Bissell Brothers Brewing Company - The Beer Thrillers

Bissell Brothers Closing their Three Rivers location – Milo

B. Kline — Thu, 27 Jun 2024 00:01:18 +0000

Bissell Brothers – Three Rivers Location – Milo Brewery (photo courtesy of Bissell Brothers)

Bissell Brothers Closing Their Milo Brewery

Bissell Brothers took to their social media, as well as their website, and such, to post the following announcement:

We are writing with immensely heavy hearts to communicate some very sad news. Summer 2024 will be the last season of operations at Bissell Brothers Three Rivers. This has been the hardest decision we’ve ever had to come to grips with as owners of Bissell Brothers. We understand this will likely come as a tremendous shock and seem impossibly sudden, and in truth we are still coming to comprehend this reality ourselves. We’d like to take some time to outline the factors that have led to this position and how we’re planning to wind down operations with all the respect that the space, town and Team so deeply deserve.

The idea of a second location in our hometown began to crystalize in early 2017; beer and the landscape it exists within was in a very different place than it is today, and bringing some of our success back to our hometown simply felt right. However, we made the decision to open up BB3R knowing full well that it would be a huge undertaking and uphill battle. We were firm in our vision to bring an uncompromising and ever-evolving level of excellence to what we would offer Milo, in the same way we had built our name in Portland. As with opening any business, the move would be filled with risk, and absent of any guarantee of success or assurance of perpetuity.

Our long term goal was of course to eventually make Three Rivers a viable, self-sustaining arm of Bissell Brothers. We had no delusions that this could happen quickly, much less easily. We accepted the fact that we were going to have to effectively subsidize BB3R as it found its footing through income generated in Portland, with the eventual goal of it becoming profitable — as in sustainable — in its own right. Unfortunately, this hope has never come to fruition. With each investment and expansion of BB3R, always in pursuit of a sustainable future, the business itself became exponentially more costly to operate. Despite what always felt like our best efforts and likely has had the outward appearance of a thriving business, our Three Rivers location has always cost more to operate than it generated in income. While we were able to absorb this loss for the better part of the last decade, a variety of economic factors both internal and external to our business have regrettably made this impossible to continue. It’s with deep remorse that we’ve come to this realization. We’ve undoubtedly made plenty of mistakes in trying to bring this business into the black, and we have spent a great deal of time reflecting on those “what-ifs” while grappling with the truth of the “what ares”.

Like many breweries nationwide, our bottom line company-wide is as tight as it has ever been. The broader economic and inflationary conditions have been brutal for businesses of all types; food costs this year have skyrocketed, and people are drinking less beer than they have in decades, as the craft beer landscape has transitioned quite rapidly from an era of limitless exuberance to a more somber phase of maturity and saturation. Last year, the number of microbrewery closures more than doubled the number of openings, and that factor is only expected to increase in 2024. Expenses in literally all categories – payroll, cost of goods, transportation, maintenance, and utilities – have ballooned at a staggering rate. The harsh reality of this all means we can simply no longer afford to operate our second location. We say this in spite of every fiber of our being wishing it were not the case.

When we opened our doors in July 2018, what had felt like a pipe dream miraculously became a reality – a brewery now existed in our hometown. Built off the foundation of the work of Brittany Cunningham and Matty Robinson, our taproom quickly became a community hub. A concept built on excellent beer (and eventually equally excellent food), ultimately became a place about people. The personalities we’ve had the immense privilege of employing over the years are irrefutably the beating heart of BB3R and the reason we’ve amassed such a number of regular and loyal customers. Beyond Britt’s infectious, bubbly spirit, there’s Justin “The Wizard” Qualey’s one-of-a-kind dad jokes; Dustin Small’s understated intelligence and curiosity; Joe Robbins’ stoic confidence and ability that’s garnered national acclaim; Kyle Powell’s undying wit and work-til-you-drop determination; Lisa Kellndorfer’s kind, caring, and compassionate leadership; Beau Rounds’ endless good-natured versatility; Nate Travis’s unrelenting creativity and vibes; Bailey Strom’s oversized heart and attention to detail; Allie Towne’s contagious quirk and love of craft; and Caleb’s Robbins’ endearing, quiet drive. We are acutely aware of what each of these human beings have meant to this business and community. They are what made it happen and what made it all possible for as long as it has been; They made this entire labor of love worth doing for as long as we possibly could, and have NOTHING to do with this unfortunate outcome.

