Thank you to all those who came to the Return of Blind Beer Fest. We truly appreciate your support of the Mass. Brew Bros. and are so thrilled to be hosting an event again for our craft beer community here in Massachusetts. This idea seemed simple, take the concept of a blind tasting and make it into a fest. Just sample 2-ounce pours of beers without the knowledge of the name of the beer or the brewery and sometimes even the style. Our thought was not only would there be enough adventurous craft beer drinkers out there to fill a fest, but that they would be intrigued to test their palate and simply judge the beer on the basis of its taste and not its reputation, rating or hype.
We want to sincerely thank each brewery who sent a beer to Blind Beer Fest and for the continuing support these Massachusetts breweries have given us. And as we have indicated, the results of this voting is not meant to be a definitive statement on any beer or brewery. We just hope you’ve learned a little something about your palate, found some new beers and breweries to try and had some fun drinking beer.
Lastly, we want to thank and recognize The Great American Beer Hall for their tireless efforts in helping organize this event as well as our sponsors Surfside, Angry Orchard, City Brew Tours, Brew Biscuits, for without this fest would not have come to fruition.
Now your patience has been rewarded. Below are the 30 beers with corresponding numbers that were poured during Blind Beer Fest. And on the basis of your votes, the winners and the runner-ups in each category are as follows:
Malty Beers:
Winner – Lost Shoe / Main Street March / Märzen
Runner-Up -Widowmaker / Deadly Gardens / Czech-style Dark Lager
IPAS:
Winner – Little Willow / Rock Hound / NEDIPA
Runner-Up – Aquatic / Arronax / NEIPA
Fruit/Sours:
Winner – Untold / Just Ripe / Fruited Sour
Runner-Up – Timberyard / Blueberry Honey Ale / Fruit Beer
Dark Beers:
Winner – The Brewery at Four Star Farms / The Dark Dark / Imperial Oak Aged Stout
Runner-Up – Devil’s Purse / Powder Hole / Porter
BLIND BEER FEST BEERS
MALTY
1. Brick & Feather (Contract, Western, MA) Tycho Anomaly Schwarzbier 5.0 % – “We went very traditional on this one; Pils & Munich malts from our favorite German Maltster, Hallertau Mittlefruh hops, and our house lager yeast. A rich color is obtained through debittered black malts, which add a subtle coffee/chocolate flavor without the intense roasted flavors you would expect in a porter or stout. We gave this one an extra month in the tank to further smooth out these flavors (14 weeks production time!) The beer is medium bodied and drinks almost like a helles or a dunkel. We taste sweet malts and hints of dark bread. Some noble hops on the nose. Classic lager fermentation profile.”
2. Jack’s Abby (Framingham) Porch Fest Lager 5.5% – “This lager presents with a very traditional, crisp, golden base but twisted with a lemon hop flavor.”
3. Lost Shoe (Marlboro) Main Street March Märzen 5.5% – “Brewed with 100% Munich malt this German style lager is full of malt flavor with a crisp, clean finish. 2022 US Open Beer Championship Gold Medal Winner.”
4. Notch (Salem & Brighton) Černé Pivo Czech-style Black lager 4.4% – “This classic Czech-style Black Lager is malty, toasty, and infinitely drinkable.”
5. Castle Island (Norwood & South Boston) You’re Doing Great Czech-style Amber Lager 4.2% – “This Czech-style Amber Lager has a crystal-clear red/amber hue and creamy white head. Clocking in at 4.2% ABV, You’re doing great is malty-sweet yet crushable, and has flavors of caramel, toffee, biscuit and some candied red fruit in the background.”
6. Widowmaker (Braintree & Brighton) Deadly Gardens Czech-style Dark Lager 5.1% – “We decocted this, fermented it cold, and spunded it during the tail end of fermentation to build that natural carb. Pouring dark with a beautiful tan head, this beer is incredibly crushable at 5.1% with a ton of body and subtle complexity. We’re getting notes of chocolate and oatmeal cookies. Cold and dark, like a winter in New England.”
7. Trillium (Canton, Fenway & Fort Point) North Stonington Lager 5.2% – “This beer is made with heirloom “Choices” corn grown on our farm in North Stonington, CT!”
IPAS
1. Aquatic (Falmouth) Arronax NEIPA 7.2% – “A NEIPA for the hazy beer fans. A large whirlpool and massive dry hop addition of Citra, Azazcca, and El Dorado hops gives this beer a tropical fruit and apricot aroma with the punchy flavors of guava, peach, and tangerine.”
2. Amherst (Amherst) Lost City of Space Potatoes NEIPA 7.0% – “Hazy IPA hopped with Strata, Idaho 7 and El Dorado.”
3. Little Willow (Contract, Western, MA) Rock Hound NEDIPA 8.0% – “Double dry hopped double New England IPA hopped with Nectaron and Citra with notes of pineapple, citrus, and passion fruit.”
