Bad Martha Farmer’s Brewery is getting ready to open the doors for its second season. Though a lot will remain the same, like good brews and a fabulous beer garden, lots of new things are on tap.
Small Bites
I stopped by to meet brewer Jim Carleton and their newest addition, Sara Shaughnessy, who will be heading up the food department. Bad Martha is expanding its menu a bit.
For the 2015 season, there will be some amazing plates to share or keep all to yourself. They will be offering a cheese tray, a veggie tray, a Charcuterie tray. Keeping with the goal to go local when possible, there will be a number of items sourced from the Island.
For the veggie, think seasonal Morning Glory Farm veggies and fresh housemade dipping sauces. You’ll feel less guilty about all those beer calories when ordering this one. Plus sometimes it’s nice just to have some veggies.
With the cheese tray, which will most likely be my fav, there will be four cheeses. Grey Barn and Mermaid Farm cheeses will be in the rotation. There will also be Island honey from Martha’s Vineyard Honey Company, fresh baked bread from Edgartown Meat and Fish and more.
The Charcuterie will feature a selection of carefully selected cured meats, cheeses, olives and such, along with lavash bread, which will be made at the Scottish Bakehouse, and of course, Bad Martha’s beloved beer mustard.
You might also find some yummy new snack options at the bar as well. The addition of more food is bound to be a crowd pleaser. A little nibble helps you enjoy your stay a bit more.
More Changes
You’ll also notice a couple of new things at the brewery itself in Edgartown. Jim says he can’t wait to set up the beer garden, which will have new outdoor furniture and the addition of another corn hole game. Rumor has it there might even be some corn hole tournaments, a fun way to spend a little time after the beach!
There are new beers coming too! I was lucky enough to get a sample of the Hoppy Session Ale, which Jim was working on when I arrived. It’s just about ready. It’s nice for Summer, a lighter hoppy beer with only 4.8% ABV, unlike many other hoppy beers, which can really be strong.
I can’t wait to see what other beers Jim comes up with. The good news is that some of the favs are returning this year like the Chocolate Stout, made with Not Your Sugar Mamas chocolate, the Honey Helles, made with Martha’s Vineyard Honey Company honey, and of course, the Coffee Brown made with Chilmark Coffee, which Todd Christy had just dropped off the week before. The three flagship Bad Martha beers and more.
Another exciting thing in the Martha’s Vineyard beer world is that Bad Martha and Offshore Ale Company are doing another collaboration beer. The first one, the Old Colony, which made it’s debut last Fall in a small batch, is finally ready to leave the bourbon barrels, which will now be used for tables at the brewery. This Old Colony will be a lot different then the beer you had last year. The bourbon will be much more noticeable.
The first beer was made at Offshore and this time the beer will be made at Bad Martha. I can’t wait to see what Jim and Neil come up with this time. Hope it’s Summery!
Also, Bad Martha has added a cask tap, meaning that there will now be a cask ale option. Though not for everyone, many beer enthusiasts love cask ale. Cask beer is naturally conditioned through a secondary fermentation process, so no addition carbon dioxide is added. So the beer is not as bubbly often. However, it is so fresh and offers a different flavor from traditional beer.
You might also notice that there are some changes in Bad Martha’s apparel. There will be more for ladies, and many things have a different look this year.
As if all this wasn’t exciting enough, keep an eye out for some daily specials happening during the season, happy hour, live music, corn hole tournaments, new beer tappings and more.
Last but not least, I have to mention the medals you’ll see hanging above the bar. Bad Martha won some serious awards for its beers at The Great International Beer Festival in 2014. With over 250 beers to compete against in the largest beer festival in the Northeast, Bad Martha certainly did well, bringing home three gold and two bronze medals.
The Martha’s Vineyard Ale, the Pumpkin Pie Boch, and the Export Lager won gold while the White IPA and the Beach Plum Ale (one of my favorites) won bronze. Not too shabby guys.
Bad Martha Farmer’s Brewery opens for the weekends of May 8th & 9th and 15th & 16th, with the grand opening May 22nd for Memorial Day weekend. The brewery will now be open until 9:00 p.m. which is a great idea because the Summer days and nights are long and fun on Martha’s Vineyard.
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