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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7.4/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 7 Flavor 8 Texture 6 Overall 7.5
Fresh can drunk 6/16/16 at Bisq.
Big white head tops a lightly hazy, amber-copper body. Head retention is moderately strong.
Very fruity in the nose and unsurprisingly, a good deal like CBC’s The Cure. The hops are more straightforward with the juiciness here and there is a bit of grapefruit pith and sweat from the citra. Wheat in background and light biscuity malts add more than enough to balance the hops, though they do so very drily. No alcohol or flaw.
Very juicy in the mouth, but with a ton of dry wheat, grain and light breadiness. Fairly engaging carbonation and some grassiness and more cream-of-wheat like character linger amongst the mango, nectarine and peach. A bit of pithiness as well, with no alcohol or flaw.
Tried from Can on 30 Jun 2016 at 17:12

7.2/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 8 Overall 7
Pours gold into a shaker. White head recedes to hug rim. Cracker and mild tropical fruit aromas. Soft with bread and hay upfront turning to mango in the medium length finish.
Tried on 25 Jun 2016 at 22:33

5.6/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 5 Flavor 6 Texture 4 Overall 6.5
Can shared by Jeff, thanks. Gold color. Light bitterness and malt flavor Good malt but lacks a hop profile that a good pilsner needs. Soft, smooth palate.
Tried from Can on 24 Jun 2016 at 19:44

8/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 8 Flavor 8 Texture 8 Overall 8
12oz can pours a lightly hazy gold with some lacing, creamy, white head. Nose is grassy, lemon, pine, some feet/skunk, chive, heavy garlic scape. Flavor has just a little bread/honey sweetness, chives, grass, lemon, a little paper, some herbs. Dry finish. Very drinkable.
Tried from Can on 16 Jun 2016 at 22:31

6.9/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 6 Overall 6.5
Draught and cans since debut, most recently at Middle East Upstairs on 5/11/16.
Deep copper-golden beer is clear with a big white head showing modest retention.
Light pine, caramel, sourdough and grapefruit show a pretty straightforward, west coast IPA but the aromatics are strong for its size. Clean, with some grassiness and pepperiness.
Moderately sweet, with caramel, pine and grapefruit all mirroring the aroma. Gets almost too bitter but then relents, leaving honey in its place to slowly return to balance. Brief interludes of juicy pineapple but mostly lots of grapefruit, grass and pepper. Strong carbonation with a malty texture and no alcohol or flaw. Quite intense for its size.
Tried from Can on 20 May 2016 at 17:57

7/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 7 Texture 8 Overall 8
blikje, 33cl, schenkt oranje en ongefilterd met witte kraag. aroma van veel fruit, citrus, grapefruit, den, stro, zoet, gras, hoppig, smaken zijn wat dun/waterig, citrus (zuur), fris, redelijk fruitig, matig zoet, licht bitter, matige body, licht zure frisse afdronk, beperkt hopbitter.
Tried on 04 May 2016 at 12:11

7.2/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 8 Overall 7
Pours pale gold into a shaker. Bright white head with good retention recedes leaving scant sheets. Mild citrus aromas. Dry with tang and sweet citrus front to back.
Tried from Can on 01 Apr 2016 at 20:45

6.8/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 6 Overall 7
Draught at Deep Ellum, 3/5/16.
Light copper-amber colored with strong golden overtones. High clarity and a large, white head that steadily recedes to a ring.
Lots of cereals in the nose, with very light caramel and honey. Fresh hay and dusty, almost lemon-tinged hops add charm and uniqueness. No alcohol, no flaws. Love the graininess to it, but I can’t say I’d be offended at a little bit more hop character in the nose.
Light breadiness, with hay, light sourdough and tons of honey. Floral and spicy notes from the hops, with a medium carbonation and nice watery consistency lending a ton of drinkability. Could be a touch more crisply hopped on the finish, but the drinkable nature of the beer and absolute cleanliness of it is hard to argue with. Nice and dry, as well, though with strong malt suggestions, as it should be.
Tried from Can on 05 Mar 2016 at 15:50

5.9/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 5 Flavor 7 Texture 6 Overall 4.5
In my extensive polotmavy experience this one rates about average. Hazy maroon pour with great head and lacing. Light crisp finish. Note of mash malt. Tap at Deep Ellum.
Tried from Draft on 30 Jan 2016 at 01:00

7.4/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 8 Flavor 8 Texture 6 Overall 7.5
Can. Orange golden color. Aroma of orange, citrus and grapefruit, nice. Taste of orange zest, caramelly malt and citrus. Nice.
Tried from Can on 08 Jan 2016 at 17:05