One of the great things that I enjoy about visiting breweries (and in turn sharing the experience with you, my beloved beer buddies) is getting to meet with the owners and beer makers behind the scenes. To get their stories, learn more about their passions and to get an overall experience of *why* they do what they do.
In search for spots to visit and add content to this site, I came across a “small up and comer that makes incredible beer” called Sidenote Brewing in New Bedford, MA. I honestly can’t remember where I read this referral but as New Bedford has a very small, yet growing, beer scene I wanted to explore further.
Much to my surprise Sidenote Brewing was a lot smaller than I expected.
No taproom. No distribution. In fact, Sidenote doesn’t even sell what it produces.
Yet.
Probably more intrigued than ever before, I reached out and got in contact with Sidenote Brewing’s Scott Mendes. Scott is the owner, brewer, canner, bottler, social media guru, label artist and… yeah…pretty much the one person show of the whole operation. Catching him on a free day from his full-time job, I paid a visit to Scott and learned more about what began for him as a fun hobby has now turned into a passion project with amazing potential.
Born in raised in New Bedford, MA, the early genesis of Sidenote Brewing came from where many brewers get the itch to make beer. At a brewery!
“When I turned 21, I went to Sam Adams (Boston Brewing in Jamaica Plain, MA.)” Scott recalls. “Drinking their beers I started thinking: ‘Can I do this? I wonder if I can (make beer like this) at home?’ After 4 or 5 years I said ‘I’m just going to do it. It started with a home brewing kit, and before you know it, I had all this stainless steel in my basement.”
I’ve found that most homebrewers keep their equipment and process simple. Not Scott. With multiple tanks all hooked up to the modern benefits of Wi-Fi and Apps, his expansive in-home system is quite impressive. He is truly a “homebrewer” in every sense of the word. With a brewing system in his basement and a canning machine in his upstairs office, Scott controls every aspect of his operation all within his residence.
Having brewed for about 8 years now, Scott is constantly refining the recipes that Sidenote Brewing creates. “I like to experiment with ingredients. Different yeast, different hops. Brewing about a half barrel at a time, 1 to 2 times per week, you will find about 3 to 4 beers in the tanks at any moment. I’ve always respected lagers but was an IPA guy for a long, long time. Recently I got into lagers more.”
So, what’s the story with the name “Sidenote Brewing?” “I originally was going to use my last name to name (the brewery), but someone already had it. One night I was talking with a friend, and they kept saying ‘sidenote this’ or “sidenote, this happened today.’ I thought ‘Hmm, Sidenote would be a great name.’”
After being given a tour of his equipment, an impressive selection of beer was awaiting for me to sample as Scott and I further discussed his work. All the beer names come from a list that Scott keeps, “Most (names) come from having casual conversations”, and he creates all the art for the cans himself. But he doesn’t stop there with just copy and graphics. “I create the labels, I print the labels, I cut the labels and I place all the labels onto the cans.”
In my visit we opened cans of:
“Mauve” (pronounced maav-ay) a Cold IPA (what I like to say is just IPL) brewed with 100% Nelson Sauvin. Pale color, mild flavor of White wine, gooseberry.
“Leicht Speed” a German light lager, that was refreshing and a perfect outside in warm weather beer.
And finally, “Calm & Content.” A Czech dark lager made in collaboration with another Homebrewer, Big Bee Brewing, this brew was filled with saaz hops and brought out a delicious blend of roast and floral flavor.
Not only was I impressed with this delicious offering but the voters of the 26th Annual Drunk Monk Challenge Homebrew Competition felt so as well! Sidenote Brewing won their 2024 Gold Medal for Dark Lager.
So now that Scott has gotten a system in place, is canning and bottling his beers and also winning medals, where does Sidenote Brewing go from here?
“Distribution is the dream. I’m keeping an eye on the market, being cautious. I would like to do more Homebrew Festivals. I’m giving myself a 2-year window to do distribution or a taproom. I’ve looked at different spots to get location ideas. My system isn’t big enough to do small distribution, (but) I want to wait until I can go all in. (Right now) just giving cans and bottles to friends and my Homebrewers Club in Rhode Island. Giving it away for feedback. Also using Untappd and Instagram to create awareness. I’ve also looked into contracting but I am pretty hands on (with my brewing) and like to be in control. I’m happy with the word-of-mouth aspect of it for now, but I do understand that it’s time to think a little bigger.”
Although Scott has great ambitions for Sidenote Brewing’s future, he is also presently focused on enjoying what he does and creating even more great beer.
“I’m currently brewing a Mexican Lager for the first time. I would like to make a good one, I’m not trying to make it super lime forward. I’d rather it be a solid base beer and if I want lime in it I can always add it.”
As he looks around his homemade brewery he gives a smile. “I just love brewing beer. It’s my happy place. I can spend all day down here.”
Current Beer List:
- Muave (maav-ay) Cold IPA (IPL): 100% Nelson Sauvin. Pale color, mild flavor of White wine, gooseberry.
- Leicht Speed – German Leichtbier: Light lager. Refreshing, lawn mower beer.
- Calm & Content Czech Dark Lager with Big Bee Brewing: Saaz hops, roasty, floral. Gold Medal Winner.
- The Wharf German Pilsner
- Past Practice West Coast IPA: Chinook, Citra, Nelson Sauvin, Strata. Citrus, guava, passionfruit.
- City Lines NEIPA: Candied lemon and lime. Motueka, Cascade.
- Boom Waka Waka NEIPA: Riwaka. Grapefruit, lime, citrus. Subtle Resin edge.
- Corkscrew Chandelier Farmhouse Ale: “Sour Saison” Funky, tarty, saison spice. Hibiscus gives floral notes. Tangy. Cherry.
