Backlash Beer's Helder Pimental [5 Questions]
As many beer lovers in Massachusetts know, the Boston area has been a hot bed for new brewing companies lately, be it nano breweries with small set ups or upstarts leasing time on the equipment of another established brewery. Backlash Beer is the latter, although Massachusetts residents have taken note that this is one of the faster growing of this type. Helmed by founder Helder Pimental, they've already spread distribution across the state and show no signs of looking back now.
Helder didn't come from a commercial brewing background but, rather, quit his job in finance to focus on his dream, which was brewing beer. At the beginning of this journey, it wasn't unusual to see Helder show up to tastings in a suit and change (or with his suit in a bag already), the detrius of a day working for "the man." Well he's freed himself of that encumberment now and has moved on to running Backlash full time. Luckily, he was able to give us a few minutes to talk about Backlash Beer, the craft beer industry and what he likes to drink.

Drink Craft Beer: How did you get into craft beer?
Helder Pimental: I started down the craft beer path by becoming a homebrewer when I was in college. It was really all downhill from there.
DCB: What was the turning point (a beer or moment) that made you love craft beer?
HP: I'd say taking the first sip of the first beer I ever brewed (a brown ale). It was borderline undrinkable, but that beer really lit a fire in me to better understand the ingredients and procedure that make great beer what it is. While learning, I discovered some amazing beers and completely fell in love with craft beer.
DCB: You walk into a magical beer shop with every beer currently available. You can put together one six-pack. What do you walk out with? Only one beer can be from your brewery.
HP: To be honest, right now I'd probably walk out with a 6 pack of Heady Topper.
DCB: You’re going out for one big night in [the city your brewery is in or closest to]. Where do you go (it doesn’t all have to be beer)?
HP: Haha, Oh man - Holyoke, what a town. I think Maggie and I can both agree that we've (ironically) had the most fun out in Holyoke at - wait for - a Chili's. Last winter we spent the coldest day of the year at the brewery all day wax dipping bottles, and afterwards we were famished. We sat at the bar at a Chili's in Holyoke, had margaritas and watched the Patriots beat Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos. I have a lot of nostalgia about that night and that Chili's in general now.
DCB: What would you be doing for a career if you weren’t in beer?
HP: Probably being a shmuck in a suit like I used to be, and hating my own face/existence.
DCB: What do you drink when you’re not drinking craft beer (or beer at all)?
HP: I'm really into bourbon. That sounds bad, but oh well.
DCB: Where do you see the craft beer industry going in the next year?
HP: Well I don't think it's a secret that there are a ton of new breweries and new beers coming to market, so I think we'll see a huge increase in the number of products out there and probably some increased pressure on retailers to carry them all. It should really make things interesting as people start to compete more and more for shelf space.
DCB: Thanks so much for your time, Helder! Cheers!
Drink Craft Beer Fall to Winter Fest

As the weather cools and we move into Fall and then Winter we find ourselves in an exciting time for beer. Brewers focus on using seasonal ingredients to make warming, rich and hearty beers. It's with this is mind that we launch our first annual Drink Craft Beer Fall to Winter Fest.
Drink Craft Beer Fall to Winter Fest
November 30th & December 1st
Space 57 - The Revere Hotel - 200 Stuart Street, Boston, MA
Session 1 - Friday, November 30th: 6-9:30pm
Session 2 - Saturday, December 1st: 1-4:30pm
Session 3 - Saturday, December 1st: 6-9:30pm
Why Join Us At Fall to Winter Fest?
Drink
Craft Beer Fall to Winter Fest focuses on New England-made beers featuring fall and winter seasonal ingredients as well as holiday ales. By attending, you’ll be able to sample 70+ fall and winter beers from 25 of New England’s best craft brewers! Many of these
brews are being made specifically for this event or will be released there.
Additionally,
you can sample and purchase from several local food vendors including Drink Craft Beer friends such as Mei Mei Street Kitchen, one of Boston's most innovative food trucks, and Redbones BBQ.
Food options will include delicious seasonal fare, local cheese
and more.
Note: While our new event space means we can share this fest with even more people, to provide the best experience possible we are limiting each session to only 650 tickets. Buy your tickets
soon to ensure you don't miss out!
SUMMERFEST SOLD OUT SO MAKE SURE YOU ORDER YOUR TICKETS EARLY.
Please Note:
- There are no refunds OR exchanges.
- All attendees must be 21+ with a valid ID. Nobody will be allowed into the building who is under 21 or who doesn't have a valid ID.
- Tickets will be emailed by Eventbrite. You must bring this ticket to the event where it will be scanned.
- You can transfer tickets using Eventbrite.
- We give no entry guarantee if you buy your ticket from a reseller.
