SAYRE, PENNSYLVANIA
Inside a 3,200 square foot aluminum-sided gray barn house, BLUESTONE BREWING CO. opened November 2015 in the Northen Pennsylvania micropolitan borough of Sayre. Just off two local highways, Bluestone is situated near Chemung River and its silver grain silo stands across from the right side porch.
A wood lacquered L-shaped bar with colorful blackboard beer list, stocked refrigerator and TV, Bluestone’s eight formica top tables center the blue-walled, arched wood-ceilinged pub. There are front windowed and backroom brewtanks plus extra space to build upon.
Brewmaster Brian Austin leads the way for homebrewing CEO founder, Brady Liechty, crafting a wide range of smashing suds. Wine, spirits and ciders fill out the liquid menu while burgers, sandwiches, tacos and spinach artichoke make up the light pub fare.
My wife and I sampled all twleve draughts available on a Thursday night in November ’23.
Dry pilsner-malted ricing and toasted cereal flaking picked up musky salted graining and slight cinnamon spicing for Underdog Light Lager, leaving mild hop astringency on its moderate-bodied finish.
Subdued blackberry tartness got washed-out for Trail Juice Blackberry Blonde Ale, picking up timid brambleberry, lingenberry and blueberry snips against lightly pungent earthen hops.
Lemon-spiced blueberry tanginess carried Blue & White Blonde Ale, gaining hard candied tartness and biting juniper-licked bittering over sugared oats.
Soft-tongued medium body, 1537 Imperial Blonde Ale, let lightly spiced pear, red plum, cherry and bruised orange illusions reach its delicate caramel base.
Zestful lemon peel briskness picked up dry lemongrass herbage to contrast subtle coriander-spiced banana sweetness for Ursa White Wheat Ale, a lightly wheat floured moderation.
Pumpkin-roasted gourd earthiness contrasted brown-sugared cinnamon spicing and oncoming sharp orange peel zesting for Howlin’ Pumpkin, going light on the autumnal spicing.
Perfume-cologned lemon zest guided Golden Bear Saison, bringing slight candi-sugared spicing to mild juniper bittering, dry rum wisps and casual herbal respite.
Candi-sugared fruiting contrasted dry dextrin starching for Common Wort Project Belgian Strong Golden Ale, relegating its sweet banana pureeing, piquant lemon meringue tartness, tangy tangerine flirt and Bartless pear nip as well as white peppered herbage.
Semi-sharp West Coast IPA-Styled Penna Pale Ale, brought sunny Mosaic-hopped yellow grapefruit, orange peel, pineapple and lemon tanginess to dry hop pining and caramelized pale malts.
Amiably low key Celestial Lotus New England IPA rushed tangy grapefruit, pineapple, peach and orange spicing and mild hop pining to sugary oated wheat.
On the dark side, nitrogenated Pumpkin Latte Stout escorted coffee-roasted dark chocolate bittering into autumnal cinnamon, star anise, nutmeg and allspice seasoning.
Creamy dark chocolate met nut-charred flaked oats for Mythical Beast Oatmeal Stout.