Boston Beer Bars

A Beer with Your Frites - Saus

2011-12-09T13:04:00.001-05:00

Saus, the little Belgian cafe known for tasty frites and waffles in Faneuil Hall, recently got approval to start serving beer on location. Here is a sneak peak at their preliminary bottle and draught list:

Bottles/Cans
Gulden Draak
Piraat
Lindemans Frambroise and Peche
Duvel
Corsendonk
Wittekerke
Sixpoint Sweet Action
Trappistes Rochefort
Left Hand Milk Stout
Smuttynose Old Brown Dog Ale
Naragansett
Mystic Saison

Draught:
Pretty Things Jack DÓr
Ommegang Three Philosophers
La Chouffe
Unibroue Maudite
Lagunitas Little Sumpin Sumpin
Slumbrew Portter Square Porter
Crispin Cider
Ipswich Oatmeal Stout

A fantastic list of beers that's sure to be a welcomed addition to the area, which currently lacks bars serving better beer (with the exception of The Kinsale). I walked in last night (12/8) and it didn't appear that they were serving yet; I imagine they have to do some prep work with coolers, tap lines, etc. Can't wait for these guys to get this beer program rolling.

We've Got Cone-age!

2011-08-08T19:48:00.000-04:00

Almost three months after planting my Cascade rhizome, I've finally got some defined cones:

We left for the weekend and when we came back, these were hanging from the bines. The hops had started flowering two or three weeks ago, but this was the first formed cones. I'm not sure how much bigger they'll get, but once I make an actual harvest I'll be sure to post more.

Growing Hops in the City

2011-07-09T14:38:00.002-04:00

While living in a city definitely has it's ups for beer enthusiasts, the city home brewer is faced with a few more challenges than suburb dwellers. The biggest of these challenges is space - whether it's having to brew in the kitchen or find the environment to store and ferment beers, this is the biggest complaint I've heard from city home brewers. The other challenge is that most people in the city rent, which means there is a limited amount of work you can do to your unit or property. These same issues come up with trying to grow hops (and gardening in general, really). But if you have a back porch or small outdoor area that gets decent sunlight, a little ingenuity and a trip to the hardware store will get you a convenient set up.

The Hop Rhizome and Planting Environment

There are a large number of hop varieties that exist, and when it comes time to decide what you want to grow, you should consider your growing space and local climate. This was my first attempt at growing hops, and I knew I wanted something versatile, resilient, and relatively high-yielding. I purchased two Cascade rhizomes from Freshops.com, and they arrived in bubble wrap bags within a week.

Once I had the hop rhizomes, I took a trip to the local hardware store and purchased the following items for planting:

15" tall plastic planter
organic potting soil w/ fertilizer
6 foot plastic stake
gardening twine

There are plenty of resources on the web on how to plant the rhizome, but some important notes are 1) plant the rhizome with the shoots facing up, 2) plant it so the top is only a few inches below the surface of the soil, 3) make sure the soil is well aerated and can easily drain, and 4) plant the rhizome in early-mid Spring. Planting the rhizome is not difficult, and a big enough planter has plenty of room for the roots to establish.

Growing and Maintaining the Plant

It took almost two weeks for the first shoot to break the soil when I planted my Cascade rhizome. But once it was able to capture some sunlight, it took off. I used a plastic gardening stake as a means to hold a few strands of twine to create a small trellis. This should really be set up when you plant the rhizome so that no roots are damaged later on. Once the first hop shoot pops up, you want to slowly "train" the plant to grow up the twine. This won't be difficult to do, as the plant will hunt for something to grasp on to.

After a month the hops reached the top of the 6 foot stake and needed more room to grow. My solution was to tie a piece of twine from the top of our patio and let it hang down to the top of the stake. You can loop the twine throughout your patio or deck in a way that you'd like the hop to grow, although it will likely still take a bit of training.

Update: Here is the plant as of 7/10:

The Cascade hop rhizome has now grown to a plant that if laid out straight would be at least 15 feet tall. Smaller stems continue to expand out and off the main bine, which also is continuing to get thicker and sturdier. Once it comes time to harvest, I'll post up some more information on how successful I was.

Infinium Tasting at Sam Adams Brewery

2011-01-30T21:55:00.000-05:00

Although I've been living in Jamaica Plain for over 6 months, I had never visited the Sam Adams brewery. So when I found out that Gilt City Boston was hosting an Infinium tasting and a brewery tour, we had to check it out! To make things even better, Jim Koch, the founder of Sam Adams, was giving the tour.

Jim Koch is an interesting man. Not only did he create the recipe for one of the best selling American craft beers, but he's got a good wit about him. Among his stories, jabs at the "big guys", and general banter, I managed to note some of the more interesting topics that came up on his tour of the brewery:

The original Jamaica Plain brewery is actually leased by Boston Beer Company, they do not own the property
Jim Koch comes from a family of brewers-generations before him were brewers. Jim Koch was the first to breakthrough the competition and maintain the profitable and productive brewery that stands today.
It was apparent during the tour that the average age of attendees was somewhere between mid 20s to mid 30s. Jim admitted and made it clear that this demographic was the future of craft beer.
Sam Adams 48 IPA, which was only released for the first time in 2010, is the only India Pale Ale to use hops from three different countries: Germany, UK, and the US.

However, the star of the night was Infinium: a collaboration between Boston Beer Company, the largest craft brewer in the US, and Weihenstephen, the oldest continuously operating brewery in the world. The beer was presented in Champagne style flute glasses, sporting the Infinium logo in gold lettering. The beer was brewed as a traditional ale under the German Reinheitsgebot, however it was finished and stored as a Champagne. This storage allowed the beer to finish light and refreshing, with a fairly high carbonation.

Thanks again to Boston Beer Company, Gilt City Boston, and Jim Koch for an awesome night and great beer!

Pumpkin Fest, Belgian Beer Fest, & Insane Tap Lists

2010-10-29T17:53:00.006-04:00

Thanks to breweries and beer organizations both local and from afar, Boston is getting spoiled over the next week and a half in terms of awesome beer events. The two big events are at the beginning and end of the stint - Cambridge Brewing Company's Annual Pumpkin Festival and BeerAdvocate's Belgian Beer Fest.

Best Use of Pumpkins...Ever!

Tomorrow marks the third annual Cambridge Brewing Company Pumpkin Festival, which entails costumes, pumpkin beers, and a 150 pound pumpkin which is actually used as a vessel to serve beer!

The beer list is incredible, specifically CBC's unique pumpkin beers: a Pumpkin Saison with Curry Spices, Pumpkin Barleywine, Barrel aged Wild Pumpkin Porter, and the list goes on.

When - Saturday, October 30th @ 4pm
Where - Cambridge Brewing Company, Cambridge, MA
Cost - $10 at the door and pay per serving (admission includes pint glass!)

Tomme Takes Over Armsby Abbey

Smack dab in the middle of the week is an event at Armsby Abbey in Worcester. Tomme Arthur from Lost Abbey/Pizza Port is taking over the tap lines - 22 taps of pure California goodness! The tap lines will be filled with rarities such as Devotion, 2008 Older Viscosity, Cuvee de Tomme, and Double Fruit Framboise. The specifics on this event are available over at BeerAdvocate.

When - Wednesday, November 3rd @ 6pm
Where - Armsby Abbey, Worcester, MA
Cost - Free admission, pay per serving

EDIT - Alec from Armsby posted on BA that Cuvee de Tomme will NOT be available at the event...according to Tomme, "its not ready yet."

Belgium in Boston

BeerAdvocate rounds out the week with the great Belgian Beer Fest and all the festivities that go along with it. While the actual festival may be well sold out, you can still get your fix of Belgium with events at The Publick House and Lord Hobo.

BBF Pre Party

Starting at 6pm on Thurday (11/4), The Publick House will be hosting the official BBF Pre-Party with co-hosts BeerAdvocate and Allagash. In addition to the expansive Belgian beer menu that The Publick House normally boasts, Allgash will be pouring a number of rare and exciting beers, including a coolship offering, Larry (wild ale), Avance (BSDA), and the two beers specifically made for the BBF - Big Little Beer and Little Big Beer.

