What’s New: Pickles and beer to go together – with zest and crunch

By Erin Bassler   –   telegram.com

WESTMINSTER — What do you get when you combine the salty crispiness of pickles with the savory flavor of beer?

If you drive down to Vincent’s Country Store at 109 Main St., you’ll find your answer in Zesty IPA Dills, the latest flavor from Stretch’s Pickles.

Last summer, Brian Vincent, owner of Vincent’s Country Store, obtained Stretch’s Pickles from its original owner, Graig Hjelm. He is now collaborating with local farms, like Plainville Farm in South Hadley and Sholan Farms in Leominster, as well as Wachusett Brewing Co. in Westminster, to produce uniquely-flavored pickles.

In March, the store put the new flavor on sale — a type of pickle that Vincent has wanted to create for a long time.

Zesty IPA Dill is Stretch’s Pickles first India Pale Ale product and the result of the partnership with Wachusett Brewing.

As part of the pickle-making process, the usual water in the pickle jar is replaced with beer. Added with the naturally grown cucumbers that Mr. Vincent purchases locally, the result makes an IPA-infused pickle.

Zesty IPA Dill now sits alongside its fellow brand flavors at Vincent’s Country Store — Stretch’s Bread and Butter and Stretch’s Garlic Dills. The product is made with Larry Imperial IPA, named in tribute to the late Larry Jupin, a Westminster police officer who was shot in the line of duty and died in 2002.

Larry Imperial IPA is Wachusett Brewing’s strongest and most flavorsome brand — one of main reasons why Stretch’s Pickles decided to use it in their recipe. The other reason is the taste. Both before and after the liquor-flavored pickle went on sale, the fresh batches were met with positive feedback from makers and consumers alike.

“When the brewers ask for more, we know we’re on the right track,” Mr. Vincent said. “I sent some samples for their (Wachusett Brewing’s) Christmas bar crawl, and people loved them.”

On April 2, at Worcester’s craft beer festival, Brew Woo, Stretch’s Pickles exhibited its new recipe to crowds of liquor-loving consumers and sold close to 400 jars.

“One of our customers told me that it leaves your mouth tingling with a pleasant burn,” said Mr. Vincent.

He said his regular customers have also praised the taste, commenting on the beer’s strong flavor and how well it accents the pickle’s zesty bite and crunch.

Brian Vincent has owned Vincent’s Country Store for close to four years, taking over for his parents who opened the store back in 1991. He is glad to see all of the hard work pay off with the increase of sales. As more jars are purchased, he said, the number of businesses contacting him, with the prospect of also stocking and selling the new Zesty IPA Dill, has increased.

Businesses that also sell Stretch’s Pickles include Ashburnham Wine & Spirits Co., Patriots Package in Templeton and the Hannah Grimes Center for Entrepreneurship in Keene, N.H.

Soon the pickles will also be available for purchase at Wachusett Brewing Co., Mr. Vincent said.

It’s certainly taken a lot of effort to make marketing the new addition to the pickle brand a reality — there are challenges with every step. The most prominent is accommodating the shortage of local cucumbers during the winter season. Cucumbers are quick to harvest, but their growing season relies heavily on warm weather and warm soil.

For a product set to be released in March, Mr. Vincent had to reach out in order to procure fresh produce, all while staying loyal to the company’s policy to only use naturally grown cucumbers and ingredients.

“During the winter months, we source the cucumbers through Holden Produce who make daily visits to the Boston Market,” Mr. Vincent explained.

Following the success of the Zesty IPA Dill, Stretch’s Pickles is thinking toward the future — one such project may involve a new Sweet Heat Relish flavor for the popular Stretch’s Bread and Butter style.

In the meantime, Mr. Vincent said, he is pleased to see that his idea made real has been so warmly received by pickle-lovers and beer-lovers alike.

“Two of the greatest things are now together,” he said.