Aigean Ales is a Hidden Gem Brewing Some of New Hampshire's Best Beers

Shane Carley

Brewery Name: Aigean Ales
Type of Brewery: Retail Brewery

Location: 250 Commercial St Unit #2001, Manchester, NH.

Website: http://www.aigeanales.com/
Facebook: Aigean Ales
Instagram: @aigeanales

Background: Aigean Ales has been open since early 2017, but, despite the fact that the taproom is just ten minutes down the road from my place of employment, I didn’t hear about them until October. In a way, this fits the Aigean Ales motif: they’ve cultivated a sort of speakeasy vibe for themselves, and they relish being one of the city’s hidden gems. For the owners of the brewery, this isn’t a full-time job: it’s just something they love doing. They aren’t trying to get rich brewing beer, they’re more interested in creating a great space where beer lovers can enjoy the creative concoctions they’ve cooked up.

Growlers: Yes, there are growlers available for purchase in the taproom. Due to New Hampshire’s growler laws, they can only fill their own glassware, so if you’re coming from out of state you should be aware of that. ​

The Beers: Aigean Ales has six tap lines, so you can usually count on a pretty good variety of beers to try. When I stopped in, they had a couple of sours, a stout, a table beer, an IPA, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. We’ve talked about it before on the blog, but there’s nothing better than when a brewery isn’t afraid to branch out into a bunch of different styles. Sure, I like a good IPA from a brewery that specializes in that style, but I also like to see what a brewery is really capable of and taste a bunch of different beers.

• Idiacanthus (Session IPA) - This impossible-to-pronounce beer goes down nice and easy, which is exactly what you want from a session IPA. A little juicy, a little fruity, a little bitter, this is a low-ABV beer with a nice balance of flavors. It’s hard to make a session IPA stand out too much--in fact, you almost don’t want it to. What you want is an easy drinking beer with a nice depth of flavor, and by that metric this is a fantasic beer.
  
  
• Eunice (English/Belgian Hybrid) - I’m not totally sure what I’d call this--a Belgian Strong Ale, maybe? Whatever the case may be, it’s a tasty beer with a pleasant malt backbone that stands up well to that classic Belgian funk.
  
  
• Hexan Krieg (Sour Ale with Brett) - Personal Favorite! - Talk about a beer that exceeded my expectations. I’m always a little leery of Brett because I find that it overwhelms the flavor profile of whatever beer it goes into. But wow does it work well here. Aigean’s take on a kriek blends the flavor of the Brett with a nice, full-bodied beer and just the right amount of tartness. I’d go back for this beer alone!
  
  
• Hexan (Sour Ale with Cherries) - I was lucky enough to get the final pour of this particular beer before the keg kicked, and I’m glad I did. I never used to be a fan of cherries in beer, but sours have really turned me around on that point. Now I can’t get enough of cherry sours, and this is a solid representation of the style. Not overly tart, but the cherries add a depth of flavor that is really welcome.
  
  
• Sphyr (New England IPA) - New England IPAs are all the rage right now, and Aigean has definitely dipped their toes into that water with a really successful take on the style. Sphyr is hazy and fruity without being too heavy or juicy. It’s a New England IPA that actually tastes like a beer rather than a glass of fruit juice, and I appreciate that a lot.
  
  
• Ostrea Oyster Stout (Oyster Stout) - As the weather starts to turn here in New England, what could be more welcome than an oyster stout? I still remember the first time I heard the words “oyster stout,” and I remember being weirded out by the concept. Nowadays I can’t get enough of them. The oysters take an already rich, creamy style of beer and up the ante on both of those characteristics. If it weren’t for the Hexan Krieg, this would have been my favorite beer.

 

• Waumbec Ale (Table Beer) - Aigean Ales usually only has six beers on tap, but since I polished off the Hexan keg I was able to try an extra beer when they switched out the tap. I find myself coming around to table beers and farmhouse ales more than I ever have before. This is a nice, dry take on the style, and I enjoyed it quite a bit. It’s not the sort of beer that’s going to blow you away, but it’s really enjoyable. A perfect table beer.

Dogs: Unsure. The owners have an adorable yogurt-loving pup who wanders around inside the taproom, so you might be alright as long as your dog is well behaved. On the other hand, the brewery is located inside one of Manchester’s old mill buildings in a sort of mall-like area, so dogs might be a no-go. I’d say use your judgment.

Price ($ to $$$$$): $$. Pretty much standard prices for tasters and growlers, no surprises here.

Food: No food. The brewery’s entire public space amounts to a bartop and a couple of chairs against the wall, so this isn’t a place where you’re going to settle in with beer and food. It doesn’t sound like they have any immediate plans to expand, but you never know!

Final Thoughts: I love a place that feels like a secret. A place that makes me feel like I’ve stumbled upon something that not many people know about. The word is starting to get out about Aigean Ales, but the taproom has stayed true to the vision of its owners. Not only does Aigean Ales offer great beer, but they also offer great conversation, and a real sense of enthusiasm for what they do. There aren’t too many breweries these days where you can just sidle up to the bar and learn about the brewery’s entire backstory straight from the owners themselves, so treasure places like Aigean Ales when you find them!

-- Shane

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