New England Brewing Company: Attack of Duckzilla – Triple Fuzzy

New England Brewing Company: Fuzzy Baby Ducks Releases

Style: Triple New England IPA

Special Notes: It will destroy entire cities!

Hops: Citra

ABV: 10.5

IBU: N/A

Availability: Rotating availability

@untappd says: 4.21/5

If you know my Windowsill, you know it LOVES some Fuzzy Baby Ducks from @newenglandbrewing. If you’re a fan from way back, you know I went to the first-ever release of Double Fuzzy Baby Ducks back in 2017. Well, this past weekend, NEBCO released the biggest version of this Citra-hopped IPA yet: Attack of Duckzilla – Triple Fuzzy!

I went with my good pal, Mike. We got in line at a little after 11:00 AM and waited in the cold Woodbridge, CT air. OK, we didn’t wait too long before I went in and bought us each a full pour of another new brew from NEBCO, the Davidly Roth imperial stout (it was so amazing, we both got growlers). Within the hour or so, we had our Triple Fuzzy and more, and went on our way home.

Beers from New England Brewing Company
Nothing like coming home with a trunk full of delicious NEBCO brews! (Credit: Martin Stezano/Beers on Windowsills)

In the end, we spent way too much money on beer, but it was worth it! Check out all three Ducks on a makeshift sill in my garage! I haven’t opened a can yet, but I had the triple on tap at NEBCO and it was incredible!

Don’t forget to check this one out on Instagram. Like and follow me for some great craft beer!

Two Roads Brewing Company: Lil’ Heaven: Anger Cask

Two Roads Brewing Company: Lil' Heaven Anger Cask

Last night I went to a cask fest, and I managed to find a nice Windowsill there!

If you’ve been following my sill for a while, you know that Two Roads Brewing Company is one of my favorite local breweries. When I heard they were having a cask fest featuring 30 different Two Roads casks and 4 firkins of specialty ciders, I was all in. The festival itself was lots of fun. The beer casks were phenomenal, many of which you can see in the photos above.

For me, the highlight of the night was the set of Heaven or Hell casks. Each set of adjunct ingredients was used—in the same amounts, too—in casks using Two Roads’ Road 2 Ruin DIPA, and Lil’ Heaven Session IPA. The theme was, of course, “which road will you choose?” Most of the time I chose Road 2 Ruin, as it is one of my favorite DIPAs, but sometimes I went with the angel on my shoulder and chose the Lil’ Heaven.

Two Roads Brewing Company: Lil' Heaven Anger Cask
Like hot peppers? I do, but this was nuts. (Credit: Martin Stezano/Beers on Windowsills)

For me, the highlight of the night was the set of Heaven or Hell casks. Each set of adjunct ingredients was used—in the same amounts, too—in casks using Two Roads’ Road 2 Ruin DIPA, and Lil’ Heaven Session IPA. The theme was, of course, “which road will you choose?” Most of the time I chose Road 2 Ruin, as it is one of my favorite DIPAs, but sometimes I went with the angel on my shoulder and chose the Lil’ Heaven.

My favorite cask of the night had to be the one in the lead image above. It was called Anger, and it was made with some very hot ingredients—Scorpion Peppers and Carolina Reaper Peppers. How hot are those? Well, a Habanero pepper weighs in at 350 Scoville Heat Units (SHU). A Ghost Pepper weighs in at a range of 850,000 SHU to about 1 Million SHU. The Scorpion peppers? 1.2 Million to 2 Million SHU. And those Reapers are heavy hitters, weighing in at somewhere between 1.4 Million SHU and 2.2 Million SHU. Shit was hot, bro. Like, linger in your throat for 15 minutes hot. But it was such an interesting cask, that I loved it. I did not go back for seconds, though, lol.

Check out the pictures from the fest, and the kickass taster glass they included in the ticket purchase! Only on Instagram!

