WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS
On Worcester’s Shrewsbury Street main drag in an old-styled Coca-Cola warehouse, REDEMPTION ROCK BREWING, not only offers fine beers, but also home-brewed coffee, snacks and apparel since January ’19. Head brewer Greg Carlson’s elixirs satiate “casual fans, traditionalists and experimentalists.” As a proud Certified Benefit Corporation, the cafe-styled pub provides local charity services as well.
A baby blue Redemption Rock insignia welcomes patrons to the side entrance. An enclosed deck at the overhead door features a closed-in picnic area (with turf-fielded summertime plastic furnishings and ). Inside, the immaculate cement-floored brewing cafe offers casual splendor as its comfy couched area, community-benched midst and cozy lunchroom atmosphere capture the eye.
The blue-tiled tap handles at the eight-seat back bar served the seven sundry suds I’d thoroughly enjoy this beautifully sunny Saturday at noon, September ’21.
Since autumn was upon us, Thackery Oktoberfest let leafy hop foliage leave dewy splendor on the mild spiced apple sweetness contrasting desiccated orange souring and wispy black peppering.
Zingy orange-oiled banana and clove sweetness faded a tad for Edelstein, a slightly divergent hefeweizen engaging fungi herbal yeast funk and floral lemon licks to its pilsner-malted French breaded bottom.
Wildflower-honeyed unripe peach souring received gently creamed wheat sweetness for Yass, Honey!, a peachy weissbier with dried apricot, musty plum and waxed crayon snips.
The One With Coconuts, a demurely coconut-toasted cream ale, stayed mild as oaken vanilla-daubed pilsner malting bordered mild grassy hop astringency.
Flagship New England IPA, War Castle, retained juicy floral-daubed citrus zesting as mellow crystal malt creaming sweetened its tangy orange-tangerine-clementine combo to contrast waxy grapefruit-peeled orange rind bittering and resinous piney hops in a clean cucumber-watered setting.
Nitrogenated Irish-styled Blackstone Stout plied freeze-dried coffee, dark chocolate and espresso tones to an oncoming walnut, Brazil nut and macadamia nut influence blackened by its charred hop residue.
Black grape, black cherry and blackberry fruiting guided Dark & Sunny Tropical Stout, tossing dark chocolate-draped Blackstrap molasses and dark-roast peanuts at charcoal-stained hop bittering.