Something feels different in the air in the quaint, sleepy downtown of Nazareth, Pennsylvania. Could it be the throngs of new faces dipping into the local businesses along the historic main roads? Town gossip about wood fired pizzas and local beer? A subtle scent of hops and malted grains in the air? Thanks to B1rthr1ght Brew1ng Company, the answer is all of the above. B1rthr1ght Brew1ng opened at 57 S. Main Street in early February 2018 after years of planning and preparation. It is the first brewery to open its doors in the town of Nazareth, and it has already taken a lead in breathing fresh air into the historic downtown. We recently visited the brewery to check out the new space, imbibe some brews, and chat with brewmaster Wayne Milford.
Wayne has an impressive resume when it comes to brewing. He has over 20 years of brewing experience under his belt, including a long stint with Dogfish Head, a tour of brewing with some heavy-hitting European breweries, and designing and establishing six different craft breweries around the country. As if that wasn’t enough, he also has a degree in Intensive Brewing Science from Vermont’s American Brewers Guild. At long last, B1rthr1ght Brew1ng represents Wayne’s time to fully embrace his knowledge and passion with a brewery of his own. Ask Wayne about his brewing technique, and his love for all things beer becomes immediately palpable. His expertise extends to all aspects of the brewing process, including harvesting, testing, and utilizing his own yeast for brewing. Although he considers himself an “IPA guy,” his brewing skills extend to many varieties of beer, ranging from lagers to sours to Belgians. 
The philosophy behind B1rthr1ght Brew1ng encompasses not only excellent beer, but also sustainability and contribution to the local community. Wayne and his family are now Nazareth locals; the three “1s” in the brewery name represent Wayne’s three children who were a part of the brewery from its very beginnings. Similarly, B1rthr1ght Brew1ng embraces family and community through developing the “Birthright Cycle,” which will create a symbiotic partnership with local farmers and vendors to minimize waste and maximize the grassroots community feel of the brewery and Nazareth as a whole. Tasting the local flavors through freshly brewed beer is one of the greatest parts of local craft brewing, and B1rthr1ght Brew1ng is truly capitalizing on it. Wayne is currently brewing off-site and is (im)patiently waiting for his brewing equipment to arrive at B1rthr1ght within the next five weeks or so. We can’t wait to see the Cycle fully in action.
We found ourselves in hop heaven while sampling their draft beers. We tried three varieties of IPA and a pale ale. One of our favorites was The Constable, their double IPA. This beer captured everything we love about IPAs — a bright juicy snap that quenches your thirst with a floral bitter finish, coming in at 8.4%. Endlessly quaff-able. We also loved Mosaic Mirrors, a double dry hopped double IPA at 8.2% ABV that showcases big fruity flavors, a soft, smooth mouthfeel, and a hefty dose of dry hopping with mosaic, citra, and moteuka hops. The beers all showed maturity in flavor profile and reflect Wayne’s decades of brewing experience. He spoke mysteriously of some more exciting brews to come in the near future, but for now we will have to wait and see what he has in store.
Now, on to the pizza. Oh, did we not mention the pizza? Yup, they have skilled chefs, a big open kitchen, and a wood-burning oven serving up thin crust, perfectly crispy gourmet pizzas that are top notch. We tried the “Sir Mallard Newton” (that name!) which features duck confit, figs, caramelized onion, baby arugula, balsamic, and lardons. It was stellar. You can also find some salads and sammies on the menu.
B1rthr1ght Brew1ng truly captures the spirit of craft brewing through its impeccable beers, delicious food, and commitment to the local community. Swing by for a beer (or three) and chat with any of their friendly and passionate staff to hear about it for yourself. Their official grand opening ceremony and ribbon cutting will be Wednesday, April 18th from 5-7pm. Congratulations to Wayne and his team on this new adventure!
Cheers,
Bethany and Mike
This past weekend we found ourselves trekking up to New England 
We were impressed by the Miles 2 Go, an unfiltered pale ale brewed using 
This is an outpost from Harpoon’s main gig in Boston, MA. It sits right along the Connecticut River at the border of VT and NH. It is delightfully quiet and low-key during the mid-week, off-season time and has excellent beers and delicious house-made soft pretzels (mmmmbeercheese). Head back to Woodstock for dinner at 
We were impressed by the distillery’s unique gins and spirits infused with Vermont maple syrup and honey. Once you get your fill of kitsch, cruise a bit farther east to 
You can also find a number of breweries in Manchester, NH — however note that many of them don’t open until 4pm, so you’ll have to time your visits accordingly. Once you’re settled into your room in Ogunquit, you can ditch your car and get around the town and beach on foot. It has a stunning walking path right along the water that takes you through Ogunquit and up to Perkins Cove, where you can find the ultimate 
One local said that it will probably be mobbed, as it is the “hot brewery” this year. Portland apparently has one brewery every year that all the cool kids go to, and this is the year of Bissell. Well, sometimes we want to feel like cool kids, so we planned our first stop to be Bissell Brothers. We arrived five minutes after they opened, walked in the door, and immediately walked back out. It was a big, airy space that was positively swarming with customers. If you’re up for a long wait and crowds to get a killer pint, it may be worth it. We didn’t want to spend half the day waiting in line so instead headed into Old Portland. We grabbed a lobster melt (so good) at 
You may run into signs for Sebago Brewing Company — this would be one to skip. It was impersonal and felt like the Applebee’s of craft beer, housed in a Comfort Suites in Portland. Driving home from Portland we’d recommend two pit stops – one for 
Deep in south central New Hampshire is Henniker Brewing Company, in the town of Henniker, west of Concord and right by Pat’s Peak ski resort. At five years old, the brews reflect maturity and complexity, with accolades from local and national competitions. While staying classic with New England style hoppy beers, they also offer some more malt forward options, including a porter, tripel, and quad.
If you ever find yourself tucked along the border of Vermont and New Hampshire, this little spot offers a great sampling of classic New England hoppy beers. Open since February 2016, pales and IPAs are clearly their specialty, and today they had five hoppy varieties for us to try.
Yazoo is a clearly well-established and well-loved brewery, with a wide selection of classic and experimental beers that are available throughout Tennessee and Mississippi. They are currently expanding towards the coast with distribution in Charleston, South Carolina beginning this month. The craft beer scene in the south is on the rise — but hasn’t quite had the exponential growth that it has up north. Owner Linus Hall noted that some recent changes in Tennessee legislation for lowered taxes and increased alcohol cap through the TN Craft Brewers Guild has begun to open more doors for small breweries in the region. It indeed took time for Yazoo to build its reputation.
The Yazoo staff were knowledgeable and had all the Southern friendliness and charm that you hope to find down in Tennessee, and they set us up with two large flights of both flagship and seasonal options. The weather was downright balmy for January, so we were lucky enough to enjoy the brews outside on the front patio. The beers covered an impressive range of styles; year-round they offer the Pale Ale, the award-winning Hefeweizen, Dos Perros Mexican-style beer, Sly Rye Porter, Hop Perfect IPA, Daddy-O Pilsner, HOPRY Double IPA, and the Sue (my favorite!), a smoked porter. For the winter months they have a seasonal Winter Scotch Ale, and they are also experimenting with some funky sour beers for their Embrace the Funk Series. Their offerings were excellent – the group had trouble deciding on the favorite ones. However, some of the standouts for us were the Sue, Hop Perfect IPA, Hefeweizen, and the Pale Ale. Yazoo’s brewery and beers are brimming with fun, funk, and a whole lot of promise for expanding the southern craft beer scene in a meaningful way.
Two Pints, Please! 
