Cody Brewing Company Amesbury, MA

codybrewing.com

**I'd like to preface this entry by apologizing for the blurred pictures and announcing that tomorrow, Bronze Age will be bottling our IPA! As we do so, we will be sipping on our newly ready weiss! Get ready for an onslaught of deliciousness. Updates will be posted. Now on with the blogging...

The past few weeks I've been doing my best to track down smaller, lesser known breweries in the area. Most recently, my search led me to the small historic New England town of Amesbury, MA where Cody Brewing Company calls home. This 7 Barrel operation is run by Sean Cody (and a few friends), who spends nearly every day of the week there brewing like a maniac. Unlike most brewers I've met, Sean fell into brewing rather than seeking it out as his career path. He began the company in 2006 as a brewshop/brew your own beer operation, aptly named BYOB. Overtime it evolved into the brewery it is today.
While I was on location, I had the delight of sampling four of Cody's brews. I was initially quite impressed with their seasonal Hefeweizen, dubbed "Dog Daze." At first taste one would imagine that a crapload of bananas was tossed into the boil, however it is characteristic of the particular strain of yeast employed in this brew which gives it this very specific and recognizable flavor. Light notes of citrus and spices balance this out perfectly. Right out of the fermenter, this stuff was delicious. I reckon I'll be grabbing a growler of it next time I stop by. It was what I took home this time that really took the cake for me however.

S.O.S. Belgian Pale Ale 5.8% ABV
While this is a year round offering, it was quite a divine substance to imbibe on this hot summer day. It pours light brown in color with a thick creamy head and has a delicate lacing. The aroma is very yeasty, probably due to the fact that it is unfiltered. There's also some malt and some hop undertones in there. This beer almost drinks like an IPA, but the wheat used gives it a crisp, slightly thick body and the hops are quite up to the IPA standard. There's a sharp but fine carbonation to this beer and it finishes off hoppy. Delicious. I will be purchasing this brew again.

The brewery itself


A "beer gun". This is what Sean uses to fill bottles rather than purchase a mind numbingly expensive bottling line. Smart stuff


The S.O.S. MmmMMmM