I took a swing through Southern New Hampshire early this week, and of course that necessitated a stop at Martha's. The first beer I sampled there was the alt beer, and as usual I was heartily impressed. This dark red colored brew was served with a generous head of foam, very noticeable in the pint glass I first ordered but even more so in the cylindrical Diebels Alt glass Brett Marcy poured for me, where it seemed to cap the glass like a mushroom and hang slightly over the sides.

On 10/12/1997 I wrote:

Hats off to r.f.d.b contributor and fellow New Englander John Jepson for steering me onto a slight detour from my Portland, Maine expedition Friday. John suggested a lunch stop at Martha's Exchange Restaurant and Brewery in Nashua, New Hampshire, where he works part time assisting with the brewing. As it turns out, Martha's was one of the highlights of my trip. Each beer was not only extremely flavorful and well crafted, but the attention to style taken by John and head brewer Brett Marcy, formerly of Great Lakes, was clearly evident in every sip. Both John and Brett took time from their busy schedule not only to treat me to a round of wonderful beers and a brewery tour, but also to sit and discuss their beer and beer in general.

The alt was ruby in color, and though the malt body was right on the money, the hops seemed to be at balancing level and could have been more pronounced. Brett admitted as much, but I must say the beer was still delicious.

I'm drinking a glass now poured from a growler I brought home with me. It's certainly the best alt I've ever tasted other than Dornbusch, high praise indeed. The nose is malty and has an interesting herbal hoppiness to it. The malt in the palate is big and toasty, very robust with perhaps a touch of biscuity flavor underneath. The big star is the finish, wonderfully bitter and lingering on the tongue, making it a great compliment to spicy cuisine. At the brewpub, this beer was absolutely wonderful with a heaping plate of Jambalaya, chock full of andouille sausage, roasted peppers and onions, spicy rice, shrimp, and topped with a sliced blackened chicken breast. Another triumph for John Jepson and Brett.

Update 12/15/1998: I made it up to Nashua this weekend with a few friends, and was reminded again how fortunate that city is to have the brewing talent it does. Brett Marcy and John Jepson at Martha's Exchange and Darryl Goss at the Skyview Cafe are constantly brewing a wide array of styles, and each interpretation is quite on the mark.

We stopped at Martha's first and enjoyed the crisp, malty Main Street Pilsner, well balanced with a grassy, herbal hop finish, domestic Hallertaus as I recall (I had taken tasting notes but lost them in the course of the day). The Alt beer had good malt body and appropriate hops in the finish, and the porter (Paddy Wagon? John?) was a sheer delight, slightly roasty but not overly so, rich, smooth, and chocolaty, dangerously drinkable.  



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