Naturally, our love for each of them is what has made facing this reality so much more brutal. Once our financial situation became apparent to us, we spent the majority of the last few weeks analyzing countless attempts at solutions that would allow us to keep BB3R open and our Team’s livelihoods intact. Unfortunately, each of these scenarios involved drastic paycuts, hugely detrimental changes to our service model and level of quality we provide, and significant layoffs. None of these “alternatives” felt like they did a shred of justice to what the team and community have built over the last six years. Instead, we made the incredibly difficult decision to offer these jobs for the remainder of the season, as it felt like the most equitable card in a horrible deck to provide them all the most time to figure out their next steps Rest assured, we will be doing everything in our collective power to help them land on their feet as gracefully as possible as they transition to the next chapter of their professional lives.

Though it might sound backwards at the moment, it also felt like the right thing to do for BB3R itself. What has grown out of a humble industrial building in need of repair is nothing short of miraculous. The memories made, friendships formed, and community fostered on the property are things we will be deeply proud of and grateful for as long as we live. We’re doing our very best to take on a “don’t cry because it’s over; smile because it happened” approach during this extremely difficult time. Anger, disappointment, or any other emotions from you are understandable, but what we do ask is you do not direct any of this toward our Team. They are the reason BB3R was possible at all and how it was able to sustain itself as long as it did. This summer is an opportunity to celebrate what happened here, thank these individuals for the myriad ways they have elevated and improved so many lives, and close this chapter with every ounce of love and compassion it began from.

Lastly, we’d also like to speak on the future of the location itself. Ultimately, we don’t have a crystal ball, and the only thing certain right now is that Bissell Brothers will no longer be running the operation as it currently exists. However, our sincere hope is that another individual or group will see the inherent value in the space that has been created over the last six years. We will not be “demolishing” anything, but instead will be leaving what’s in essence a turnkey brewery and restaurant. We’ll be beyond ready to sell/lease the building to any individual or group aspiring to carry on the spirit of the space our team has built, and we will do everything in our control to make this happen as smoothly and economically as possible if/when this presents itself. This is critical to lay out, as the emotion tied to all this is so immense. In bringing BB3R to our hometown, an energy and spirit was injected into a community that desperately needed it. We recognize that fact now the same as we did then, when most people that heard of our plans called us crazy. Over the last six years, we’ve become the third space for an entire region. The importance of what we mean to Milo has shown in the entire Three Rivers Team reaction to this news. Instead of being simply concerned about their own future, the collective was primarily concerned with the future of the community they have all played such a huge role in building and fostering. This sentiment makes this process infinitely more heavy for all of us; the idea of a second-life of sorts that’s able to carry the torch tied to so many human elements lifts our heart, and will do everything in our power to make this happen. We’d love to make promises here, but simply can’t. What we do have is a boatload of hope for the future there.

We’ve shed our share of tears during the course of reckoning with this reality, and there will surely be more to come. We can’t ask you to understand this decision right now or why we feel financially forced to make it, but we’ve done our very best to communicate those realities. In the meantime, please know that we’ve had nothing but the best intentions in daring to open this business in an area very few others would ever dream of. We will forever be indebted for you in taking a chance on us in the same vein as we took one on the town. Despite the end coming much faster than we anticipated, much less hoped for, it will be cemented as one of the most proud and joyous six years of our lives for as long as we’re on this Earth. From the deepest part of our hearts – Thank you.

We love you, Three Rivers. Forever and always.

-Noah, Peter, and Hester Bissell

The Milo Brewery

The Milo Brewery located at 157 Elm St, Milo, ME 04463 – also known as their Three Rivers location, or the Bissell Brothers Three Rivers Brewery. The location opened in July of 2018. Bissell Brothers itself was established in 2013.

For More Information on Bissell Brothers Brewing

The following comes via Untappd.

Bissell Brothers Brewing is a microbrewery from Portland, ME. They have 132 unique beers, and over 530,000 ratings, with a global average rating of 4.16 (as of 6.26.24). Their Untappd description reads: “Bissell Brothers was born out of a desire to make something from our deepest interests and passions that would become a separate entity; greater than the individual sums of its creators. We believe that great beer comes from a commitment to be constantly challenging the perceptions of what different styles of beers can actually become. The second we settle, the second we say that a beer has been taken as far as it can go, we start losing. The proverbial mountaintop exists only in our minds. Always be climbing, always be pushing forward. The next, and equally important commitment, is to the process. There is serenity to be found in even the most menial, repetitive task. There are always ways to improve yourself and your methods, hiding just below the surface. The parties, jokes, and fun we seem to be having? We have created our own world in which to reside, and we love sharing it with all those that want to partake. I promise you, there is no greater joy, professionally. The painfully fleeting span of the human life is much too short and precious to spend it being anything less than the best you can possibly be in your chosen vocation. We love the work we do, for its own sake. We spend every day trying to get better, and we treat the opportunity to give this beer to the people of Maine every week as the gift that it is. Thank you for drinking.”

