I'm the type of person that is pretty laid back and doesn't like to put too much thought into where to go when meeting up with friends and family to catch up. Unless there's a new place that we're all dying to try I try to pick some place that's fairly close, easily accessible and we all enjoy. This does have the downside of people such as myself getting into the habit of going back to the same spots over and over again. And if you're like me the thought process goes along these lines:
I want to meet up with friends and family
This place meets our needs (even though we've been there umpteen-million times before)
Arrange to meet there at XX:XX O'Clock
Meet, Eat, Drink, Have Fun
Repeat steps 1-4 next time we want to get together
It's so easy and welcoming to not have to think about where to eat and just go where there's a sense of familiarity. For those of us located in the Somersworth, Dover, and Rochester, New Hampshire areas (and surrounding towns), I are thankful to have a place like Omnium Brewing.
Familiar Yet Different: Things Are Brewing At The Old/New Brewery
Somersworth, NH was once home to a fantastic experimental brewing company aptly titled Bad Lab, and boy did they churn out some incredibly twisted beers. Especially the ones infused with blood orange and carried fun names such as “Upper Narrows” and “Skypunch”.
Unfortunately the owners of Bad Lab shuttered the business in early 2022 and the space lay dormant for quite a few months. I remember driving past the former brewery and lamenting over the fact that it looked so desolate and empty. It was a sad sight, but there always seemed to be a glimmer of hope that the location would be filled with people once again. It came in the form of safety lights on a timer that would light up the brewery tanks at night, but at least it was something.
Fast forward to an instagram post I put out into the social media universe around September 2, 2022, declaring how sad it was to drive by the place and seeing it unused. A response from @nhbeertrail stated "it will...coming soon!!🙌". Little did I realize those guys knew something was opening a lot sooner than I expected, and here we are today!
First steps into Omnium and the layout looks just how Bad Lab left it: the open concept kitchen is on the left, brewery tanks are staring back at you across the way and the bar is to the right. Coolers filled with cans to go are predominantly located between the bar and brewery tanks, and of course there's plenty of seating for everyone. The only thing is, Omnium has given the furniture and walls a fresh coat of paint, doing away with the stark clean laboratory feel" to make way for "earthy" and welcoming colors.
It's not hard to see the inside space filled with people and on warm days have them spill out onto the deck to enjoy their food and beverages in the sun.
OmniYUM!
Speaking of food and beverages, the menu has some solid food options, borrowing from a variety of culinary disciplines: Indian (no surprise as the owners heritage hails from that region of the world), Asian, and good old fashioned American Pub food, and Omnium seems to have settled on food that works and not feel the need to tinker with the food offerings...that being said, the beer menu? well...
My feeling regarding the beer menu itself comes down to this: "Rotating Door". It seems as if a brewer that works at Omnium feels the need to continually experiment and present his/her creations to the general public almost on a daily basis! This is fantastic if you love to try new beers and flavors at the same spot. Unfortunately if you find a favorite, don't make the mistake of getting too attached because it might be out of production and replaced with something else before you can blink an eye!
I can remember when Omnium first opened and my friend and I stopped in during their early days of operation, glad that something finally was there. The beers we had carried names right out of mythological stories: "Gaea's Wishhh" and "Aphrodite's Wish" which were pretty decent. These were replaced with offerings such as "Junglee Juman" and "Njord's Bounty" (which have then been replaced with "Pseudo Spring" and "Enigmatic Rhythm"). It can be a dizzying experience trying to keep up with the tap menu! But the tastes!
Multiple visits have resulted in a happy mouth and tastebuds each and every time. From the classic smash burger plate, Omnachos, pork belly dumplings, and chicken sandwich, the flavors jump right off the plate and explode in your mouth. The portions given tease you just the right amount where you might feel overly full if you eat it yourself, but will leave you satisfied if you share some of your plate with a friend.
The beers have always been tasty, with an ever-growing list of beers under their belt. If you like sours, you're covered. IPA? No sweat! Stouts? They've got them too, but the flavors are always changing so get down there and try your favorite styles. I'm sure there's something that will agree with your palate. If it does and they have cans to go-grab them! At least you'll have some to enjoy later on just in case it's been pulled out of production the following day.
Observations And Thoughts
I'm glad that the former Bad Lab Beer Co. has new life breathed into it and is serving the area. It's just a great location and one my friends and I can meet up at and know we'll be enjoying not just each others company but also good food and beer in a comfortable atmosphere. The waitstaff are fantastic (although lately it does seem as if they've adopted the beer rotation model as I've yet to see the familiar faces I once did...at least on a consistent basis).
Every visit I make to Omnium, I find it's hard not to see the former "Bad Lab Beer Co." layout (since this hasn't changed), and have a sense of Deja Vu. Kind of like you feel as if you've been here before but yet not, at the same time. The owners and staff have done a great job of putting their own personal stamp on things, even if its just by putting an overlay on a familiar old facility.
Having said that, Omnium is a fairly new brewery and it would be too harsh to say they haven't found their "character" or vibe yet. There are some places I'm sure you've been to that have a recognizable ambiance and "character" to them, which unfortunately this place does not have...yet. I feel it's partly due to the ever changing wait-staff and beer menu. Keeping some things stable (like the food menu) will go a long way towards developing a brewery personality.
If you're ever in the area and are open to trying new beers in a relaxed environment and pair that with some great food then drop on into Omnium. Easy to find, easy to get into, and easy to forget you're in Somersworth NH once you're through the doors of the brewery. Just make sure to grab a few cans of your favorite beer before you go, because it may not be on tap during your next visit!
Cheers!
-JP
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