Northshore magazine showcases the best that the North Shore of Boston, MA has to offer.
Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/1214157
NORTHSHOREMAG.COM 26 MARCH 2020 CONTACT granitecoastbrewing.com pies) into a base beer to see where their mad science takes them. There's nothing wrong in going the distance in creative brewing. The goal for any brewer is to distinguish their brand from the others. But sometimes the best way to achieve that goal is simply by staying true to yourself. Marquis and Dunn's thinking is simple: "We're always just doing what we're doing," says Marquis, adding that "making beer approachable matters." Serving people a beverage they don't want to drink is one of the worst mistakes a brewer can make, so the partners make an effort to keep their lineup diverse: Dunkel, blonde ale and 80 Shilling rest on the menu next to farmhouse ales and, yes, even an IPA. "We've had times when we've had nothing hoppy on the menu," Dunn recalls. "And we've had people come in who've been like, 'I only want IPAs; where are those?' On the other side of it, we've had people who don't like IPAs at all, so when they find out that we only have one, they light up." Marquis and Dunn favor thoughtfulness over trends. One of their best beers shows that preference in action, starting with a classic blonde ale and giving it a tiny twist: E AT + D R I N K E AT + D R I N K maple syrup added during fermentation. The finished beer speaks to the value of a sound technical understanding of the brewing process over galaxy-brain creativity ; a gentle kiss of maple sweetness with just enough viscosity keeps this one close to expectations for the style while letting it stand out from other blonde ales you've had in the past. It's a delicious complex beer. Dunn relates the Granite Coast beer philosophy to the difference between cook- ing and being a chef. "You don't pick up the chef 's knife and suddenly, you're this amazing chef doing molecular gastronomy. You learn techniques. You improve on things. You say, 'Okay, how can I tweak that and make it bet- ter? What's this new thing I can add in, that has a reason to be added in, to get the result I want?'" That's the journey he and Marquis are on with Granite Coast: They get better at what they do with each beer they make—which is saying something because they're quite good at it already. But Granite Coast's journey isn't Marquis and Dunn's journey alone. It's their patrons' journey, too. And that journey helps set them apart from on-trend craft breweries in Massachusetts while also writing their own story in a state drenched in history. Below, owners Jeff Marquis and Robert Dunn; the interiors offer communal picnic table seating.