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Top 10 Craft Beers in New England: A Guide to the Must-Try Brews

B. Kline — Tue, 06 Feb 2024 15:29:27 +0000

Top 10 Craft Beers in New England: A Guide to the Must-Try Brews

Some of New England’s Best Craft Beers

New England, a region known for its rich history and picturesque landscapes, has also carved out a reputation as a hotbed for craft beer innovation. From juicy, hazy IPAs to rich, complex stouts, the breweries of New England offer a diverse array of flavors that capture the spirit and creativity of the area. Here’s a look at the top 10 craft beers that you absolutely must try from New England.

1. Heady Topper – The Alchemist (Vermont)

Heady Topper by The Alchemist

No list of New England beers would be complete without mentioning Heady Topper. Brewed in Stowe, this double IPA set the standard for the hazy, juicy New England IPA style with its intensely hoppy and beautifully balanced profile.

(See our review here: Beer Review: Heady Topper by The Alchemist)

2. Julius – Tree House Brewing Company (Massachusetts)

Julius by Tree House Brewing

Julius is a tropical and hazy IPA that has become almost synonymous with the New England craft beer scene. Its notes of passionfruit, mango, and citrus make it a must-try for anyone who appreciates finely crafted IPAs.

(See our review here: Beer Review: Julius by Tree House Brewing Company.)

3. Sip of Sunshine – Lawson’s Finest Liquids (Vermont)

This luminous golden IPA is rich with tropical fruit flavors and a delicate, hoppy aroma. Sip of Sunshine is a vibrant and refreshing beer that showcases the mastery of Lawson’s Finest Liquids in balancing flavor and drinkability.

4. Dinner – Maine Beer Company (Maine)

Dinner is a double IPA that offers a complex array of hop flavors including pineapple, mango, and a hint of pine. This beer is a beautifully crafted example of how deep and varied the flavors of an IPA can be.

5. Captain’s Daughter – Grey Sail Brewing of Rhode Island (Rhode Island)

This double IPA packs a punch with its robust hop profile and hefty 8.5% ABV. Expect a blend of citrus and pine that finishes with a crisp bitterness, making it deeply satisfying.

6. Night Shift – Santilli (Massachusetts)

An American IPA that has garnered numerous awards, Santilli offers a crispy, clean, and beautifully balanced drinking experience. Its bright citrus notes are complemented by a subtle malt backdrop.

7. Good Measure – River Roost Brewery (Vermont)

Though not as widely known as some others on this list, Good Measure’s Near and Far IPA is exceptional. It strikes a perfect harmony between fruity and hoppy, offering a crisp and refreshing finish.

8. Allagash White – Allagash Brewing Company (Maine)

A Belgian-style wheat beer that has become almost as iconic as the brewery itself, Allagash White is delicately spiced with coriander and Curaçao orange peel, producing a beer that’s balanced, refreshing, and distinctly flavorful.

9. Baby Genius – Bissell Brothers (Maine)

Baby Genius by Bissell Brothers

This blonde ale is light and hazy, providing a sessionable beer without sacrificing flavor. It’s a testament to the skill of Bissell Brothers in creating distinctive, memorable beers that are also highly drinkable.

(See our review: Beer Review: Baby Genius by Bissell Brothers.)

10. Trillium Fort Point Pale Ale – Trillium Brewing Company (Massachusetts)

This pale ale is both floral and citrusy with a soft, creamy body that makes it exceptionally smooth and approachable. It’s a standout that represents the best of what New England craft breweries have to offer.

These ten beers only scratch the surface of the rich tapestry of craft brewing found across New England. Each brewery brings its unique twist to the craft, reflecting the innovation and diversity of this region. Whether you’re a local or planning a visit, these brews are sure to provide a delightful and profound taste of New England’s brewing excellence. Cheers!

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End of the Year – 2019

BKline — Tue, 31 Dec 2019 14:46:39 +0000

(Just a quick note, late addition on this, this is going to be a two-part article. First part a look-back at The Beer Thrillers articles of 2019, and the second part about our top beers, top breweries, and other happenings of 2019 for myself personally and the blog, and some of our friends in general. So make sure to check out both parts.)

