The Place and The Beer Part 1: Lamplighter Brewing Co, Cambridge, MA, USA

LAMPLIGHTER BREWING CO.

284 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA

I have made a sad realization that I am not able to write a proper story about all the places I visit and all the beers I taste. But, most of those places deserve at least a short note. Therefore, I have stated a new series called The Place and The Beer. Rather short stories, lot of photos and a /the beer.

Today we end up in Cambridge Massachussets in USA. I have visited the Lamplighter Brewing in the second week of November. It is Tuesday at 9 pm. The brewery is in a walking distance from the Kendall Square being the center of the town. Typical American building, well preserved and clean.  Inside is also very typical modern style brewhouse, solid tap/party-room and a huge glass wall so that everybody can appreciate the brewery and barrel aging beer. Nice but not ass kicking.

Clearly it was a party night. We should have been checking earlier. Music was deafening. Live DJ, doing quiz. Simply horrible if you come to get a beer and talk.

But the beer, as in the most American breweries was worth the effort – I have tried an imperial stout brewed with vanilla and maple syrup called After Midnight. But they really brew something for everybody: IPA, gose, sour, wheat, saison, brett. They have it, I strongly believe that this is one of the powers of American Craft – we are eclectic, we will not concentrate on a few local beers – we are taking everything what is interesting from the world and do this better. Impressive.

So was the After Minding. Pitch dark with appealing head and nice lacing. Aroma is chocolate, malt, clear maple syrup and roasted coffee. Intensive and complex flavor, thick texture of drinking chocolate and vanilla. Surprisingly it is not sweet, it could almost be considered dry. Maybe a bit on the too much side, but clearly you would not mix that one with any other beer. For me this a a huge plus and After Midnight was the best medication to cure my jet lag.