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44 As many of you are aware, South Shore Magazine is the primary sponsor for our weekly radio show: SOUTH SHORE LIVE ON 95.9 FM WATD. We have been broadcasting for just over six and a half years, and a regular staple on the show have been monthly craft beer tastings, in conjunction with Walter John Craft Beer and Import Spirits Manager of L. Knife Distributors in Kingston. Walter has introduced Alan Kearney, Cindy Rosenfeld, Erica Sweeney, Laura Noonan, Tim Curry and yours truly to some of the finest craft beers from around the country. Each month last year we had our live music hour: THE HOUR 9 LOUNGE sponsored by a craft beer company. In early August we were visited by Erin Marley, local representative of Woodstock Inn Brewing in New Hampshire. Yes there is another Woodstock Inn in Vermont, but guess what? They don't have their own craft brewery on the ground of their property. Chalk one in the win column for the Granite State! Over the last several years of the craft beer evolution/revolution and the explosion of options it becomes difficult and overwhelming to choose, because there are so many great choices. Retailers are continually educated and learning of the multitude of brands and styles, but what a great situation to have so many choice of something like good beer!!! Erin Marley's job is to go out to the marketplace and expound on the many virtues the many styles and types of beers offered by Woodstock Inn Brewery in bottles, cans and for draught only. Woodstock's signature product with the widest availability is their "PIGS EAR BROWN ALE", which has a very clever marketing tagline "PICK UP A PIG TONIGHT!" I had been familiar with this product and am a huge fan. If you like New Castle Brown Ale (imported) then you will be blown away by the flavor and freshness of this New Hampshire classic! While on the show we tasted and spoke about the beers that Erin brought along. During a commercial break we were talking about the Inn and the food there and the topic came up about a brewer's weekend. The bumper music came back on in my headphones and it was time to go live on air again. I so needed to hear more about this "brewer's weekend." Well it turns out that the brewery hosts 3 or 4 weekends a year where you spend the weekend in the brewery creating a batch of beer from start (mixing grains) to finish (fermenting tanks). Being a craft beer nut (enthusiast!), I inquired about available weekends, and there happened to be 2 available in the autumn/early winter season. I booked the weekend of November 21-23, just before Thanksgiving, YES! I traveled with my wife Mary Ann, son Kevin and his friend Tom Fiascone. Woodstock, NH is a straight shot up Interstate 93 to exit 32, same exit as LOON MOUNTAIN. North Woodstock is a very small, quintessential New England/New Hampshire town nestled in the White Mountain National Forest and is along the banks of the Pemigewasset River, which is the clean crisp water source for their many fine beers. Upon arrival the inn had a warm welcoming glow along Main Street. The main building of the Inn is a century plus old two-story building with guest rooms and a small restaurant. It is connected to a new modern cavernous timber frame restaurant which also houses the larger of 2 on premise breweries. Our lodging was directly across the street in a newly renovated Something is a brew at Exit 32… Woodstock Inn Brewery… Brewers' Weekend! by Stanley Blackmur