How Much Does It Cost?
For only $45 you’ll get admittance to one session which includes:
- Unlimited 2oz samples of 70+ fall and winter beers from 25 New England craft brewers!
- Biodegradable tasting cup
- Fest Guide
- Free coat check
Where & When Is Fall to Winter Fest?
Drink Craft Beer Fall to Winter Fest takes place at Space 57 in the Revere Hotel, Boston, MA (200 Stuart Street, Boston, MA 02116), which is a quick walk from either Arlington or Boylston Green Line stops, Chinatown or Tufts Medical Center Orange Line stops, or South Station Red Line stop. There will be three sessions over the course of two days:
- Friday, November 30th: 6-9:30pm
- Saturday, December 1st: 1-4:30pm
- Saturday, December 1st: 6-9:30pm
Want to Volunteer at Fall to Winter Fest?
Do you want to do more than just attend Fall to Winter Fest? Do you want to be a part of it and help Drink Craft Beer make it a success? Then sign up to volunteer (we're now full on volunteers, thanks everyone)! It's a great way to meet other craft beer lovers, meet the brewers and get to see behind the scenes. Plus, volunteers get a meal, a staff t-shirt and other stuff. Check out the details on the Volunteer for Fall to Winter Fest page now (we're now full on volunteers, thanks everyone)!
What Brewers Are Coming & What Beers Are They Bringing?
We will have 25 New England brewers in attendance bringing 70+ fall and winter craft beers. Some of our brewers include the following (NOTE: This is only a partial list. We'll continue to announce more of our brewers and beers in the coming weeks) (Brewers and beers are subject to change and availability. All pours are 2oz per MA State Law):
- Allagash Brewing Co. (ME)
- Black - Belgian-style stout brewed with 2 Row barley, torrified wheat, oats, both roasted and chocolate malt and a generous portion of dark caramelized candi sugar. (7.5%)
- Fluxus 2012 - Strong Golden Ale brewed w/ Spelt and spiced with Green / Pink Peppercorns. (?%)
- Four - Belgian-style Quad brewed with four malts, four sugars, four hop varieties and fermented four times, using four different yeast strains. The complexity of the brewing process is matched by the complexity of this unique beer. (10%)
- Bantam Cider Co. (MA)
- Wunderkind - A blend of local apples, slowly fermented to capture subtle esters, and delicately balanced with a hint of flower-blossom honey. (6%)
- Seasonal Cider with Tart Cherries - (?%)
- Baxter Brewing Co. (ME)
- Phantom Punch Winter Stout - Stout made with vanilla beans and cocoa nibs. (?%)
- Hayride Autumn Ale - A generous portion of two rye malts and toasted malts. New Zealand Pacifica and Pacific Jade hops balance Hayride’s maltiness. Cold-conditioned on oak, with light additions of ginger, black pepper, and orange peel, bringing out the spiciness of the rye and rounding out the soft sweetness of the beer. (6.6%)
- Pamola Xtra Pale Ale - A very easy-drinking “session” beer, with subtle hop presence and a complex but light malt character. (4.9%)
- Amber Road - A malt-accented amber ale which features a rich toastiness and a balanced hop flavor that lingers through to the finish. (5.5%)
- Boston Beer Co. (Samuel Adams) (MA)
- Merry Mischief - Gingerbread stout. (9%)
- White Christmas - White Ale brewed with traditional holiday spices. (5.8%)
- Fat Jack - Double pumpkin ale brewed with over 28 lbs of pumpkin per barrel along with pumpkin pie spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. (8.5%)
- Holiday Porter - Robust, British style Porter. (5.8%)
- Boston Beer Works (MA)
- Rosemary Imperial Pale Ale - A strong, extra hoppy American pale ale, brewed with Centennial and Northern Brewer hops, and dry hopped with Cascades. Conditioned for over two weeks with fresh rosemary sprigs for a delicious, savory, pine-like aroma and flavor that enhances the hop character. (7.5%)
- Blackberry Lambic - A sour Belgian beer, brewed in the traditional style with stale hops, and fermented in barrels with wild yeast and bacteria. Secondary fermentation with blackberries for a smooth, tart, fruity, and surprisingly balanced flavor. (8%)
- Winter Warmer - A dark, smooth, malty strong ale, brewed with molasses. Very little hop character but an intensely complex depth of malt flavor and aroma. Hints of smoke, brown sugar, and dark fruit, followed by a hefty alcoholic kick. (9.5%)
- Barrel Aged Flemish Sour Brown - A bracingly tart, yet full bodied sour brown ale, aged in oak barrels. Flavors of raisin, molasses, oak, and rum. Low bitterness and little to no hop character. (8.5%)
