Another spot that we visited over the holiday weekend was Mayflower Brewing Company based out of Plymouth, MA. A long-time favorite of mine, I have been interested in visiting their taproom for awhile now, but it never managed to work out the times we were in the area. Seems like my luck in this regard finally changed!
The taproom is located in a commercial/industrial park a few exits north of the historic downtown part of Plymouth. While the surrounding area might have been much to talk about (think sterile, corporate green space), the interior of the taproom was quite nice. Bright and featuring walls of beautifully repurposed wood, it was split roughly in half between a more traditional bar and tap area and an additional seating section with long benches, extra seating, and space for playing various board games.
Upon arrival I was very happy to discover that they had a very full draft list going that day with more than a dozen beers pouring. Unable to decide between revising some old favorites and trying out new things, my wife and I split a pair of flights to get a little bit of (almost) everything. In the interest of time and space I’m not going to run through them all, but instead touch upon a few I found particularly noteworthy.
Ships & Salsa (Vienna Lager, 6.0%): Probably the biggest surprise of the day, this beer started us off on a very high note. Brewed with flaked a maize and a “massive” amount of agave syrup, this beer had a nice malty sweetness accentuated by a very slight bit of citrus zest. We imagined it pairing quite nicely with Mexican food
Waggle Dance (Farmhouse Ale, 6.0%): Brewed with wildflower honey, it had a sweet, light funkiness followed by a touch of peppery yeast and honey. I really, really enjoyed this one.
Boomerang (Pale Ale, 6.0%): Featuring a light, clean malt base followed by a moderate amount of fruity Australian hops, this easy drinking pale ale was a refreshing treat on hot day.
Nitro Coffee Porter: Delivering that silky smooth nitro feel, this one had some excellent notes of rich malts, chocolate, and roasted coffee. I couldn’t have asked for a better beer to end the tasting with.
As honorable mentions, past review beers X and Leather Bound Books were drinking as good as ever and definitely come recommend as well should you come across them.
At that is where I’ll wrap up our visit. The beer was excellent, the bartender was super friendly, and the taproom itself was very nice, but I just couldn’t shake the feeling that they would benefit from a more interesting location (easier said than done I’m sure). It is exciting to note, however, that they will be operating a beer garden in the nearby Pinehills community, effective May 30th, that looks like an amazingly beautiful spot. Depending on our summer plans we may need to check that out as well!
Beer Rants and Books 