Mercury Brewing Company - Ipswich Dark Ale

Look for slightly roasty notes on the nose, with an emphasis more toward toasted biscuits, and a deep orange character accented by spicy hops nipping gently at the nostrils. Also expect some chocolate in the background. The flavor has some roastiness, but overall this beer is incredibly smooth, with a dose of cocoa and bitter, rind-like hops. Panel members also picked up a trace of nuts and a distinct flavor reminiscent of whole-grain bread. Pair with pastrami on pumpernickel, heavy on the mustard, or sauerkraut & brats—talk about ideal food pairings; either combo is utterly fantastic!

The Mercury Brewing Company was founded in 1999 when the former brewmaster of the Ipswich Brewing Company, Rob Martin, took over the outfit from the original founders (1991) Paul Silva & Jim Beuvais. While the brewery's name may have changed, the Ipswich line of beers has been around for 16 years—and what's perhaps most intriguing about these beers is how darned good they are, considering that between these three guys, their previous vocations had little to do with beer; one was an architect (Rob), another a psychologist (Paul) and the third was working in the software industry (Jim). Bringing these roles together just screams good beer, right? Well perhaps it does make sense, as these beers are well-designed (thanks Rob!), well-thought out and thought provoking (thanks Paul!), and up to technical snuff if you will (thanks Jim!). It just goes to show you, if you have a passion for brewing beer (and you're at least a good homebrewer like these fellas were when they started) then it makes no difference what your day job or trade is—in fact, most domestic brewery owners weren't brought up in brewing families or originally trained as brewing professionals—most found their calling after spending tens of thousands of dollars on college and then realizing they hate their day jobs! (just kidding… sort of… it's actually kind of common). The brewery is located in Ipswich, Massachusetts, located in the area known as the "North Shore", which is north of Boston right along the water. It is an area known for its great microbreweries and many of them have the Ipswich & Mercury Brewing Companies to thank for that reputation. And it's certainly worth a visit—especially considering that you'll have plenty of fresh beer from the Mercury Brewing Company available to you. Named after the Roman messenger to the gods, the brewery lives up to its name by delivering the message that those who seek out "good beer" really are gods on Earth! (well, that's how we look at it). Turns out the gods also like soda—these guys brew a bewildering variety of hand-crafted soda pop as well. For more information about the brewery, their beers and sodas, and scheduled tours, call (978) 356-3329 or check out their web site at www.mercurybrewing.com.