Without intent, I have collected well over 1,000 beer bottles since the early 70s. When something finally had to be done about the cheap paneling in this old modular, I had a choice. Tear down the walls while, oh, so carefully, replacing the often rotted 1X3s. Or: cover them with… The Bottle Collection.
Written by Ken Carman
Old Nutfield Brewery
Derry, NH
I remember the day I bought this. I was waiting for a movie and decided to stop by for a beer in Nashua, NH.It was a small bar that advertised they had “our own craft beer.” They called themselves the Nutfield Pub. It was actually a bar/hotel complex from what I remember. Makes me wonder if it was a bar owner trying to climb onto the craft trend in a somewhat dishonest way, or if Jim Killeen actually had some connection to the pub. I think that’s why I thought it might be a contract brew at the time, since obviously there was no brewery there or bottling line.
Not that memorable, but not bad from what I remember. A nice mild, nutty, amber beer
Ratebeer.com gives no score and says, “formerly brewed at Nutfield Brewing Company, 22 Manchester Road
Derry , New Hampshire, NH.” Then says they’re out of business.
My web search revealed the brewer was Jim Killeen, born October 1955, died October 2010, who left the corporate world as an employee to become his own employee: starting a microbrewery. He had worked for Lockheed Martin.
He operated his brewery in the 90s and died while joggin in 2010. The brewery died before that “when plans to expand fizzled,” often meaning a company over extended itself.
The brewery was a 25 barrel brewing system which was actually set up by New England craft beer legend, Alan Pugsley.According to a book on New England craft breweries Jum contributed a description of his brewery to they had open fermentation tanks, and that was the 90s before Belgian brewing became quite the trend.
When Bob Dole was running for president he decided not to stop by the brewery because they had a beer called, “Old Man Ale.” Bob was being criticized because of his age. That produced a lot of negative press, so he stopped anyway.
The brewery is now owned by Alan Pugsley: famous for starting Shipyard and their brewpub in Kennebunkport: Federal Jacks, but turned it into a contract brewery. The beer brand doesn’t exist anymore.
Jim Killeen, left, with wife, Tina, on their backyard deck.
Often the first, and the last, contact a traveling: out of town, beer judge has for a competition is the judge coordinator, or “director” as they’re sometimes referred to. Last year my work schedule took me close to New York State, and I wondered, “Wouldn’t it be a hoot to judge beer in my native New York again?†Previous to that I had judged in Albany, NY at a competition known as the Knickerbocker.
Definitely has the nose of an Old Ale with carmelize malt up front and a sense of “aged.” Creamy head that fades fast. A bit dark for an Old Ale. Probably at least high 20s on SRM scale, which is a bit off the scale according to BJCP standards. No hops in nose: expected. Nice ruby highlights barely shine through. It is a little dark for the style. Nice pillow head.
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