So its the end of the year… end of decade even…. and thus its time to reflect back on where we came from, how we got to where we are, and where we are going. Humanity, since the inception of time, and creating of calendars and years and New Years Eves and New Years Days have always taken the last few days of each year to look back on their year, their life, and reflected, and thought about how they could better themselves, come up with “resolutions” for the upcoming year, and join in with friends and families as they ring in the new year. “New Year New You.”

We here at The Beer Thrillers are going to do something …. similar. Not fully introspective though, because we don’t take ourselves that seriously. But just a fun look back at the year that was 2019. I can’t speak for my co-writers, but I can say for me, personally, 2019 had its fair share of ups, downs, in-betweens, lefts, rights, diagonals, crosses, bounces, turns, jukes, and jives. But I’m still here and better for it all. But I’m not going to go on and on too much about myself personally.

Rather, I’m going to write about how the blog has done, where we started from, where we’re headed, etc. And yea, I’ll probably get a little personal. But nothing deep or philosophical or introspective. More along the lines of what were some of the best beers, breweries, or events I’ve done of the year. So don’t worry, the blog will uphold the Seinfeld idea of “Nobody learns, nobody grows, nobody hugs”.

Scratch 375 – CocoNator by Troegs Independent Craft Brewery

I started this blog back on May 17th, 2019. (This year!) It was a Thursday, my girls (my daughters) were at school, I was bored, and trying to figure out what I’m doing / was doing. I needed something for my days off while the kids were at school, something that was fun, something I was passionate about, something that let me feel like I was being creative, using my talents, and something I knew about. I’ve been reading blogs, and news sites, and all kinds of things about beer for so long, and I have a lot of experience drinking… …and writing… that I figured why not combine the two? I was feeling like I was in a rut, my job is the same its been for the past seven years, I wasn’t doing anything outright ‘creative’ and needed an outlet for it, and we are in a review culture. I do all kinds of reviews all the time, in small nondescript and unimportant ways. Like reading books when I’m finished, I write up a review of them when I check them off on GoodReads. Same with Untappd, when I drink a beer, I write up a small (Tweet size) review of it. I also felt, I was in a unique spot to start this up. I was getting to a spot where I knew enough people “on the inside” or “in the business”, and I was also doing stuff beyond just being a consumer; like home brewing, growing hops, helping can at Tattered Flag, being engaged in conversations with home brewers and professional brewers a lot, that I felt like I could provide some interesting conversations and articles to the world.

Mainly…. I was looking to not be bored, and to do something I love doing – writing and drinking beer.

So I started the blog up on May 17th, 2019. Basically having no clue what I was doing. I started up using WordPress and here we are. Its still WordPress, albeit the ‘weaker’ version (fingers crossed come sometime the new year, I switch over to the more advanced version, where I have more control over the site and the appearance). I did a little bit of research, chose a name – which to be frankly speaking – the name “The Beer Thrillers” just popped up to me. Nothing too deep or crazy or interesting behind it. I was honestly conjuring up the idea that it would be me, and a few of my friends writing, thus the “Thrillers” and not “Thriller”. I thought me, Drew, Dan maybe, and a few others would all writing all kinds of blog posts and contributing. Maybe some of the insiders in the business I know too… …while this hasn’t happened exactly; I have enlisted friends and other writers over the year to help out. (More on that as I get to their participation.)

Outside of creating the home page and starting up the site, my very first article on the blog was a beer review of Troegs’ Scratch 375 – The CocoNator. As far as first time articles go, I have no problems with it. Counting the writing of my colleagues and fellow contributors and cowriters to the blog, we’re now up to 130 blog posts (this being #131). I definitely think I’ve come a long way from that first blog. But I also like to think I laid the foundation there. I set up a system for how the beer reviews (I do) are written, presented, and I hope they are written in a fun, interesting, educational, and most importantly entertaining way.

Boulangerie Stout – Imperial Churro by Tattered Flag and Wolf Brewing Co.

When I started this in May, I had just gotten a couple of cans from my shift manager at work – Jordan and used them a the base for my first few beer reviews. The CocoNator was quickly followed by two South County beer reviews – Painting with Light (May 19th) and Sundrifter (May 30th). Also during this time, from my recent volunteer work helping can at Tattered Flag I worked with and gotten quite a few of their cans (hard work and sweat at their brewery resulted in many cans of whatever beer was being canned that day, as well as lots of other cans they still had from past canning runs). Two of these resulted in the beer reviews of Boulangerie Stout – Imperial Churro (May 22nd) which was a collaboration between Derek Wolf of Wolf Brewing Co. and Tattered Flag and You Hoppin’ On Me? (May 24th).

