I am sure it will a surprise to no one that I enjoy drinking delicious, local craft beer. What may be a surprise is that this is a very new development...like in the past 3 years new. I was an affirmed beer hater from the start...er when I started drinking at the appropriate age of 21 years. Back then, all I knew of was one type of beer, the awful tasting type. It was unbeknownst to me that beer came in many different types of brews, much like wine, and all I had to do was find the kind I liked..and find them I did! Wheats, stouts, porters, largers and many more..just keep those bitter IPAs out of my pint glass and we will get along fine..
So this brings me to my first brewery tour. I went with my expert friend Dana and her awesome friend Monica. Dana has been to more breweries than I have been farmers markets and was a great person to share this experience. Since we live in Somerville and like to do things as close to our homes as possible, the logical choice was to hit up Night Shift brewery, only skip over into the city Everett. All you need to know about Everett is that is the home of Teddie's Peanut Butter, Night Shift brewery and, to our surprise, Idle Hands brewery as well!
I twitted a warning that we were on our way and were expecting the fun-est tour ever..of which they replied "always a fun time @Nightshiftbeer". I like them already. Replying to tweets keeps it personal and that is what small business is all about..being personal!
We arrived and found this sign..which was good because it is one creepy alley you need to head down to get there, but be sure it will be worth the trip!
As we entered we met Michael, our tour guide for the event. He was friendly, greeting us with a great smile and wise, offering us a drink before the tour even started.
First up the flagship beer Trifecta, a Belgian-style pale ale with vanilla beans and my favorite. It was crisp, smooth, subtle and the prefect way to head into the factory. On the tour, we learned that the brewery has only been open for 5 months although the guys have been home brewing in Somerville for 5 years prior to the start of the company.
They brew 200 gallons per day which produces ~700 bottles, demonstrating the true meaning of small batch brewing! Not shown are the pounds of hops and other favorings such as Taza chocolate nibs that are on display. We then went it the area were the beer is stored after bottled..below is the Somer Weisse which is named after the city were it all started..
Speaking of Somer Weisse, that was our next taste. Made with lemongrass and ginger, this is the most unique tasting beer I have ever had. Tart on first sip, it surprises your palate, however as you go for another sip you find an amazingly complex brew that will have you wanting more. No doubt the perfect Summer beer. Next up, Bee Tea, a Belgian-style wheat. As you may have guessed this contains honey, but it also has green tea. Possibly the best beer to have when you have a cold or when you just want a lovely, sweet light beer. Side note: I learned from their website the the tea is sourced by Mem Tea imports based in..Somerville! These guys do not forget their roots!
Now on to the heavier beers. The Quad Reserve is a Belgian-style quad ale fermented with brown sugar and Shiraz grape juice..yes grape juice and brown sugar. If you look up the description online, you may think you are reading about a fancy french wine as opposed to a craft beer, but be sure it is beer..tasty, tasty beer. I hope to be able to find this on the first chilly Fall night of the year, as I think it would be a perfect way to deal with the end of Summer. Finally, what we were waiting for as huge Taza chocolate fans, the Taza stout. It is brewed with chicory root and ginger then aged on cacao nibs from Taza Chocolate, Somerville (of course). If The Quad Reserve is going to help us get over the loss of Summer, this Stout will be our long Winter life-savor! Rich and delectable, it was a lovely desserty party in my mouth.
The guys that run the joint are super nice and welcoming and all the beers were winners in my book. I highly recommend taking the trip to the no-mans land know as Everett and down the scary alley that leads to the happy land of Night Shift Brewery. Oh and if you are a brewery tour newbie like me..you will be happy to know these are free! How I did not know this is beyond me since I have a nose for free stuff, but now I know and so do you. I did buy a t-shirt so I can show my support as I bike around the 'Ville on the weekends..
As I mentioned, we were surprised to see Idle Hands right beside Night Shift living in harmony with one another. We like small businesses that support one another. We did not get a full tour of Idle Hands as it was getting late and understandably this guy wanted to get home------>
However, he was nice enough to let us sample and chat while we enjoyed all his brews. Another nano-brewery but this time it is run by a husband and wife team. Clearly had a wonderfully busy day because there were only 3 beers left, Blanche de grace (named after his wife!); Patriarch and pandora. We loved them all! I for sure see going back to check out the facility and the beers that we missed! Here I bought a glass that I can drink future Idle Hands purchases!
We were 3 happy ladies at the end of our visits. Highly recommend supporting both these fine businesses when you are patronizing your favorite bar or saloon. If you can't find them there, make sure you make it known you want them tap!
Remember to support your local businesses!
Stay happy and healthy!
~L
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