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Two Roads Brewing Company: Lil’ Heaven: Anger Cask . Last night I went to a cask fest, and I managed to find a nice Windowsill there! . If you’ve been following my sill for a while, you know that @tworoadsbrewing is one of my favorite local breweries. When I heard they were having a cask fest featuring 30 different Two Roads casks and 4 firkins of specialty ciders, I was all in. The festival itself was lots of fun. The beer casks were phenomenal, many of which you can see in the photos above. . For me, the highlight of the night was the set of Heaven or Hell casks. Each set of adjunct ingredients was used—in the same amounts, too—in casks using Two Roads’ Road 2 Ruin DIPA, and Lil’ Heaven Session IPA. The theme was, of course, “which road will you choose?” Most of the time I chose Road 2 Ruin, as it is one of my favorite DIPAs, but sometimes I went with the angel on my shoulder and chose the Lil’ Heaven. . My favorite cask of the night had to be the one in the lead image above. It was called Anger, and it was made with some very hot ingredients—Scorpion Peppers and Carolina Reaper Peppers. How hot are those? Well, a Habanero pepper weighs in at 350 Scoville Heat Units (SHU). A Ghost Pepper weighs in at a range of 850,000 SHU to about 1 Million SHU. The Scorpion peppers? 1.2 Million to 2 Million SHU. And those Reapers are heavy hitters, weighing in at somewhere between 1.4 Million SHU and 2.2 Million SHU. Shit was hot, bro. Like, linger in your throat for 15 minutes hot. But it was such an interesting cask, that I loved it. I did not go back for seconds, though, lol. . Anyway, check out the pictures from the fest, and the kickass taster glass they included in the ticket purchase! . ABV: 4.8%, IBU: N/A, Cask Fest Only . @untappd says: Unavailable

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Outer Light Brewing Company: Punching the Ocean

Outer Light Brewing Company: Punching the Ocean and flight

Style: Imperial New England IPA

Hops: Galaxy, Citra, Nelson and Mosaic

ABV: 8.7%

IBU: N/A

Availability: LImited

@untappd says: 3.94/5

Sometimes the ocean needs to get put in its place!

As I keep mentioning, I went on a big ol’ beer road trip a couple of weeks ago. My buddy, @galleycookinbeersnob and I spent an entire Saturday traveling around Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut, hitting up as many breweries as we could get to. Our final stop was Groton, CT’s Outer Light Brewing Company.

Outer Light Brewing Company: Punching the Ocean
Tell me you haven’t punched the ocean before… I’d call you a liar. (Credit: Martin Stezano/Beers on Window Sills)

We started out with a flight, which you see up on that nice in-house Windowsill at the brewery. I tried the Bring In the Dancing Lobsters (a cherry milk stout), the Libation Propaganda (a coffee stout), the SUBduction (an IPA with El Dorado, Citra, Citra Lupulin Powder and Equinox hops) and today’s official Windowsill beer (keep scrolling), the Punching the Ocean—a double IPA dry-hopped with Galaxy, Citra, Nelson and Mosaic.

The taproom itself was cool—I wish I had more time to chill out there—and all of the beer was really tasty. I definitely recommend this place if you’re in the Groton area. Have a flight or two and take home some cans!

Check out photos from my trip to Outer Light on Instagram, now!

Grey Sail Brewing of RI: Wheelhouse Series: S.O.S. and The Pearl

Grey Sail Brewing of RI: Wheelhouse Series S.O.S.

Style: New England IPA

Wet Hops: Ekuanot

Dry Hops: Vic secret, Bru-1, Topaz

ABV: 6.0%

IBU: N/A

Availability: No longer in production

@untappd says: 3.8/5

Grey Sail Brewing of RI: Wheelhouse Series: S.O.S.

Two weekends ago, I took a beer road trip with my buddy, Galley Cookin’ Beer Snob. We started with by driving to Trillium Brewing Company in Canton, and we ended up hitting up several other breweries on the way home. One of those breweries was Rhode Island’s Grey Sail Brewing of RI. We didn’t stay for long, just long enough to check out their unique taproom, drink a couple of pints and scarf down a pizza, but it was a freaking awesome place.

First of all, the taproom. You can see from the photo—check out the Instagram post below—that it basically looks like a house. Guess what… it looks like a house on the inside, too. I’m pretty sure that’s because it’s built in an old house. I mean, check out that Windowsill!

Grey Sail Brewing of RI: Wheelhouse Series The Pearl
Grey Sail Brewing of RI: Wheelhouse Series The Pearl on the Windowsill. (Credit: Martin Stezano/Beers on Window Sills)

As I mentioned, the beers were pretty solid. Both of the pints you see on the Windowsill above are part of Greysail’s Wheelhouse Creative Ale Series. In 2018, Greysail decided to create a new, limited edition beer every two months.

