The Good Beer Guide To New England

Whether you live in one of the Six Great States, or are planning a vacation here, if you love good beer, you need this book:  The Good Beer Guide To New England, by Andy Crouch.  I picked this book up recently at the beer gear shop connected to the Portsmouth Brewery, along with a T-shirt with the Smuttynose seal on it, that said HOPS underneath it, a clever take-off on the iconic Barack Obama HOPE poster.  A most awesome shirt.

The book is organized by state, and lists pretty much every craft brewery and brewpub in New England.  Each listing offers a description of the brewery, their flagship beer, and the author’s opinion of what that brewery’s best beer is.  There is also contact information, as well as additional attractions in the area where the brewery is located.  If it’s a brewpub that serves food, there is also a brief description as to what to expect when you go.

Interspersed throughout the book are short articles about beer styles, the craft brew movement in America, and a list of eleven great beer bars in New England, which includes my personal favorite, The Great Lost Bear in Portland.

Beer is definitely more approachable than wine in many ways, but tasting and food pairings are just as important.  Often, when you go to a wine tasting dinner, you have to get all dressed up, perhaps in tuxedo jackets for the men and evening gowns for the women.  Not so at beer dinners, they tend to be much more laid back.  And if you still think that American beer is just watered-down swill like Budweiser, Coors, and Miller, think again!  Get this book, try out some of these places, and you will never look back!

This book was not designed, however, to be a tasting guide.  If you want a book like that, I suggest Randy Mosher’s Tasting Beer.  For the definitely guide on food and beer pairings, look no further than The Brewmaster’s Table by Garrett Oliver.  All of these books should be a part of every beer lover’s library, along with the works of Michael Jackson (no, not THAT one, this was a British guy, sadly no longer with us, who wrote many books about beers of the world).

The Good Beer Guide To New England was published in 2006, so some of the info may be outdated.  For example, the original Sebago brewpub near the Maine Mall is no longer in business, and they are working on a new brewpub located in Kennebunkport, Maine, set to open sometime this coming spring.  So, it’s always best to call or check the brewery’s websites for the most up-to-date information.  But for the most part, the book is still accurate; eventually I hope the author will come out with a revised and updated edition when it becomes necessary.

This is an excellent overview of the craft beer scene in New England.  Highly recommended!  Cheers!