Canning Day at Tattered Flag

I was trying to write fast, furiously, and get some articles out there as a starting blog, I knew content was going to be the main driving force (and still is). Quality content even better. Hopefully I provided the quality content. I guess thats all up to you guys to decide, but I like to think I did (or at least, like I said, hope I did). As you can see from my picture of the Imperial Churro; often times in the background or foreground or beside the beers you’ll see some of the recent books I’m reading, as well as my dog Leela – especially if I’m drinking at home where she typically has to get her nose into the business of all involved. On May 27th, I conducted a bit of a science experiment when I found an old (over a year old) Black and Blue Tastee from The Veil. I had gotten a four pack from one of my favorite bartenders – Chris – who had traveled down and muled some back up. I wrapped up May, my first month of writing for the blog, with my first beer review from a bar – Warwick Hotel – on May 31st with a beer review of Cinnamon Toast Crunch by Collusion Tap Works.

Cinnamon Toast Crunch by Collusion Tap Works

May finished, and my first month done; even if I had only started late in the month on the 17th, I felt accomplished with the blog. I published 9 total blog pages; which included the home-page, the author-bio page, the contact page, and other necessary background pages. Word was slowly trickling out about the blog, I was up to 59 visitors and 121 views. Not a bad first month – especially considering it was basically just two weeks (the 17th through the 31st). Lets say I was “pleased as punch” with the start of the blog. June was looking bright!

June started with a beer review from the Bissell Brothers Brewing Company – Baby Genius on June 3rd. Followed up by a bottle of LazerSnake by Three Floyds on June 9th.

Baby Genius by Bissell Brothers

On June 13th, I did my first multiple beer review, and my first beer flight review – from Troegs Independent Craft Brewing – of course. What other place would I do my first beer flight review? Troegs was basically my initiation into the craft beer scene when I was ….cough turning 21…. and was the start of my craft beer love. Troegs is still a wonderful brewery, a fantastic venue there in Hershey, and overall holds a definite soft spot in my craft beer loving heart.

A flight of beers from Troegs Brewery

June 14th ended up being my first “double blog post” day. Earlier in the day I had stopped in at Tattered Flag to pick up a four-pack, had a beer, and when home, wrote a review, and later that night, with my daughters, I stopped in at Boneshire Brew Works, had a beer, and did a review before bed. At Tattered Flag I had the Abra Collabra beer, and at Boneshire I had the Sunburst beer. A week later I did my first brewery review, when I took my oldest daughter to Gettysburg for the day to visit the battlefields and monuments. Before visiting the sites, we stopped for lunch at the Battlefield Brew Works. A day later I was back at Warwick for another beer and review – Manayunk’s King Crunch.

An interior picture of the Battlefield Brew Works brewery.

Around this time, looking to expand, I enlisted the help of a buddy and fellow craft beer aficionado and enthusiast, and Boneshire lover – Josh Doncevic. We had a few talks at Boneshire Brew Works, and we chatted on the Central PA Whalerz group, and discussed this and that and everything beer related, and I thought he’d be a perfect fit for the blog – and he is and still has been. And on June 27th, he took his plunge into the world of blogging with his first beer review Northmont by Yellow Bridge.

Northmont by Yellow Bridge, J. Doncevic’s first beer review here on The Beer Thrillers.

A flurry of beer reviews followed – Should Have Put Him in Custardy, a beer flight from Hershey Biergarten, helped close out June and start July with Josh’s review of Ectogasm. June saw the blog grow by massive leaps and bounds, we went from 59 visitors in May to 848 visitors in June with 1100 some views. July was looking to be a great month for The Beer Thrillers, and it certainly delivered some amazing beer reviews! Pink Guava, Inexplicably Juicy, Miami Vice, Old 51, Dillston, Saison and Hurry up and Wait, a beer flight from Tony’s travels up north at the Black Gryphon, Wolf Prints, and Mango Guyabano sWheat Tart.

On July 19th we launched our Twitter page. Which just a few days ago, we hit our 100th follower! (Time for me to plug in here and suggest everyone head over there briefly to follow us, then come back here.) On July 23rd we also started our Instagram page. I will be the first to admit that we don’t do as much with Instagram, primarily because I don’t know enough about it yet. Looking to learn more about it in 2020 and get that page going a lot more.