The first photo you see is of the S.O.S., which was the third release in the series. It’s a New England IPA hopped with Ekuanot, and dry-hopped with Vic Secret, Bru-1 and Topaz. Super juicy and hazy! The second beer is The Pearl, which was the fifth in the series. It’s not just a stout—it’s an oyster stout, made with Watch Hill oysters. Don’t forget the Cacao nibs and vanilla beans, too.

I managed to snag a couple of take home cans and bottles, but I’ll show you guys those another day. If you haven’t checked out Greysail, make sure you do. Great brews, and an awesome place!

Check out some cool photos from my stop. The taproom is unreal!

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. Grey Sail Brewing of RI: Wheelhouse Series: S.O.S. and The Pearl . Two weekends ago, I took a beer road trip with my buddy, @galleycookinbeersnob. We started with by driving to @trilliumcanton, and we ended up hitting up several other breweries on the way home. One of those breweries was Rhode Island’s @greysail. We didn’t stay for long, just long enough to check out their unique taproom, drink a couple of pints and scarf down a pizza, but it was a freaking awesome place. . First of all, the taproom. You can see from the photo—scroll, please—that it basically looks like a house. Guess what… it looks like a house on the inside, too. I’m pretty sure that’s because it’s built in an old house. I mean, check out that Windowsill! . As I mentioned, the beers were pretty solid. Both of the pints you see on the Windowsill above are part of Greysail’s Wheelhouse Creative Ale Series. In 2018, Greysail decided to create a new, limited edition beer every two months. . The first photo you see is of the S.O.S., which was the third release in the series. It’s a New England IPA hopped with Ekuanot, and dry-hopped with Vic Secret, Bru-1 and Topaz. Super juicy and hazy! The second beer is The Pearl, which was the fifth in the series. It’s not just a stout—it’s an oyster stout, made with Watch Hill oysters. Don’t forget the Cacao nibs and vanilla beans, too. . I managed to snag a couple of take home cans and bottles, but I’ll show you guys those another day. If you haven’t checked out Greysail, make sure you do. Great brews, and an awesome place! . S.O.S.—ABV: 7.5%, IBU: N/A, Limited availability. @untappd says: 3.82/5 The Pearl—ABV: 6.0%, IBU: N/A, Limited availability. @untappd says: 3.8/5

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Trillium Brewing Company: Peanut Butter Cup

Trillium Brewing Company: Peanut Butter Cup

Style: Imperial Stout

Special Notes: Brewed with peanut butter, chocolate, Madagascar vanilla beans and lactose

Hops: Hop Extract

Malts: Pale Malt, Caramel Malt, Flaked Oat, Black (Patent) Malt, Chocolate Malt, Munich Malt, White Wheat

ABV: 13.5%

IBU: N/A

Availability: Limited

@untappd says: 4.4/5

This past Saturday, I took a trip to @trilliumcanton with my good buddy, Brian aka the Galley Cookin’ Beer Snob, and I had what is now my FAVORITE BEER OF ALL TIME—Peanut Butter Cup from Trillium Brewing Company.

First, a bit about our day. Brian got to my house at about 10:20AM and we hit the road to Canton, MA. We made no stops along the way and were inside the building at Trillium’s Canton brewery and taproom at 1:00 PM sharp. As was the plan, we went immediately to the taproom line to get a couple of 5oz pours each. I went with the Resolution Break, an Imperial Stout brewed with cold brew coffee, liege waffles, lactose and vanilla; and the Cape Elizabeth Light House, a double IPA. I’ll save the details on those for another post, because the attention today needs to be placed on the third 5oz pour I picked up.

Trillium Brewing Company in Canton
The sign outside Trillium Brewing Company in Canton (Credit: Martin Stezano/Beers on Windowsills)

Just from the smell, I knew I was in for something life changing. I don’t think I’ll forget that first sip for a long, long time. The creamy, viscous goodness coated the inside of my mouth like motor oil does engine lines. The flavors of chocolate, peanut butter and Madagascar vanilla beans and lactose transported me back to younger days, enjoying peanut butter milkshakes on hot summer nights. I’m pretty sure I floated off the ground for a minute, too. OK… but seriously, this was some unbelievable beer! I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it!

