Enjoying New Hampshire’s Varied Paths
“Cycling is 10% equipment and 40% determination and 50% post-ride-beer anticipation.” — Anonymous
Hello New Hampshire! Last weekend was gorgeous, almost gorgeous enough to make up for the previous dozen. Read on to see how I made the best of a beautiful Saturday!
But what do we have here? Is this Brewery Scene? Is it Pedals & Pathways? The confusion is real. Is it a problem? Definitely not!
Occasionally life throws you a bone and lets two of your passions collide. Maybe it’s chocolate and peanut butter. Maybe it’s DC and Marvel. Stay alert or you’ll miss those moments! I almost did this past weekend when I was late to discover that the annual Bikes & Beers event was happening at Smuttynose Brewing in Hampton. Beer? Check. Bikes? Check. (The pedal kind, not the Harley kind.)
As an added bonus I had never been to Smuttynose, so I got to discover a new brewery (well, new to me), which is always good.
But wait, you ask. What is this “Bikes & Beers”? I’m so glad you asked.
“Bikes & Beers” promotes itself as the producer of America’s Favorite Cycling Events. They’ve been doing it for 12 years, and have visited 80 breweries across 20 states (mostly up and down the east cost) and have hosted over 120,000 cyclists.
They have produced a cycling event in the NH seacoast area for seven years. This year’s event departed from, & returned to, Smuttynose Brewing in Hampton. It included 15, 30, and 45-mile rides and featured morning fuel stations, marked routes, GPS turn-by-turn instructions, rest stops, refreshments, ride marshals, and SAG (Support And Gear) support. Following the ride, Smuttynose hosted an outdoor festival of craft beers, live music, a charity raffle & more. All riding levels were welcome & present. While there was some spandex, there were also plenty of tee shirts. This was not a race, it was a ride for pleasure & sociability. A portion of proceeds benefitted the Bike Walk Alliance of NH to help improve NH cycling conditions. Bikes & Beers is a commercial profit-making organization, but part of their public mission includes supporting local bike charities everyplace they organize an event.
Saturday’s schedule for every participant included:
- MORNING
- Checking in and meeting your fellow riders.
- Enjoying coffee and fresh pastries.
- Local bike shops offering last minute safety checks and air in tires.
- THE RIDE
- Fully marked routes & GPS turn-by-turn.
- Ride marshals for pacing.
- Mechanical support vehicles.
- Rest stops w/ snacks and refreshments.
- FINISH
- Two Complementary BEERS.
- Bikes & Beers 2025 pint glass & koozie.
- Food trucks, live music, & games.
- Charity raffle with $3000+ in prizes.
Some kind of last minute SNAFU caused the food trucks to not show up. While Smuttynose in Hampton does have a restaurant, apparently there was some difficulty with feeding 600+ ride participants and their family members, all hungry at about the same time. Bikes & Beers has promised to manage this better next time.
I attended as a volunteer, and worked the after-party at the merchandise tent. So if you attended and bought a tee shirt or jersey, I may have given it to you. If so, I hope I gave you the right size!
One of my rewards for volunteering was two free beers. So once the after-party wrapped up at around 2:30, I was free to hit the beer tent and pick something out.
I had a Whole Lotta Haze IPA, which I found quite good. (I’m going to have to quit claiming to not be an IPA guy.) Smuttynose describes the color at “light golden straw,” which I’d agree with. However, they also describe it as a “punch-you-in-the-face tropical NEIPA.” That one’s tougher to agree with. I thought the flavor was plentiful and very good, but at no point did I feel punched-in-the-face. Maybe my taste buds are getting a little long-in-the-tooth? Possibly.
Here is Smuttynose’s full description:
- TASTING NOTES: Whole Lotta Haze IPA is a punch-you-in-the-face tropical NEIPA. Using a unique method called mash-hopping, hops are added directly into the mash as well as the kettle, and we use a combination of thiol-extraction and a unique yeast strain to create intense tropical fruit flavors and aromas with a soft and pillowy finish.
- ABV – 6.5%
- IBU – 20
- YEAST – Omega Helio Gazer
- MALTS – 2-row Pale Silo Malt, Malted Oats, Malted White Wheat, Golden Naked Oats
- HOPS – Cascade, Citra, Galaxy, Calypso
- COLOR – LIGHT GOLDEN STRAW
Next time I’m out at a local restaurant I may seek one of these out.
Earlier in the day, before my volunteer activity had been assigned, I was strolling the grounds and noticed a sign for a brewery exclusive, Honey Hibiscus Lager. My taste buds went on alert, and I started planning then to search that out when I could. So after the cycling participants had mostly cleared out, and after my NEIPA was finished, I headed to their regular non-special-event bar and ordered one. It was absolutely delicious. I sat in their Adirondack chairs out front in the shade and took my time with this one, savoring each sip. The beer, 4.5% ABV, was a bit more dark red in color than I anticipated, which did not distract in any way from its flavor. After it was finished, along with my snack of pretzels, I bought a four-pack to bring home.
I look forward to returning and trying their restaurant.
If you find yourself in Hampton or the vicinity soon, it would be worth your while to swing by Smuttynose and pick up a four-pack of the Honey Hibiscus Lager. Or, if you’re an IPA person, the Whole Lotta Haze IPA.
Below, a few more photos I captured….
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Stay safe, cool, and hydrated, and have fun out there!
Note: The author is a member of the board of the Bike Walk Alliance of New Hampshire, but the views expressed in this article are his own.