- Bluebeery Ale - A sweet, very light golden ale made with all natural blueberry extract to produce a huge blueberry aroma and delicious fruity flavor. Beer Works’ classic signature beer. (4%)
- Cape Ann Brewing Co. (MA)
- Imperial Pumpkin Stout - Our pumpkin stout cranked up to 13% ABV giving it a thicker creamier body (13%)
- Homeport Pale Ale - Pale ale wet-hopped with fresh hops from our brewer's and brewery's backyards (5%)
- Clown Shoes Beer (MA)
- Genghis Pecan - Porter made with fresh pecans, roasted and ground locally (by our friends at The Gallows and Q’s Nuts), as well as the addition of brown sugar. (7%)
- Blaecorn Unidragon - Brewed with a monstrous amount of malt and combined with aggressive American hops, this beer is powerful and complex and designed to age. Smokiness is subtle but present and blends nicely with the rich, dark flavors. (12.5%)
- Hoppy Feet - Hoppy Feet has been lovingly crafted by combining Premium malt with lots of Amarillo and Columbus Hops. Grapefruit and Pine are balanced on the nose and on the palate by a nutty, dark chocolate, roasted backbone. (7%)
- Chocolate Sombrero - Roasted dark malts plus extra chocolate malts plus ancho chile plus cinnamon plus vanilla extract plus a chocolate loving, beer drinking, Clown Shoes wearing, multi-limbed, gorgeous and glorious Mexican wrestler on the label. That’s the recipe for a Chocolate Sombrero! (9%)
- Cody Brewing Co. (MA)
- Honey Gingah Pale Ale - Pale Ale with honey and ginger. (?%)
- No Name IPA - Chinook, Kent Golding and Cascade hops make up this IPA. Giving No Name an unusual hop bite without having an overpowering bitterness, making it suitable for hop heads and curious session beer drinkers alike. (5.5%)
- Wheelers Brown Ale - Wheelers is a rich brown ale with chocolate and toffee caramel notes. Oatmeal is added for an earthy creaminess that gives it a unique smoothness, yet still thirst quenching. (5.7%)
- Red Ryder (Limited) - Fruit cake strong ale; a brown ale loaded with brown sugar and candied fruit, fermented for about two months, then finished by resting on rum soaked oak chips. (?%)
- Mint Chocolate Stout (Limited) - Exactly what it says. Debuting at Fall to Winter Fest. (?%)
- Downeast Cider House (MA)
- Downeast Cider Original Blend - The Auerbach to our Celtics, the Satisfaction to our Stones, the Agent K to our Men In Black, our foundation. Made with an ale yeast and a secret blend of Red Delicious, McIntosh, Cortland and Gala apples and NEVER any concentrate, artificial flavors or sweeteners. (5.1%)
- Cranberry Apple Cider - A lot of cranberries grow in Massachusetts and an unnamed member of Downeast Cider has an affinity for them, dried cranberries, cranberry juice, and most of all, Cranberry Blend. This interesting twist on Original Blend won't make your lips pucker but will bring a smile. (5.1%)
- Idle Hands Craft Ales (MA)
- Rosemary for Remembrance - Belgian Ale brewed w/ Sweet Potatoes, Valley Wheat and Rosemary. (7.2%)
- OH, Baby! - Belgian Pilsner-esque ale brewed for the O'Toole - Hoeker Wedding. (5.4%)
- Absence of Light - Belgian Stout. (7.4%)
- Cognition - Abbey Style Session Brown. (4.2%)
- High & Mighty Beer (MA)
- Fumata Nera - Smoked black rye lager with generous amounts of heavily-roasted malts and loads of noble hops. (4.5%)
- Unnamed Xmas Red Ale - (?%)
- Jack’s Abby (MA)
- Fire In The Ham - Caution! This is an intensely smokey lager similar to those found in Bamberg, Germany. Most of this brew's malt was dried over flaming beechwood, which ingrains unique smokey flavors. Aromas of campfires, smoked ham, and bacon dominate a soft malt and hop backbone. Although hard to believe, this beer is vegan friendly. (5.4%)
- Smoke & Dagger - Cloaked in mystery, this dark black beer skirts the line between a schwarzbier and smoked porter. The use of a small percentage of traditional Beechwood smoked malt adds complexity and balances the liberal use of chocolate malt. Notes of roasted grains, beechwood smoke, and coffee accompany a full bodied-and sweet chocolately malt character. Smoke & Dagger uses locally grown unmalted barley from MA. (5.8%)
- Lashes Hopbock Lager - Developled by and named after their assistant brewer, Lashes Lager balances an assertive Munich Malt character with an infusion of Super Styrian, Columbus, Palisades and Centennial hops. Full bodied and malty with an earthy and piney hop aroma. An enjoyable beer for the cold days of a New England winter (?%)
- Coffee Smoke & Dagger (Super Limited) - Smoke & Dagger aged with specially roasted coffee from Barismo. (5.8%)
