First of all allow me to apologize for being negligent and absent for a few weeks.
First I had a bad cold that laid me up. Then we went away for a weekend and the next weekend was our anniversary. 
So there is quite a back log of beer tasting notes to get to.

Those who have read this blog might have guessed by now that I am a fan of Two Roads Brewing. I enjoy finding good craft brewers in the state of Connecticut. And I have yet to meet a beer from Two Roads that I did not like. The streak is unbroken with Roadsmary's Baby, though you have to be prepared for something a little out of the ordinary when you give it a shot.

Of course the clever name and inspired design on the can should be a tip off that you are in for something unusual. And that you are. 

Roadsmary's Baby advertises itself as pumpkin ale brewed with spices. But that is only the beginning of the story. It is aged in rum barrels and vanilla beans added. I guess they couldn't fit a kitchen sink in the tank. That is a lot going on in one little can.

There was a definite orange hue to the ale as it was poured from can to glass. That was followed with the aroma of pumpkin spices as the glass was brought closer. And by that I mean the spices one would associate with a pumpkin pie. 

The impression that hits with the first taste is the spices. There is also the hint of vanilla. With subsequent tastes you begin to detect the rum. There is also a slight bitterness from the hops. Overall though the ale was in fine balance.

I did find that the slight rum taste got more pronounced as the beer warmed. (Or maybe that was as the ale warmed me?!) There is definitely no doubt that rum and vanilla were involved in the brewing process of this pumpkin ale. 

This is likely not a beer you'll find yourself drinking all night. It's a little too heavy with the spices and other flavors for that, at least it is for me.

But it is more interesting and complex, and definitely unique compared to all the pumpkin and spiced brews that flood the market this time of year. Two Roads has yet to disappoint. 

I know spiced pumpkin ales aren't for everyone, and it's probably good they are only on shelves for a few months at most. But somehow they now go with autumn as much as apples, cider and cider doughnuts. And Roadsmary's Baby is a good rendering of the type. 

With that I'm giving Roadsmary's Baby from Two Roads Brewing 7 mugs out of 10.

Today we return to one of my favorite Connecticut brewers, Two Roads Brewing Company out of Stratford. 

One of the beers in their summer variety Road Pack is a nifty little number called Road Jam. It is a wheat ale brewed with raspberries and touched off with some lemongrass. 

The raspberry component is evident in the reddish tint of the brew. It is also very apparent in the aroma. There is a strong, somewhat sweet, berry scent when you hold the glass close.

The first thing noticed when taking the first sip was a subtle malty flavor with just a hint of the raspberry taste. But unlike the aroma, there was not any sweetness in the beer. Rather there was just enough tartness to make for a refreshing drink. Overall well balanced between the sweet scent and the tart taste.

This is definitely a warm weather summer brew. It was especially enjoyable after coming in from working outdoors on a hot, humid day. 

As an experiment about half way through my glass of Road Jam I threw in about a half dozen raspberries which had been freshly picked that day from behind a friends house. (The picking was by invitation, just to be clear). I did not notice any impact on the overall taste of the beer. There was definitely a stronger raspberry aroma afterwards and a somewhat stronger fruitiness to the aftertaste. But the general character of the beer was unchanged.

The raspberries at the bottom of the glass were sure delicious and fun to eat though! 

No one is going to claim this is a great beer, or a classic or a standard. But that is not the aim of a summertime brew, at least not in my mind. They should be lighter and aim to be refreshing. Balance if you will should trump complexity.

And by that standard I find Road Jam from Two Roads Brewing a success. It is on the lighter side (5% ABV). But it is well balanced, the fruit adding enough tartness to make the beer refreshing. 

I give it 7 mugs out of 10.

Call me a homer, but this summer I've been on a kick of sampling craft and microbrews from the Nutmeg State I call home. For those scurrying through their atlases to find Nutmeg on a map of the U.S., the Nutmeg State is Connecticut. I know, it's still difficult to locate.

