Friday Froth: Beers At The Beach With Beer'd Brewing

The first ever Beers At The Beach micro-fest went down at Calf Pasture Beach in Norwalk earlier this month, and CTBites was there to give you a look. The party's host, Ken Tuccio of the Welcome To Connecticut podcast, created the event to showcase in-state breweries which don't have large distributions, and give people a chance to try the beers and meet the people who make them.  The guest of honor on June 11th was Beer'd Brewing of Stonington. 

Burgers and hot dogs were provided by Ripka's Beach Cafe as part of the party, and shrimp, clams and oysters were also on ice for bites al fresco. Beer'd took the opportunity to launch their new imperial amber, Get To The Choppa!

The hot, humid evening had its constrictor's coils loosened by a breeze blowing off the water across the clover at Calf Pasture, and people outside the tent pinged softballs off aluminum bats and dove into sandy volleyball courts while we wandered in and out of the tent wearing as little as possible and trying not to let our sweating cups of beer slip from our hands. 

I started slow, with a straw colored fill of Whisker'd Wit easing me into sundown. There was also a dalliance with another excellent double IPA called House Divided, but you want to read about the new girl, yes? 

Beer'd Get To The Choppa is not really amber - it's more of a pale ale in appearance, and crystal clear. It also has a nose like a fruit truck, and the first sip is sharp and clean as a surgical instrument. You just don't normally find an edge this honed in an imperial. Choppa is extravagantly hopped, but it's also fish and fowl when compared to regal reds like Green Flash Hop Head Red or Smuttynose Kindest Find (which I'll get to in another Froth soon). 

Because the malts in Beer'd imperial amber aren't heavy and slick, they don't need to be pierced by incisive bitterness, and you get to focus on the aromatic flavor with is a hallmark of the New England style of brewing hoppy beers. I'd go so far as to call Get To The Choppa a singularly well advised pick if you're going to introduce a friend to just a single one of the Beer'd beers. I've already reviewed a few others here. 

The next Beers At The Beach will feature Kent Falls Brewing Company on July 16th, and you can find tickets to that event here. Tickets are $30 and include unlimited tastings. The first event had the feel of a back yard party, but I'd expect more guests as word gets around and momentum builds.