The Best Part of Fall

I love when the weather starts to turn, and you feel that cool crisp snap in the air.  When the leaves are just starting to turn.  That’s when I love to pop open a Southern Tier Pumking!  It’s a great way to “welcome” the fall season.  The weather is warm enough to enjoy cold beer, but cool enough that you want a little flavor oomph to invoke a little warmth.   Relax and enjoy one now, while the season is just starting:  because it’s only a matter of time before it’s good bye Pumking and hello coffee stouts!

Hickey’s 5 Top Beers of Summer

With over 600 craft beers to choose from, your probably wondering what to try next.  Here’s our list of the “Top Five” selling craft brews for the month of June. I’ve included the brewer’s notes on each to give you their interpretation the beer – see if they meet your expectations.  Maybe you’ll even find a new summer favorite!  Cheers

Jack’s Abby Hoponious Union: This lager harmoniously combines lager yeast fermentation and west coast IPA hops. Its India style Pale Lager is like a traditional IPA but with a twist – it’s fermented cold and aged for extended periods. A blend of classic American hops creates a huge tropical fruit and citrusy hop aroma. A dry finish accentuates the pleasant bitterness and hop profile. Hoponious Union uses locally grown dehulled spelt from MA.

Dogfish Head 60 Minute: 60 Minute IPA is continuously hopped — more than 60 hop additions over a 60-minute boil. (Getting a vibe of where the name came from?) 60 Minute is brewed with a slew of great Northwest hops. A powerful but balanced East Coast IPA with a lot of citrusy hop character; it’s the session beer for hardcore enthusiasts!

Kona Big Wave Golden Ale: Big Wave is a lighter bodied golden ale with a tropical hop aroma and flavor – a smooth, easy drinking refreshing ale. The use of caramel malt contributes to the golden hue of this beer and our special blend of hops provides bright quenching finish.

Wachusett Blueberry Ale: The slight aroma of blueberry is balanced by a subtle flavor that gets fermented into this delicious wheat ale. It’s the perfect, refreshing beer for any season.

Newburyport Greenhead IPA: An assertive and hoppy west coast-style India Pale Ale. Bright hop aromas and flavors fade to a brief, smooth malt undertone and a clean, crisp, slightly bitter finish. This beer is brewed to bite you back!

Sam Adams Utopia

Sam Adams Utopia is a beer collectable from Sam Adams brewery. A combination of vintage beers aged to perfection in a variety of liquor casks to create a harmonious libation unique in both flavor  and structure. This years’ blend is aged in cognac, bourbon, port, and Madeira barrels – culminating  at a whopping 28% ABV. Tastes of molasses, vanilla, oak, and cocoa compliment the blend beautifully.

Winter Warmers

   It’s the most wonderful time of the year – time for all of our favorite brewers to release their seasonal “winter warmers”. This season of brewing is all about malt. Winters are usually heavier, fuller bodied beers with less hops and more malt. Spices like clove, nutmeg, ginger and molasses are sometimes added too. Winter Warmer season tends to start in December with spiced lagers and ales and by January/February, we are drenched in heavier favorites like coffee porters and chocolate stouts!