Just got done with a great brew day with my buddy, Tod Mott, at Portsmouth Brewery. Last night we raised over $1,500 for the Krempels Center. Besides a great spiced wheat beer from Portsmouth Brewery and a fine black IPA from Smuttynose, I got to try other great beers from Moat Mountain and Flying Goose Brewery. Their unfiltered pilsner is stellar.

After our brew today (details here), we had a late lunch of duck vindaloo washed down with the wort of the gruit that we pulled a sample of on its way to the fermenter. We nailed our gravity and the fruit, herb and roasty grain notes complement each other even better than I hoped they would. I can't wait to try this beer when it's ready in about a month or so.

I am now heading back to Boothbay for some quality family time between now and the "Craft Beer Comes to Boothbay" festival on Saturday. Almost every single brewer from Maine will be participating and profits are going to the Maine Brewers Guild. I am especially excited to try Marshall Wharfs bourbon barrel-aged Old # 58, Atlantic Brewing Company's Pete Fen cranberry-infused limited release smoke beer, and a one-off collaboration beer between Allagash, Maine Beer Co., and Rising Tide Brewing Company, brewed especially for this event. Dogfish will be pouring our new batch of 120 Minute IPA and Bitches Brew. There are a limited number of tickets left for the fest - click here to get one (or two, or three!).

It's going to be amazing - hope to see you there. Cheers, Sam