Travel Report: Salem

Ok, so I didn't travel very far, but Salem is definitely not Boston. My wife and I have been looking for a house north of Boston, and decided to stop into Salem Beer Works for a bite to eat. Actually... as we were driving down the street looking for a place to have lunch, I slammed on the brakes, and my wife looked around and said "Are we going to Salem Beer Works?"

I just smiled.

Unfortunately, my smile didn't last long. I tried the XXB Reserve, billed as:
"Rich, malty, double-strength English-style ale... Aged for eight weeks."

It arrived, Toffee-brown in color, slightly hazy, with a tight foamy head.

Malty, spicy hop aroma. Heavy mouthfeel, chocolatey flavor. Pretty low on hop flavor, some bitterness behind the overwhelming malt. Tasted like a chocolate milkshake. Not in a good way.

On top of that, the food in this tourist trap was overpriced, and not good.

We passed on the house, as well.