Listening To: Star Wars Epic Battles playlist on Spotify
Over Christmas vacation in Connecticut I had the time to stop at a local brewery and check things out. After a quick Google search, I found one about 20 minutes away - Thimble Island. Located in Branford, CT, the story of Thimble Island strikes a chord with me - Just a pair of guys from the tech industry trying to make a beloved hobby into a profession.
I usually enjoy touring the breweries I visit, to see what equipment they have and how they use it, but unfortunately TIBC was not set up to offer tours of their new facility yet. They did, however, offer flights of beer! They had about 8-12 beers on tap, and also offered bottles and growler fills to go (pay attention Georgia!). I had previously tried and enjoyed their Mutually Assured Destruction Russian Imperial Stout in a bottle from a local package store, so I sampled four other brews:
The Ghost Island DIPA was a solid beer. Good hop aroma and flavor, but not overpowering, with a nice maltiness to balance. I like hop, so it could have used a bit more in my opinion, but I think this would go over very well for folks that are not a fan of the super hoppy West Coast styles.
The Windjammer Wheat Ale was also very good. Good citrus notes and a bit of a bread or biscuit to it as well. Very clean otherwise.
The Dark Pumpkin Porter was a bit of a disappointment for me. It was by no means bad, but it did not have the depth of spice I am used to getting from a pumpkin. I think this was more a result of expectation than reality. I went in expecting a heavier spice taste, and was disappointed when it was not there. It left me feeling like it was a bit empty, or missing something.
The Coffee Stout was very meh in my book. Again, not a strong flavor with the coffee, which fell short of my expectation. There was also a slight acidity to it that I found unpleasant. It also did not have the mouthfeel that I expected from a stout. A good stout, in my book, coats your mouth a bit to give some lingering flavor. This beer went right down like a pale ale or pilsner might, but without the hop profile to linger behind, again leaving me with the impression that something was missing.
The M.A.D. Russian Imperial Stout was fantastic. Very smooth for an 11%, nice dark flavors, and a great finish. I picked up a 4-pack of Bourbon Barrel aged M.A.D. on my way out of the brewery that I am really looking forward to.
Overall, I would give Thimble Island a thumbs up. A couple of the beers I tried fell short of expectation, but that may be as much my fault as theirs. I also have a penchant for beers that are remarkable in some fashion, be in a strong flavor or a unique ingredient, and while their beers were good, the only one I found remarkable was the M.A.D. Russian.
Cheers to a couple guys living the dream!
