Enlightenment Ales

04/25/2019

Friends of Enlightenment Ales near and far,

The rumors are true. After nearly two years of planning, researching, writing business plans, (learning how to use Excel), attending “pitch-fest” events, and nights driving the entire length of Washington State, my fiancé Karolina and I have signed a lease for our new brewery and cafe we plan to open next spring in... Bellingham, WA. Yes, you read that right, Washington.

Our new project, "Other Wonders Beer” is the culmination of over a decade of travel, learning, dreaming, and scheming, inspired by our adventures in Europe, New England, and around the world. We look forward to sharing our “rustic lagers & farmhouse ales” alongside street food inspired snacks and meals (that happen to be vegetarian) all in our cozy, art adorned, “guesthouse” style tavern.

If you’d like to follow our new adventures or learn more about this project please join the Other Wonders Beer page. For those feeling extra hipster we also have an Instagram for your viewing pleasure at https://www.instagram.com/otherwondersbeer/

Or, if you’re interested in joining us in some other capacity, feel free to email us at [email protected] and let us know how you’d like to be involved.

Finally, while this new chapter may mark the end of that weirdo hippie art project known as Enlightenment Ales, the drive to explore that made Enlightenment what it was will be very much at home at Other Wonders. Whether enjoying a half liter of unfiltered lagerbier fresh from our gravity kegs or opening a bottle of “Rite of Spring” from the cellar we hope you’ll find both wonder and enlightenment in our new creation.

Most importantly, thank you. Thank you for everything.

02/16/2018

"Wowee Zowee," our collaboration with fellow lager-lover Chris Lohring of Notch Brewing, has arrived! Inspired by our love of easy drinking lager beer, decoction mashing, and the classic Pavement album, "Wowee Zowee" is a 100% Pilsner malt, 100% Motueka kettle hopped, double decocted, pale lager.

Thanks Chris! Find it on tap at Notch or perhaps around the Boston area...

01/19/2018

Friends of Enlightenment:

As my high school physics teacher used to say of life, “Kids, it’s never what you expect.” Finding ourselves living in Portland, Oregon after two years brewing, traveling, and getting our minds blown in Europe, it seems like he was on to something.

In yet another unexpected plot twist, we’re working on an odd and ambitious project to once again share our beer with the world. As we dig in to our new venture, we’re looking for friends, partners, or collaborators interested in playing some part in this adventure. So, if you or someone you know might be interested in playing a role in a strange little brewery sometime in the next few years, please let us know. In fact, if you shoot me an email at "[email protected]" I’ll fill you in on our secret plan. (Hint: it involves food and most likely the Pacific Northwest…) We’ve learned a hell of a lot over the past few years and can’t wait to share our beers with you all once again.

08/11/2017

Hooray! Our collaboration with my dear friends Jay & Sean at Honest Weight Artisan Beer is being released today!

Meet "World Passport," our "Brussels-inspired pale ale." Another way to describe it might be "'Day Trip' meets two years of drinking as much Brasserie De La Senne as we could get our hands on meets Jay & Sean and their incredible beer project in Orange, MA," that but description wouldn't fit on the label...

Cheers!

We are happy to announce the release of our latest bottled beer!
World Passport is our Bruxelles Inspired Pale Ale, brewed in collaboration with our good friend Ben Howe of Enlightenment Ales. Brewed with 100% Pilsner Malt, Continental hops, and our house Saison yeast. 5.6% abv, bright, floral hop character and an insanely dry finish. Available in bottle conditioned 500ml bottles for $5. Or by the 14oz keg conditioned pour for $6.

06/21/2017

A reunion and a collaboration!

Brewed a barrel fermented homage to "Illumination" using the old Enlightenment farmhouse blend with my friend and former colleague Brett Bauer and the Idle Hands Craft Ales crew. How strange and wonderful it feels to be back...

Collab w/ our old friend Ben today. Barrel fermented new American saison.

06/07/2017

Well, I'm back from Europe...

I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate than to brew a "Brussels-style Pale Ale" with two of my best friends: Jay and Sean at Honest Weight Artisan Beer. We had an absolute blast!

It's good to be home.

07/23/2016

Three beers that I am exceptionally proud of here at my post in rural Denmark: "Wildflower IPA," "Farmhouse Blonde," and "Farm Lager."

Right now, a snapshot of the present and a glimpse of the future. Someday soon, a document of beginnings and inspiration.

05/02/2016

Our baby "Rite of Spring" all grown up in Denmark as "Le Sacre" and on tap at Mikkellerbar in the company of some of my favorite beers in the world.

04/28/2016

Double palming hoppy American ales:

"L'American," my hoppy APA (soon to be known as "Electric Kool-Aid" Pale Ale, an Enlightenment Ales house beer when I return to the US) and "Straight Outta Boston," our award winning Euro/American IPA.

Of course, it's raining AND sunny in my front yard when I took this photo. Denmark...

03/20/2016

This Tuesday, March 22nd, two of the most talented brewers I have ever had the good fortune to work with, Jay Sullivan and Sean Nolan, are featuring their recently opened brewery Honest Weight Artisan Beer at Lord Hobo in Cambridge. To help them celebrate, brewers who have worked at our shared ancestral mothership, Cambridge Brewing Company, will be pouring their beers along side Jay and Sean's. I STRONGLY recommend checking it out.

In addition to incredible beers from Honest Weight, CBC, Sam Adams, Wormtown, and Rising Tide, they'll be pouring Enlightenment Ales "Verdance" and a rare case of 2016 "Rite of Spring," AKA "Le Sacre" transported by a good friend back from Denmark. But make sure you have a pint or three of Honest Weight Branch Bridge Pale Ale first!

Skål!

Next Tuesday, join us at Lord Hobo with some of our good friends for some beers and conversation.

03/12/2016

Just rediscovered this. All my favorite recipes began on Cambridge Brewing Company coasters.

Sorry Phil.