ANOTHER BREWERY THAT STARTED FROM A BEER KIT! All these guys obliviously got there kits from some place other than where Scott got his. Scott’s first attempt at making beer didn’t go so well, but his first attempt at poisoning someone was spectacular.
This article is all about Cisco Brewers and the love story surrounding it. Cisco Brewers is based out of Nantucket, Massachusetts, and was founded by Wendy Morton Hudson & Randy Hudson in 1995. Wendy started home brewing with friends while living in California, but she returned to the Island of Nantucket in 1992, met Randy and knew he was the one. So she bought him a beer kit, just to be sure. Well, Randy’s beer was a hit with Wendy and love blossomed…
They started out making their beer, get this, above a winery! Dean & Melissa Long needed help at their winery, Nantucket Vineyards, and Wendy & Randy needed a place to live. So now they are making beer and wine. This sounds like a TV show. BUT WAIT! Eventually they expanded and opened Triple Eight Distillery. Beer, wine and liquor… oh my!
Getting back to the brewery, it was so small you could call it a “nano-brewery” and they had the distinction of being America’s Only Outdoor Brewery for sometime before moving the equipment indoors in 1996. It all seems to have moved quickly for them, even though they cap there own bottles.
Wendy and Randy brought on Jay Harmon in ’96 to help with the brewing. They met Jay while he was working on his senior thesis at Fairfield University. Jay had been looking into opening a brewery in Nantucket, so best way to limit competition is to hire them, I guess.
One of their signature beers is the Grey Lady, which I am trying. I also wanted to the Whale’s tale Pale Ale, but someone drank that one on me. These beers were donated from Bill Vaughn; thanks, Bill! Bill gave them to Scott, and Scott drank most of them without telling me.
This is a witbier, or wheat beer. I’m not much of a witbier drinker, can’t recall anything to compare it to, but let’s give it go. It pours very light in color, almost see through. The head vanishes almost immediately. The smell is interesting, spice and citrus and feet. That may sound bad, but it’s not. The taste is surprising. First thing I thought of was a “sparkling beer!” It starts off clean and crisp, and then you get some bread, some citrus and some spice. The spice stays for a little while, it’s mild but it’s there. I was expecting a bolder spice flavor, but was surprised. This is easily a session beer. I feel like I could go all day with this one. Next summer I may have to grab some of these for the beach.
If you want to step outside your comfort zone but not go crazy, this could be worth a try. And if you are planning a visit to Nantucket be sure to stop by this “alcohol amusement park.” From what I read about them, and the staff’s bios, it has just made my bucket list.
Cheers!
