FOOD
25 years of beer
Smuttynose celebrates with a festival
David J Murray. Courtesy photo.
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SEACOAST SCENE | SEPTEMBER 19 - 25, 2019 | PAGE 26
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The party is just getting started at Smuttynose Brewing Co. in Hampton. The brewery turns 25 this year, and to celebrate they are having a festival on Saturday, Sept. 21, that includes beer, food, live music, games and more. “For our 25th birthday bash, we wanted the focus to be on the incredible industry that has helped us get to where we are and supported us along the way,” said Alex Weaver, the communications director for Smuttynose. Because there are so many successful breweries in New England, Weaver said that Smuttynose wanted them to be included in the festival too. “We reached out to a bunch of our friends [who we’ve] worked with in the past or whose approach to beer and brewing we just can’t help but admire,” said Weaver. “The result is a roster of participating breweries we’re really proud of and attendees should be very excited about.” Smuttynose Brewing Co. was founded in 1994 in Portsmouth. The name came from Smuttynose Island, part of the Isles of Shoals. The brewery eventually moved to its current location at the historic Towle Farm in Hampton in 2014. At Towle Farm the brewing facility was constructed with sustainability in mind, earning it LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold Certification in 2016. At the time, it was the second and largest brewery to receive the seal. “Smuttynose has always had environmental stewardship close to our heart. [The LEED certification] is a massive undertaking for a brewery of our size but something that’s incredibly important to us,” said Weaver. In the past 25 years Smuttynose has brewed five core beers (including their original Shoals Pale Ale) and six seasonal beers. The brewery also has a Big Beer Series annually with a rotating lineup of limited-edition beers, and uses their original facility in Portsmouth as Smuttlabs to make single-brew batches of experimental beers. Now Smuttynose is preparing a celebration brew specifically for their 25th anniversary.
They will team up with the participating breweries at the festival and make it that day, with plans to release it to the public in October. “The celebration brew is going to be a double IPA riff on our iconic and awardwinning Finestkind IPA,” said Weaver. “It’s been incredible to watch all these brewers put their heads together on the recipe and we’re confident the resulting brew is going to blow people away.” Another aspect of the festival that Smuttynose is excited about is their ongoing partnership with the Black Ale Project. It’s a craft beer initiative that helps to raise money and awareness on behalf of U.S. war veterans. As part of this partnership, a portion of all proceeds from the festival will go to the Warrior Expeditions organization. “We couldn’t think of a better organization to support than Warrior Expeditions,” said Weaver. The New England-based company supports military veterans through the therapeutic power of time spent in the outdoors, such as hiking, biking and paddling. Weaver said that attendees of the festival should be excited for great beer and great people. “Seriously, the attending breweries represent many of the absolute best in the region and you know they’ll be pouring their best and freshest beer for such a major event,” she said. The festival will take place on Sept. 21 at their brewery, at 105 Towle Farm Road in Hampton. It runs from 3 to 6 p.m., but attendees will be able to purchase beer until 9 p.m. Tickets will give you access to sample five-ounce beers from all participating breweries. There will be a full selection of food to choose from, as well as music and games to keep everyone entertained throughout the day and night. The event is for ages 21 and older. VIP access ($45) is limited to 150 people and lets you in an hour early. General admission is $35. For those who don’t plan on sampling beer, a Designated Driver ticket is $10. Tickets are available at eventbrite.com. — Danielle Roberts