Smartmouth Brewing Company has been brewing up clean, crisp and smooth beers in Norfolk since 2012.



Smartmouth Brewing Company has been brewing up clean, crisp and smooth beers in Norfolk since 2012.

Recently we had a chance to try one of Smartmouth’s three flagship beers along with another one of their popular brews, and we were pretty impressed to say the least. Check out our review below of Smartmouth Brewing’s “Notch 9” and “Alter Ego.”

Notch 9, Double IPA

This is a canned double IPA with tons of flavor and dry hops. It packs a Wallop (hehe – that one guy!-for those lost, see video below) for sure, so if you’re looking for that travable BIG IPA in a can, well this is it. This high ABV (9.1%) has a bunch of my favorite hops – Centennial, Columbus, Simcoe, and Falconers Flight 7c’s. What does that mean to you? – Well it means it’s seriously hopped and really good. It has a piney/grapefruit flavor, but with a good slight sweetness that keeps it balanced. Big secret here is that I actually prefer the piney flavor to have a bit of tropical or sweet background. Too much pine sets me off, so this one gets it right. It’s also year around, so Smartmouth delivers something to guarantee the hops for your summer fun or winter warmer needs.

According to Smartmouth, “Notch 9” gets its name from the 8 notch positions on a locomotive’s throttle. This brew won the bronze in 2013 at The Great American Beer Festival.

Farmhouse Saison – Alter Ego Farmhouse saison

This is a year-round 5.2% bold Saison from Smartmouth that is very easy to drink – and great on a hot day! If you pour it, (I enjoyed it right out of the can) it’s a light orange color that has a slight head with a real great Belgian fruity aroma. Tasting this saison is a treat – its fruity with a bit of spice on the finish, it’s really refreshing if you ask me. There is a good complexity to this beer, has a ripe yeasty taste with bit of lemon/fruit zest. I had it with some stir fry and it complemented the meal quite well, I could see this in my fridge any time however especially for summer trips. This is one of their flagship beers and it was one an award in 2013 and last year at the Virginia Craft Brewer’s Fest.

You can check out all Smartmouth’s brews here.