Misery Bay
Erie Brewing
IPA
Erie, Pennsylvania
6.5%

Profiled by Ken Carman

I am very familiar with these brewers. They used to be in the old train station in Erie when they had a brewpub. Now a fine brewpub called The Brewerie occupies that location. Expect a Brew Biz on it probably sometime this year.

Most of Erie Brewing’s beers are OK, but pushing any envelope? Big stand outs in craft brewing in any sense? Eh, hell no would be an appropriate response to both questions, at least the last time I had one: and I have had several including their signature beer, Mad Anthony. Not impressed. But I must admit; it’s been a while and I have never had their IPA… until now.

I was surprised.

Cascade nose up front with definite caramel sense. Mid-gold color. Less dark than smell would insinuate… you would think all this caramel-like malt sense would “brown” the quaff more than this… at least a bit of very light brown, or tan. Carmel mouthfeel with moderate carbonation. Clings to roof of mouth. Head dies soon.

Taste: lots of carmelization. Seems heavy body-wise/mouthfeel at first, but drops off fast. Not knocked over, but probably best beer had from these brewers I’ve ever had.

I recommend it.

I believe Misery Bay might be where the colonials hid their ships on the eastern side of Presque Isle where they couldn’t be seen when being chased by the Brits, They hauled them by hand across the peninsula that sticks quite a few miles into Lake Erie. That left the Brits wondering what magic trick had made our ships disappear.

It is a pleasure to drive and walk the beach on the western side these days, but I suspect when the colonials kept disappearing as they chased them around the western side the King might have considered Presque more of a curse. Or maybe some huge middle finger lifted right in the face of the British.

It also serves as a graveyard for many patriots.