When - Thursday, November 4th @ 6pm
Where - The Publick House, Brookline, MA
Cost - Free admission, pay per serving

NoTF and Lord Hobo Post Party

Friday is holds the infamous Night of the Funk, in which brewers from around the world come to show off the funkiest, tartest, most delicious beers that they could conjure up. Don't feel left out if you can't make it, Lord Hobo is throwing a serious party with vintages of Cantillon and Drie Fonteinen. The beer list posted on the BeerAdvocate event page also mentions multiple Mikkeller kegs, Jolly Pumpkin, and some Belgian classics such as De Ranke.

When - Friday, November 5th @ 6pm
Where - NOTF @ Cyclorama in South End, Post Party at Lord Hobo in Cambridge, MA
Cost - NOTF is soldout! Lord Hobo is free admission, pay per serving

BBF Sessions 1 & 2

The main two session of the Belgian Beer Fest take place on Saturday, with Session 1 running from 1pm to 4:30pm and Session 2 running from 6pm to 9:30pm. I'll be attending the day session, and based on previous BeerAdvocate events, expecting a great time with amazing beers.

When - Saturday, November 6th @ 1pm and 6pm
Where - Cyclorama in Boston South End, MA
Cost - Both sessions are soldout!

Take advantage of these events! Boston is lucky to have the beer scene it has and it pays off for all who want to enjoy!

Homebrewing: JP Pale Ale

2010-09-17T11:31:00.000-04:00

The Fall season and cooler temperatures in New England lend themselves perfectly to home brewing in a city apartment. It's not always easy to maintain a consistent temperature without a basement or extra fridge, and an overheating fermenter is usually dealt with a cold, wet towel and a fan. With the weather this past weekend being relatively cool, I decided to brew a simple American Pale Ale. I didn't want this ale to be overly bitter, but still wanted to have a refreshing hoppiness to it. A 45 minute boil was done with a slight emphasis on finishing hops, and the shorter boil time also reduces the amount of boil-off.

JP Pale Ale

3.5 gallon boil volume
3 gallon batch (15% boil-off)

Grain Bill:
3# Extra Light DME
.5# Crystal 40L

Late extract additions: half the extract at 30 minutes, and 1/2 at 15 minutes

Hop Schedule (1 oz. Cascade & 1 oz. Centennial):
.5oz Cascade and .1oz Centennial @ 45 min.
.2oz Centennial @ 15 min.
.25oz Cascade @ 10 min.
.25oz Cascade and .2oz Centennial @5 min.

Pitched Nottingham dry yeast @ 75F

Dry hop with .5oz Centennial once target FG is reached

Targets:
OG: 1.047
FG: 1.012
IBU: 38
ABV: 4.5%

I'll follow up in a few weeks time with a review of how it came out.

American Craft Beer Week Events in the Boston Area

2010-05-17T12:33:00.010-04:00

American Craft Beer Week officially started today, May 17th, and continues through May 23rd. The week commemorates small, independent craft brewers, and we, the drinkers, get to help celebrate by consuming some of America's finest craft beer. Between the American Craft Beer Week website and BeerAdvocate, I've compiled the following list of some beer events that will be going on around Boston and Massachusetts:

Rock Bottom Brewery

Between the hours of 5 and 7 P.M. from the 17th to the 19th, Rock Bottom will be giving open house tours with the brewers.

Harpoon Brewery

Harpoon Brewery will be hosting a special beer tasting on Wednesday, May 19th at the Boston brewery at 6 P.M.

Armsby Abbey Beer Geek Week

The people over at Armsby Abbey in Worcester are hosting Beer Geek Week with a killer line-up of beers. They are tapping the first beers today, Monday the 17th, and will continue to run through the full list. More info is available at the BeerAdvocate event page.

Amherst Brewing

Amherst Brewing is holding a Craft Beer Week which starts today, Monday the 17th. More information can be found at the BeerAdvocate event page.

Cape Cod Beer

Cape Cod Beer in Hyannis will be offering free brewery tours at 11 A.M. on Tuesday the 18th.

Mayflower Brewing Company

On Saturday the 22nd, Mayflower Brewing in Plymouth will be hosting a special brewery tasting with beer samples, food, and live music. The cost is $10 at the door.

Haverhill Brewery / The TAP

Haverhill Brewery and The TAP will be releasing Special Reserves and seasonal beers this week. More information to follow on their website: http://www.tapbrewpub.com/

For more Craft Beer Week events and information, visit the American Craft Beer Week Events page. And if I missed any that you know of, let me know and I will update the list.

Also, while I'm not sure they intended to hold this festival during American Craft Beer Week, Julio's is hosting their Spring BeerFest on Sunday, May 23nd from 1 to 4 P.M.. I've been to one of these festivals before, and it was a great time with a solid variety of beer to sample. Plus, Julio's selection is tough to beat, so you'll probably come back with some treats. More information can be found at the BeerAdvocate event page and at the Julio's website.

EDIT: Learned of another ACBW event going on, this one being hosted by the guys over at Beeriety. The event is on Thursday night, 8 P.M. at Charlie's Kitchen in Harvard Square. According to the event's page, it is co-hosted with the Boston Tumblrs group.

Deep Ellum and the Rest of the Best

2010-04-15T11:36:00.006-04:00

The Boston Phoenix released the 2010 Best of Boston Winners yesterday, and Deep Ellum took home some top awards. Getting hailed as the best bar in Boston is quite the achievement, and I personally wouldn't have it any other way. What's more is that the one of the guys behind the success of Deep Ellum won Boston's best bartender: Max Toste. Definitely a well-deserved title, Max is an awesome bartender and a great guy. My first visits to Deep Ellum and guidance from Max got me entrenched in the world of craft beer. He can make a damn good Manhattan, too.

Allston also scooped up a few other awards, as alluded to by the folks over at Allston City Limits. Blanchard's got the award for Best Wine and Liquor Store (they also have a fairly robust beer selection), and Sunset Grill and Tap picked up Best Beer Selection (which as a title in terms of quantity, serves that place pretty well).

While there are only a handful of bars that can be chosen as the "best," there are dozens of other top establishments serving up well-crafted food and drinks across Boston which shouldn't be overlooked.

Bruery/Ithaca Dinner at Cambridge Common

2010-02-21T13:26:00.002-05:00

Starting off a beer dinner with Black Tuesday and LeBleu is definitely one way to introduce a week full of Extreme Beer. And the minds who put together Tuesday's beer dinner at Cambridge Common did just that. The Bruery and Ithaca Beer collaborated by pairing up some of their best beers with some hearty, tasty fare to match. With 12 different beers being offered (yeah, 12!), ranging from a lavender witbier to a 19.5% bourbon barrel-aged stout, this event was the perfect start to the week leading up to BeerAdvocate's Extreme Beer Fest.

As I mentioned, the event started off with some 4 oz. pours of Black Tuesday and LeBleu. Having heard so much about these, I was eager to try both of them. I can say that the amount of credit given to Black Tuesday is rightly served, as this beer was amazing and incredibly smooth for being 19.5%. It was an interesting being paired with LeBleu, a sour blueberry ale, and fell on almost the complete opposite of the spectrum in every aspect.

We were seated at the long table in the middle of the room, with about 20 other attendees. The atmosphere was friendly and everyone was excited to talk about the beer and upcoming festival. The courses and subsequent beer pairings came out at a good pace, with enough time to enjoy the qualities of each beer, but not leave us wanting for more too quickly. Our first course was fries and aioli sauce, served with Ithaca's AlphAlpha and The Bruery's Mischief. Mischief is an extremely cirtusy, hoppy Belgian style pale ale, and was one of my favorites from the night. Patrick Rue mentioned that it soon should be available in 750ml bottles around the Boston area.