- John Harvard's Brewery - Cambridge (MA)
- Yellow Belly IPA - An American IPA brewed with a touch of Rye and an Abundance of Amarillo Hops. (6.2%)
- Mapled Monticello Porter - Our Colonial Era Baltic Porter Primed with local maple Syrup. (8.4%)
- Mayflower Brewing Co. (MA)
- Mayflower IPA - Mayflower IPA puts a descendant’s twist on this style, with a powerful hop profile balanced by plenty of malt character. We use the freshest hops from the Pacific Northwest to give this beer its distinct, piney flavor and delightful, fruity aroma. (7%)
- Mayflower Porter - Taking its cues from “Three Threads”, a bartender’s blend of three distinct ales, Porter became the beer of choice for 18th-century Londoners. Mayflower Porter embraces this history. This complex brew is smooth and full-flavored with notes of roasted coffee beans and bittersweet chocolate that will warm the palate all year long. (5.5%)
- Mayflower Winter Oatmeal Stout - Brewed with three types of oats and several varieties of dark barley malts, this beer adds a little sweetness to the roasted flavor of traditional stouts. (6%)
- Mayflower Thanksgiving Ale - Mayflower Thanksgiving Ale is an inspired blend of two brewing styles: American Strong Ale and English Old Ale. Aged on American white oak, this full-bodied brew warms the soul with hints of caramel, vanilla and spicy nuts. The perfect beverage for our favorite holiday. (8%)
- Mystic Brewery (MA)
- Three Cranes Cranberry Saison - Saison made with 200 lbs of fresh picked cranberries from Clover Hill Farms. (7%)
- Day of Doom - Belgian-style Quad. (12%)
- Descendant - Dry Irish Stout meets an English Porter and is then fermented in the fermentorium with our saison yeast with a touch of the ubiquitous ingredient from the area's past, molasses. (7%)
- Night Shift Brewing (MA)
- Fallen Apple - a golden ale brewed with fresh MA apple cider, cinnamon, nutmeg, coriander, and allspice, and then aged in rum & brandy barrels for a month.Only brewed one batch for the season. (6.3%)
- Rose - Farmhouse saison brewed with rosemary, rosehips and honey, and aged on pink peppercorns. Launched back at Drink Craft Beer Summerfest. (8.4%)
- Mainer Weisse - Berliner Weisse style sour ale with cinnamon and lemongrass, aged on wild Maine blueberries. Follow up to Ever Weisse, the next brewery-only beer. Super purple-blue color. Debuting at Fall to Winter Fest. (5.5%)
- Notch Brewing (MA)
- Notch Valley Malt BSA - American Farmhouse Ale that displays the character of a Belgian Saison, yet with US hops and New England grains. Each year the beer is slightly different, depending on the growing conditions of that season. (4.4%)
- Notch Černe Pivo - Inspired by the black session lagers of the Czech Republic, Notch Cerne Pivo is malty, toasty, and infinitely drinkable. Notch Cerne (pronounced CHAIR-nay) breaks the myth the dark beer is heavy, or that lower alcohol beer is light in color. Cerne Pivo is Czech for "Black Beer", and is a beer style indigenous to the Czech Republic. (4%)
- Notch Session Ale Cask - Pale copper color, firm malt body and a dry, hoppy finish. Notch Session Ale is well balanced, but in true American fashion the hop flavor is up front, and finishes dry, which begs for another sip. Notch Session Ale is unfiltered and hopped throughout the brewing process with three US hop varieties, resulting in a complex depth of hop flavor. (4.5%)
- Peak Organic Brewing Company (Fest Sponsor) (ME)
- Nut Your Average Ginger (FEST BEER) - Harvest brown ale made with Massachusetts ginger, honey from Chef Will Gilson's Groton, MA farm, Massachusetts hops, malt from Valley Malt in Hadley, MA and chestnut puree. (4.5%)
- Hop Noir - Black IPA, dripping with piney, aromatic Centennial hops. The malt base is dark and rich, anchored by organic black malt. This provides a strong foundation for the extravagant kettle hopping and dry-hopping that this beer experiences. (8.2%)
- Winter Session Ale - Dark malting provides subtle toasty notes. Single-hop and dry-hop with Citra hops from their friend Brad’s farm. Interesting pineapple notes from the Citra hop provide a stark contrast to the toasty notes in the body. (5%)
- Pomegranate Wheat Ale - A refreshing, yet intricate ale brewed with locally grown organic wheat, organic coriander and a touch of organic Pomegranate and Acai juice from their friends at Sambazon. (5.9%)
- Portico Brewing Co. (MA)
- Vitruvian Snowman - A strong winter ale brewed with fresh figs and holiday spices. (8%)
