Hello! My name is Bob and I’m baaaaaaacccckkkk! It’s been over 3 months since I last wrote an Amory’s Tomb monthly newsletter, and that somehow qualifies me to write this month’s Amory’s Tomb Newsletter! Did you miss the monthly discourse on Roman Numerals, digestifs, Man Bun Pilsner and the proper spelling of the word “draught”. (Side note, that isn’t it.)
What was I doing throughout the late spring and summer? Trust me, you don’t want to know! But now I’m back, and boy am I thirsty! Let’s dive right into happenings at The Tomb, shall we?
Taproom Update
I visited the Beer Garden for the first time in a long time last week. You can imagine how excited I was to finally go again because when I wrote my last newsletter in early June, the Taproom was just about ready to open. I was really looking forward to seeing how the place finally came together and to sipping a well-crafted farmhouse ale from an actual glass. Maybe I’d even use a facility with running water! What would the new taproom look like?
Yeah, about that…
Many of you already know this but if, like me, you haven’t been to the Beer Garden in a while, it seems the taproom hasn’t opened yet. Allen and Rick hit some (more) snags over the summer. Last year poor Allen promised not to shave his beard until the taproom opened, and now it’s gotten to the point where he can double-braid his beard. I figure he’ll be at ZZ Top stage by Thanksgiving!
If you look in the windows in the front, it sure looks like Amory’s Tomb taproom in there. There are plenty of tables and a bar, and even a fireplace with a couple of comfy chairs positioned around it. But the taproom isn’t ready to open yet, and when I pressed them, Allen and Rick were not ready to commit to a timeline to open. I know looking for a way to get it open as quickly as possible, though.
Stay tuned to this space for further updates. On to happier news.
Allen and Rick Keep Brewing Italian Pilsners, And Now They Put One in a Can!
Farmhouse Ales are Amory’s Tomb’s calling card, of course. But over the years their lagers have been also been top notch. I’ll always be very partial to Man Bun, their Bohemian style pilsner and Amory’s Tomb’s most popular (I think) beer. It’s a winner!
But Allen and Rick have also become quite adept at brewing Italian Pilsners. If you are like me, when you hear the phrase “Italian Pilsner” you probably think of that imported pilsner that comes in green bottles and tastes like pureed cardboard with a hint of skunk. Not appealing.
It turns out the Italian-style pilsner can be very good when made by skilled brewers who care about the product they are putting out. In fact, 2025 might be the Year of Italian Pilsner for Amory’s Tomb. First, they started offering an Italian-style Pilsners exclusively on draught at all Evivva Tratorria’s, including the one in Maynard. Then they started offering another Italian-style Pilsner on draught at the Beer Garden.
And now, they’ve brewed yet another Italian-style Pilsner and put the thing in cans. Naturally, Allen and Rick have given this beer a phonetically Romanian name. It’s called Giōrgü, which according to Allen roughly translates to “earth worker”. I asked Allen why they gave a Romanian name to an Italian-style pilsner. His response: “Naming beers is hard.” What, were all the Roman Numerals taken?
Name notwithstanding, Giōrgü is a terrific dry-hopped Italian-style pilsner. The differences between it and the other Italian-style pilsners Allen and Rick have brewed this year are very, very subtle. And that’s a good thing! If you liked the other ones, you’ll like Giōrgü. And if you haven’t tried any of them because of unpleasant memories of that green bottle beer, give the Amory’s Tomb version a try!
New Batches of Old Favorites Coming in October
Allen and Rick have a trio of fresh batches of your favorite Amory’s Tomb beers coming in October.
First up is Robust Porter. This batch of Robust Porter is made almost exclusively with New England ingredients. Robust Porter is a two-time Untappd medal winner, and it is the perfect beer for these colder nights in the Beer Garden.
Second up is the return of a fall classic, Broken Latch! Over the years, Broken Latch has become Amory’s Tomb’s answer to the overabundance of Oktoberfest beers you’ll find out there this time of year. Unlike those beers, though, there really isn’t much sweetness to Broken Latch. It’s a good-tasting amber lager. To me, it tastes like a slightly earthier version of Man Bun, so you know I like it!
Finally, we have a stunner - Saison XLII returns, and this time it is in cans!! It seems like it has been forever since Allen and Rick brewed one of their Roman Numeral saisons, and even longer still since they put one in a can. I am very excited for the return of this one! Just don’t ask about the significance of the number XLII. You are bound to be disappointed!
Everything Old is New Again: Metal Wednesdays Are Back!!!
Way back 5-6 years ago, in the early days of the old taproom, Amory’s Tomb would be open on Wednesdays. Wednesdays were typically dubbed “Weed Metal Wednesdays” because that’s what was playing. On a very rare occasion they got bored with that and held an ultra rare “Black Metal Wednesday”. The taproom was always a little bit calmer on Weed or Black Metal Wednesdays than on the weekends, and it was a great time to just chill and enjoy a couple of fine draughts.
Then the pandemic hit, and just like everything else in the world, the taproom was never the same again. Gone were Weed Metal Wednesdays, Black Metal Wednesdays, and eventually even the old taproom itself. I miss them.
So imagine my surprise when I found myself able to return to Amory’s Tomb for the first time in a few months last week and discovered that they were open on a Wednesday! And it’s wasn’t just some random event. Amory’s Tomb is now open every Wednesday for Metal Wednesday!! The world is right again!
Right now, they are just Metal Wednesdays, no sub-genre specified. So if you want something more specific like Grindcore, Death-Doom Metal, Drone Metal or whatever category Deafheaven is supposed to be in, take it up with Justin!
Raclette Thursdays Return for the Fall
I’ve said it before - in a newsletter from last year, even - and I will say it again. There are few foods that are better for a crisp fall evening than melted cheese!
That’s right! Every Thursday in September and October (except for October 16th) is Raclette Thursday at AT! Ben’s Raclette will be serving up gooey melted cheese with hand-selected ingredients on top of a piece of french bread. What’s not to love?
Personally, I go for the classic prosciutto, but Ben always has a few interesting options. I’ve found his honey and raclette combo makes an excellent dessert raclette. Yes, I say dessert raclette is a thing! Don’t judge me!
Fall is Festival Season, Including Maynard Fest on October 4th
There are a ton of festivals this fall at which Amory’s Tomb will be pouring. So many, in fact, that I don’t want to make this newsletter even longer by attempting to list them all. I’ll just suggest you follow AT’s social media accounts for details on them.
One festival I do want to specifically call out, though, is the annual Maynard Fest, taking place in the Maynard Cultural District on Saturday, October 4th from 9:00am to 3:30pm. Maynard Fest is always my favorite of the many events that happen in the center of Maynard.
Maynard Fest is a street fair with over a hundred vendors, including those with stores along the streets in the center of town, offering their wares. It’s a great time for the whole family.
But there are only so many face-paintings, hand-knit scarves and homemade soaps you can look at before you suffer from sensory overload and need to take a break. When you reach your saturation point, it’s time to stop into the Beer Garden for a cold one. The Beer Garden is right in the middle of the whole festival, so stop by and enjoy your favorite beer on Maynard’s biggest day of the year. Perico’s Tacos will be there too!
Well, that’s about it for now. I hope to see you in the Beer Garden again!