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<\/p>\nPortsmouth Beer Week is about, above all else, the love of beer.<\/p>\n
We are excited to be celebrating the 9th Annual Portsmouth Beer Week, in just a couple of weeks.\u00a0 \u00a0It feels like yesterday, that we were hitting the Portsmouth streets, trying to rally independently owned restaurants to get excited about beer.\u00a0 \u00a0[To clarify, there was excitement, but it was limited and not something promoted throughout the city of Portsmouth.]\u00a0 Portsmouth Beer Week started as the “Craft Beer Long Weekend” with a combined 14 events in the first and second year.<\/p>\n
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Looking back at the first year, the highlight was a beer, pizza and movie night feature @ the Portsmouth Gas light.\u00a0 The featured movie was “Beer Wars<\/a>” –\u00a0 the David and Goliath story of battling against the beer conglomerates.\u00a0 I remember a great feeling in the room, which was filled with laughter, ohhhh and ahhhhh, as we were excited about craft beer.\u00a0 \u00a0 Almost 10 years later, it would be interesting to see Beer Wars – part 2.\u00a0 Since then, the craft beer community along with the local\/national beer laws have changed dramatically.\u00a0 The battle 10 years ago is no longer the same.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n OK.\u00a0 Fast forwarding [just\u00a0in case you’ve been out of the country or living in a cave] here is a quick update about the current craft beer scene.<\/p>\n So, what’s the deal with Portsmouth Beer Week?\u00a0 Why February?\u00a0 Why does it end on a Monday?<\/strong>\u00a0 Well, there’s a somewhat simple explanation. [Cliff notes version]\u00a0 Back in the day, two of the craft beer pioneers (the Alstrom Brothers from Beer Advocate) featured a local beer as one of the best beers in the world.\u00a0 That beer was named “Kate the Great”, which was a special Russian Imperial Stout, brewed by Todd Mott and his team.\u00a0 The beer was released by Portsmouth Brewery on the first Monday in March and coined the day as “Kate the Great Day”.\u00a0 For that day [and the weekend preceding], craft beer drinkers would flood Portsmouth NH to get their hands on Kate the Great.\u00a0 Customers would line up for hours, prior to the Portsmouth Brewery opening @ 11:00 AM.<\/p>\n In the first couple of years, the lines would be long, but manageable.\u00a0 When bottled, the beer would last a couple of days and then remain on draft for a bit.\u00a0 As the craft excitement grew, you would be lucky if the bottles lasted until 2:00 and there was beer to be sampled before the night’s close.\u00a0 The Portsmouth Brewery put a ton of time and effort into the release year after year — with a major focus on donating to charity.\u00a0 \u00a0Not only was it a great beer, but it was a great way to support the community.<\/p>\n As the excitement grew, so did Portsmouth Beer Week.<\/strong>\u00a0 We are proud that the 3 day event has grown to 10 days and celebrated with over 60 events every year.\u00a0 Most importantly, as Portsmouth’s economy is based on tourism, the activities during Portsmouth Beer Week help sustain the economy.<\/p>\n Who were the locals breweries 9 years ago?<\/strong>\u00a0 (Hummmm…. hope that I don’t miss anyone).\u00a0 Portsmouth Brewery, Redhook and Smuttynose were within the 20 mile radius of Portsmouth NH.\u00a0 Now…. you can’t throw a rock without hitting:\u00a0 Earth Eagle, Liar’s Bench, Great Rhythm, Loaded Questions (coming soon),\u00a0 Throwback, Beara Irish, Four Pines, Neighborhood Brewing, 7th Settlement, Garrison City, North Country Hard Cider, Decidious, and Bad Lab, in NH and in Maine — Tributary. Woodland Farms, Some Brewing — and in MA Brewery Silvaticus, BareWolf, Newburyport Brewing, Riverwalk.\u00a0 \u00a0All within a stone’s throw of Portsmouth, NH.\u00a0 It’s crazy!<\/p>\n What is going on this year?<\/p>\n\n
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