- Isidore - This smooth oatmeal stout was brewed with just a touch of fresh mint from our friends at Beetlebung Farm. (6.2%)
- Sett Seven - This Scotch Ale is malt forward with a touch of toasted caramel, smoky and lightly hopped for a balanced finish. (7.7%)
- Fuzzy Logic - A year-round Belgian inspired weiss kolsch with floral and citrus notes. (5.4%)
- Rising Tide Brewing Co. (ME)
- Daymark - Classic American pale ale brewed with spicy Columbus and Centennial hops, accented with rye grown on small local family farms in Maine and malted to our specifications at Valley Malts, then dry hopped. (5.5%)
- Atlantis - Black ale with cherry wood smoked malt. (5.3%)
- Polaris - Barrel aged Ursa Minor wheat stout. (6.7%)
- Rock Art Brewery (VT)
- Pumpkin Spruce Stout - A big stout brewed in the colonial fashion with large amounts of pumpkins and spruce tips added to the kettle for flavor and bittering qualities. (8%)
- Ridge Runner - A mild barley wine (by today's big standards) with Cascade, Crystal, Challenger and Perle hops. "Robust, dark and smooth, hold on to your hat cause you'll lose your feet on this one!" (7.5%)
- IPA - Light copper body with low bitterness and good hop flavor. Their impression of what the English troops may have been drinking when they occupied India. (5%)
- Midnight Madness Smoked Porter - A dark ruby red porter with a medium body. A slight hint of smoke is detected from a small portion of grains used that are smoked with beechwood. (?%)
- Slumbrew (MA)
- Trekker Trippel - Belgian Style Trippel with dried jasmine flowers and Motueka (grown in New Zealand) and Chinook hops. (9.5%)
- Porter Square Porter - Rich black porter with a unique blend of chocolate, coffee, roasted and nutty flavors. Brewed with cocoa powder and conditioned with cacao nibs from Taza Chocolate. (6.5%)
- Rising Sun Red Barley Ale - Dampfbier; barley malt with the Happy Sol Hefeweizen yeast. (5.7%)
- Attic & Eaves Toasted Brown Ale - Autumn brown ale with distinctive toasty flavors from an assortment of roasted malts and grains. As a seasonal, limited release beer, its nutty characteristics offer a great companion to colder climate cuisine. A bright hop finish from Cascade and Fuggles balance the toasted grain notes to create a new expression of autumn brown ales. (7.5%)
- Smuttynose Brewing (NH)
- Zinneke - Bourbon barrel aged Beglian-style stout. This deep brown-colored beer has lots of dark fruit flavor and a nice chocolate highlight in the finish. (8.4%)
- Winter Ale - Full-bodied, amber beer brewed with a special Trappist ale yeast. Stylistically reminiscent of a Belgian Abbey Double, it features fruity aromas and flavor, balanced by soft Crystal hops. (5.83%)
- Robust Porter - Smooth and very drinkable beer, characterized by its well-balanced malt and hops, plus subtle notes of coffee and chocolate. (6.2%)
- Scotch Ale - Bold amber beer that balances smooth rich sweetness with a hint of peat smoked malt. The infusion of this subtle smokiness invites images of heather fields, platters of haggis, & the poetry of William McGonagall. (?%)
- The Tap Brewing Co. (MA)
- Leather Lips IPA - The brewing process by itself contains enough Nugget and Chinook to satisfy the most seasoned hop head. But we couldn’t leave it alone. Once fermentaion is complete we add a massive hop bag to the bright tank that is bursting at the seams with whole cone Centennial for an aroma that you just can’t get any other way. (5%)
- Sassy Rabbit Rye Ale - The second we looked at the grain bill and said “That’s enough rye” -- we immediately doubled the amount. A peppery bite from the malt, and plenty of alpha acid from the Chinook and Glacier hops. (5.7%)
- Swanny Boy Maple Porter - Named after our friend Jason this unctuous, black semi-sweet brew is just what you need to fend off Old Man Winter. We use local maple syrup from Ben’s Sugar Shack in Temple, NH. So hunker down, grab a blanket and let Swanny Boy warm you up from the inside. (5.4%)
- Joshua Norton Imperial Stout - Just a touch of smoked malt for another layer in an already intensely deep and roasty brew. The name: Joshua Norton was the self-proclaimed emporer of the United States. (9.1%)
- Urban Farm Fermentory (ME)
- Dry Cidah - Spontaneously fermented fresh-pressed Maine apples fermented until they're bone dry. No two batches are the same. (6.8%)
- Hopped Cidah - Dry Cidah conditioned on Cascade hops. (6.8%)
- Baby Jimmy Cidah - Dry Cidah aged in Jim Beam bourbon barrels, previously used for Allagash Curieaux. (6.8%)
What Food Will Be Available?