After taking time to make sure I was OK to drive, we went over to the retail shop section to pick up our to-go beers. I ended up buying a case of all different kinds of cans and bottles for me, my wife, a buddy and for an upcoming trade. Sadly, the Peanut Butter Cup was not available to take home. No cans. No bottles. Not even growlers. How disappointing!

Trillium Brewing Company: Peanut Butter Cup
Here’s hoping these aren’t the only 5oz of Peanut Butter Cup I ever drink. (Credit: Martin Stezano/Beers on Windowsills)

Anyway, we packed our beers into the back of the car and headed home. On the way, we stopped off at Castle Island Brewing Company, Grey Sail Brewing of RI, Cottrell Brewing Co., Beer’d Brewing Company (which was closed) and Outer Light Brewing Company. After grabbing food at the Half Keg Tavern in New London, we drove home. Our 12-hour, 4-brewery road trip was over! Amazing day. More to come on those stops soon!’

Check out this beer, and more from my trip to Trillium Canton on Instagram, now. Follow us for more upcoming beers from the trip!

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. Trillium Brewing Company: Peanut Butter Cup . This past Saturday, I took a trip to @trilliumcanton with my good buddy, @galleycookinbeersnob (Brian), and I had what is now my FAVORITE BEER OF ALL TIME—Peanut Butter Cup from Trillium Brewing Company. . First, a bit about our day. Brian got to my house at about 10:20AM and we hit the road to Canton, MA. We made no stops along the way and were inside the building at Trillium’s Canton brewery and taproom at 1:00 PM sharp. As was the plan, we went immediately to the taproom line to get a couple of 5oz pours each. I went with the Resolution Break, an Imperial Stout brewed with cold brew coffee, liege waffles, lactose and vanilla; and the Cape Elizabeth Light House, a double IPA. I’ll save the details on those for another post, because the attention today needs to be placed on the third 5oz pour I picked up. . Just from the smell, I knew I was in for something life changing. I don’t think I’ll forget that first sip for a long, long time. The creamy, viscous goodness coated the inside of my mouth like motor oil does engine lines. The flavors of chocolate, peanut butter and Madagascar vanilla beans and lactose transported me back to younger days, enjoying peanut butter milkshakes on hot summer nights. I’m pretty sure I floated off the ground for a minute, too. OK… but seriously, this was some unbelievable beer! I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it! . After taking time to make sure I was OK to drive, we went over to the retail shop section to pick up our to-go beers. I ended up buying a case of all different kinds of cans and bottles for me, my wife, a buddy and for an upcoming trade. Sadly, the Peanut Butter Cup was not available to take home. No cans. No bottles. Not even growlers. How disappointing! . Anyway, we packed our beers into the back of the car and headed home. On the way, we stopped off at @cibrewing, @greysail, @cottrellbrewing, @beerdbrewing (which was closed) and @outerlightbrewing. After grabbing food at the Half Keg Tavern in New London, we drove home. Our 12-hour, 4-brewery road trip was over. More to come on those stops! . ABV: 13.5%, IBU: N/A, Limited availability . @untappd says: 4.4/5

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Two Roads Brewing Company: Igor’s Dream

Two Roads Brewing Company: Igor's Dream

Style: Barrel Aged Russian Imperial Stout

Special Notes: Versions aged in Rye Whiskey Barrels, Absinthe Barrels, Armagnac Barrels and Ruby Port Barrels.

ABV: 12.0%

IBU: N/A

Availability: Limited

@untappd says: 4.27/5 (Rye whiskey version)

We have a brand spanking new brew on the Windowsill today!

As I mentioned on the blog yesterday (check out the link in my profile), Stratford, Connecticut’s Two Roads Brewing Company released the Igor’s Dream—and its variants—today. I managed to snag all three 2019 versions (the rye whiskey barrel-aged, the ruby port barrel-aged and the absinthe barrel-aged), as well as the 2017 Armagnac barrel-aged version for my buddy @galleycookinbeersnob. For those of you who missed the blog post, and are curious, the beer is named after Igor Sikorsky, who emigrated to the United States from Russia back in 1919, and founded one of the greatest aviation companies in history.

