Pretty Things - Meadowlark IPA

By Eric Cioffi

Dann and Martha Paquette brew Pretty Things beer. While it is one of the most sought after brands of beer on the East Coast, it is not a brewery they can’t afford to build one. Instead they made their company a Project because Projects can change, they can do crazy things, they aren’t tied to bricks and mortar, so they can be a bit free and quirky.

Founded in 2008, Pretty Things represents the cutting edge of the recent explosion of craft breweries in the Boston area. Pretty Things is part of a small but growing breed of itinerant—or gypsy—brewers. Gypsy brewers invert the conventional startup model: instead of sinking close to a million dollars into equipment, leases, and payroll, they rent space, time, and often manpower from other breweries. They are tenant brewers, working in a rented brewery, which they take over on brewdays. They do all the labor involved on each brewday, and the host brewery packages the beer for them. Pretty Things brews their beer at Buzzards Bay Brewing in Westport, MA.

It all began in the VFW Hall in Davis Square, Somerville, MA, where Dann & Martha met at the Real Ale festival. They moved to Yorkshire, England, and Dann brewed at Daleside, a small ale brewery in Harrogate. On the weekends they’d explore the nearby Moors and Dales and the towns and pubs that are dotted amongst them. They drank a lot of beer and ate a lot of fish and chips. They spent many nights talking and dreaming about beer and brewing. When they got back to the States Dann had the urge to brew. The goal of Pretty Things is to continue to push the boundaries of beer  not by using novelty ingredients but by brewing beer that’s fun to drink and learn about.

Meadowlark IPA is a new juicy and floral hoppy, hoppy ale we brewed to celebrate the flavor and spirit of American craft brewing.  This 7% alcohol beer has a sunny orange-yellow colour, 85 International Bittering Units, a smooth mouthfeel and layer upon layer of soft flowery hops.  We wove earthy Citra and bitter Bravo hops from the Pacific Northwest with intensely fruity and aromatic Galaxy hops from Australia. The malts are English pale malt & mild ale malt, pale crystal (1.3% of the grist), flaked barley with malty highlights from Munich malt and a bijoux of Roasted Barley.  The resulting patchwork is as “American” tasting as short ribs and slaw, and provides an excellent accompaniment to that kind of food too!  Very hoppy and bitter.  Yum.

My tasting was poured from a 22 oz bomber bottle into my tulip tasting glass.  This beer looks amazing.  It was a hazy bright copper with a substantial fluffy white head.  The lacing stippled the glass as the head receded and I enjoyed the beer.  It is a smooth medium bodied beer with plenty of carbonation.  The aroma was subtly hoppy with a floral earthy core.   I expected more citrus and resin. The first sip starts off with restrained citrus notes quickly transitioning to some lightly sweet malt and the grassy, floral, and earthy notes. The finish is quite bitter.   The beer is slightly sweeter than I prefer but is nicely balanced with the bitter ending.  Overall I liked this beer and would get it again. There are others I like better but this is a very fine IPA.


American IPA | 7% ABV
Rating: 88