Long Island Brewpubs - John Harvard’s Brew House
Long Island is blessed with four brewpubs: the Southampton Publick House, the Black Forest Brew Haus, the Brickhouse Brewery, and John Harvard’s Brew House. Since they are all within regular striking distance, I’ll introduce you to all of them at some point over this coming year.
On their web site John Havard’s advertises ten locations on the east coast; however, I’ve heard that the Wilmington branch is closed and the one in Washington D.C. will be closing soon. I haven’t been to all the locations. Aside from the one here on Long Island I’ve been to the flagship John Harvard’s in Cambridge, Mass near the Harvard campus a couple of times. Let me tell you about my local John Harvard’s here on Long Island (2093 Smithhaven Plaza, Lake Grove, New York 11755).
The head brewer at the Lake Grove John Harvard’s is DJ Swanson. I’ve been drinking his beers for three years now and have rarely been disappointed. He’s a talented and creative brewer who likes to offer a varied line-up for his beer discerning clientele. I was lucky enough to get a taste of the Bourbon Barrel Mad Tom’s Old Ale that was in the cask over the New Year’s holiday. That beer was a rich, almost milk shake rich, malty brew with a head like whipped cream. The bourbon flavor, imparted to the beer during fermentation from an actual 60 gallon bourbon barrel, was pleasant and satisfying. This beer went fast, but Mr Swanson promises that a reprise is slated for Spring.
Even though John Harvard’s is a corporate chain with eight locations, the individual brewers at each John Harvard’s location has almost complete autonomy. There are no corporate recipes that the brewer must follow, so the Old Willy India Pale Ale at the brew pub in Cambridge will taste different from the one in Lake Grove.
Even the local brews change over time. Several years back the Old Willy was hoppier, more in the American style, but Mr Swanson has reshaped this into a more traditional English style IPA.
So when you walk into a John Harvard’s you will be getting locally brewed beer with it’s own local twist. This variety is excellent and it’s a good thing for beer culture. Too many large brew pub chains (at least in the past) have tried to standardize and reproduce standard recipes in multiple locations. This might make sense as a business model, but the core clientele, the regulars appreciate a variety of unusual beers that express the creative vision of the pub’s head brewer.
Donavan:
Having each location brew their own versions sounds great from an artistic perspective but as a consumer wouldn’t you be expecting a specific beer to taste pretty much the same from location to location? I mean if you have a certain taste in mind, then go to a different pub aren’t you sometimes disappointed that what you purchase doesn’t taste as you would expect?
~ B