Northeast drinking

The past few weeks have been a whirlwind of work, beer, softball, and trying to catch a breath (or a nap!) so I’m just going to upload a bunch of pics from my first trip covering PA to Maine and all in between and let your imaginations form the story.  Let’s just say it involves the #1 beer bar in the world (Ebenezers, love this place), one that will probably come close to competing with that title yet is affiliated (Lion’s Pride, bartenders who know their shit and what a selection!), and some train/bar-hopping in Boston.  Oh, my liver!

 The drive up north included a stop at Birdsall in Peekskill, NY.  This site was originally an A&P (convenience store) and later a gentleman’s club featuring one of the 1st TV’s in the region which helped drum up a lot of business.  There’s a lot of history here including Rum runners during prohibition and the original cash register which could only handle up to $7.  It’s replacement is still used today.  They had just had a Long Trail event so much of the draft list consisted on those beers but I had a Mikkeler Cascade and enjoyed the black bean soup.  The menu changes often for whatever ingredients are fresh and the food was tasty!

Peekskill Brewery is located just a few blocks away from Birdsall.  I tried a number of their beers from the Paramount Pale, Hop Common, Old Wagon Ale, Vanilla Bourbon Stout, and the Sallie Sweeney, a special blend of the dry and regular stouts with raisins poked with nitro.  Their ales leave a little to be desired but they seem to get the stouts right and the Vanilla Bourbon was really good.  The tap list includes other craft beers in case you want a bigger selection.

In Maine, I spent two nights drinking at Ebenezer’s.  The beers consumed by our group included the Pannepot Wild (brett), 2007 Cantillon Lou Pepe (Chris Lively “select”), Dark Force (some smoky Norwegian wood), an unlabeled original Lost Abbey Serpeant Stout, Kabert, Allagash 9, My Antonia Dogfish and Biggoarlo collaboration, and Kabert, Black Albert, Pannepot Unspiced, Norrebro Pinot Noir Saison, and Dirty Horse.  As was mentioned that night, the last picture we took was around 11:30 but we didn’t leave for 2 more hours- something about that Bar space/time continuum, a literal black hole of drinking.

Lion’s Pride (I know, I told you a lot of drinking!): BFM Le Muele (tart golden blonde brewed with sage), Alvinne Caper Fumatre (fruit, caramel, some smoke), Brooklyn Cookie Jar Porter (oatmeal raisin cookie), and Brasserie de Blaugies Darbyste, way too much carbonation and slight (but not too sweet) fig flavor- worth a try but not outstanding.

Stopped by Bray’s Brewpub while up there to sample the Brandy Pond blonge, O’riens Oatmeal Pale, IRA, Pleasant Mtn Porter, and Celebration Ale.  None were all that fantastic- this is mostly a tourist trap for visitors to the lake…

Hit up Novare Res one afternoon to go through Marshall Wharf Illegal Alien (Kolsh style ale brewed with agave), Brooklyn Brewmaster’s Dark Matter (brown aged in rye and bourbon barrels), and Weihenstephan Vitus (wheat beer with banana, clove, and tropical fruit).  Also sampled a few of the meats and cheeses from their menu including the Cacio de Roma, an Italian sheep’s milk cheese with a smooth balance and some fruit, and Toscana Picante, a delicious spicy, chopped pork/beef salami.

 And since you’re probably as sick of listening to my beer ticklist as I am writing it, Boston drinking included Cambridge Brewing Company, Publick House, and American Craft Brew where the food could almost possibly be better than the craft beer selection and that’s saying a lot!  The fries with the brie/beer dipping sauce were orgasmic.  But I couldn’t end the night without sharing the dessert sampler at Finale.  They don’t have much of a beer selection (single malts if you’re still in the mood to drink) but their chocolate molten lava cake and the sorbets really hit the spot.