2beerguys beer blog

Bent Water Brewing: Try It and Love It

A few months back Sean and I received an invitation from Bent Water Brewing in Lynn Mass to visit their brewery to learn about their brewery along with other writers and bloggers. While neither of us had visited or tried more than one brew from Bent Water, we had heard mixed reviews on the brewery that made us hesitant to go out of our way to visit or search out the beer.

The story of our trip to the brewery is not a tale of woes, it is fact a lesson to the fact that as writers, bloggers, beer aficionados, et al. we must Trust But Verify.

As we arrived at the brewery the tasting room was open for us to sample not only the mainstays but also some of their tap room specials paired with snacks. After our first few beverages we were taken on a tour of the brewery with two of the owners; Aaron Reames and John Erik Strom (Head Brewer).

The brewery was much like any other small brewery until you stumble on Bent Water’s concrete fermenter made by Sonoma Cast Stone. The fermenter is a style which is typically employed by wineries in California & they were the first brewery east of the Mississippi River to employ a concrete fermenter. Other than the really cool look, the fermenter with its microscopic porosity has the ability to stabilize the temperature of what is inside it allowing for a gradual fermentation unattainable in a standard stainless steel fermenter.

One of the things that quickly made me a fan of the brewery is their artwork, their hypnotic backgrounds tie all of their labels together and make them stand out in a cooler or on a shelf. In an age where too many breweries don’t have continuity in their packaging and branding Bent Water has found continuity and a way to stand out among the cookie cutters.

This brewery is definitely a must try at the Taproom or if you see them in an establishment where craft beer is sold: liquor store, bar, or package store (the Packie as referred to by folks from Massachusetts).

Check out the website for locations where Bent Water is sold in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. They are located at 180 Commercial St, Unit 18, Lynn, MA and the tap room is currently open every day but Monday.