Notch Brewing

Microbrewery in Salem, Massachusetts, United States 🇺🇸
Associated with 2 Venues

Established in 2010

Contact
283R Derby St, Salem, MA, 01970, United States
Description
Launched in 2010, Notch Brewing – named for the nick made to keep a record when you're having more than one – was the first brewing company in the U.S. to focus exclusively on session beer. At the time, we simply wanted to brew the beers we loved to drink because finding them was a challenge. Session beer has been enjoyed in every great beer brewing nation for centuries, yet in the U.S. it was overlooked. So we set out to brew the world’s classic session styles from the Czech Republic, Germany, England, and Belgium, as well as explore how session beer could fit with the U.S.’s hoppy beer infatuation. Over a decade later, we have a brewery built on the back of session beer and it’s proven two things: beer consumers like options, and session beer is a great one.

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7.9
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

Pours mahogany tinged deep brown into a willi. Tan micro head with good retention recedes to skim surface. Dark caramel and smoke aromas. Thin and soft with sweet caramel and light smoky bacon front to back. Dry, lasting campfire finish. Delicate and well made.

Tried on 14 Jan 2024 at 22:19


6
Appearance - 4 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 8

Continuing this little NA push of a month. Yellow pour and sudsy head. Rather clear. Nose is grassy and some florals. Tastes of grass, floral, sourdough, lemon lime. Thin bodied.

Tried on 14 Jan 2024 at 04:11


5.6
Appearance - 4 | Aroma - 5 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 7.5

This is rebranded just as hazy ipa I believe. Muddled pour that lightens as it sits. Not really hazy though. Some tropical fruits and cardboard. Mostly pineapple I’d say. Slightly astringent. Sweet finish

Tried on 07 Jan 2024 at 04:19


7.5
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 10 | Overall - 7

5 oz taster. A near clear yellow appearance. Soft aroma of honey malt and yeast. Crispy texture with a clean finish. Highly drinkable

Tried on 19 Nov 2023 at 22:56


7.5
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

Pours slightly hazed gold into a willi. Bright white head with little retention recedes to skim surface. Caramel and hay aromas. Crisp with spicy meadow, hay and dusty grape must front to back. Medium length pith and peel finish.

Tried on 23 Oct 2023 at 22:02


Tried from Draft on 28 Sep 2023 at 12:41


Tried from Draft on 28 Sep 2023 at 12:22


7.6
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

Pours deep chestnut into a weizen glass. Tan head with good retention recedes to skim surface. Dark caramel, bananas flambe and clove aromas. Sweet and dry with overripe banana, clove and treacle front to back. Medium length bananas flambe finish.

Tried on 17 Aug 2023 at 21:48


6.8
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6

Brighton draught, 8/4/23. Clear, bright gold. White head slowly to cover/ring. Nose is full of earth, mineral, herb. Big yeast qualities with no flaw. Not tons of malt though. Seems rather sparse and crackery. Despite none of the DMS, Diacetyl or acetaldehyde that TAR found many years ago, I do have to grudgingly admit that the malts seem a bit husky as he points out. It's a bit dry, bitter and vapid up front, shockingly so, with very little staying power from the malt and too much hop bitterness bordering on resin/astringency. Having had many of their beers it's nice to know they can do worlds better - and usually do - but this one is a bit of a head scratcher.

Tried from Can on 04 Aug 2023 at 18:04


7.6
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

Brighton draught, 8/4/23. Cloudy bronze, white head quickly to light cover. Mostly pepper, light clove and smoked band a in the nose. Dry, with nutty wheat. Clean. Soft, well-carbonated with excellent maltiness and good attenuation. Good acidity on the finish. Clean with the esters and phenols you want and none of the crap.

Tried on 04 Aug 2023 at 17:42