What’s Brewing: Throwback Brewery
From left: Annette Lee and Nicole Carrier. Photograph by Anne Vickman.
Throwback, New Hampshire’s newest nanobrewery, opened its tasting room two weekends ago to the tune of five brews on tap. Annette Lee has been brewing for the past 10 years, while her cofounder, Nicole Carrier, has always been a beer enthusiast. Lee, who graduated from MIT with an environmental engineering degree, is the head brewer, and both women are aiming to brew beer entirely from local ingredients — resulting in a flavor profile they’ve dubbed “beeroir.”
Using a three-barrel system that was entirely engineered by Lee (who will eventually have the ability to control it wirelessly using her iPhone), the gals have thus far released a couple noteworthy brews: Spicy Bohemian, a pilsner dry-hopped with jalapeños, and Hog Happy Hefeweisen, a crisp wheat beer with just the right amount of banana and clove top notes. Rumor also has it that the Fat Alberta, a chocolate peanut butter stout that will be ready in a few weeks, is also quite delicious.
I have to say I’m stoked to see more women brewing beer. Nothing against men, obviously, but it’s great to see a female operation in the craft beer arena — an industry that’s long been dominated by the dudes. Also great? Throwback’s extremely well-thought-out design for the tasting room: The chalkboard menu was easy to read, the L-shaped bar allowed for more mingling room, and a table and chairs were set up alongside a dispenser of fresh water. Was it the feminine touch? I’d like to think so. Though their beers will certainly appeal to guys ‘n dolls alike, both Lee and Carrier are hoping to see more ladies get on the beer drinking bus, too. “Women make up half the population, but only about a third of women who drink alcohol drink beer,” says Carrier. “We’d like to continue helping women to explore craft beer and love it as much as we do.”
Tasting room hours through summer: Thursday and Friday, 4–7 p.m., Saturday, 1–4 p.m; 121 Lafayette Rd., Ste. 3, North Hampton, NH, 603-379-2317, throwbackbrewery.com.
