Glasstown Brewing Company
Glasstown Brewing Company is located in Millville, a short walk from the small airport. You may need your GPS to find it and despite its nondescript white building and lack of signage, it is well worth your trip inside. There are lots of good beers to choose from, a friendly and inviting atmosphere, and a back porch with additional seating in the shade (on a day when the thermometer reading is a bit less oppressive). The photo above shows our takeaway from Glasstown Brewing. While Porter isn’t just for breakfast anymore, when you read the tasting notes and see the placement amidst our coffee bar in the kitchen, you can see how one might be tempted to drink side-by-side with your morning coffee. The pairing with pancakes reminds me of our visit to Ireland, when a bottle of Irish whiskey was set out next to your oatmeal in a wonderful Irish castle we visited.
Flight #1
- You’re Not Hardcore-Black Lager-Light body, but robust roasted malt flavor; ABV=6%.
- Nightcap-Belgian Blonde-A good well-balanced Belgian with 8.7% ABV.
- 609-IPA-A very good IPA. One of the best I’ve had recently. It is their most popular beer and I can see why. ABV=6.9%.
- 856-DIPA (Double IPA)-Citrus and Pine notes. ABV=8.5%.
Flight #2
- Mosaic Man-IPA-Hazy IPA with 100% Mosaic hops. ABV=6.5%.
- Neon Stars-IPA-Citrusy flavored and double dry hopped with Talus hops. ABV=5.7%.
- The Big Breakfast-Coffee Maple Porter-My favorite in the tasting. Full-bodied, with chocolate notes, without being cloyingly sweet. ABV=7.2%.
- Stout with no Name-Imperial Stout-A very good one with dark, bold flavors of coffee and chocolate. ABV=10%.
My NJ Wine of the Week
Vidal Blanc is a white hybrid grape that does well in New Jersey. However, I must confess upfront that Vidal Blanc is not one of my favorite grape varieties. That said, this Old York Cellars Vidal Blanc is probably the best one I have ever tasted. It has subtle tropical notes, unlike some with an “over-the-top” grapefruit aroma or taste. The Old York Cellar 2021 Vidal Blanc was bone dry, but very refreshing, with a soft mouthfeel. It recently won a gold medal and garnished 91 points from the Beverage Tasting Institute.
A New Grape for Me
I have not done this for a while, but I love discovering new wines. So besides, supporting New Jersey wines and wineries, I will occasionally find a wine that I really want to share. Today’s featured wine has three things going for it: it tastes very good, is very reasonable, and has an interesting history. The grape is called Picpoul de Pinet. This one (2022 vintage) was produced by Chateau du Bastion in the Languedoc Region in the southwest of France. It is a super refreshing, dry white wine with tropical notes on the palate.
What really interested me was the history of this grape. Until the 20th century it was the primary grape utilized in making Cognac and Armagnac . Its high acidity made it ideal for distillation. It has also been used in the past to make dry vermouth. Not a bad resume. It lost its luster at the beginning of the 20th century due to the phylloxera infestation (a microscopic louse or aphid), which devastated the vitis vinifera grapes (like Picpoul) in France and most of Europe. For those not familiar with this huge problem, it was only when American vines were grafted to the European Vitis vinifera grapevines, that they were able to survive the phylloxera. In the meantime, hybrid grapes were utilized to make Cognac and Armagnac and Picpoul de Pinet never regained popular use in making these vaunted digestifs. However, Picpoul de Pinet remains a popular wine that is great by itself or with seafood. It is also a fairly inexpensive wine. The bottle pictured below cost around $12.
Coming Attractions
- Auburn Road Vineyards Summer 2023
- Beneduce Vineyards Summer 2023
- Cedar Rose Vineyards Summer 2023
- Vino & Vibes Summer 2023
- Rootstock Summer 2023
- Visit with Orley Ashenfelter & Larry Coia
- Va La Vineyards
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