Ipswich Ale Brewery - Route 101

Pouring a bright golden-copper hue with good clarity and a robust head which drops some lace as it recedes, Route 101 is a handsome brew in the glass. We really enjoyed the complex hop profile on this West Coast style IPA, which uses five different hop varieties; look for notes of citrus zest and juice, floral overtones with some herbal spice impressions, and light wisps of berry and melon. In the flavor department, there’s a core of pale malts upon which a very vivid array of hop flavors are supported, including some earthy and spicy character, citric notes reminiscent of grapefruit, and firm bitterness which lingers in the finish. Per the West Coast style, the malt profile is constructed in such a way as to not grab your attention; the brewers eschewed heavily caramelized malts and instead exclusively chose pale, pils, and honey malts to ensure a solid backbone while leaving the hops to be the stars of this show. Try pairing with lemon pepper chicken or boldly spiced Vietnamese Pho. Cheers!

The roots of Ipswich Ale Brewery go back to the founding of Ipswich Brewing Company in 1991, making 2016 the 25th anniversary of this icon of Massachusetts’ North Shore. In 1999, the former Ipswich brewmaster, Rob Martin, bought the brewery from founders Paul Sylva and Jim Beauvais. The brewery sold their Ipswich branded beers under the name of Mercury Brewing Company for many years before transitioning the branding entirely to Ipswich Ale Brewery more recently.

The brewery is situated in Ipswich, Massachusetts, a town on the seaside northeast of Boston. In 2013, the brewery was moved into a new, larger location which used to be home to Soffron Brothers Clams. In January of this year, Rob and the team at Ipswich opened a new restaurant adjacent to the brewhouse. Known as Ipswich Ale Brewer’s Table, the gastropub offers traditional pub fare along with more sophisticated offerings, and it boasts 15 taps, including some exclusive limited-edition Ipswich beers you can only get at the restaurant.

Additionally, Ipswich has also come out with a complete line of hand-crafted soda-pop and a mustard imbued with Ipswich Oatmeal Stout. And, we have to mention this: you can rent one of their Tapmobiles for special events, to enjoy up to eight of your favorite Ipswich beers and sodas from taps running along the side of a classic old delivery truck converted into a party-mobile extraordinaire. How awesome is that?! For more information about the brewery, their beers and sodas, and scheduled tours, call 978-356-3329 or visit them at www.ipswichalebrewery.com.