Thank you Manchester for having such a fine establishment! I needed to find a place to unwind after a stressful day and was thrilled when this place popped up on my Google search for nearby places to eat. Even more thrilled when I read it was a brewery! AND it was less than ten minutes away! What a win-win!
With coordinates plugged into the GPS, away I went on that fine sunny day to enjoy some interesting beverages, chow down on some classic pub faire, meet some of the coolest people I know, and get a little history lesson to boot.
Generally Speaking
Stark Brewing company, originally known as "Stark Mill Brewing Company" has its origins dating back to the 1990s, making it one of the original breweries in the Granite State. According to their website Stark Brewing was the second brewery in operation in New Hampshire, but the first BrewPub to serve in the state.
The brewery has gone through a few rebrands since first days of operation. For a spell, the brewery operated under the name "Milly's Tavern" as homage to the owners dog, a German Shepherd named "Milly", and eventually settled on its current form "Stark Brewing Company".
The brewery's love for dogs is prominent as various employees dogs are featured on the labels of some of their more popular beers. Next opportunity you get, check out the can art for "Bo's Scotch Ale", "Tasha's Red Ale", or "Zeus Belgian Style Wit" beers and you'll see examples of those "tributes" to their dogs.
The Tap room is located in the basement of a fairly large sized brick-building affectionately known as "The Mills", and situated almost directly below the Notre Dame bridge (which is home to some fantastic artwork at its base). On the warmer days there is outside seating available, but most of the patrons seem to prefer being inside and closer to the taps.
Very welcoming and laidback, the staff I met had perhaps even more unique names than the beers and personalities to make you want to return again and again. I was waited on by a very friendly woman, Lyric (yes I had to ask if I heard her correctly when she introduced herself), and was so bubbly she could put carbonation back into any flat beer-not that I found any. Mentioning the beverages, how was the beer?
Vittles And Other Provisions
I tried doing some research into their food and what was recommended, but was quickly distracted by their specials of the day-especially the chilli-cheese dog platter, which if you couldn't tell by the photo was a really decent sized portion (If you leave hungry it's your own fault!) The flavors of chilli and meat were both comforting and delicious, and it seemed the other dishes served to other patrons had the same effect on them as the dogs had on me: extremely satisfying.
And to go along with the tasty food, the beers offered will definitely quench your thirst and pair well with your meals. If you're like me and extremely indecisive, have no fear-there are beer flights available in six and eight flavor pours, so you can try almost all of their offerings in one go.
The various styles available at Stark Brewing will please even the pickiest of palates. Sours, Bourbon-aged, IPA's, Hazy's, and some experimental beverages round out their tap-list. And yes, when I say experimental, that's putting it mildly. If you're feeling a little adventurous during your visit, ask for a pour of Chloe's.
Chloe's is classified as a fruited sour beer and one of the more unique beverages to cross my path. The beer's full title is "Chloe's Cotton Candy" and yes, it DOES taste like cotton candy! Not too sweet, not too sour. Just the right amount of flavor to be enjoyable with a side of raised eyebrows (because if you're like me you don't expect this beer to be THAT good and to have those ingredients working well together).
My favorite? It turned out to be their easy drinking "Sunshine Pilsner". Much like the personality of the personnel, the vibe of the brewery itself, the beer lent itself well to contributing to an overall feeling of optimism and happiness. If there was one beverage (if it's available) that I recommend someone take away as a souvenir to share with family and friends, this would be it.
Brewery Impressions And Thoughts
My first visit to this brewery will certainly be a memorable one. I had a feeling this brewery wasn't going to be like the ones back home, especially after descending down the steps into the basement of a large building that looked home to some serious white collar businesses. It gave me the feeling like this was a secret establishment only the locals knew about and now I was a member of this exclusive society!
The payphone on the wall near the entrance added to the overall quirky atmosphere (I mean, where can you find these anymore?!), and truly helped convey the feeling like you were stepping into another time or world. Like you were anywhere but Manchester, NH.
Stark Brewing Company is a great location to relax and enjoy the company of others as well as taste some great food and beer. Really easy to find and close-by parking is not a problem to find. The great thing about their parking is it's located under the Notre Dame bridge so your vehicle will be in the shade during the hot temperature days.
Would I go back? Absolutely. There are so many beers left to try and so much more to learn about the history of the brewery (which in turn will inevitably inspire someone to dig into the history of New Hampshire).
From the label of their "John Stark Porter" which reads:
"Named after New Hampshire's own Revolutionary War Hero, Gen. John Stark"
I had no idea who Gen. John Stark was or even existed, but wanted to learn more thanks to the brewery. (Fun fact: General John Stark wrote in a letter to war comrades "Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils." His closing signature was eventually shortened and adopted into the very recognizable NH state motto "Live Free or Die"!)
And who says visiting the bar can't be educational?!
Next time you're looking for a history lesson, good food, great beer, and a fantastic atmosphere filled with great people then look no further than Manchester, NH's own Stark Brewing Company.
Visit and enjoy yourself and the company of your comrades-General's Orders!
Cheers!
-JP
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