Mussels and a scallop entree were both served with lighter styles from the two brewers, as The Bruery served Orchard White and Saison de Lente, while Ithaca brought out White Gold and Ground Break. Ground Break is a new release from Ithaca, and was well-received by all. Refreshing and bursting with a taste of pineapple, this Saison style beer went extremely well with the seafood dishes.

The highlight in terms of food/beer combination for this dinner had to be the waffle dessert with Ithaca's Brute. Brute, a 6.5% wild ale, has a punchy tartness and is unbelievably drinkable and delicious. The sour aspects of the beer along with the sugar provided in the cream topped waffle complimented each other beautifully.

In all, a delicious dinner and positive first trip to Cambridge Common. We will be back for sure, and hoping to attend future beer dinners.

Harpoon Brewery Tour and Filming at CBC

2010-02-09T12:20:00.005-05:00

Thanks to an awesome girlfriend and group of friends, this past weekend was pretty kickass. On Friday night I was thrown a surprise birthday party, with friends who traveled from all over New England. Even a friend from the far corner of the US flew over to celebrate. Tiny glasses of Mexican liquor and easy-drinking beer was consumed...rather heavily. Although the night did a number on us, we arose the next day looking for a little beer adventure. Figuring as how you, the reader, are likely here for the beer, I thought I'd share our experience. What started off as a trip to the Harpoon Brewery ended up as a day dedicated to local beer and quite possibly an appearance on a new TV show.

I've only been to the Harpoon Brewery for their festivals and once for a beer tasting, so after 5+ years in Boston a brewery tour was long overdue. For $5 you get a solid 30 minute tour and 25 minutes of drinking in the tasting room, which includes 10 or so fresh Harpoon beers. The tour is what you'd expect, with an explanation of the Harpoon brewing process and walk-through of the entire facility. Highlight of the tour: you do get some super fresh Harpoon IPA straight from the conditioning tank, which we all agreed, is better than when it comes on draught. No where near as clear, little carbonation, and much hoppier...it is a treat.

One of the other reasons I wanted to check out Harpoon was because they were featuring the newest 100 Barrel Series beer in the tasting room, the Island Creek Oyster Stout. Just to clarify, this beer does not taste like oysters, although I believe they are thrown into the boil. I was more curious than anything else to try a beer brewed that was actually brewed with oysters.

After sampling an array of Harpoon beers, our 25 minutes were up and we took off from the South Boston brewer. Looking for some more fresh beer, one place came to mind: Cambridge Brewing Company. Upon arrival, the place was pretty quiet (which was awesome), and half the restaurant looked like a Hollywood set. If some of you haven't heard, some filming has been taking place at Cambridge Brewing Company for a new Discovery Channel show. They are filming the pilot episode at CBC, and the chosen host (dude with the racing striped goatee, who I did not get the name of) apparently owns a number of brewpubs across the country.

Besides the excitement of possibly being filmed for a TV show, the beer at CBC was (and always is) the highlight. Tripel Threat, Charles River Porter, Big Man Ale, Weekapaug Gruit, and Blunderbuss were the chosen ones during our trip.

As I received my last beer, a little treasure was put on rotation - 2007 YouEnjoyMyStout. As a personal favorite offering from CBC, the wonderful bartender kindly bestowed a little tasting upon us.

Sadly, our mini-beer adventure had to come to an end. What I thought was going to be a typical Boston weekend, turned out to be one for the ages. While the passion for beer is evident on this blog and typically the main focus, it doesn't come close to the feelings I have towards friends that made this weekend unforgettable. Cheers to all who made it so special!

A Bostonian's Beer Guide to Prague

2010-01-15T16:35:00.008-05:00

Prauge, Czech Republic...New Year's Eve. Not really sure what I was expecting out of this trip, but I knew a few things about Prague: "cabarets" are in abundance (which in Prague boils down to a strip club); its damn cold even by New England standards; and the Pilsner rules. Well I didn't visit any cabaret's and the weather was unseasonably warm in the mid-40s, but I did get to try out Prague's beer scene, along with variety of pilsners and lagers.

View Prague Trip in a larger map

The map above highlights some of the popular beer bars and brewpubs that we tried to venture to, and in the end we were able to make it to U Zlateho Tygra, U Fleku, Pivovarsky Klub, Minipivovar U Medvídků, and Barego at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel.

Our first night we stayed around Old Town Square and went to some of the bars that border the square. Although touristy (and thus a bit more expensive), the views and atmosphere are great.

On New Year's Eve we decided to make a journey around the city, starting in Old Town Square, strolled across the Charles Bridge, visited The Lennon Wall, and stopped in at a few of the bars. U Fleku, a traditional and popular Prague brewpub, was first on the list. U Fleku only serves one beer, a dark 5% lager, that is highly acclaimed and gets praise from beer drinkers around the world. While a lager, it is similar to a stout and has a bit of tartness to it. The beer does live up to the expectation, and was hands down the best beer I had while in Prague. U Fleku itself is a great bar with an awesome atmosphere; the 2-man band come around with tuba and accordion, and the goulash is delicious. If visiting Prague again, this would be my number one go to.

Our next stop after U Fleku was another brewpub, Minipivovar U Medvídků. While the atmosphere didn't match U Fleku, Medvídků has a variety of house beers, including a 12% strong ale - X33. Strong and sweet, this beer had a dominating presence of molasses and fairly thick mouthfeel. However, for a 12% beer the drinkability was definitely there and would easily go back for more; it actually reminded me of Double Arrogant Bastard.

Minipivovar U Medvídků had a few other beers, including two smaller lagers, both which appeared to be unfiltered and had a very malty backbone. Interesting and worth at least a small serving.

Before heading back to our hotel to get ready for New Year's Eve celebrations, we stopped in for a beer at U Zlateho Tygra, which (I believe) translates to "At the Golden Tiger". The only beer served was Pilsner Urquell in large mugs, but everything is done quickly and it's clear the motive of this place is to drink your beer. There weren't any open tables and it looked like only locals were standing around the bar conversing with the man in charge, so we ordered our beers and stood off to the side. A very different(and smoky) experience, but a memorable one at that.

New Year's Day was a slow start, but by noon we had made it out of the hotel and wandered over to Mala Strana, eventually settling down at the Mandarin Oriental hotel. The hotel itself is beautiful and built within an old monastery, with elements of the old buildings still intact. The hotel bar, Barego, had an impressive Czech craft beer menu. Prices were reasonable given the variety and serving sizes.

While I was looking for information on beer bars in Prague, I actually came across a group that looked like it rented out the hotel's wine cellar for beer tastings. The beautiful cellar is located below the restaurant and is walled with exposed brick; it is probably one of the most unique and extravagant tasting rooms I've ever seen.

All told, Prague was a great trip and definitely has a unique beer scene, dominated by a variety of pilsners and lagers. If you happen to make a trip, U Fleku and Minipivovar U Medvídků are the two brewpubs to visit, while U Zlateho Tygra and Barego have their own appealing settings and offerings. And if you do visit Prague, make sure you don't forget the true drinking essentials.

Lord Hobo "Official" Opening on Wednesday the 18th

2009-11-16T14:08:00.001-05:00

If you've browsed the Boston section on BeerAdvocate.com over the past several months, chances are you've probably seen discussion around Lord Hobo, particularly about when it will actually open. Well the bar's owner, Daniel Lanigan, has made somewhat of an official announcement on BeerAdvocate that the bar will open up this Wednesday, November 18th. Boston beer lovers, your wish has been granted. Although the bar might be jammed, I will try and make it over for the opening night. For those who haven't checked out the menu, it is available on the Lord Hobo website:

http://www.lordhobo.com/

The menu looks to have some tasty plates and the opening draught list is impressive; I'm pulling for Lord Hobo to live up to the anticipation.

