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Don’t blink or you’ll miss it. An industrial park in Holbrook is where Spider Bite Beer Company has spun its web. In 2012, only their second year of operation, Spider Bite won TAP New York Craft Beer and Food Festival’s FX Matt Memorial Cup for “Best Craft Brewery in NY State.”
And they’re still going strong. From Rophenia (A Belgian quad aged 7 months), BORIS (their Russian Imperial Stout), White Bite (a Pale Wheat Ale) and Melba’s Toasted Brown Ale (nutty, roasty, tasty!), delicious goodness hatches in batches from this tiny craft brewery.
Larry, Spider Bite’s co-owner and head brewer, is a hophead just like me. So when the man sent me a text telling me that I would love one of his IPAs, I took him seriously and left a contrail as I bolted out the door and headed for the tasting room.
Twelve Legs Double IPA features Galaxy Hops, an Australian variant that, according to HopUnion, showcases “citrus, peach and passion fruit flavors.” I, of the blunted palate, also detected some mango, especially if you kinda chew your mouthful before swallowing.
What? You’ve never chewed your beer? Try it. You’ll like it.
You can smell the bright, citrus notes as they escape the glass. It’s strong but not intense. Twelve legs finishes bright and bracing. This would go really well with anything spicy, though I might lean more toward Asian dishes rather than hot wings.
Thongpanchang’s Pad Thai or Pad See Ew would be great (so long as you order them really spicy).
Twelve Legs is also 8.27% ABV (it’s the 0.27 that gets ya!) so if you have a few too many or too quickly (both problems of mine), it’ll snare you in its web, having you spinning in no time. Come to think of it, that would make this a perfect drink for watching any of the political debates!
Sadly, it is only available at the tasting room. Happily, you can fill as many growlers as your liver desires!
So get on down there. Have a pint. Fill some jugs. And get bitten.
BJ is a craft beer aficionado who lives in Patchogue and does his best to drink Main Street dry.
See more of his writing at beerzombie.blogspot.com.
