The Hampton's Not So Well Kept Secret
Dec 31 '05
The Bottom Line This is definitely a brewpub/brewery for the geek
Most beer explorers like to travel and try out local beers. Local microbreweries and brewpubs provide some great thrills for the drinker. If you're traveling to Long Island, it will be worth the effort to make it out to Southampton. The Southampton Publick House is a haven for the beer lover. This is a brewpub that was founded in 1996.
This brewpub makes a variety of outstanding beers. I have only managed to visit the brewpub twice but I do get to enjoy their beers on a fairly regular basis. Their beers are available on draft throughout New York City. I am also able to find the occasional draught in Philly. They also have a line of bottled beers which are easily available in my area. It was a long time coming in these beers arriving in Philadelphia so I do not take them for granted.
This is a brewpub/brewery that makes a lot of exceptional beers. I have been fortunate enough to try quite a few of these beers. There are a couple that stand out in my mind right now because I have recently enjoyed 22 oz bombers. The Southampton IPA and the Southampton Imperial Porter are two really great brews.
The IPA is a really great American rendition of a classic English style. The Southampton IPA has a really nice grapefruit quality to it. This is a well hopped beer that will resonate with hop heads. This beer has a nice amber/orange hue and forms a nice head. I have enjoyed this one on draught at the Publick House and just recently in bottle. It provides a really sublime experience on draught if you ever make it to the brewpub and they have it on tap. It weighs in at 6.5% abv so it's a good buzz beer.
The Imperial Porter is based on the Baltic Porter style. Baltic Porters are the Eastern European variation on the English Imperial Stout stout. These are also strong beers designed to confronted the winter frost. The Southampton Imperial Porter is 7.5% abv. That will not cripple you but will likely leave you feeling pretty warm inside. The beer is dark brown with a dark head. There are some nice chocolate and roasty notes to be found in this beer. The 22 oz bomber is really nice. It can warm the belly of two drinkers.
The Southampton Double White Ale is also available in 22 oz bombers. This is a stronger variation on the Belgian wit style. This one weighs in at 6.8% abv. I enjoyed this beer but I was unsure what to make of it. I always enjoyed witbiers as warm weather thirst quenchers. That makes the idea of beefing it up as odd to me. It was pretty good though. The coriander and curacao orange peels still came through in the flavor. I guess it's going beyond the style's original intent but it's still a fine beer drinking experience.
I think the flagship beer in the bottling line would be the Southampton Secret Ale. This seems to be the big mover as far as 12 oz bottles go. The Secret Ale is based on the altbier style. This is an ale style that originates in Dusseldorf, Germany. Southampton does a pretty good job with the style. They manage to capture a lot of the nuances of the style. You get a bit of cookie dough nose and a sweetish taste. It also has a bit of toastiness in the flavor. There is some hop bitterness in the finish. The beer comes in at 5.1% abv so it's a pretty moderate beer.
I have tried several other of their beers in the past. the 9.5% Imperial stout comes to mind. This is something I seek out at the Blind Tiger Alehouse in Manhattan. I also like their Black Raspberry Wheat. That is a nice summertime brew. There are quite a few exceptional beers from this brewpub. A true beer geek needs to make the journey out there. The brewpub will usually have 6 to 9 different beers available. They have seasonal beers and a few one off beers. I believe they have brewed over 50 different beers in their (going on) ten year history.
For beer geeks, I can not recommend this brewery/brewpub strongly enough. This is the real deal. They brew some of the best beers in the state of New York. It is well worth the trek out to the Hamptons. The beers are that good. I also think that the beers can be helpful in initiating new drinkers. The Black raspberry might appeal to non-beer drinkers.
This is a wonderful brewpub. The beers are exceptional and the staff is very helpful. They also serve pretty good food if you actually make it out to the Publick House. This is a class operation all the way through. If you love beer and you don't know Southampton Beers then you are really missing out. My advise is to rectify the situation as soon as possible.
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Member: George Schaefer
Location: West Bristol, PA
Reviews written: 1103
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Busy at work and missing a lot of epinions fun.
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