I managed to find a few local breweries that I did not know at Brew at the Zoo this weekend – score! Down the Road Brewery and Percival Beer Company were founded or launched in 2013 and promise to add new local flavor to current Boston-area offerings.

Donovan Bailey founded Down The Road Brewery this year, with the goal to “balance between history, tradition and innovation.” The Brewery, currently located in Newton Highlands, is currently raising funding to procure new digs with a 3 barrel brewing capacity. Down the Road hopes to be up and running, complete with a tasting room, in 6 months.

Bailey uses his 20 years of brewing experience to emulate and improve traditional ale and lager styles of beer, studying historical brewing techniques whenever he creates a new beer. He currently offers four beers, all over 11% ABV. T-34 is named after the WWII Russian T-34 tank. A classic Russian Imperial Stout, it is dark, rich and smooth, featuring tastes of malt, chocolate, coffee, and dried fruit. Wayne’s Wee Heavy is crafted applying traditional techniques to traditional ingredients, resulting in a malty Scottish ale with notes of chocolate, toffee, and dried fruits. Hopheads will take pleasure in trying Quadrupled, the Hop Monster. Bailey dry hops this beer four times and keeps the malt profile to a minimum, resulting in a piney, citrusy, very dry double imperial IPA. A Belgian Quadruple Ale named Angel’s Breath rounds out Down the Road’s beer selection. Typical of Belgian ales, its nose is all banana and cloves, but once it hits the tongue, the taster is rewarded with a rounded maltiness, and notes of dried fruits and dark chocolate.

Percival Beer Company (PBC) is an independent craft beer micro-brewer and distributor. Felipe Oliveira, a 36-year-old Milton resident who grew up in Dorchester, founded the brewery in 2011 and officially launched the brand early this year. PBC is currently seeking a main office and distribution warehouse in Dorchester (Dot), a diverse community known in recent decades for “dilapidated homes, vacant store fronts and unsafe streets.” However, the brewery recognizes the more recent “invigorating spirit of innovation and positivity sweeping the neighborhood,” and has announced its mission “to promote localization and inspire the Dorchester community to reinvent and innovate.”

The brewery takes pride in brewing light and simple craft beer that is not intimidating to commercial beer drinkers but still tasty to craft beer drinkers. The Kompadre Lager, an homage to a Cape Verdean word that describes the bond developed amongst family and friends, is a crisp lager with a strong hop aftertaste. The Dot Ale 360 – a light pale ale – pours amber in color and offers a balanced hop profile. There are rumors of an IPA in the making, but it appears that Dorchester and beyond will have to wait to taste!

For all of you Bostonians, there are new tastes to experience! Go find them!