Ramping Up for Boston's Belgian Beer Week

2009-09-29T12:15:00.008-04:00

With Oktoberfest festivities coming to an end this week, Boston beer lovers have got something great to look forward to: The Return of the Belgian Beer Fest, hosted by BeerAdvocate on October 16th and 17th. Two days of Belgian and Belgian-inspired beers from the a large number of breweries makes this a top event for the 2009 calendar. Not to be outdone by themselves in previous years, the Alstrom brothers have put together a themed Belgian Beer Week leading up to the festival. The scheduled events include an Ithaca beer dinner at Green Street on October 12th and a pre-festival party at The Asgard on October 15th. In addition to these events, a special beer dinner is being held at Eastern Standard on October 14th: Gallia Belgica. Not only is this sure to be an adventure for the pallet, but guests will include a handful of well-respected and renowned brewers: Tomme Arthur of Lost Abbey, Will Meyers of Cambridge Brewing Company, Patrick Rue of The Bruery, Dann Paquette of Pretty Things, and Rob Tod of Allagash.

Information on all these events and tickets for the Belgian Beer Festival can be found at BeerAdvocate.com. The tickets are selling fast, and ~~Night of the Funk tickets should be gone very soon~~ Night of the Funk has just sold out. I will be at NotF as a volunteer, and at Session One on Saturday as a drinker. Hoping to meet some great people and drink some awesome beer!

Duvel Green in Boston

2009-08-24T18:04:00.002-04:00

Duvel has made it's mark as one of the world's best beers, being extremely drinkable and culminating all that is a great Belgian beer. This week, Duvel USA is bringing a new addition to the Boston bar scene: Duvel Green. While this isn't an altogether new beer, it is new to the Boston area.

Also known as Duvel Draft, Duvel Green is available only in draft form and (apparently) tastes quite a bit different from the original. I assume much of this come from a lower alcohol content (6.8% for draft vs 8.1% for the original) and the fact that Duvel Green is not conditioned in the bottle. I have yet to try Duvel Green, but beer bars around Boston will be pouring this week, so it shouldn't be too difficult to track it down. Here is a list of local bars that are having "launch" parties and will be pouring Duvel Green:

Sunset Grill & Tap, Allston (Tuesday, 8pm)

The Publick House, Brookline (Tuesday - BA Event posting)

Deep Ellum, Allston (Wednesday)

Redbones, Somerville (Wednesday)

Jimmy's Pub, Mansfield (Wednesday)

Biltmore, Newton (Wednesday)

Armsby Abbey, Worcester (Thursday)

Sierra Grille, Northhampton (Thursday)

Old Forge Restaurant, Lanesboro (Thursday)

Mini-Belgian Beer Fest at Julio's on Sunday

2009-08-14T09:04:00.003-04:00

For those who just can't wait for BeerAdvocate's Belgian Beer Fest in October, Julio's Liquors in Westborough is throwing their 2nd Annual Belgian Beer Fest. The event is this Sunday, August 16th, and goes from 1pm to 4pm. In addition to the 25 confirmed brewers who will be pouring, there will be cheese and chocolate tastings to complement. For more details on the event, check out Julio's Event Calendar.

DrinkMaster Boston Groupon Deal - 7/31

2009-07-31T09:09:00.006-04:00

Today's Groupon Deal for Boston is pretty sweet...a DrinkMaster Bartending School program for only $150. The regular price is almost $450, so you're saving quite a bit of dough. I wish I had come across a deal like this a few years ago, I definitely would have jumped on it. I don't think my current schedule could work in shifts at a bar, but the certificate would still be a pretty sweet thing to have...Pick up the deal at Groupon Boston (the deal already has enough buyers, so it's a go!):

http://www.groupon.com/boston/

Pretty Things Latest Release - American Darling

2009-07-10T11:05:00.003-04:00

Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project seem to have been pretty busy over the past few months. It's like I'm always hearing their name mentioned for either a beer festival, a beer dinner, or probably the most exciting, a new beer release. According to their Facebook fan page, the release of their newest beer, American Darling, will be available on the "draught market" this weekend. American Darling is a pale lager, which seems to stray away from the current offerings that Pretty Things has on the market. I've enjoyed all the beers that Pretty Things has released so far, and a 7% ABV lager sounds damn refreshing, especially on a hot summer day. Possibly when even mowing the lawn?

*Photo courtesy of Pretty Things Website*

7/16 UPDATE: Just picked up a bottle of this from Blanchard's in Allston yesterday, so it is now available for store purchase.

Updated Boston Beer Map

2009-07-09T10:14:00.002-04:00

I've recently updated the Boston beer map to include some recent visits and other bars that have great craft beer selections. I'll be adding in some different colored pins for Boston beer stores as well. I know I don't have everything, but if you have any suggestions for the map let me know!

A Bostonian's Beer Guide to Paris

2009-07-01T22:07:00.003-04:00

Before I left for my trip to Paris a couple weeks ago, I made a map of Paris beer bars that I was going to try and get to. While I didn't make it to all of them, I think we did a pretty good job considering we were only there for 2 nights. If you are going to Paris and want to venture into their local beer scene, here is a mini-guide that hopefully give you some good info.

La Cave à Bulles

One of the places that I really wanted to go in Paris was this beer store because of it's focus on French craft beer. I kid you not, this was the first place we went after dropping bags off at our hotel. A few blocks north of Notre Dame, off of Boulevard de Sebastopol, this beautiful little store sits down a side alley, tucked away from the more crowded streets. Upon entry, its evident the beers are well organized, making it simple for even the non-French speaking customers such as myself to navigate through the selection of bottles.

We were greeted by who I believe is the owner, Simon, asking if we needed any help. I told him how I heard about the store on a beer website, to which he replied, "BeerAdvocate?" Well aware of his popularity among American beer geeks, he was extremely nice and helped me pick out a selection of French craft beers that may suit my tastes. The prices were relatively cheap, especially when compared to going around bars in Paris. I drank some of the beer in the hotel, and brought a few back to the States.

I don't know why, but this was one of the coolest beer stores I have ever been in. Maybe it was because I was in a completely different country where I barely spoke the language, but the love for great beer was still apparent.

Au Trappiste

By time we had left La Cave à Bulles we got a bit hungry, and I knew that Au Trappiste was in the general area. After a healthy bit of exploring through the busy streets, we found Au Trappiste on the lower part of Saint Denis. The brasserie isn't located on the part which is mainly pedestrian walking, it actually sits on the drivable part of Saint Denis.

There is a fair amount of seating outside at Au Trappiste, however it was pretty busy when we went, so we had to find a table inside. We were greeted by a friendly waiter who took us to a table right by the bar on the first floor.

Au Trappiste offers up a pretty solid selection of Belgian and French beers, as well as the usual French fare. We had a great cheese plate, and for beer we went with a 750ml of La Choulette Blonde, which was served with the appropriate branded glassware...always a nice touch.

In all, Au Trappiste is a place to enjoy local craft beers in a busy part of Paris.

Falstaff Bastille

I came across two different Falstaff brasseries in Paris, but the one we ventured to was in Bastille. We walked from Notre Dame, north to Rue de Rivoli, and down Saint Antoine until we got to the traffic circle where the Basille station is. On our walk there, it became apparent that we were definitely venturing into a more residential area with less tourists, which seemed to translate into more French speaking only places. But this wasn't necessarily a bad thing, as it kind of added to the experience.

Falstaff Bastille has a larger outdoor seating area than Au Trappiste, and appeared to have a larger beer selection as well. While there we had a few Belgians, including some krieks and gueuze.

The atmosphere was pretty cool, and there was plenty to watch between the street performers, large traffic circle and people bustling from the train station. While I wouldn't make this a must stop beer bar because of its location, it is nice to get away from the more tourist central locations. However when we left, the walk we took down Boulevard Henri IV towards Ile Saint Louis was nice, especially once we reached the island.

Frog and Princess

The Frog bars had been recommended to me by a couple of friends, particularly the Frog and Princess. Seeing as it was only a 10 minute walk from our hotel, we decided to check it out the first night we were there. After a late dinner, we walked in around midnight to a pretty low key, but fun setting. The great thing about the Frog bars is that they are a chain of brewpubs; the menu below shows what their own selection of beers was.