4. Greater Good (Worcester) Pulp Daddy NEIPA 8.0% – “Know as Nectar of The Hop Gods to some. A smooth-sipping beer that packs the aroma of melon, mango & papaya into the taste of a tangerine grove.”
5. Vitamin Sea (Weymouth & Plymouth) Wild at Heart NEIPA 6.0% – “Single-hopped, hazy single IPA with Superdelic hops.”
6. Aeronaut (Somerville) Double Hop Hop NEIPA 8.1% – “Brewed with wheat and flaked oats, this Citra and Mosaic-hopped Double IPA offers a silky smooth mouthfeel. Enjoy luscious aromas of peach and orange, courtesy of cold-extracted hops steeped in our whirlpool.”
7. Arlington (Contract – coming to Arlington) SPY-P-A NEIPA 6.6% – “Citra and Mosaic hops take center stage in our flagship Hazy NEIPA. Aromas of grapefruit and tangerine while leaving all the bitterness behind. It’s bright, refreshing and we can’t stop taking sip after sip.”
8. Remnant (Somerville) Hang Time NEIPA 6.5% – “Citra Hazy IPA. Luscious bright fruity hop juice. Coolpooled and dry hopped with Citra and a dash of Hull Melon.”
FRUIT/SOUR
1. Timberyard (East Brookfield) Blueberry Honey Ale 8.0% – “Brewed with local ingredients, including grain from Valley Malt (Hadley, MA), hops from Four Star Farms (Northfield, MA), blueberries from Hunt Road Berry Farm (West Brookfield, MA), and honey from Crystal’s Honey (Billerica, MA). Pours a deep purple color and offers sweet and tart notes.”
2. True North (Ipswich) Any Tang Gose 5.6% – “Tangerine purée provides flavors and aromas of citrus and tropical fruit. Mandarina Bavaria hops and coriander accentuate the citrus notes while sea salt contrasts the sweetness and enhances the tart, refreshing qualities.”
3. Untold (Scituate) Just Ripe 5.4% – “a sour ale brewed with real fruit (strawberry and lime)”
4. Two Weeks Notice (West Springfield) Red Hot Moon 6.0% – “Raspberry Lemonade Sour conditioned on pounds of Raspberries and Meyer Lemon.”
5. Wachusett (Westminster) Blueberry Ale 4.5% – “Our unique fermentation process gives this refreshing wheat ale the perfect balance of fresh blueberries and a crisp clean finish.
6. Coastal Mass. (Beverly) Queen Siren – Super Berry 8.0% – “Brewed with Strawberry, Blackberry, Blueberry & Raspberry. Does NOT contain milk sugar.”
7. Vanished Valley (Ludlow) Fruits of Labor Prickly Pear Sour 5.0% – “Light aromas and flavors of prickly pear with a tart finish.”
8. Penny Pinchers (Millbury) Promo Code: Roasted Peach Sour 6.0% – “Our ever-evolving sour series is built on balance, not punishment. This iteration features roasted peach layered with a subtle touch of smoked malt to evoke grilled, caramelized fruit. Bright and refreshing with just the right amount of tartness, it’s flavorful and expressive without making your butt pucker.”
DARK BEERS
1. Devil’s Purse (South Dennis) Powder Hole Porter 6.1% – “A no-nonsense dark ale that features a great balance of Chocolate malt flavor and floral hop aromas. BALANCED · CHOCOLATE · CARAMEL”
2. Canned Heat (Fall River) Artillery Bear Imperial Baltic Porter 8.2% – “Inspired by Corporal Wojtek, the legendary bear who carried ammunition and lifted troop morale. Robust malt character, a touch of sweetness from locally sourced honey, and a smooth warming finish deliver resilience and camaraderie in every sip.”
3. The Brewery at Four Star Farms (Northfield) The Dark Dark Imperial Oak Aged Stout 10% – “Smooth as a chocolate bar in your freezer, combining nibs, pale chocolate, Belgian honey and biscuit malts.”
4. Idle Hands (Malden) 34 Porter 6.7% – “An assault of dark chocolate, burnt caramel and dark fruit with a gentle and sweet malt backbone.”
5. Berkshire (S. Deerfield) Imperial Mocha Porter 10% – “Smooth as a chocolate bar in your freezer, combining nibs, pale chocolate, Belgian honey and biscuit malts.”
6. Hot Plate (Pittsfield) Kardia Habanero Chocolate Stout 4.3% – “A warming of the throat from the habaneros is followed by a slight raw chocolate finish from the 3 lbs. of cacao nibs added.”
7. Mayflower (Plymouth) Porter Nitro Porter 5.2% – “Taking its cues from “Three Threads”, a bartender’s blend of three distinct ales, Porter became the beer of choice for 18th-century Londoners. Mayflower Porter embraces this history. This complex brew is smooth and full-flavored with notes of roasted coffee beans and bittersweet chocolate that will warm the palate all year long.”
