We’ve known about the best brewery on Martha’s Vineyard for a while now. And, while it’s Martha’s Vineyard’s only brewery, if there were others it would still be the best. We’re of course speaking of Offshore Ale Company. We came to speak with new brewer, Joe Cleinman, who has had a short but interesting time in the industry so far. He started out with a love of beer in college at Vassar, where he started teaching a beer tasting class and home brewing classes. He also worked as a tour guide at Brewery Ommegang, the Belgian style brewery in Cooperstown, NY.

When his friends bought a complete brew structure, it seems he basically took over the operation of brewing on that. After setting it up for them, he would brew often while showing people how it worked and how to brew. As a junior in college, earning his degree in Biology, he became friendly with some of the Ommegang brewers and moved up to become an assistant brewer.

Above: Joe Cleinman - brewer

Do you remember us telling you about Mayflower Brewing Company? In Plymouth, MA?
http://drinkcraftbeer.com/forum/beer/new_massachusetts_craft_brewery.html

Well, have we got news for you!!! Matthew Steinberg, the storied brewer for Offshore Ale Company, and the creator of such beers as Hop Goddess, Rye Hop, Inkwell Double Stout, Fogcutter Breakfast Porter, Laughing Laird Scotch Ale, Stonewall Double IPA and more is leaving Offshore for Mayflower! As their head brewer! They will take delivery of their 20bbl brew system at the beginning of September 2007, and we should start seeing batches soon after that.

Can you wait? Because we sure can't!!!

This means two things:

1. Get out to offshore before the end of the summer just to say hi to Matt and have some of his last Offshore brews.

2. Get ready for a whole lot of great new stuff from Mayflower brewing! 

More news to come.