Blue Lobster Brewing experiences?

My trip starts Friday at Cape Ann Brewing Co at 11am then hitting up Blue Lobster and Throwback in the afternoon before the Southern NH Brewers Festival. Can't wait to get the trip started.

 

On a lower note, They were a no show at the VT Brewers Festival last weekend. Shit happens.

 

Last minute cancellation. They annouced on FB the day before they couldn't package enough beer to make it (8 posts up)

 

They filled 3 of my screw top growlers. You just have to bring your own caps.

 

Package enough beer, you mean fill kegs. I am sorry but when you commit to an event, plan for it, all of the other smaller brewers seem to make the sacrifices. They had enough beer to be open back home.

Love the beer, hate excuses.

 

Re: packaging beer - just using their words.

And maybe it's just my interpretation, but saying they "were a no show" implies they just didn't show up. They were open about why they couldn't come. Your choice whether you believe it or not I guess

 

They had originally been onboard for the S. NH Brewers Festival this weekend, but since decided to focus on the VT Festival instead. I wonder if there's any chance they'd be at the NH event (slim chance, but who knows if they'd have enough product for and interest in the NH festival.)

 

The actual statement fwiw
"The bad news is that due to circumstances out of our control we will NOT be able to package enough beer to attend the Vermont Brewers Festivall"

 

I haven't heard anything to suggest that it will happen, but I'd love it if they're able to attend the SNHBF this weekend.

 

But they had enough already packaged to sell back home?

Pulling out 2 days before an event is a dick move, no way around it.

 

Yeah - it would be great to get them in front of more people. Top notch stuff.

 

I don't know that they had enough. Per their Facebook, at the brewery they ran out of their flagship beer during last weekend. They are a small one man brewery open for less than a year and are getting very popular - managing production for on site sales, accounts and events has to be tricky, especially when this is their first time running their own shop.

 

I guess file this under "Things I have learned in my first year running a brewery"

 

I checked the place out on Sunday. Was impressed that it was a nice, clean, new place and the lobster claw tap handles are cool. Good prices for onsite samples, but I passed on take home because of the pricing. The didn't have the pale ale on tap.

I liked the wheat ipa - that had a good punch of what seemed like simcoe hop flavor. The Rugged neck porter was good too - rich and roasty and the peat provided nice depth without being in your face. The black ipa didn't seem all that hoppy to me, but ok as a porter. The berlinner weisse was a bit one dimensional for my tastes, but can see Sour Heads liking it. Didn't care for the toasted onion/garlic heavy Columbus DIPA though - but that's columbus hops for you -sometimes you win, sometimes you lose - good structure otherwise. Everything seemed to be cleanly fermented which is more I can say for some recent startups I've tried, so I think they have promise.

I would stop in again for a few more samples whenever I'm in the area and look for their beers elsewhere on tap. Nice people once you got them engaged in conversation.

Oh and they said they would fill any 2L growler except clear glass ones.

 

Weird they wouldn't fill my 32 oz growlette and the girl said because it was a screw top?

 

I feel the difference between how much beer a festival crowd could go through vs how many customers they may get in an average weekend could be very different. When your capacity is so small I'm sure it's harder to meet swings in demand.

 

So don't commit to a festival?

 

I won't.

 

Are tastings free?

 

$1 per taster. They are usually 2-3 oz. and you can only have a taste of each once I believe.