Kelso of Brooklyn recently began offering Saturday afternoon tours of their brewery, and, as I live mere blocks away, I jumped at the first opportunity to survey the operations and taste the suds of a truly local brewery (distribution is currently limited to the New York metropolitan region in kegs only).
Inconspicuously tucked away on a warehouse block just north of the heavily trafficked Atlantic Avenue, the brewery is marked only by diminutive signage for Kelso and Heartland Brewery, for whom Kelso also brews by contract. The brewery is as low-key and unassuming on the inside as it is on the outside, replete with a picnic table for seating and an ad hoc bar. Furthermore, truck parking is evidently available inside the building.
A cheerful guide gave us an informal tour of the facilities and poured us several of the beers on tap, including their IPA, brewed with Nelson Sauvin hops from New Zealand, giving the moderated beer a fresh, bright, and crisp flavor. (Note: a few days ago I sampled Kelso’s new “Version 3″ IPA, which was astonishing; I’ll have a review of that beer soon.) Also on tap was a Quad Bock that Kelso brews for the local chain of Heartland brewpubs. (Apparently, brewmaster Kelly Taylor worked for Heartland before deciding to set out on his own. Upon informing Heartland of his desire to go solo, Heartland encouraged Kelly to continue brewing for them but also use the existing facility to brew his own offerings.) The Quad—brewed with ten malts and ten hops and weighing it at 10% ABV in celebration of Kelly’s 10th anniversary working for Heartland (compare with Dogfish Head’s new Centennial offering Hellhound On My Ale)—was malty and slightly sweet yet not quite cloying, very drinkable, with the alcohol really hidden.
But enough drivel, check out the pics. Dig, in particular, the row of beers being aged in different types of liquor barrels.
