Leaving the Boston area on the way up to Stowe, Vermont, I’ve often wondered about the many breweries and tap rooms that must be in New Hampshire, dotting my route north. A quick web search brought up several interesting stops, and one in particular, White Birch Brewing in Nashua, New Hampshire, peaked my fancy. Why? Frankly, I like their cool logo and have been following them on Instagram. Plus, they are focused on sour ales, which are always a good counterpoint to the hoppy IPA.
So, on a Friday drive north, I made a small diversion off of Rt. 3 and found myself at White Birch’s relatively new brewery/tasting room … the brewery was started in 2009 in Hooksett, New Hampshire. The owner, Dave, was there, and he was in full “story mode” about White Birch’s start and transition to the new digs … clearly, a lot of energy and excitement about the beers and the future!
I settled in to a spot at the bar and perused the beer menu.
I chose four of White Birch’s beers to taste … here are the results:
Bourbon Oak Nyx #1 (7.0% ABV) A black ale tinged with bourbon-soaked white birch … wonderful!
Appearance: 4.7 | Aroma: 4.4 | Feel: 4.5| Taste: 4.5 | Overall: 4.5
Hazel Nyx (7.0% ABV) Another black ale finished over hazelnut. Great aromas and taste.
Appearance: 4.4 | Aroma: 4.5 | Feel: 4.4| Taste: 4.6 | Overall: 4.4
Cran-Blueberry Berliner (5.5% ABV) A sour wheat ale with cranberries and blueberries. Appropriate for Thanksgiving! Great color to this beer.
Appearance: 4.8 | Aroma: 4.5 | Feel: 4.4| Taste: 4.5 | Overall: 4.5
Cran-Mango Berliner (5.5% ABV) Another sour wheat ale, this time with cranberries and mango. Looked great in the glass and tasted fantastic. The mango tones down the sour just a wee bit.
Appearance: 4.8 | Aroma: 4.4 | Feel: 4.4| Taste: 4.7 | Overall: 4.6
The Cicerone says: in addition to the beer, White Birch also offers a full menu of tasty snacks and pub food (e.g., burgers!). This is a great place to take a break from traffic, sip on a sour ale, and enjoy a meal!