There’s a new sheriff in town, and he loves to brew beer. Okay, so it’s not really a sheriff as much as it is a microbrewery, but it is new, and it’s now open right downtown.
When we heard that Concord Craft Brewing Co. was ready to open its doors, we had to get in on the action.
While Tim took the assignment of writing the story, I was forced into the arduous chore of going and drinking all of the beers – hey, it’s a tough job, but somebody’s gotta do it. Being the team player that I am, I sucked it up and went in to try whatever I could.
As luck would have it, I showed up at the right time. The staff had just tapped into a brand-new beer earlier that day – 4 Rivers Red – meaning I would be among the first people on earth to try it.
I ordered a full flight – four 3-ounce tasters, one of each beer. The flight is served in a rustic holder with the name of each beer written under it. It’s really a pleasant thing to look at – each glass a distinctly different color.
I started at the right side, since I’m a big fan of reds and porters. I also was excited to try the brand-new concoction, so the red was my first.
This beer was very aromatic and rich in color, and was soft on the mouth. It was mild and mellow, yet very tasty. It had a nice, hearty beer flavor without being overly hoppy or bitter. It tasted very red, if that makes sense – all red ales should taste like this one.
Next was the Town Pound Porter, a very dark and robust little number. This was rich without feeling too heavy – I could see myself putting several down with ease. It also had nice toasty notes and a smooth, creamy texture. The use of chocolate and black malts in the porter was evident when I took a sip from the taster, my nose right in it helping me get the full experience.
The next stop was the Old School IPA. Not being a huge IPA fan, I was impressed with this one. It was hoppy and flavorful but I didn’t find it bitey and aggressive. It was right in that middle ground of hoppier and tastier than a “regular” beer but not as strong as something like a double IPA.
Finally it was on to the Kapitol Kolsch, a German-style light beer. This was a lot more flavorful than any mass-market light beer, yet it was still very easy to drink. Even though it was a fairly cold day, I could easily picture sitting on a beach or in a backyard with some of these by my side.
The moral of the story here is that you can’t go wrong with any of Concord Craft Brewing’s beer.
It’s a shame you can only get one taster per beer, but make sure you take a growler home with you so you can get to know these brews on a personal level.