I will occasionally "settle" for brews from other New England states, but have been focusing on CT brews for a number of weeks now.

Connecticut has been lagging behind other New England states, especially Vermont and Massachusetts, when it comes to craft brewing. But the state is working hard to make up for lost time.

One of the breweries that has become one of my overall favorites, not just among Connecticut breweries, is one called Two Roads Brewing Company in Stratford. They even have their own beer pavilion at the Harbor Yard ballpark in Bridgeport. You can sample their brews there before games of the Bridgeport Bluefish. As you can see they are fully into the trend of craft beer in cans, though their brews are also available in bottles. 

I have been working my way through their sample twelve pack which includes the beer above, Honeyspot Road. 

Honeyspot Road is a white IPA. It is made with wheat, hence the lighter color and cloudy appearance typical of a wheat ale. The hoppiness usually associated with an IPA is very present. There is the aroma of grapefruit so characteristic of an IPA. And the citrus notes continue subtly in the first tasting impressions.

The brew is very smooth and goes down easily. The flavor is a bit on the light side compared to a traditional IPA, and does not linger in the swallowing or aftertaste. At 6% abv it is not entirely surprising to have this be a beer with a lighter side. It also struck me as sweeter than a normal IPA.

What did seem more like an IPA and unlike your regular wheat ale was the absence of the prickly sensation on the tongue that I've often found in wheat based brews. Also there was a lack of spiciness. Many wheat ales add spices to the brew but none were detected here. I learned later from their web site that this is deliberate on the part of the brewery. They wanted a clean, crisp taste so did not add spices.

Overall I found this a very drinkable and pleasing offering. Definitely a beer to be enjoyed on a warm, summer day. 

I give Honeyspot Road white IPA from Two Roads Brewery 7 mugs out of 10. 

Or should that be 7 cans out of 10? 

 

Today we "visit" yet another Connecticut brewer. As a state Connecticut has been a little slow to embrace the craft brewing craze. I believe the latest statistics are that Connecticut has half the craft brewers per capita than our neighbor to the north, Massachussetts. But we are making up for lost time with new breweries and brew pubs coming online all the time. 

One of the state's craft brewers is Two Roads Brewing Company of Stratford. I have noticed their brews appearing with increasing frequency here in the northwest corner of the state even though their brewery is in the southern part. Curiosity got the better of me and I took the plunge. I could not find a variety 12 pack, which is the way I prefer to sample beers from an unfamiliar brewery, so I settled for a six pack of their Worker's Comp Saison. 

As you can tell from the bottle it advertises itself as a "farmhouse style" ale. The color is a light, golden brown. When you bring the glass close you immediately notice the fruity fragrance with floral and citrus scents. 

The first impression from tasting it is also that of a lot of fruit and spice. I thought I detected a touch of rye. According to the web site they use a mix of grains for this ale, mimicking what they imagine must have happened at a true farmhouse brewery where they probably grabbed whatever grains they had handy. So indeed rye joins with barley, wheat and oats in the brew. So I get partial credit for that. 

The overwhelming sensation is the spiciness and fruitiness however in both aroma and flavor. However the flavor does not linger. I found it disappeared very quickly even if I held the beer in my mouth for a while. 

But the beer advertises itself as "refreshing" on the bottle, and it was. We were having some of our hotter and more humid days in early September when I was drinking this beer, and it fit right in. It was an easy and enjoyable drink. 

I imagine some who are not fans of Belgian style beers would have a problem getting past the spice and the flowery aroma, but on a hot day it didn't bother me. But I think it would be better in small doses. 

I give Two Roads Worker's Comp Saison 6 mugs out of 10.

And I will definitely be on the lookout for more of the offerings from Two Roads Brewery Company.

You can check out the web site at the link above in the post. They do have a tasting room and give brewery tours. Check the site for days and times. Think Global. Drink Local.