More than just beer, we know fall and winter are about great food as well. With that in mind, we want to provide you with some local and delicious food options to eat with your beer!
- Mei Mei Street Kitchen (for purchase)
- Creative Chinese-American cuisine made from locally sourced, sustainable ingredients.
- Fall to Winter Fest Mac & Beer Cheese (made with the fest beer, Peak Organic Nut Your Average Ginger)
- John Crow Farm Bratwursts with housemade sauces & caramelized onions
- Baked Beans & Pork Belly
- Chocolate Stout Cake with salted peanuts, caramel sauce, whipped cream, etc...
- Redbones BBQ (for purchase)
- One of the earlier craft beer joints in the Boston area, these folks have been pumping out amazing BBQ for decades.
- Pulled Pork / Pulled Chicken / BBQ Beef Sandwiches
- Potato Salad
- Grillo's Pickles (sampling) - Friday Night
- Local makers of awesome pickles! Have to be tried.
- Shy Brothers Farm (sampling) - Saturday
- Local makers of Hannahbells, thimble sized artisan cheese made in Westport, MA.
- Taza Chocolate (sampling) - Saturday
- Special holiday chocolates as well as regular line-up.
- More to come!
How Can You Get Home Safely & Responsibly After The Fest?
Want to attend Fall to Winterfest but not quite sure how you're going to get home safely? We'll be the first to tell you that you should never drink craft beer and drive, it's just not safe...for you or for others! To help you get home safe we've teamed up with Uber, your on-demand private driver. They're giving a $10 Uber gift card to the first 200 people to order tickets* to Fall to Winter Fest. So, after the fest, you can use their mobile app to get a chauffeur to take you home, or hail a taxi! Check out their website for more info. NOTE: This promotion is full, we have already passed the first 200 orders. No new orders will get an Uber voucher.
*If you order more than 1 ticket, you only get one voucher and only 1 voucher per person.
Samuel Adams' Jennifer Glanville [5 Questions]
Sometimes people think of beer like bands and, when the brewery gets too big, it's no longer "cool" to like them. We've had discussions with people in the past who say that Boston Beer Co., makers of Samuel Adams, falls into this category. We've stated pretty clearly our position for a while now that not only is Sam Adams craft, but that without them (and a couple other of the original craft breweries like them) beer wouldn't be what it is right now. The innovation? The onslaught of styles? Thousands of breweries? We'd be living in a different beer world than we would be without pioneers like Jim Koch. That's why we were so happy when we were able to get Samuel Adams to take part in Drink Craft Beer Fall to Winter Fest. We love exposing people to new breweries and teaching them about beer...but part of that teaching is knowing where it came from and that's why we like to remind everyone once in a while that Sam Adams is still doing some pretty awesome stuff. Don't believe us? Come to the fest and try it.

One of the main people behind this "pretty awesome stuff" is Sam Adams' Boston Brewery Manager, Jennifer Glanville. She's in charge of brewing at their Boston facility, which is where a lot of their small batch and barrel aged beer is. We were lucky enough to get some of her time to ask some questions about how she got started and what's going on in her life now that she's running a brewery for Samuel Adams.
Drink Craft Beer: How did you get into craft beer?
Jennifer Glanville: There was definitely a little luck involved. After leaving a job in the tech industry, I saw a posting for a job opening at the brewery and 11 years later, here I am as Boston Brewery Manager and a brewer, enjoying every minute!
DCB: What was the turning point (a beer or moment) that made you love craft beer?
JG: My dad was actually the one who introduced me to craft beer a long time ago. I come from a family that has always loved cooking and exploring ingredients and flavors, so I guess you can say it’s in my blood.
DCB: You walk into a magical beer shop with every beer currently available. You can put together one six-pack. What do you walk out with? Only one beer can be from your brewery.
JG: I’m going to go with a variety of styles. My first choice is a Sam Adams Boston Lager, then a smoky Rauchbier, a fresh crisp Pilsner, an English Stout, an IPA with a variety of American hops & a traditional German Weiss bier.
DCB: You have one night in your favorite beer city. What city are you in and where do you go (it doesn’t all have to be beer)?
JG: That is really tough; there are so many great places. I love Prague, Bamberg, London...I guess I would have to say Munich. I would go to the Augustiner Bier Hall, one of my favorite stops after a long day of sourcing hops at the family farm where we get the Bavarian hops that are used in many of our brews.
DCB: What do you drink when you’re not drinking craft beer (or beer at all)?