However, when we went back to the Frog and Princess the next night (Thursday) it was a completely different scene. Think Faneuil Hall on a Friday night. Now substitute college kids from Boston with college kids from Paris. While it was a great place on Wednesday, I would think about what kind of scene you are looking for before jumping at the Frog and Princess.

While I wasn't able to hit all the places I had laid out on the Paris beer map, I definitely got a good taste of the beer scene in Paris. The only place that I was unable to get to that I wanted to was Académie De La Bière, but was just a little too far away to be convenient.

I hope this mini-guide comes in helpful for any beer lovers traveling to Paris.

Exploring the Paris Beer Scene

2009-06-19T16:23:00.006-04:00

So I'm setting off tonight for England to watch the British Grand Prix, and then to Paris for a couple nights. Although I'll be missing the beer festivities at ACBF, I am going to try and make up for it while in Paris by hitting up some beer bars and stores. With the help of recommendations from friends and doing some research on beer sites, I think I've compiled a pretty solid list of beer places to seek out while in Parisian land.

View Paris Beer Bars in a larger map

I read some reviews of a few of these places on BeerAdvocate, and some sound pretty interesting. I am really going to try and get to La Cave à Bulles, a beer store which apparently focuses on French craft beer. I'll plan on bringing some back to the States with me, so long as I don't drink them before my return flight...

Tickets Still Available for American Craft Beer Festival!

2009-06-18T14:22:00.003-04:00

I just assumed that this was already sold out, but it looks like tickets are still available for BeerAdvocate's American Craft Beer Festival this Friday and Saturday! This weekend is going to be a wash, so if you have any interest in beer you need to check this festival out. As I mentioned yesterday, the beer line-up is awesome and it will be a great atmosphere. You can get tickets via the BeerAdvocate Website, or possibly at some beer bars across the city, including Deep Ellum, Sunset Grill & Tap, and the Lower Depths to name a few. However, I'm not sure what the deal with their availability is.

BeerAdvocate Recognition and ACBF

2009-06-17T10:47:00.002-04:00

Boston.com has a great article on BeerAdvocate and the Alström brothers (thanks to Jordan for passing along), which discusses how BA was founded, the story behind BA's success, and what they've done with the craft brewing industry.

Not only is the BA Website and magazine great for beer drinkers to go read up on beer reviews and find out about events and releases, it holds a real power for brewers. David Yarrington of Smuttynose Brewing sums up this power nicely, saying "we don't have the dollars to spend on marketing or advertising...The ability to generate these underground buzzes is something we can't buy." I can think of a number of beers which I never heard of, but then read something about them on BA or other beer sites and was instantly curious as to what this beer was like. The article mentions the Portsmouth Brewery's Kate the Great, which got a cult-like following with the help of community sites like BA. Now there is an annual Kate the Great Day, where enthusiasts meet at the brewery on the release day of Kate the Great. I can't imagine there is much advertising done by Portsmouth Brewery, but the way that they have embraced this following is a great example of how craft brewers can reap the benefits of organizations like BA.

On a semi-related note, BA is hosting the American Craft Beer Festival this Friday and Saturday. It should be a great time, with a seriously impressive brewer line-up, sporting 300+ beers over the 2 days.

Harpoon Summer Session this Weekend

2009-06-04T16:18:00.003-04:00

Boston is consistently getting some 70 degree weather, so I think it's safe to call it summer around here. And with the onset of such pleasant weather comes the popularity of delicious summer brews. This weekend Harpoon Brewery is throwing down their Summer Session in good ol' Harpoon Brewery fashion...parking lots, tents, live music and "why-am-I-paying-$5-for-a-beer-when-I'm-at-the-brewery" pints of Harpoon. If you've been to a Harpoon festival you know the scene, and it can be a good time, especially with good music. This year's music line-up sounds promising, with both DJs (namely RageFoxx and Baltimorodor duo of Boston's own HeartThrob) and bands including the lively Televandals.

Here are the quick details of the event:

Friday 6/5 - 5:30pm-11pm
Saturday 6/6 - 3pm-11pm
Cover is $20 and includes souvenir pint glass and one drink ticket
CASH BAR - $5 a pint
Expected beers on tap - Summer Ale, IPA, UFO selections (White and Original)

Cough Up the Change for That Beer

2009-05-20T09:57:00.006-04:00

As I'm sure many of you Massachusetts residents now know, the state Senate approved a sales tax increase last night, increasing the rate from 5% to 6.25%. I imagine if this type of change was made and nobody was informed, maybe 1 in 50 would actually notice the extra $0.60 on their $50 purchase. However, if you were buying $50 worth of beer before, more people may notice the extra $3.10 they would have to cough up. That's because along with this tax hike, beer, wine and liquor are no longer exempt from the state's sales tax.

The tax really is more of an inconvenience than anything for the consumer. I can really only see this new tax affecting those who buy in bulk or frequently purchase high-priced alcohol. However, for the people who go out and buy a 6 or 12-pack of beer once a week, I don't see this changing purchasing habits. I don't see people shifting from more premium, craft beer to cheaper macro-beers just because of the tax, either. That being said, maybe Massachusetts liquor stores who generate large incomes from those who do buy in bulk will suffer. Either way, the newly added sales tax doesn't help deter the nickname "Taxachusetts.".

Will this new sales tax affect your beer/wine/liquor purchasing habits?

CBC 20th Anniversary Party

2009-05-08T15:55:00.002-04:00

This weekend Cambridge Brewing Company is throwing a party for their 20th birthday/anniversary. The party starts today (Friday) at 5pm at their brewpub in Kendall Square, Cambridge. They will also be celebrating tomorrow starting at 5pm. Number of cool things about this little celebration: 1) they will be turning the outdoor patio into a beer garden with tents, live music and CBC goodies to give away (looks to be raffles and stuff). Second awesome thing about this party is the beer list. According to the BeerAdvocate post, there will be 31 different beers served over the weekend...that is damn impressive. I'm hoping to get over there tonight for a few.

Eventful Week for Boston Beer Lovers

2009-04-19T14:20:00.004-04:00

Starting this Tuesday, the 21st of April, Boston's beer scene gets put into overdrive with the start of the Craft Brewers Conference at the Seaport Hotel and World Trade Center. This conference brings together brewers and other vendors from across the globe, culminating a true global beer scene in the city of Boston.

While the conference is largely focused on industry members, like brewers, distributors, etc., it brings with it a large number of events that us consumers can take part of. From beer dinners to special beer nights, any beer lover should be able to find something of interest this week. To find a comprehensive list of events going on this week, take a look at BeerAdvocate's Events Calendar; just filter by Massachusetts as the location.

Whether it's attending a dinner with beer pairings, or a simple night out at a bar with a featured brewery, make sure to indulge in the global beer scene in Boston this week.

The Stone IPA/Smoked Porter Blend

2009-04-15T20:31:00.002-04:00

A couple months ago I had posted about this surprisingly delicious IPA-Porter blend I had at Boston Beer Works. It was so interesting so I decided I'd try to recreate something similar using some Stone brews. So the other weekend I finally got around trying out this beer blend, using Stone's IPA and Smoked Porter.

While both these beers are beauties by themselves, I was hoping together they would make something just as (and maybe even more) enjoyable. Here is what the actual blend looked like...

You can kind of see it keeps most the color from the porter, but actually gains a bit of transparency once mixed with the IPA. The smokiness kind of takes over the beer, but the hops from the IPA definitely comes through towards the end of each sip, which is what I thought was so cool about the BBW blend. I blended half and half, and with the Smoked Porter in at 5.9% ABV and the IPA at 6.9% ABV, there wasn't any drastic change in alcohol content. The drinkability was alright, but we decided to enjoy the remainder of each bottle as how Stone intended them.

Although this blend didn't seem to work as well as what Beer Works was pulling off (not really a suprise), it was still interesting and definitely something different to drink. I know porters typically have that "smokey" flavor to them and I don't know if Stone's is a more intense version, but a less smokey porter might have worked better. I'd like to try some other blends, but I'm not sure what would work well together. I'll have to do some searching to see what maybe other brewers are coming up with or if any home brewers have had success with beer blending.

