some time. Tinkering with it to get something truly special and while I will continue to play with it, mostly because that is just how I cook, I feel that this is something truly special and is absolutely delicious.

When it comes to the beer, I used Allagash ‘White.’ Not only because it is my favorite Wit but in my humble opinion it is one of the best Belgian Wits on the market. While you can use another Wit, I do not see why you would do so as ‘White’ is just fantastic. However, if you must, just make sure it has coriander and citrus in it as they help bring out those ingredients in the brine and marinate.

Brine:

6 cups water

1 habanero pepper

1 bay leaf

1 knob ginger

½ lemon (plus its juice)

1 clove of garlic

¼ cup dark brown sugar

¼ cup kosher salt

1 tablespoon Black Peppercorns

1 tablespoon Allspice berries

1 teaspoon Coriander seeds

24 oz Allagash White

1 tray of ice cubes

 

Marinate:

1 knob ginger

4 cloves of garlic

2 fresh bay leaves

¼ of a medium size onion

3 scallions

½ cup cilantro

2 habanero peppers (3 if you like it spicy)

2 tablespoons fresh thyme

1 tablespoon allspice

1 tablespoon dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon coriander

½ teaspoon clove

½ cup low sodium soy sauce

½ cup Allagash White

¼ cup Worchester sauce

¼ cup lemon juice

 

Method:

Bring the water up to boil and then add all of the ingredients for the brine except the Allagash and Ice. Let boil for five minutes before taking off the heat and then add to your brining bucket and then add ice and Allagash. Once the brine is cold then place your chicken into the brine and let sit for 24-48 hours.

Next, take the chicken out of the brine and pat dry with paper towels. Place the chicken on a tray and put back into the refrigerator for 12 hours to allow the skin to tack up.

For the marinate, combine all of the solid ingredients and spices into a high-powered blender (rough chop the ginger, scallion, and onion) and pulse five times. Next, add the liquid ingredients and blitz until it is chunky-smooth. Once the chicken is ready, place into a plastic bag with the marinate and let sit for 24-36 hours.

When you are ready to cook, take the chicken out of the refrigerator and let sit for 15 minutes. Bring your smoker up to 275 degrees Fahrenheit, I used a combination of hickory and cherry pellets, and then place the chicken skin side up for 30 minutes and then flip so it is skin side down. Cook to an internal temperature of 160 degrees and then let sit for at least 15 minutes (the carryover heat will cook to completion).* and then enjoy.

*NOTE: my smoker has a very high deflector plate that acts almost like a broiler. If your smoker doesn’t have one, then you may want to put it under a broiler to crisp up the skin. If you are using a grill, you will definitely want to introduce some smoke through wood chips.

While this recipe is very time consuming it is most assuredly worth it. Proper Jerk Chicken is a labor of love using the brine, marinate, and smoke to make something that is warm, spicy, and smokey all at once. Even if you cannot brine the chicken and just want a nice chicken marinate for the grill this is perfect for you.

"New" Brew Thursday: 'Dusk Trill Dawn' from Trillium and Evil Twin

The year is 2016, after months of studying and three days in hell I finally finished taking the bar exam. I have about one more month living in Boston and now with ample free time, I do not know what to do with it. While going for Pokemon Go walks, hitting the gym, sleeping, and just generally relaxing were my day-to-day musts, it was hitting up some of my favorite spots that really made me happy. One of those spots was Trillium. In their old space there was no room for on-site pours, so it was a strict to-go operation. It was there, in the dead of the August heat, I visited to pick up two imperial stouts. A bottle of ‘Outside The Lines’ and a howler of ‘Dusk Trill Dawn’ because that was the only way it was being offered. I remember it being one of the best stouts I had ever had and always wanted to try it again. Nearly five years later… I got my wish.

‘Dusk Trill Dawn’ pours into the glass a dark, almost obsidian black with a brown head. It has extraordinarily strong notes of coffee, chocolate, and malt that all blend and play off one another as well. The taste is just how I remembered, amazing. A thick and luxurious mouthfeel that coats the entire palate with an initial hit of chocolate that then gives way to an overpowering coffee flavor that lingers on the tongue well after it is gone. Despite being 12.6% ABV it is not overly boozy and hits just right.

In all, ‘Dusk Trill Dawn’ was just the thing I needed to satisfy my Boston nostalgia. Reminding me of one of my favorite stouts from one of my favorite breweries.

Weekend Getway: Boston Edition

When I went to Law School back in 2012 I never expected to have such a connection to the City of Boston. Living in Rhode Island I had been to the city a few times for Red Sox games and day trips but nothing more than that. But after living in the city for four years I was genuinely sad to leave and move back to RI. I had not been back to Boston since 2018 so when my girlfriend pitched a weekend in Boston as a birthday present, I was very happy.