JG: I am a big fan of whiskey and single malts and I think that distilling is a craft, much like brewing. But at the end of the day, full flavored craft beer is definitely my drink of choice.
DCB: Where do you see the craft beer industry going in the next year?
JG: It is such an exciting time to be a craft brewer. Right now there are more than 20 times as many breweries in the U.S. as there were in 1984 when Jim first brewed Boston Lager. Beer drinkers now appreciate craft beer in the same way they would a fine wine (i.e. smelling, tasting, and pouring properly). They are expanding their palates and experimenting with the wide range of flavors that craft beer offers. And that’s fun for me because as a brewer, we then get to innovate and experiment with unique ingredients and flavors.
DCB: And, in that vein, can we get a sneak peak at what new to expect from you in the coming year?
JG: We have some exciting, new releases coming out that we look forward to sharing with our drinkers. You’ll be seeing some new small batch beers showcasing bigger or more experimental recipes that we’ve been working on for years.
We just released our 10th anniversary of Samuel Adams Utopias, our most distinct barrel-aged, extreme beer. We introduced Utopias back in 2002 and it shocked the beer world because it was unlike any beer that anyone had tried and had an incredible 24% ABV. With each new batch of Utopias, the brewers have pushed for more complexity and strength, producing brews with alcohol levels reaching 27% ABV over the last 10 years of Utopias’ existence, and an unprecedented 29% with this year’s batch. While some of our barrels have reached over 33% alcohol, we blend down to 29% because taste, not alcohol percentage, is the goal. The 2012 batch of Samuel Adams Utopias is a blend of liquids, some of which have been aged in a variety of wood barrels for 19 years. This long aging process enhances the beer’s distinct vanilla and maple notes, and its high alcohol content creates a heated aroma of ginger and cinnamon. As a result, Samuel Adams Utopias invokes the flavors of a rich vintage Port, fine Cognac, or aged Sherry while feeling surprisingly light on the palate. The brew has sweet flavors of honey, toffee, caramel, cocoa and vanilla, balanced by distinct notes of molasses, raisins, plums and berries.
Our Samuel Adams Winter Lager is hitting shelves and is certainly a crowd favorite and perfect for the holiday season. For our beer, we brewed a dark wheat bock subtly spiced with freshly ground cinnamon, ginger, & orange peel for a deep, smooth flavor and malty finish that will warm you on a cold winter’s night.
We’re also looking forward to releasing New Albion Ale. New Albion Ale was originally brewed 30 years ago by Jack McAuliffe, founder of The New Albion Brewing Company, a brewery that helped pave the way for other American craft breweries. This year we worked with Jack to brew his original flagship beer which is recognized by many beer experts as the original American craft beer.
DCB: What’s your “Last Supper” of food and beer? Pick up to three dishes and the beers that you think go best with them.
JG: 1. Boston Lager and rib-eye steak. 2. Summer Ale and a spicy seafood dish like calamari 3. Samuel Adams Utopias and cheesecake
DCB: You can brew any beer you like, no matter the cost and consumer demand, what would you make and what dream ingredients would you use?
JG: I continue to be fascinated by barrel aging, especially after working on Samuel Adams Utopias and our Barrel Room Collection. I have been experimenting with some different woods and casks here and I would love to spend more time on this.
DCB: Thanks so much for your time, Jennifer, and we look forward to seeing some of your beer at Drink Craft Beer Fall to Winter Fest at the end of November!
Rising Tide's Nathan & Heather Sanborn [5 Questions]
As I recently mentioned, Devon and I took advantage of the Columbus Day weekend to head up to Portland, Maine and their booming craft beer scene. In the morning I hit Urban Farm Fermentory, but the afternoon was all about a rising tide within craft beer...and the brewery that named itself after this industry-wide phenomenon, Rising Tide Brewing. Headed up by the husband and wife team of Nathan and Heather Sanborn, they're helping to take Maine into the next wave of craft brewing. Nathan is a long-time homebrewer and Heather is a lawyer by trade. So the responsibilities of owning a brewery are well handled by these two as Nathan brews and Heather handles sales. Having opened on a 40 gallon brew system, they've increased their brew system by over ten times and they're still facing supply issues! Between a regular lineup of beers and regularly released limited brews, they keep this brewery growing and maintain the ethos of homebrewers at the same time. We got to hang out at the brewery for a while and then went to dinner at Portland's preeminent beer bar, Novare Res, with Heather and Nathan. Getting to know these folks was a pleasure. They make great beer and speak highly (and are friends) with so many people in the industry. They recently entered the Massachusetts market and, once you try their beer, you'll realize it's not wonder why they're doing so well in both Maine and Massachusetts. If you haven't tried their brews yet you'll want to go get some...or at least come out to Drink Craft Beer Fall to Winter Fest to try what they're all about! Now, let's hear it from their own mouths'.