Previous B-Side Lounge (now Lord Hobo) Update

2009-04-10T16:48:00.005-04:00

Andy Crouch from BeerScribe.com has been updating readers on the status of the proposed beer bar that is taking the place of the old B-Side lounge (the new bar is to be called Lord Hobo).

Based on a previous post by Andy that included a large portion of commentary from the meeting between the owner and Cambridge City commission, it seems that there has been difficulties in transferring the bar's license. The commentary is actually pretty interesting because of the questions that are asked regarding last call times and opinions of the neighbors of the location speaking up; it also sheds light on the amount of work that owners must go through to get places like this up and running.

Andy's post today discussed the most recent (good) news, and it looks like the transfer of the license has been approved. From the BeerScribe.com article:

"After the debate, which included the concerned input of a member of the Cambridge City Council, the commission voted to allow the license transfer with several conditions. The commission is requiring the Lord Hobo to submit monthly revenue receipts to demonstrate that it really does achieve its stated food-to-alcohol ratio and that the license is conditionally only allowed until 1 a.m., with the agreement of Lanigan." - from BeerScribe.com

It's good to see this place is moving in a positive direction, and I'm looking forward to the actual opening of Lord Hobo.

Cask Offering at Jacob Wirth

2009-04-09T19:36:00.004-04:00

While browsing the BeerAdvocate forums, I saw a post about Jacob Wirth now offering cask conditioned beer (forum discussion here). It was posted back on March 20th, but someone had replied today and I caught it for the first time.

This is one of the bars in Boston which I haven't had a chance to check out, but would really like to. The menu looks great with German influences, and beer selection also seems promising...especially now with a cask offering.

10th Annual Boston Beer Summit

2009-04-03T12:53:00.004-04:00

It's that time of year again; the weather is warming up, patios are beginning to open, and the Beer Summit is set to host another one of its festivals. This year marks the 10th annual Boston Beer Summit...not sure if they are doing anything special for it, but the brewer line-up looks pretty impressive so far.

As usual there are three sessions: one on Friday night (April 17th) and two on Saturday (April 18th, afternoon and night sessions). Tickets for the Saturday night session are already sold out, so if you are looking to go it would probably be wise to buy soon. The 2008 Beer Summit was fun and had a solid line-up, plus the nice weather made for an even better day. Let's hope Boston can ditch this gloomy, rainy, April-showers stuff by then.

BrewDog at Deep Ellum Tomorrow Night

2009-03-19T13:29:00.004-04:00

Just received word via BeerAdvocate that James Watt from BrewDog, an amazing brewery in Scotland, will be at Deep Ellum tomorrow from 4 to 6pm for tastings. I've had a couple different BrewDog beers on trips over to England, including their Punk IPA and Hardcore DIPA, and it is great stuff. According to BA, they will have a barrel aged stout, new double IPA, a cask beer that looks to also be a DIPA (Zephyr), Atlantic IPA also from the cask, as well as other BrewDog "standards."

I am beyond excited for this. Come out and support BeerAdvocate (it is a BA sponsored event), Deep Ellum and BrewDog...hopefully they will find a new getaway home in Boston!

BeerAdvocate Sponsored Event Page - http://beeradvocate.com/events/info/23974

Happy St. Patty's Day

2009-03-17T09:09:00.002-04:00

Let's face it, this is a holiday to be celebrated by drinking beer. I know I'll be throwing back some Wexford Irish Cream Ale and Guinness...hope you will be doing some of the same.

IPA + Porter = Delicious

2009-02-24T16:49:00.000-05:00

I made a recent trip down to the Boston Beer Works by the Garden a couple Saturdays ago, and while there tried a beer recommended by the waiter - their IPA/Porter blend. I can't remember what they called it, but it was pretty damn good. So good in fact, that I am now thinking I need to start doing some of my own blending. I was thinking along the lines of a Stone Brewing blend, IPA with their Smoked Porter. If I go ahead with this I'll make sure to post up my thoughts on it.

Extreme Beer Fest Recap

2009-02-22T17:17:00.001-05:00

BeerAdvocate took over Boston's beer scene this weekend with their annual Extreme Beer Fest. With a pre-party on Thursday night, Night of the Barrels on Friday, two sessions on Saturday, and a post-party on Sunday morning, there was certainly plenty of beer to be enjoyed. Although the EBF has come and gone, it was an amazing event, with a enormously impressive line-up of brewers and extreme beers. I was able to attend session one on Saturday and snapped a few photos of some of the brewers, people and the event's cool venue, the Cyclorama.

A total of 33 breweries were at the Saturday sessions of the EBF, each on average bringing 3 or 4 of their deliciously extreme beers. Much of the country was represented, with West coast brewers such as Stone and Bear Republic, Dark Horse and Founder's from the Midwest, and a solid representation of local and East coast brewers, like Foothills Brewing of North Carolina.

Dogfish Head sponsored the event and had solid showing of beers, including the BeerAdvocate-Dogfish Head collaboration, the BA Select, or as voted by members of BeerAdvocate, "Up-Up-Down-Down-Left-Right-Left-Right-BA-Select."

I really enjoyed the event, and was able to try some of the best beers I've had in quite some time. For starters, I was finally able to try Troegs Nugget Nectar, which has this cult-like following...I now know why. A great local beer came from the Cambridge Brewing Company, a barley wine called Arquebus. One of the more unique beers that my friend and I kept on going back to was Foothills Double IPA, aged in bourbon barrels. The bourbon comes through in the beer's after taste, which was unbelievabley smooth and tasty. There were so many good offerings it is tough to recollect any other real specifics, but overall an awesome selection. Ultimately, all this beer drinking left us with some drunken creativity late in the session. We tried to show a small sampling of some of the beers available at the EBF.

To check out more photos of the Extreme Beer Fest, just head over to my Flickr photostream.

Dogfish Head Obsession

2009-02-12T22:30:00.007-05:00

I recently became infatuated with Dogfish Head beers. I've had a fair share of 60 Minute IPAs in the past, but at the Sun WineFest a few weekends ago I was able to sample a range of Dogfish Head beers and talk to the guy running their booth about the beers. So within the past few weeks, I have had been snatching up DFH wherever and whenever possible...a sixer of 60 Minute at Whole Foods...a serving of 120 Minute on draught down at Deep Ellum (which, at 20% ABV, will give you a swift kick for sure). And this week, a lovely lady was kind enough to bestow me with a pack of 90 Minute IPAs for my birthday.

I actually can't remember the last time I was able to appreciate a range of beers so much (namely, the 60, 90 and 120). You can taste the similarities between each upon the first taste, but they have their own complexities which make them so damn good and unique. As I right this I am wishing I had a bottle of each in front of me, but the 90 Minute has gone far beyond filling my needs for a delicious brew.

The beer pours amber/gold and rather clear (clearer than I expected), with nice head retention and solid lacing from start to finish. The taste and smell of this beer is pretty complex, with hops evident up front. Upon tasting, vanilla extract seems to come out first, and a trailing taste of licorice finishes. Ticking in at 9% ABV, it is on the boozey side, however the potency doesn't come through too much while drinking. More than the alcohol, the hops will be element that keeps reminding you of what you're drinking. If you are into IPAs I would definitely recommend this beer (and of course the 60 Minute). Since it is an Imperial IPA aka Double IPA, it is on the more potent side, but the drinkability is so good it really is tough to pass up.

The Sun WineFest '09

2009-01-19T12:51:00.011-05:00

Thanks to Michelle down at Mohegan Sun, I was able to get a couple passes to the 2009 Sun WineFest this past weekend. I attended the WineFest last year, but was excited to see what new brewers and distributors would be attending in 2009. The passes got us into the event before the public start time, so we were able to get a good fill of beers and wines with almost no wait. The wine, beer and food were all awesome, but the only thing missing from last year was the liquor distributors! Although I'm not 100% sure why they weren't there, I am pretty sure it's because it got very sloppy towards the later hours last year. I vaguely recall girls being carried out by friends and significant others (so you'd like to think at least).

