Cremo Ale
Alvarium Beer Company

Poured from a pint can into a pilsner style glass. The body of the beer is amber in color, with a fine twi fingered white head. The aroma has some elements of hops. The first sip is all about that smooth taste that made cream ales an American tradition, at least for me and my consumption of Genesee Cream Ale back in the day. This beer is a tribute to the old New Britain brewery which is way before my time, but if it tasted this good you have to wonder why it isn't still being brewed. Alvarium has not only produced a fine cream beer but has perhaps created it's own classic New Britain beer!

 

Pours a deep dark honey color; opaque but see through, off white head that dissipates to a thin but dense layer of froth. Some splotchy lacing.

Nose has some minor toasty qualities to it, biscuity fullness and sweetness with some hidden fruity yeastiness.

Taste is much of the same semi toasted honey and biscuit quality; there is some hops and they carry and earthy feel to them.

Mouthfeel is light but has some heft to it, it has a little richness to it. Drying sensation on the tongue with some hops; but clean finish.

This beer is tasty and very drinkable and balanced. It has English beer like qualities to it and reminds me a lot of drinking a bitter. Recommended.

 

This one pours a very clear golden amber color, with a small head and lots of lacing.

This smells like slightly grassy hippiness, corn sweetness, and some light breadiness.

Like most cream ales, this isn’t exactly super compelling. Nonetheless, this is well brewed with really no flaws at all. It’s very crisp, with a nice clean hop character, and a restrained sweetness.

This is light bodied, clean, and very crisp, with a great drinkability to it.

This has a nice backstory to it, and I’m glad it was brought back in some form.

A: crystal clear; bronze in color; 1+ finger ivory head that receded to a wispy cap; very little lacing;

S: bready, malt, and corn;

T: caramel with corn sweetness added in; very mild bitterness on the finish;

M: light bodied; moderate carbonation; lightly dry finish;

O: a nice tip of the cap to an old local favorite;

 

 

I am too young to remember the original Cremo Ale, however my uncles who grew up in the area always told me about New Britain's original Cremo Ale and how it was a staple for the city. It is awesome that Alvarium has taken the stance to bring back New Britain's original Ale. I will say this is not the type of beer I would generally drink, but it is a great compliment when you need a break from the IPAs. Happy to have a historical beer back in the area!

 

 

Drank from a 32 fl. oz crowler purchased at Alvarium Beer Company, New Britain, CT
Date filled: 10-21
Served in a pint glass
Thanks to my sister Vanessa for buying me this crowler at the release.

My parents and grandparents would always talk about the now-defunct Cremo Brewery, which operated throughout the 1940s and 50s in New Britain, Connecticut. Being born in New Britain and raised nearby, my sister thought it would be fun for me to give this limited-release, throwback beer a try.

The beer poured a crystal clear, deep amber color and was capped by a small, fizzy, bright white film that quickly dropped to a thin collar. Minimal spotty lacing trickled down the glass.

The aroma was very subtle. Bit of doughy malt sweetness. Hint of dry yeastiness. Not much else happening though. Subtle caramel notes appeared as the beer sat.

The flavor definitely had a lot more going on than the nose. Bready, biscuity malts came through up front. Somewhat grainy too. Smooth, buttery, lager-like yeast notes were apparent. Earthy hops were detectable mid palate and intensified on the back end. The beer finished with more earthy hop notes and a subtle, lingering bitterness.

Bubbly, spritzy mouthfeel. Medium bodied for the style. Lively and quite effervescent on the palate. Fairly slick and smooth once settled.

It is nice to see Alvarium, New Britain’s first craft brewery, pay hommage to the city’s legendary Cremo Brewery with this “Old Style Sparkling Ale.” This is a solid, pre-prohibition-style cream ale (I think) that is far better than most mass produced examples.