Kinsmen is a brewery I was very excited for and had followed for several weeks in advance of the trip. As shallow as it may seem, the image they have cultivated combined with their marketing style and brand intrigued me just as much as their beer. On a rare kid-free day during the winter holiday, I made the trek with my (less than beer-loving) wife to see it for myself.
Upon arrival, I will admit I was a bit confused. Pictures on instagram did not seem to match up with the very nondescript building to which my GPS had navigated us. Further, a lack of signage (apart from a draggle-tailed flag at the entrance to the parking lot), had us momentarily lost. Some investigation located the front door (with incorrect hours listed thereon).
Once I got past those obstacles, I was in for a real treat.
A very large and welcoming space, not unlike a greathall you would see in a film about Scotland or a wizarding school, festively decorated for the holidays. The staff, as I have come to find is the custom with many local breweries, was friendly and accomodating. I began my tasting with a sampling of the non-IPAs they had on offer:
Overall, a very solid line-up. From left to right: Flannel Tribe (American Brown Ale), Spin the Black Circle (American Porter), Black Volga (Gratzer) and Earthbound Misfit (Berliner Weisse). Without going into tasting notes for each, I will say I was very pleased overall. Each beer conformed to style guidelines, tasted professional, clean and had something going for them. In particular, a gratzer was a new experience for me since, though I have had smoked beers in the past, they had been very full bodied. The gratzer seemed to be the pilsner version of a smoked beer, very light body, with a well developed and identifiable smoked character (aroma more of smoked meat than anything else). The overall winner for me that day was the berliner weisse which was fruited with cherry and lime, with a really refreshing cereal-type finish. A great lighter beer.
Not pictured, I did a run down of the three IPAs on tap as well: Hey Dude (American IPA), Bowl Cut (Imperial IPA), and Dragon Swords (American DIPA). My taste aligns much more with the New England style of IPA, showcasing the fruit notes of hops while limiting bitterness, and as a result I found the Bowl Cut most appealing. I did not have any problems with the IPAs, as a whole as they tasted clean and had an overall good character.
Important to note, they fortunately had a selection of wine and cider as well, of which my tasting companion made good use.