Even though I was looking forward to tasting some whiskies, there were plenty of distributors and beers to keep us satisfied. There was a range of beers available, from craft brewers like Dogfish Head, Flying Dog, and Cisco, to more macro beers like Heineken, Anheuser-Busch and Diageo beers (Guinness, Harp, Smithwicks). One distributor had a great selection of craft and Belgian beers, so when we went in early on Sunday morning I made a point to go talk with him. After going through a few saisons, he poured out some of La Goudale, a French saison brewed by Les Brasseurs de Gayant. I'll be keeping an eye out for this beer in the local stores.

One of the highlights of the festival was Brooklyn's Local 2, which won't be coming out until March 2009. The Local 2 tastes similar to the Local 1 because I believe it is brewed with the same hops as the Local 1 (can't remember what the guy said specifically). Since the Local 2 is an Abbey Ale it is quite a bit darker than the Local 1. If you enjoy the Local 1 I would definitely try the Local 2 when it comes out in March.

The good thing about the Sun WineFest is that when you are done with the beer and wine, you got the whole casino to keep you going for the night. My second year in attendance was a blast, I'll be back next year for sure.

New beer bar coming to Cambridge

2009-01-16T18:25:00.002-05:00

While cruising through the BeerAdvocate Boston group's page, I saw a post regarding an update on the property that once was the beloved B-Side Lounge. It looks like the property has been bought by Daniel Lanigan, the owner of well-known beer bars The Moan and Dove and The Dirty Truth.

Discussing the new establishment, Daniel says "the bar will continue to have a fantastic cocktail list. I will also try to add a world class beer list. Look for 40 taps, a bunch of bottles, and a consistent beer engine. There will also be a sick wine list." Count me in for opening night.

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-25T10:00:00.001-05:00

Merry Christmas from Boston Beer Bars and our very own Santa!

The idea for Santa's beer sleigh came from an article on Lifehacker, but I made a few tweaks (including a Heineken can and fatter/jollier Santa!).

Upcoming Beer Festivals to Keep You Warm

2008-12-05T10:44:00.012-05:00

As the cold weather sweeps into Boston, it helps to start thinking of activities around the city that are not only enjoyable, but will keep you out of brutal conditions. Luckily for us beer drinkers, Boston is full of bars that treat us with selection of "winter warmers." But one thing even better than the bars is beer festivals! In the next two months there are two great beer festivals: Beer Summit's Winter Jubilee (January 16th and 17th) and Beer Advocate's Extreme Beer Fest (February 20th and 21st). I've been to a few Beer Summit events, and the turnout is always good. They give you tickets (12 I think) for beer, but the brewers don't really take them and fill you up without question. I haven't been to the Extreme Beer Fest before, but have only heard raving reviews about it.

Both festivals have a Friday night session and two Saturday sessions (day and night sessions). Below are some more details on each of the festivals:

Beer Summit Winter Jubilee

Location: The Park Plaza Castle
Beer Summit Website

Session 1 - January 16th, 5:30pm to 9:30 pm, $40 per ticket
Session 2 - January 17th, 12:30pm to 4:00pm, $40 per ticket
Session 3 - January 17th, 5:30pm to 9:30pm, $40 per ticket

Beer Advocate's Extreme Beer Fest

Location: The Cyclorama at the Boston Center for the Arts
Beer Advocate Website

Night of the Barrels - February 20th, 6:00pm to 9:30pm, $50 per ticket
Session 1 - February 21st, 1:00pm to 4:30pm, $40 per ticket
Session 2 - February 21st, 6:00pm to 9:30pm, $40 per ticket

Both of these events are sure to be a good time. If you are one for trying something different, the Night of the Barrels sounds like it will be amazing - "100% wood-aged beers w/ upwards of 50 offerings." $10 more than the Saturday sessions, but it will definitely be exclusive (only 500 tickets being sold) and memorable.

Timothy Taylor's Landlord Ale

2008-11-23T12:08:00.003-05:00

During a summer trip to Yorkshire, I can remember driving through villages looking for this one pub that served a beer my Dad kept calling 'Timmy Taylor's.' He would obsess over this beer. Being young at the time, I wasn't too interested in crazy British beer so I didn't think much of it. The young really are foolish.

This is probably the best session beer, if not one of the better beers, I've had. Timothy Taylor's Landlord culminates all that is a great, true British beer. The Timothy Taylor brewery makes five or six different varieties of beer (including a bitter), but the Landlord is known as the bread and butter of the lot. Served as cask-conditioned, the feel and overall sensation of the beer is amazing. Unfortunately, you won't be finding any Landlord on cask in the U.S....actually it will be hard enough to find a bottle. My reason for writing this was because I was able to bring a few bottles back on my most recent trip. Luckily they all survived, and were worth the extra weight in the suitcase. Although the bottled version of the beer doesn't taste as good or have the same smooth feel as the cask, it is still a worthy ale.

Confessions of a Tourist...

2008-09-23T12:01:00.006-04:00

An entertaining turn of events concerning a man, beer, and a young lady at the beach...

"Her slap across my face was heard all across Turkey."

Read the full tale at TimesOnline.co.uk.

Beer Advocate Belgian Beer Fest

2008-09-12T13:03:00.004-04:00

Who doesn't enjoy drinking beer with ghastly high ABV in the middle of the day? I sure do, and that's why I will be attending the Beer Advocate Belgian Beer Fest in the upcoming weeks. The festival is quickly approaching and if you haven't bought tickets yet, now might be a good time.

Starting with a night session on Friday, September 26th and two sessions on the 27th (1 to 4:30 and 6 to 9:30), Boston will be full up on the Belgian beers after this festival. Here is the other nitty gritty you may need:

- Prices are $40 for Saturday sessions and $50 for the Friday session

- Will be held at the Cyclorama at the Boston Center of the Arts

Make sure to come prepared with a stomach ready for potent beers and waffles galore.

The Draft - Allston, MA

2008-09-08T23:43:00.001-04:00

There are a handful of bars within a couple blocks of Allston Village center that provide pretty good food and beer selections. The Draft is no exception, yet they offer something that sets it apart from the likes of White Horse or Big City...an outdoor patio.

Some of us made a trip down to The Draft a few Friday's ago. I had been to The Draft a few times before and it always seems to be a good time. The inside is fitted with the necesseties of a sports bar: flat screen TVs in all the ideal locations, a pool table, stage for the local band, jukebox with a solid selection (as far as bars go I guess), windows that open up into the street (who doesn't want to look out onto Harvard Ave., right?), and a decent beer selection. Sure, you won't be finding any Hennepin on tap, but The Draft offers up some good imports and domestics at decent prices.

*note I did not take the photo, as if the wreath wouldn't give it away

The real winner for The Draft however is the outdoor patio. The patio is much larger and more accomodating than the Allston neighbor Deep Ellum, although the two really are shooting for different atmospheres so it isn't fair to compare. The Draft patio has 6 or 7 tables large tables (maybe a few smaller ones), a couple relaxing patio chairs, a hammock...do I need to say more? To top it off, they keep a fully stocked bar outside, covered with an awning, with a flatscreen mounted above. Oh yes, it is glorious. We sat out one night to watch a Sox game and by the bottom of the 8th, there was a nice, rowdy crowd surrounding the bar.

If there's a game you want to watch and are looking to squeeze a few more outdoor drinking nights (or days) in before the brutal Boston weather hits, The Draft is a solid option.

Beer Cocktails - The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

2008-08-01T15:51:00.001-04:00

I'm feeling a bit, lively on this Friday afternoon. We've got a playoff game for a BSSC soccer team, and I feel that after our triumphant win we will need to indulge is celebratory beverages...who's kidding, beverages are happening with a loss or win.

For some reason I have beer cocktails on the mind, so I decided to throw together this short list of what I personally think represents the good, bad, and ugly of beer cocktails.