July continued with some more beer reviews like Enigma, Green Zebra and Next Coast, Good Walk Spoiled, another beer flight from Troegs, and Road Less Traveled. I ended the month by discussing my upcoming road trip with my daughters.

July also saw some fun and interesting events I got to do for the first time. I lost my Ffej of July cherry, getting to make it out to possibly the biggest, baddest, most sickest birthday bash / lawn party ever. Me and Drew also attended the Moo-Funk Home Brew event as well. July was certainly a fun month, but August was looking to be even better.

Straub’s Brewery in St. Mary’s

August started off with a bang, I took my daughters up north PA to visit Elk Country, then we visited Straub Brewery, then we went to Kinzua Bridge and after that stopped at Logyard Brewery and next door to it was Twisted Vine Brewery. That was Day One. Day two saw us hitting the Pittsburgh area. First at dawn we hiked McConnell’s Creek, then went to ShuBrew before going into Pittsburgh proper and visit the city where we did a whole slew of things like see Fort Pitt, take the Duquesne Lift, check out medieval Catholic relics, stop by a Jewish synagogue, see the outfield wall still standing, and we also checked out a few breweries like Cinderlands Warehouse, The Church Brew Works, and we finished the day staying at a motel right next door to Yellow Bridge Brewing. Day Two was a lot busier than day one, but just a much fun.

The altar at Church Brew Works

Olde Bedford Brewing in Bedford PA

We didn’t slow down for Day Three. We had a whole host of driving to do on day three. We started at Bushy Run to watch the reenactment and check out the events, then went to the Alleghany Portage and Railroad Museum, and then went into Johnstown to see the Johnstown Flood Memorial and there we checked out the brewery Stone Bridge Brewing. From there we Staple Bend Tunnel Trail and then we stopped and paid our respects at the Flight 93 Memorial. On the way back home to the Hershey area we stopped at Olde Bedford Brewing.

Was a fun three days where we got to see lots of cool places, museums, memorials, monuments, and nine breweries to boot. Can’t beat that!

The beer reviews weren’t going to slow down in August either. Ghost in the Machine by Josh , a beer flight at Twisted Bine, Juicy Fruit sWheat Tart, and Caucus Race 6.0. Then shortly before my oldest daughter’s birthday I took her and my second oldest down to Antietam to see the battlefield there and on the way back home we stopped at Cushwa Brewing. Which I did a brewery review of.

Cushwa Brewing in Maryland

They have since moved out of that building but they are still close by to the location. August still had plenty more beer reviews for you guys starting with Harrishire, Kettle Sour Series – Raspberry, Ghost in the Machine by B. Kline, Good Vibrations, and then I did a dual beer review from two beers I had at a Harrisburg Senators game – a Pineapple Kolsch and a Dry Irish Stout, Reve Coffee Stout, Rye for an Eye (my birthday blog post and beer), and that closed out the month of August. As for events in August, me and my friend Ming went to the Lancaster Brewfest and afterwards went to Mad Chef Brewing (my first time there) which was an overall fun event.

Taco and a Beer – a fantastic birthday treat, even belatedly

Moving onto September started with my cashing in my birthday taco coupon at Newfangled Brew Works and had a really tasty Kettle Sour from them. In September I wrote a piece for Breweries in PA and also posted it on my blog – the version on the blog is found here: Breweries Around the Outskirts of Harrisburg (9.6.19). It has become one of the most popular pieces on our blog, and I believe it has done very well for the Breweries in PA crew as well. Beer reviews certainly didn’t slow down: a flight of Levante and Tattered Flag beers, a flight of Troegs beers, Fresh Fest and Trail Day Pale Ale, a flight of beers from Mount Gretna Brewery, and Spundae.

September also saw me do our first listicle articles. With two – one celebrating our oldest posts – and one celebrating our most viewed posts. Followed by, as always, more beer reviews – Key Lime Pie, They Burn Them All Away, AuZealand, a flight of Ever Grain beer, Vanilla Ice Cream Stout, and a Sour Blueberry wrapped up September.

October started off with a couple of Boneshire Brew Works beers – Tried and True (Mango) and Iscariot. I then got to attend Dr. Alison Feeney’s seminar and event at Mid-Town Scholar “For the Love of Beer“. Afterwards I went to The Millworks and had a flight. I did a book review of Dr. Alison Feeney’s book – For the Love of Beer. We finally joined Facebook on October 17th, you can find our Facebook page here. We are now up to 154 followers on Facebook, hoping to grow more! Did a beer review of Salted Caramel Moo-Hoo next.