Drink Craft Beer: How did you get into craft beer?
Nathan Sanborn: I was a home brewer for many years. When I was heading off to California in the fall of 1997 to be a ski bum, among the important things I packed into my little Toyota Tercel was my dad's brewing equipment. I did a ton of brewing for several years, approaching it with the same over-the-top sensibility as I tackle most things: I brewed a single batch of extract with specialty grains before moving to all-grain brewing by my second batch. I took a bit of a hiatus from brewing after my son was born in 2003, but after a couple of years was back at it and really began to harbor a dream of taking my hobby to the next level. I think most moderately serious home brewers have the same thought.
As I began to think more and more seriously about whether or not I could take the leap, I noted the growing number of nano-scale breweries that were popping up, including Maine Beer Company right here in Portland. The guys from Maine Beer were gracious enough to spend some time talking with me and answering questions and I ultimately decided to take the plunge with a 1 barrel system just to test the waters. Less than two years later we are brewing on a 15 bbl system and shipping beer out of state for the first time.
Heather Sanborn: I have to admit that I grew up in a family where red wine was what you drank with dinner. I didn't care for hoppy beers or English-style ales so I didn't order beer very often when we went out. I did drink lots and lots of Nathan's home brew though. By 2006 or 2007, we usually had three kinds of beer on draft at our house all the time. And lots of dinner parties with our friends so that we could drink them all!
DCB: What was the turning point (a beer or moment) that made you love craft beer?
NS: honestly don't think there is one—my dad was already drinking craft beer by the time I was paying much attention to beer at all. My entire beer-drinking life has revolved around craft beer. I never really gave it much conscious thought. My first beers were some of the early stalwarts of the Maine craft brewing scene including Shipyard, Geary's and Gritty's. Then I moved to California where we drank Sierra Nevada and Anchor. When I moved back home I discovered Allagash. My experience with craft beer has certainly grown and I've become more curious and aware over the years, but craft beer has always been in my blood.
HS: As Nathan started talking seriously about starting a brewery in 2008 or 2009, I embarked on a project to try every beer I could find and learn everything I could about the craft beer industry. I learned a lot about beer very quickly just by sampling everything I could and talking with Nathan about what I was tasting. But I think I really fell in love with craft beer during the Craft Brewers Conference in 2010. By that time, Nathan had already started Rising Tide and I was becoming more and more involved in the day to day operations of the business. At the conference, I met a whole bunch of other people who were passionate about beer and their enthusiasm was infectious. As I listened to Fritz Maytag and Ken Grossman reminiscing about the early days of craft beer during the keynote, I started to really dream about what our brewery could become and about passing it along to our son someday.
DCB: You walk into a magical beer shop with every beer currently available. You can put together one six-pack. What do you walk out with? Only one beer can be from your brewery.
NS: There's just too much quality and variety to pick just six! Some days my sixer would be dominated by IPAs, others it might be all Belgian style. Sours? Farmhouse? Porters? Some days I would shun any beer that I had ever had previously. Other days I'd go for some old favorites. But for fun I'll throw together one mixed six that might appeal to me this evening: Allagash Avance; Russian River Defenestration; Ninkasi Tricerahops; Uerige Doppelsticke; Guinea Riner; and round it out with a Prince Tuesday, the collaboration beer that we did with our friends at Maine Beer Company and Allagash Brewing.
HS: This is a really hard question - so dependent on my mood and what I'm eating and what the temperature is and what I drank the night before. My magical beer shop would have a magical beer shop owner who gives never-ending good recommendations for what I should get based on what the owner knows about me. I'm glad to say that these beer shops actually exist and I visit them frequently!
DCB: What would you be doing for a career if you weren’t in beer?
NS: If I wasn't in beer, I think I'd like to make a go as a fine art photographer. I spent a ton of time when I was younger behind a camera and hunched over trays of developer in my makeshift darkroom. I think there are a surprising number of similarities between art photography and craft brewing. The way I approach each flows from a love of all of the aspects of the craft—vision and creativity coupled with science and technique.
HS: I'd be a lawyer. I practiced law until this June. I'm very glad to be running my own small business now instead.
DCB: What do you drink when you’re not drinking craft beer (or beer at all)?
NS: Water, mostly. Or spirits. Bourbon, of course, or a Vesper. Or a nice spicy dark and stormy after a day of sailing. Oh, or coffee. Yeah, probably coffee.
HS: Coffee. At this point I pretty much only drink beer and coffee.
DCB: Thanks so much for your time, Heather and Nathan! Looking forward to seeing you both at Drink Craft Beer Fall to Winter Fest in November/December!