Two Roads Brewing Company: Igor's Dream
How good are these variants gonna be? (Credit: Martin Stezano/Beers on Windowsills)

My day started out super cold. I arrived at Two Roads at about 8:05 AM, and it was 22 degrees. As advertised, tickets for the bottles went on sale at 9:00 AM sharp. I bought my five tickets, paid and got myself some coffee and a sausage, egg and cheese from the 744 Express Food Truck in the parking lot, and headed to my car. The nice part about the way Two Roads does their releases is that once you have your tickets, you’re all set with your guaranteed beer. I was able to snag the tickets and then go home and do a couple of errands. When I was ready, I went back to pick up the bottles.

When I came back, I was ushered to the big glass doors at the back of the taproom, and down the stairs into the actual brewing area, where tables were set up with all of the bottles of Igor’s Dream. I quickly went table to table, got my bottles—I put them into the free big bottle tote bag that Two Roads handed out to everyone who bought bottles—and went out the back door and back to my car. Easy as pie!

I haven’t tried any of the beers yet, but I couldn’t wait to show them to you guys. I’ll do a full review of the Igor’s Dream if and when I pop them open.

Check out more photos of the versions on my Instagram page!

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. Two Roads Brewing Company: Igor’s Dream . We have a brand spanking new brew on the Windowsill today! . As I mentioned on the blog yesterday (check out the link in my profile), Stratford, Connecticut’s Two Roads Brewing Company released the Igor’s Dream—and its variants—today. I managed to snag all three 2019 versions (the rye whiskey barrel-aged, the ruby port barrel-aged and the absinthe barrel-aged), as well as the 2017 Armagnac barrel-aged version for my buddy @galleycookinbeersnob. For those of you who missed the blog post, and are curious, the beer is named after Igor Sikorsky, who emigrated to the United States from Russia back in 1919, and founded one of the greatest aviation companies in history. . My day started out super cold. I arrived at Two Roads at about 8:05 AM, and it was 22 degrees. As advertised, tickets for the bottles went on sale at 9:00 AM sharp. I bought my five tickets, paid and got myself some coffee and a sausage, egg and cheese from the 744 Express Food Truck in the parking lot, and headed to my car. The nice part about the way Two Roads does their releases is that once you have your tickets, you’re all set with your guaranteed beer. I was able to snag the tickets and then go home and do a couple of errands. When I was ready, I went back to pick up the bottles. . When I came back, I was ushered to the big glass doors at the back of the taproom, and down the stairs into the actual brewing area, where tables were set up with all of the bottles of Igor’s Dream. I quickly went table to table, got my bottles—I put them into the free big bottle tote bag that Two Roads handed out to everyone who bought bottles—and went out the back door and back to my car. Easy as pie! . I haven’t tried any of the beers yet, but I couldn’t wait to show them to you guys. I’ll do a full review if and when I pop them open. . ABV: 12.0%, IBU: N/A, Limited availability . @untappd says: 4.27/5 (for the Rye)

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Two Roads Brewing Company to Release Igor’s Dream 2019 on Saturday, January 26

Two Roads Brewing Company

With new breweries popping up seemingly everywhere, the Connecticut beer scene is doing better than ever. This weekend, however, it’s a classic that’s making the big news. You might want to get yourself to Stratford this Saturday, January 26, because Two Roads Brewing Company is releasing the 2019 version of it’s famous Igor’s Dream, a rye whiskey barrel-aged Russian Imperial Stout.

This will be the seventh release of the Dream, which is named after world famous aviation pioneer Igor Sikorsky. Sikorsky emigrated from Russia to the United States in 1919, at the age of 30, and founded the Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation—one of the most prolific aviation companies in American history. Among the company’s many accomplishments is the design and production of America’s first viable working helicopter, which Sikorsky flew himself in 1939. Why is Two Roads so obsessed with the Russian immigrant? The company’s headquarters are also in Stratford. This beer is just Two Roads’ way of paying homage to a true Connecticut hero.

So what can you expect this Saturday? Head over to Two Roads’ official site to check out their list of things to know for this release, but here’s a quick summary:

How do I buy the Igor’s Dream?:

Ticket sales for bottles will start at 9:00AM (Cash, credit and check accepted), and the doors to the brewery open at 10:00AM.

What versions of Igor’s Dream are coming out this Saturday?

Igor’s Dream aged in Rye Whiskey Barrels (limit 3 per customer, $20 per bottle)

Igor’s Dream aged in Absinthe Barrels (limit 1 per person, $25 per bottle)

Igor’s Dream aged in Ruby Port Casks (limit 1 per person, $25 per bottle)

You can also pick up several different vintage versions for previous years. See their info page for full list.