Midwest Coast Brewing

I was contacted back in September by Midwest Coast Brewing Company to do an advertisement article and announcement article about their brewery opening. And I think it turned out very well. This was the first time a brewery reached out to us and asked us to do a piece for them and I think it turned out very well. I did a bit of an interview with the owners / brewers, and talked about their brewery’s opening. This has led to Mellow Mink reaching out to us and inviting us to their place to check them out and do an article (January 2nd we’ll be doing that).

J. Doncevic did a review of Ekaunot by Barebottle. We then covered Rotunda Brewing Company’s rebranding of Irv’s Pub into Rotunda Brew Pub. Also did a news article on Pennsylvania breweries that won at the 2019 GABF. That was my first straight up news article for the blog.

More beer reviews: Athena, Sour Me Peach, Irish Table, Envie and Envie 4X, Yuengling’s Hershey’s Chocolate Porter, and to wrap up the beer reviews of October I did Fatum Series: Member Berries. We also covered Boneshire Brew Works’ 3rd Anniversary Celebration.

November was a crazy month for me. I challenged myself to doing 30 blog posts, one per day – MINIMUM, and I am proud to say I achieved that and met my goal. It was certainly daunting a task, but I did achieve it.

Here’s the list of my articles in November: Pumpkin Stout, St. Thomas, Walker Station Stout, a flight by ZeroDay, King Sue, Intergalactic Warrior, s’Mores LazaRIS, There’s Nuttin Butter Than a Nice Pair of Camo Pants, Secret Machine, Broken Heels, Animal Adjective, 556 Stout, Boat Drinks, a flight of Tattered Flag – Newfangled Brew Works – and Cox Brewing beers, Alpha Abstraction, Double IPA, Lager, Birra Di Levante, Tickle Parts – Passionfruit, a flight of beers from Appalachian Brewing Company, Default Brewing, Darwin’s Salted Forehead, Newfangled Pils, Gotta Get up to Get Down, Paradise Lost, Moon of Vega, Citraquench’l, Azathoth, a flight of Troegs including Mad Elf, and finally a review of Official BBQ and Burgers – Pizza Boy’s second location. WHEW! That was a lot to get out, you can read about it in the November Recap.

November also saw Default Brewing join us here at The Beer Thrillers. Headed by AJ Brechbiel, they are a group of home brewers who will be providing home brewing articles for the blog from time to time. They gave us a welcoming post in November: Cheers from Default Brewing.

I also started up a collaboration with Let Us Drink Beer blog. Where we would be guest writing and contributing to each other’s blogs occasionally. They are down south, and with us being here in PA, it seemed like it’d be a nice fit. Provide some information and beers and breweries that readers might not normally get to see. They posted their first article “Five Must See Breweries in Atlanta” in November.

Josh also wrote two beer reviews in November: Ghost 782 and Ghost 779.

December started off a little slower here for us, probably because I was a bit tired from November, or perhaps just because its the holiday season, I don’t know. But my first beer review was Ice Dreamz. I did a few more beer reviews in December – My Watch Has Ended, The Hog, Scrooge IPA, Sap, and Autumn.

Default Brewing gave us an introduction to their crew: “Meet The Crew at Default Brewing“.

I covered the guest blogging that was going on and Let Us Drink Beer gave us a review of Koki Bunni.

Finally, the last article posted in all of 2019 (outside of this one now) was a travelogue of me and Drew brewery hopping around Harrisburg. Starting at Boneshire Brew Works, and going to The Vegetable Hunter, The Millworks, The Sturges Speakeasy, and ZeroDay Brewing. Was a fun day jumping around from place to place.

Hopefully you enjoyed this look back on 2019 with The Beer Thrillers. The second part of this article will most likely be posted January 1st, possibly before work, possibly after work. I have to leave for work now, and work until (at least) 8PM, and will most likely be going right out to enjoying New Years Eve festivities with my daughters. Tomorrow I work 10-6, and afterwards will be doing a podcast with Esteban about LOST.

The second part of this series will cover top beers, top breweries, and other things about the year for The Beer Thrillers and myself. For example – podcasting.

So make sure you check out part two then as well!

As always, I hope you have a Happy New Year, enjoyed the blog, and continue to do so! Without you, we don’t need to write, so we hope you are having as much fun and entertainment with this as we are!

-B. Kline on behalf of The Beer Thrillers staff.

