Way, way back, what feels like many centuries ago, not long before COVID began, we had plans for a second partnership with the Surfrider Foundation, an activist network dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world’s ocean, waves, and beaches. 

We partnered with them last year to bring about Twin Fin, a kettle-soured, session, New England IPA, right around Earth Day. We had plans to repeat the partnership this year, and… well… you probably can surmise what happened.

We called it Cutback — a crisp, refreshing, classic American Pale Ale, blending old-school malts with new-school hopping techniques. Since the partnership with Surfrider lends itself to referencing surfing terms, we wanted to honor their mission with an appropriate name. In surfing, a “cutback” is when a surfer changes direction, using his or her rails to go back toward the breaking point of the wave. It positions the surfer back to the “power source”: the steepest, most enjoyable part of the wave.

Everything was ready to go for an awesome Tasting Room-only release: the ingredients were in-house, the partnership was coming together, and, most importantly, the label was approved by the TTB.

Then… everything got put on hold. And, in the intervening months, the more common definition of the word “cutback” began being applied everywhere, including things to which it had never been applied before. 

At this point, you’re probably ready for a good cutback, and, since we had an approved name and label and a great beer to go with it, we’ve got a great Cutback for you.