Apr 19, 2023
With the Inn closed for Spring cleaning, we dropped by the Woodstock Inn and Brewery to catch up about some new improvements around the brewhouse. The Inn may have been quiet, but the brewery was cranking, with a fresh batch of 4000 Footer IPA being brewed, and some K+M Rootbeer running through the canning line. Sasa and Peter showed us around their shiny new toy (read more on that below,) and of course- no visit to the Inn would be complete without an appearance by the one and only Garrett Smith, Woodstock’s Sales Manager.
Tell us about what’s new at the brewery? We hear there have been some major improvements going on…
You’ve heard right! We’re excited to have finished the installation of our new 30 barrel brewhouse from Alpha BrewOps. This includes a steam jacketed HLT, boil kettle, and mash tun, as well as a honker of a new steam boiler to keep everything hot.
How are these changes going to affect your beer? What can customers expect?
While I’m proud of the quality that we were able to achieve with the old brewhouse, this new system allows us much finer control over the brewing process. What this means in the glass is more nuanced bitterness and malt flavors as well as more of that beautiful hop aroma brewers and IPA fans love. The beer will also have a cleaner flavor profile.
Anything new going on at the Inn?
We bought a new 4 bedroom home last fall. The Lounden House is walking distance to the brewery. The house has a hot tub and an amazing space. This house is avaible for rent. We also brought back our Brewer’s Weekends. These weekends provide a guest with dive into craft beer. They brew beer, learn about beer, sample beer, and attend 5 course beer dinner Saturday Night. Breakfast is included along with lodging.
What beers are you excited about for 2023?
For summer 2023 we’ve updated our Lemon Blueberry pale ale and our Honey Lemon Blonde ale. Think light and crispy with big fruit aroma and flavor. Perfect for on the lake or outside at our Dam Bar. I’m also excited for the impact the new brewhouse will have on our range of hop forward beers. Lost Time our New England Pale Ale will be coming out as well. This hazy beer uses Galaxy and Comet hops. Brands such as Mountain Haze, 4000 Footer, and the like will all see more hop aroma with less bitterness.
Woodstock Inn and Brewery has been a staple in the NH Beer scene for quite a long time. How have you adapted to keep up?
On the brewery side, we keep an eye to tradition while continuing to innovate and update our beer offerings. A brand like Pig’s Ear brown ale, which has been a mainstay since the brewery first opened, is equally at home next to pastry stouts and hazy IPAs on our taps. This has led to our fan base growing and developing as the NH beer scene has evolved. We have people who have been coming since the 90’s bringing their kids or grandkids along on brewery tours which is pretty cool to see.
Any other big news you want the NH Beer world to know about?
We’re happy to announce that two of our brewers, Sasa Marinkovic and Peter Dodenhoff, have stepped up to take the reins here at the brewery. Both are highly motivated to drive quality and enhance the reputation the Woodstock Inn Brewery has established over the years.
