One of our favorite features at One Mile Farm, our Standing Stone farmland just down the road, is the abundance of blackberries in the late summer and early fall. Last year, we threw a harvest party and brought out employees to pick bucket-loads of berries for the brewpub. We’re using 61 lbs of this 2012 harvest in our latest specialty beer: 76 Hands Blackberry Ale.

The beer name stems from the 38 employees who spent three mornings in September picking blackberries last year. Their collective 76 hands brought in enough sweet fruit for dessert specials, Blackberry BBQ Sauce and this newest summer beer. We want to thank all our employees who came back with purple-stained fingers and clothing, and buckets of berries, and raise a glass to their harvest!

About the Beer

This wheat-style beer has a light pink, grapefruit color with a hint of purple. The fruity aroma and slightly sweet and tart flavor are accompanied by a light body and mouthfeel. This is a refreshing summertime ale, and a never-before-made creation for Standing Stone. 4.1% abv, 7 IBU

Malt

• Organic Pilsner

• Organic Wheat

• Acidulated

Hops

• Bittering: Organic Magnum

Fruit

• 61 lbs blackberries picked from the Standing Stone’s One Mile Farm

Food Pairing Suggestions

The light body and fruity character of this beer make it a great pairing with fruit-forward desserts. We also like it with light-intensity entrees, like fish or salad. If you take some to-go, try garnishing your glass with some fresh berries for a seasonal and colorful twist. Here are a few suggestions from our menu:

• Marionberry Cobbler

• Blueberry Shortcake (seasonal special)

• House Greens with Walnuts and Balsamic Vinaigrette

• Calamari

• Fish and Chips

Come toast a pint to the onset of summer, and ask your server or bartender if they helped pick the berries in your beer! And let us know what you think, as we’ll be sure to try new, berry-licious recipes with our harvest in 2013.