That’s so early, though. Will there be coffee?

Yes. 744 Express Food Truck will be there for you.

Anything else cool?

Yep. Starting at noon, the Sikorsky Historical Archives and CT Air & Space Museum will be displaying some cool stuff and signing bottles. Master Brewer Phil Markowski will also be signing bottles. Also, 10% of all pint sales will be donated to the Sikorsky Historical Archives, and there’s going to be a raffle for an Igor’s Dream Swag Bag that benefits the CT Air & Space Museum!

Head over to Two Roads’ Instagram for more info, too!

Two Roads logo courtesy of Two Roads Brewing Company

Brewery Review: Athletic Brewing Company

Athletic Brewing Company beers

Non-alcoholic craft beer? Now I’ve heard everything… and tasted it, too, thanks to Athletic Brewing Company!

We’re doing something very different with the windowsill today—a brewery intro unlike any other we’ve done before. Athletic Brewing Company in Stratford, CT opened its taps in 2018, and is owned by Bill Shufelt. What’s so special about this place? Well, what Athletic does is very unique. Nobody else on the entire East Coast does it, and only two other places in the entire United States. What is it? Non-alcoholic craft beer!

Some of you may have stopped reading, but those of you who haven’t must be as curious as I was when I heard about this place. All of my memories of non-alcoholic beer are basically of O’doul’s (“What beer drinkers drink when they’re not drinking beer”)… awful.

Athletic is different. Shufelt was about to get married, and wanted to improve his life through health and fitness. Too many weekend nights drinking led to too many hangovers and unhealthy meals, which didn’t vibe too well with his demanding financial career. He cut the booze and never went back to it, but still enjoyed going to bars and hanging out. Unfortunately, there was not a lot for him to drink in a lot of public places. One thing led to another, and here we are.

When I heard about his brewery (thanks to the gang at @203local), I reached out via DM and Bill Graciously agreed to send me some beers to sample. When I got their package, I was very impressed. Bill sent me three different beers: The Upside Dawn Golden Ale (3 cans), the Run Wild IPA (3 cans) and the Local Harvest IPA (6 cans). The packaging was lovely, and even included stickers and other information about the beer and brewery.

All that matters is the taste though, right? Especially if the beer isn’t going to wow you with a hefty ABV. Well, here are my thoughts. This is the best, and most well-crafted, non-alcoholic beer I have ever tasted. Here’s how the beers did, for me.

Upside Dawn Golden Ale

Athletic Brewing Company: Upside Dawn
The Upside Dawn golden ale from Athletic Brewing Company. (Credit: Martin Stezano/Beers on Windowsills)

ABV: <0.5%

IBU: 15

Calories: 50

Tasting Notes: The Upside Dawn was light and crisp with some good floral aromas.

Availability: Year-round

Run Wild IPA

Athletic Brewing Company: Run Wild
The Run Wild IPA. (Credit: Martin Stezano/Beers on Windowsills)

ABV: <0.5%

IBU: 35

Calories: 70

Tasting Notes: The Run Wild was hoppy and had some good IPA qualities with a nice bitter finish.

Availability: Year-round

Local Harvest IPA

Athletic Brewing Company: Local Harvest IPA
The local harvest seasonal IPA. (Credit: Martin Stezano/Beers on Windowsills)

ABV: <0.5%

IBU: N/A

Calories: N/A

Tasting Notes: The Local Harvest IPA is a fall seasonal from Athletic. It, too, was pretty hoppy and had some interesting flavor.

Availability: Fall seasonal

All that being said, as well-crafted as these beers were—considering that they can’t rely on the alcohol content for sales, I would argue that what they’re doing is harder than “normal” brewing—it’s not for me. The concept of the “beer without a buzz” is not something I’ll probably ever truly be into. Also, although the beers had some solid flavor, that too doesn’t compare to a “regular” IPA or Golden Ale. I love everything Athletic has done, and I will cheer them on from afar and wish Bill well with his company, though.

If you want to drink beer, but want a healthier option that won’t get you drunk, definitely check these guys out. They’re local, and they’re doing great work. Cheers!

Head over to Instagram to check this out right now!

