Portsmouth Brewery

As previously mentioned, I was in New Hampshire this weekend. Saturday night found us going out for a much more low-key dinner than the Friday night. We decided to hit up Portsmouth Brewery a brewpub in downtown Portsmouth. The place was pretty jammed, we had to wait about 35 minutes at about 7 or so. We sidled up to the bar in the meantime. They offered a variety of their own brews as well as some from Smuttynose, which is also located in Portsmouth.

I started things off proper-like with a wheat wine, which tasted remarkably similar to what I know as the Smuttynose Wheat Wine. In fact, I would not be surprised if they are one and the same. Maybe I will do some digging later on to see if that is actually the case. Either way, the wheat wine was delishis. Nice full bodied flavor with a nice subtle hop bitterness that helped avoid a cloying sweetness. No super burny alcohol flavor despite the high booze by volume number (I didn't see it written anywhere but I would imagine this one clocks in at no less than a 10% bbv.) After passing that around for Angie and her parents to try with varying degrees of like-itude we were able to grab a table.

I followed up my high grav opening round with a still high, though less so, Belgian Dubbel. This one was real tasty, in fact I could have drank at least 80 or 100 of these things no joke. Great malt character, not too heavy on the palate, just the right profile of Belgian funk that I get down with in my brews of this type.

I made the mistake of ordering the Stout Beef Stew. Boooooooo. It was a pussy attempt at a dish I really like. First of all, it was more like a stupid watery brown broth and less like an awesome gravy-ish stewy sauce. Second, it was served over egg noodles...which is cool if it is Beef Bougnioun or however the hell you spell if. But this wasn't...I was expecting a nice Irish style beef stew and was sorely disappointed. I punched the waitress, but she didn't seem to get why. In anticipation of an awesome Irish beef stew I ordered a Black Cat Stout, which I have had at various Beer fest style events...not that I remember any details beyond actually having had one. It was awesome as well. Brewhahas - 3 Food - 0. It had a nice roasted coffee profile, smooth as hell, clean tasting and very poundable. This is the kind of stout I would drink every day if given the chance. Man!!! I am still mad the food wasn't better because that would have been the tits.

In defense of the place though, Angie and her parents all really enjoyed their dinners (fish & chips, cheeseburger, and something else I forget) and they are of more discerning tastes than myself. So I would still recommend the place...sit at the bar though. The dining room area is weak.


&RyToy