Smuttynose: Greatest Hits

I can't imagine Smutty not being around anymore. Hard to believe I'm typing those words, I really hope someone can keep the brand alive. Anyway, here are my personal favorites. Great beers that hold a lot of memories for me. "Smuttfest" at Novare Res in Portland, ME. was a blast when I was there twice! Never forget getting permission to explore Smutty's cold room where they stored hop pellets on Heritage ave. at the old brewery. They'd have scattered random cases of vintage Big Beers Series bottles. I'd get them for cheap! (This was before they sold vintage bottles to the public)

Shoals Pale ale
Robust Porter
Smuttynose IPA "Finestkind"
Baltic Porter
Imperial Stout
Imperial Stout Apple Brandy Barrel (short batch #8)
Hopfen Weisse (short batch #5)
Smutt-a-Roni (short batch #3)
Big- A - D.I.P.A.
Oaked Big A
Ry(e)an ale (Julios collaboration)
Portsmouth Lager
Really Old Brown Dog (R.I.P. Olive!)
Smuttlabs Stallion (Red Wine barrel)

 

There probably isn't any single beer I've had as much of as Shoals Pale Ale. For years, that's what I had in the fridge and I had a bottle for dinner most every night.

Durty Mud Season and East Coast Common were topnotch and Smuttlabs has churned out a lot of interesting beer, mostly at least enjoyable although a few were pretty awful.

I feel personally responsible. All that time I was perfectly happy slurping my Smuttys and then, like most everyone here, I started chasing down all the hot new local microbreweries. I'm such a ****. Of course, it didn't help that, by the time Smutty made it into the grocery stores - in the same state, I might add - it was usually within a few weeks of its six-month supposed-best-by date. So, that, right there, was pretty self-inflicted.

 

Baltic Porter is still in my top 10 beers and I loved Ry(e)an ale when it was offered. Vunderbar is an awesome pils and it was amazing on-cask aged in cypress wood when I had it at Hayseed last year. I hope something comes together for them. Personally, I don't think they make a bad beer in any style - I think the downfall was with marketing and distribution. I consistently saw old beer in the RI market and was constantly shut-down when looking for logs.

 

Baltic Porter - a favorite in the style for me
Old Brown Dog

And here's my curve ball - Big A IPA - this is a discontinued 10% IPA that I bought on sale a few years ago, well past its prime - and something about it just worked. Wish I could hit that sweet spot again on that one.

I also really hope the new buyers retain the brand name, and can't imagine they won't as there's got to be plenty of value in it.

 

Agreed on the Big A. That one back in the 22 oz bottles was great - maybe about 15 years ago. It had a big alcohol booziness that most strong DIPAs back then avoided (90 Minute, Maharaja, Great Divide, and whatever else was making its way into New England in the early 00s), and I guess still do. I loved sipping on that bitter alcoholic monster and that boxer on the label seemed so appropriate. Anyway, I believe it lost a bit as time went on and became more "drinkable."

Baltic Porter of course was great, but what I will miss the most if it goes is the Maibock. Wow. I couldn't really get it anyway these days as I was never around when it was released, but that there is a beer.

 

Imperial Stout, Baltic, Robust, and rhe Wheatwine...

 

Smutty Pumpkin is my absolute favorite of the style. It's more like a Pale ale with pumpkin essence, I look forward to that beer every fall.

 

Robust Porter
Baltic Porter
Old Brown Dog
Really Old Brown Dog

 

This...

 

Brett and I is very underrated, killer brett beer. Smoked Peach Weisse was super unique. I've always loved Really Old Brown Dog too. The majority of their imperial series will always have a place in my heart.

 

Vunderbar - making a bold statement but I think it's the best brewed Pils out of NH.
Really Old BD
Rhye
Also really enjoyed their old fashioned one-off packaged with bitters

 

The Baltic Porter and the Imperial Stout are good. Now I have to go searching for some Smutty.

 

K

Kewl, dood

But to add to this thread.

Baltic Porter
Imperial Start
Shoals Pale

 

@billandsuz I'm pretty sensitive to diacetyl myself and cant say I've ever noticed it in Smutty's beers. Middle Ages and Geary's that you mentioned--in abundance and of course Shipyard as others have mentioned.
Thanks @FrankLloydMike for reminding me about Shoal's. Its been too long since I've had that one. I hope my diacetyl detection sensor isn't cranked up extra high when I do have it again. Cheers !

Speaking of diacetyl, does Smutty even use ringwood yeast ? I didn't think they did.

 

The Brown Dogs were my favorite. And I had somehow never had their pumpkin until just this last year at their Oktoberfest and will be very sad if that's not brewed again. I agree with SunDevil above that it's exactly what I'm looking for in a pumpkin beer.

I was trying to sort out my memories of Finest Kind and was amazed to see on their site that they only started brewing that in 2004. I would have swore that was a beer I drank back in the 90s before I moved away from New England. Memory's a funny thing and the beer world sure has moved quickly.

I mentioned this in the thread on the main board, but when we were up there for Oktoberfest I was looking around thinking "wow, these guys are living the dream". That really is an amazing space and facility up there and it will be a damn dirty shame if it doesn't remain a brewery.

 

I'm not much of a saison fan but I really enjoyed this the couple of times I've been to the restaurant.

 

Had a keg of Old Brown Dog at my wedding about 10 years ago, great all around brew.

 

Exactly, plenty of other beers in the portfolio that I enjoyed a lot but didn't want my list to be too long!

Never cared for Hanami and Star Island either.....

Cheers