My hop arbor in the rain

Beer Review: Baby Genius (Bissell Brothers Brewing Company)

BKline — Tue, 04 Jun 2019 01:00:59 +0000

Newly arrived to Breski’s Beverage today (6.3.19) Bissell Brother’s “Baby Genius” Session.

Got a notice from my local beer trading, muling, etc., Facebook group around 4-5PM that Breski’s Beverage was getting Bissell Brother’s in. Two can limit. So I definitely had to make a stop after work, no doubts about it. Bissell Brothers is one of those “sought after” breweries, and not one readily available in the South Central PA area.

Got there, grabbed my two cans from their walk-in cooler (where they keep all of their NEIPAs and a lot of their IPAs and beers), paid the 10.58$ (tax included) and left. Definitely can’t complain about two cold high-end brewery beers in an area that doesn’t see them for only 10.58$ (16oz cans).

So let’s dive into this beauty and see what we got here:

Beer: Baby Genius

Brewery: Bissell Brothers Brewing Company

Style: Blonde Ale

ABV: 4%

IBU: None Listed

Hops: Citra, Ella, Topaz

Untappd Write-Up: A hoppy, hazy blonde ale. Brewed with Citra, Ella, and Topaz hops.

Eclectic and Crushable

I’ve seen this listed as a “blonde ale”, a “session blonde ale”, and a “session NE Pale Ale”. The Untappd and their page list it just as a blonde ale and point out its lower ABV and its easy drinking and “crushable”-ness. And it definitely has easy drinking and crushableness in spades. Could easily pound more than the 2 allotment of these in a sitting, could see myself downing near a case while watching a baseball game, hanging out for a picnic, or a long mow-day.

Pouring this out it looks like a beauty in the glass. Light straw coloring with a bit of hazyness to it, cloudy, but still looks like a great beer. Head retention is strong and staying and no noticeable floaters or particulates.

The aroma is similar to most blondes and hefe’s. A light smell of hops but no noticeable hop overtly notes as you smell in.

For a light 4% there is no loss of flavor and fear not it is every bit as good and tasty as a higher ABV beer can be. The missing % won’t be missed and is actually nice to be able to drink 3 or more of these without getting the slightest buzz.

As typical of ‘hazy’ style beers (even if their not called NEIPA or New England style) it comes with a very soft juice taste. Soft, refreshing, but also crisp and clean, its smooth and easily drinkable and like I said above without the high ABV there’s really no buzz so no problem crushing these.

There is no hop bitterness and aftertaste or burn to this, the hops are softened, cushioned, its foamy and relaxing and not a typical ‘beer’ taste for those who don’t like the hop or “beer” taste.

It has some lemony notes but overall it steers clear of typical hop fruit or citrus notes, the lemony notes are about as close to citrus as this comes. Its not dry or sour or tart either as one would expect with lemony flavors in a beer either.

This is completely one to buy a case of, sit out on the back porch and spend the day chatting with friends, or relaxing and reading a good book (I’m personally currently reading Aldous Huxley’s ‘The Divine Within’) or watching a baseball game or getting all of your yard work and mowing done. Cheers and enjoy!

My Untappd Rating: ****.25

Global Untappd Rating: **** (As of 6.3.19)

-B. Kline

Bissell Brothers Brewing Company - The Beer Thrillers

Bissell Brothers Closing their Three Rivers location – Milo

Bissell Brothers Closing Their Milo Brewery

The Milo Brewery

For More Information on Bissell Brothers Brewing

More Articles on Bissell Brothers

Brewery News

Thank You For Reading

Top 10 Craft Beers in New England: A Guide to the Must-Try Brews

Top 10 Craft Beers in New England: A Guide to the Must-Try Brews

1. Heady Topper – The Alchemist (Vermont)

2. Julius – Tree House Brewing Company (Massachusetts)

3. Sip of Sunshine – Lawson’s Finest Liquids (Vermont)

4. Dinner – Maine Beer Company (Maine)

5. Captain’s Daughter – Grey Sail Brewing of Rhode Island (Rhode Island)

6. Night Shift – Santilli (Massachusetts)

7. Good Measure – River Roost Brewery (Vermont)

8. Allagash White – Allagash Brewing Company (Maine)

9. Baby Genius – Bissell Brothers (Maine)

10. Trillium Fort Point Pale Ale – Trillium Brewing Company (Massachusetts)

See Also

Thank You for Reading

End of the Year – 2019

Beer Review: Baby Genius (Bissell Brothers Brewing Company)