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. Brewery Review: Athletic Brewing Company . Athletic Brewing Company in Stratford, CT opened its taps in 2018, and is owned by Bill Shufelt. What’s so special about this place? Nobody else on the entire East Coast does what they do, and only two other places in the entire United States. What is it? Non-alcoholic craft beer! . Some of you may have stopped reading, but those of you who haven’t must be as curious as I was when I heard about this place. All of my memories of non-alcoholic beer are basically of O’doul’s (“What beer drinkers drink when they’re not drinking beer”)… awful. Athletic is different. Shufelt was about to get married, and wanted to improve his life through health and fitness. Too many weekend nights drinking led to too many hangovers and unhealthy meals, which didn’t vibe too well with his demanding financial career. He cut the booze and never went back to it, but he still loved beer. Athletic was born. . I reached out via DM and Bill Graciously agreed to send me some beers to sample. He sent me three different beers: The Upside Dawn Golden Ale (3 cans), the Run Wild IPA (3 cans) and the Local Harvest IPA (6 cans). The packaging was lovely, and included stickers and other information about the brewery. . All that matters is the taste though, right? Especially if the beer isn’t going to wow you with a hefty ABV. Here are my thoughts. This is the best, and most well-crafted, non-alcoholic beer I have ever tasted. The Upside Dawn was light and crisp with some good floral aromas. The Run Wild was hoppy and had some good IPA qualities with a nice bitter finish. The Local Harvest IPA is a fall seasonal from Athletic. It, too, was pretty hoppy and had some interesting flavor. . All that being said, as well-crafted as these beers were—considering that they can’t rely on the alcohol content for sales, I would argue that what they’re doing is harder than “normal” brewing—it’s not for me. The concept of the “beer without a buzz” is not something I’ll probably ever truly be into. . If you want to drink beer, but want a healthier option that won’t get you drunk, definitely check these guys out. They’re local, and they’re doing great work. Cheers!

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Alewife Brewing Company: Death to Ego

Alewife Brewing Company: Death to Ego on the Windowsill

Hops: Azacca, Centennial, El Dorado

ABV: 6.1%

IBU: 54

Availability: Year-round

@untappd says: 3.9/5

Let’s set our egos aside in favor of good beer on the Windowsill today!

Yesterday, my good pals Mike and Christine introduced me to Alewife Brewing Company—a great brewpub in Long Island City, Queens. I’m really grateful that they did. Not only did Alewife have a Windowsill for me to put a beer on (although it was a tad dark), they also brew their own solid beers, and carry over two dozen craft beers from New York, and all over the country, too. I tried some delicious in-house beers, as well as other craft brew on tap from LIC Beer Project, SingleCut Beersmiths and Clown Shoes Beer. One nice detail you can see in the photos in the Instagram post below… at 8:29 PM, they printed out a new tap list. It replaced the 3:38 PM tap list. These guys are on top of their stuff. Oh, did I mention they also have delicious food? I devoured my burger so quickly, I didn’t even take a picture of it. If you’re in Long Island City, check them out!

It doesn’t matter how many craft beers a brewpub has, I have to judge them on the beer they brew in in their own barrels and tanks. Thankfully, the Death to Ego was tasty! It’s an American IPA, and the official description says it all. CITRUS. FRUIT. LOVE. If you ask me, those are some pretty key ingredients for brewing a good IPA. Thankfully, they also used actual ingredients—namely, Azacca, Centennial and El Dorado hops. Great combo! I wish I’d tried more of Alewife’s in-house brews to see how they stacked up to the Death to Ego, but I was too busy oogling the rest of the craft brew list. Oh well. Next time!

Head over to our Instagram to see more photos of Alewife Brewing Company, now!

Thanks to Places like The Bronx Brewery, Beer Is Making a Comeback in the Bronx

A Can of The Bronx Brewery Built For This

The last time we had The Bronx Brewery on the Window Sill, I told you the story of Kato, the ailing-yet-brave fat cat I’d grown to love while my wife and I were nursing him back to health. You’ll be glad to know that not only is Kato doing better, but the Bronx is back on the sill, too! This week, I reached out to the “Boogie Down”-based brewery to talk to them about their delicious Northeast IPA, Built For This. See what they had to say about it! Continue reading “Thanks to Places like The Bronx Brewery, Beer Is Making a Comeback in the Bronx”