We visited a few breweries, Dorchester Brewing was absolutely amazing and deserves (and will be getting) its own post. We also visited Cheeky Monkey Brewing and Brato Brewhouse which were both very good as well. Saturday we spent walking around Beacon Hill and stopped at Beantown Pub, a bar I became VERY familiar with during my time at Suffolk to get lunch. While Beantown does not have an extensive tap list, they do have an old reliable go to, and my gateway beer, Harpoon IPA. They also have great food with awesome service. However, the highlight of the trip was our dinner at The Publick House on Saturday night.

Now, I have had a long love affair with this Brookline institution. Easily one of the top craft beer bars in the area with an awe-inspiring tap list and some of the best food you will ever have. I started the night with a trappist beer from Chimnay and ended with a kettle sour from Banded Brewing. Both were amazing and with dinner being a short rib sandwich I was in absolute heaven. Also, for the first time since the pandemic started, I was able to sit at a bar and have a beer which was something I did not think I would miss as much as I did.

We left on Sunday but not before stopping at Anna’s for lunch, I always go with the super quesadilla and it never disappoints. Overall, we had a amazing weekend and I really cannot wait to get back to Boston… Mainly just so I can get back to Publick House.

New Brew Thursday: ‘It Was His Birthday And They Didn’t Even Care’ from Evil Twin Brewing

The birthday theme continues with tonight’s #NewBrewThursday. When I got my case from the New York City Brewers Guild this beer definitely caught my attention. Evil Twin is always good for not only great beer but some of the best names in the community and ‘It Was His Birthday And They Didn’t Even Care’ is an all time name. While my birthday was this past weekend and many people did care I did think to save this one for a #NewBrewThursday review and it lived up to my expectations.

‘It Was His Birthday And They Didn’t Even Care’ pours into the glass a cloudy greenish-blue with a small light blue head that disappears almost instantaneously. It has strong sugary-sweet notes of blue raspberry similar to a blue raspberry jolly rancher. However, it does have a slight hint of chocolate at the very end. It tastes great. With a light mouthfeel, the sugary-sweet blue raspberry taste dominates the pallet with a slight tartness that then gives way to a slight chocolate flavor before disappearing back into the sweetness of the blue raspberry. While characterized as a Sour IPA I was unable to detect any hop so if IPAs are not your thing, you’ll be sure to like it. Coming in with a dangerous ABV at 7% you’ll be nearly finished before you start to feel it. This beer is akin to sour alcoholic, blue raspberry cotton candy. Definitely making for a great birthday.

Rhode Trip: Six Pack Brewing

 (The next part in a multi-part series as we complete the Rhode Island Brewer’s Guild Passport. To learn more about the passport and download the app click HERE)

This past weekend was my birthday (Happy Belated Birthday to me) and while I am not much of a birthday person I did want to visit a brewery, but it had to meet two requirements. First, it had to be one of the few I had not been to on the passport, and next, it had to allow dogs. Six Pack Brewing in Bristol met both requirements so my girlfriend, Bradley, and I all got into the car and made the trek out there and let me tell you, we were not disappointed.

While located in a plaza with other businesses there are tables out front on the patio for a nice little outdoor area. The inside is quite spacious with ample tables and a couch more towards the back. However, what really makes the vibe of Six Pack are the owners and their professional greeter, Sheldon. Sheldon is an eleven-year-old Beagle/Italian Greyhound mix who is the first thing you see when pulling up. He and Bradley became great friends although the older Sheldon did not want of play non-stop with the one-and-a-half-year-old pup and would come over to us for extra pets. The owners are two of the nicest people you will ever meet and will not only spend extra time talking with you but your dog as well. The best word to sum up Six Pack? Cozy. Like going back to your parent’s house and having a beer, but in the best way possible.

Now this is not a blog about aesthetics or kindness, it is a blog about beer and let me tell you their beer is great. I was able to try a few of their offerings and I was very happy. The New England IPA had a hop blend that I had never encountered before that had a nice bitterness up front with a lingering funkiness to its finish. The West Coast IPA was textbook, with a big hop flavor and a long and lingering bitterness. Their cherry sour was light, flavorful, and perfectly tart. However, the peanut butter milk stout ‘Penny’ was the big standout. A rich peanut butter taste upfront that gives way to a rich and creamy finish, plus it was on nitro which is always a personal favorite.

While they are one of our newer breweries I am excited to see what they do next and will definitely be back. Plus, Bradley will want to see his newest friends again.

Six Pack Brewing is located at 87 Gooding Ave. Bristol, RI 02809. For more information about the brewery please click HERE

Part one: Long Live Beerworks

Part two: Buttonwoods Brewery

Part three: LineSider Brewing Company

Part four: Taproot Brewing Company

Part five: Community Bruin (CLOSED)

Part six: Shaidzon Beer Company

Part seven: Moniker Brewery