Bouncy House: 5 Questions with Smuttynose Brewing

Smuttynose Brewing Co. recently released "Bouncy House" and the beer is on tap at many fine establishments in the Seacoast and around New Hampshire.

Of course, it's just a coincidence that the May 16 release came days after a bouncy house in New York got swept up by a strong wind gust. But it ties into the brewery's goal of this brew: It won't tie you down.

Enjoying a "Bouncy House" at WHYM Craft Beer on Lafayette Road in Portsmouth, we couldn't help but notice the creative "Bouncy House" beer coasters. So we reached out to the Smuttynose Brewing team and their very own JT Thompson, Minister of Propaganda, for 5 Questions:

Q: If one drinks a Bouncy House is there a chance of flying away?
A: No chance of flying away with this Bouncy House. It’s just 4.3%, which means you’d have drink more than a few to really get up in the clouds.

Q: What are the ingredients of this delicious, refreshing pint?
A: We use our standard base malt, a blend of sociality malts, American ale yeast and a blend of Magnum, Calypso and Saphir hops.  Of all the session IPAs I’ve tried, ours is the most unique and, I think, best tasting.

Q: The beer coasters are cool. Who designed them? Who are the people bouncing in the Bouncy House and do they get free Bouncy House beer for life?
A: The coasters were designed by Chris Hamer, our Art Director. He works under Joanne Francis, Smuttynose’s Creative Director and the ideas swirl back and forth between them. The label models are either employees or friends of the brewery. We always have fun casting labels and our photos make for very striking and unique labels; you’ll never confuse our beers with any other beer on the shelf. The perks of being a Smuttynose label model are many and varied but also mysterious and secret….

Q: What does "session" mean?
A: Session beers are an idea that originated in the UK, though many other beer cultures have a long tradition of brewing and drinking beers that are “sessionable.”  In British pub culture, a session refers to an extended period of drinking, but it’s very important to distinguish the difference between a bender or a binge and a session.  Sessions are when you have a number of pints over a period of several hours while enjoy good conversation or even just the beer itself.  Kind of like spending the afternoon in a bookstore or record shop, but in a pub instead; an immersion in experience. Most British beers are quite low in alcohol (mostly 3.0-5.0 for the most part, with 5 being considered strong by many parties), because of their taxation scheme.  

Q: Where can one enjoy a Bouncy House?
A: Everywhere except in the street, while operating a motor vehicle or heavy machinery! Bouncy House should be all over the Seacoast now. Most bars and restaurants tapped it for the first time on Friday, May 16. The beer should still be on, unless they’ve already sold out. For six packs and twelve packs, beer drinkers will want to visit independent stores for now. Places like Top Shelf Brews, Craft Beer Cellar Portsmouth, Gary’s, Smiley’s, Dover Discount Beverage and the like are the best places to start. Bouncy House should hit grocery stores later in the summer, as each chain resets their shelves on a quarterly basis.

BONUS Question:

Q: When was the last time you were in a Bouncy House?
A: I haven’t been in too many of them, but I know I was very young for the first one. My favorite Bouncy House memory is the first time I saw the first Revenge of the Nerds movie. As a nerdy child, watching a nerd get one over on the jocks was great, even if it was very ethically questionable. My most recent bouncing session was the label shoot. I can assure you, 45 minutes in a bouncy house as a portly 33 year old was pretty arduous. It really made me realize how resilient kids are and how little hang time I have.
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Check out the Smuttynose Brewing Beer Release Calendar for upcoming releases, such as the Farmhouse Ale as part of its Big Beer series next month.

*WHYM Craft Beer Cafe is celebrating a First Year Around the Sun party this Saturday, May 24.