Robin Shepard
For just about a year, the Hubbleton Brewing Company has been quietly making a handful of beers out of a small farmstead brewery northeast of Waterloo, about 25 miles east of Madison.
Dan Schey started home brewing in his basement about 25 years ago. As Schey approached retirement from his job at Hammerhead Trenchless Equipment in Lake Mills, he began putting together a three-barrel brewhouse in an outbuilding on his 40-acre farm. “It was just intended to be a hobby,” Schey says, but it’s grown to be a small commercial brewery with four core brands and an emerging line of seasonals and limited releases. Among his most popular beers is the Crawfish River Porter.
What is it? Crawfish River Porter from Hubbleton Brewing Company of Waterloo.
Style: The porter is a dark brown to black ale. The style goes back to the 1700s, when it was a favorite beer of the porters who worked the London shipyards. It’s a dark beer with hints of chocolate and caramel from the roasted malts used to make it. The style is commonly around 4 to 6 percent ABV.
Background: Those living around the Schey farm have been well aware of Dan Schey’s talents as a brewer. On Friday nights, the brewery tasting area has become a hangout for passionate craft beer fans from Waterloo and Watertown. However, that’s all beginning to change as the brewery continues to grow, stepping up bottling, distribution and festival appearances. Over the past few months, Hubbleton’s 12-ounce bottles have started appearing in nearby grocery stores in Waterloo and Watertown. A handful of taverns in northeastern Dane and northwestern Jefferson counties have been putting the brewery’s beers on tap. For now, Madison drinkers looking for Hubbleton’s brews will have to plan a trip eastward.
Crawfish River Porter was the first beer commercially offered by Hubbleton Brewing. It gets much of its dark color from Blackprinz, a malt that’s known for chocolate sweetness without the more conspicuous roasted or burnt qualities sometimes found in highly roasted malts. Schey uses Chinook hops for balance, but not enough for any bitterness to overshadow the sweet aroma and flavor of the malts. The beer gets its name from the actual Crawfish River that flows not far from the Schey farm.
The beer finishes at 6.4 percent ABV. Six packs are $7.50 and growlers are $7 (refill) at the brewery. At grocery stores close to the brewery you will likely find single 12-ounce bottles of the porter, along with Cattail Pale Ale and Crooked Judge IPA for building your own six-packs.
Tasting notes:
- Aroma: Hints of chocolate and toffee from the dark roasted malts.
- Appearance: Black color, with bronze highlights. A marbled tan head.
- Texture: Medium- to full-bodied with round softness.
- Taste: Smooth and clean chocolate maltiness. Pleasant rich and solid flavor.
- Finish/Aftertaste: Smooth and balanced, yet plenty of chocolate maltiness. Ends with a light roasted accent that doesn’t linger.
Glassware: Porters of this nature are best enjoyed in the English nonic pint glass.
Pairs well with: A range of meaty entrees, especially burgers, sweet barbeque and stews.
The Verdict: For those who appreciate a solid black ale with hints of chocolate, toffee and light roastedness, this is a beer worth finding. Crawfish River Porter is not showy or cloying. The brewery calls it a robust porter, but it’s not that assertive — just rich and flavorful, finishing malty, yet clean and similar to what one looks for in the traditional English version of the style. And, at a modest 6.4 percent ABV, there’s a touch of alcohol warmth to complement those sweeter tones of the malt. I’m a big porter fan and have certain expectations for the style. Crawfish River Porter deserves the attention it’s getting.