The Go To (good) - Snake Bite

This is a classic beer cocktail that can have a few different variations. The traditional 1/2 lager and 1/2 cider is a drink that I think one could steadily drink throughout the night without any bad results. Add 1 shot of Sambuca and you have a Snake Venom. Snake Bite Jack incorporates JD and blackcurrant. I'm pretty sure anybody could come up with a tasy cocktail with lager and cider.

For Dessert (good) - Irish Russian

This sounds thick and tasty...not to mention boozey. 1 shot vodka, 1 shot kahlua, splash of Coke, filled with Guinness.

Refreshing (good) - Turbo Shandy

If you've drank with me there is a good chance you have tried one of these. 1/2 lager, 1/2 smirnoff ice. "Dude, that is a girly drink cause it's got Smirnoff Ice!" Fine, throw a shot in there and you have...

Dangerous (bad) - Wife Beater

...a wife beater. Stella Artois is being rebranded in the UK as just 'Artois' because it has such a negative connotation with drunk, violent husbands...this cocktail doesn't help much.

Disgusting (ugly) - Urine Sample

Yea, there is no denying it. This beer cocktail has got to be as awful as the name sounds. 1 shot lager, 1 shot tequila....wait for it.....microwaved for 15 seconds. Hm.

For some other great (and not so great) beer cocktail recipes, check out DrunkDrinks.com.

Beer Maps

2008-07-30T13:23:00.005-04:00

I was trying to create something almost identical to this type of map with Google Mashup Editor. Kind of dropped the ball on that one though and haven't picked it back up. But BeerMapping.com has got to be one of the coolest sites around. Just check out the Boston Beer Map:

You can find breweries, brewpubs, bars, liquor stores, and even homebrewing stores! The map allows you to customize what you want to see by turning off certain types of pins. It's sure to help you find a nice watering hole and would be ideal for finding some good brews in unfamiliar cities. Immediately added to My Favorites.

Tales of the Cocktail LiveBlogging

2008-07-18T14:05:00.003-04:00

If you want some cool ideas for beer cocktails, Stephen Beaumont is LiveBlogging from the Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans - Tales of the Cocktail - Beer Cocktails

This one sounds intense:

Green Devil
1 oz Martin Miller’s gin
2 drops Pernod absinthe
1 bottle Duvel

Check out the rest of the Tales of the Cocktail blog at http://talesblog.com/

King of Biers...

2008-07-15T14:49:00.000-04:00

So if you haven't heard, InBev and Anheuser Busch closed on a deal, with InBev paying a cool $52 billion for the largest brewing company in the world (based on revenue).

It will be interesting to see what happens in the upcoming months and how, if at all, the business changes. Lowered prices of already cheap beer? Greater availability of InBev imports? Whoop-dee-doo.

This just comes off as another step back for the craft brewers...how about a couple billion thrown towards increasing hops production? Oh yea and of course there is the whole "loss of a great American heritage"...isn't that what it's all about in this country?!?!?

British Beer Company - Pembroke, MA

2008-07-01T20:53:00.004-04:00

For some reason it bothers me when restaurants' name leads you to believe they are something when they are not (see:Brighton Beer Garden). So when I was on my way down to the British Beer Company, I was a little hesitant the name would be fully backed up. But alas, it was good ol' Feldo's birthday and the trip down to Pembroke would ultimately be worth it.

My friend and I were greeted by some 'pleasant' hostesses and when told the rest of the party wasn't there yet, we were shown in the direction of the bar. And what would we find sitting in the very front? Not one, not two, but three cask-conditioned taps, all Fuller's - London Porter, London Pride, and ESB. Well played BBC. To top that, they also had a good selection of smaller breweries (Wachusett, Shipyard, Dogfish Head), the usual domestics/imports, as well as some other British beers you don't typically see on draught.

The food menu at the BBC also shows its British roots, with the traditional Fish and Chips, as well as some Pasties (I was eyeing the Curry one). We had a selection apps and pizza, which I think was called The Fenway; peppers, onions, and sausage...damn good.

The only bad thing about the British Beer Company is that there aren't any in downtown Boston, and the closest is still a fair drive away. The other BBC locations besides the Pembroke one we went to include:

Cedarville
Falmouth
Framingham
Hyannis
Plymouth
Sandwich
Walpole

From the looks of it, these other locations have different cask beers, so I will definitely be trying to head to one.

Oh, and happy birthday Feldo!

Deep Ellum Patio Now Open

2008-06-24T11:10:00.000-04:00

As a follow up to my blurb about available outdoor seating in Allston, the newest outdoor seating area is now open. It seemed like an eternity waiting for the Deep Ellum patio to open, but it appears that last weekend they were serving up drinks for patrons in the sun. From my apartment I have been able to see the construction from start to finish, and it came out looking really nice.

I don't have any pictures right now, but there is bench-style seating around the entire patio, with one side shaded by a giant tree and the other by some beer umbrellas (PBR if my memory serves me right). I actually haven't been down there yet, as I was gone over the weekend and the weather has been on the shite side recently. Hopefully I will make it down sometime this week, and if not, definately sometime this weekend. I'll also try and get some photos up as well this week.

Celtics and The Truth

2008-06-18T01:06:00.000-04:00

Congrats to the Celts and The Truth...amazing playoffs and fully deserved!

BOSTON BABY!

Boston Beer Marathon - Register By Midnight

2008-06-13T10:20:00.006-04:00

Who's in???? Unforntunately I am not, but it looks like you can still register:

Register Here

The starting line is at Tequila Rain and there are 26 bars signed up, 10 of which are for the Guinness World Record. For all the info, check out the Boston section of BeerMarathon.net.

PJ Ryan's - Somerville, MA

2008-06-12T17:02:00.002-04:00

I have fond memories of PJ Ryan's...

Victory! I can say this is the only bar which I have drank out of trophy in. We went here after our SBS soccer games; this shot was taken on the night we took the Championship! But enough about our professional Boston sports team...

P.J. Ryan's is a cozy little bar in Somerville which offers up a cool (but sometimes cramped) atmosphere and good times. It's a pretty good place to watch games at, as they have a number of flat screens scattered around the bar and a drop down projector screen. Their selection of beer is pretty good too, including the usual domestics, some Northeast brewers such as Brookyln, Ipswich, Wachussett, and some more expensive Belgium beers. But as I said, it does get a bit cramped because it is pretty small and they have this large piece of furniture in the middle of the bar...one half is benches for high-top tables while the other half is a place to put your drinks while standing at the bar. If you do happen to get some room to fit a plate down, try out the nachos with chili...bomb!

I will probably be hitting up P.J. Ryan's the same time next year, hopefully with a bigger trophy too.

Cheers!

Outdoor Seating in Allston...

2008-06-12T11:58:00.005-04:00

...is few and far between. However, Deep Ellum is pretty close to opening their 'backyard' patio/deck. I've seen the progress from start to near finish, and it looks pretty sweet. Hopefully the weather will be nice this weekend and they can finally open her up. If that's the case, you can count on me being down there.

Further down Brighton Ave. at the White Horse, they had a chalkboard up saying 'Outdoor Patio Coming Soon!' or something along those lines. Anybody know what the deal with that is? Would it be out the back too??

Some Organic Beers for Summer

2008-06-05T12:03:00.005-04:00

MSN's Green Team released this feature that listed out some great organic beers to try for the upcoming summer months.

Great Organic Beers for Summer BBQ's

We actually had a beer tasting at work the other month and had the Lakefront E.S.B. and Stone Mill Pale Ale. The Stone Mill is a pretty good beer, and the brewery is owned by Anheuser Busch. I'd be interested in trying Sam Smith's version of an organic brew.

Hitting up the NYC Beer Bars

2008-05-30T14:03:00.001-04:00

So Munsie and myself made it down to NYC a couple weekends ago for one of our friends grad parties. It just so happens that we made it to some damn good beer bars for the one night we were there: one for dinner, one for the actual party, and one late night which happened to be right beneath our hotel (more like hostel actually).

Village Pourhouse - Corner of 3rd and E 11th St.

The Village Pourhouse is a sweet little bar where we had dinner and the first drinks of the night, which ended up including some free shots as a result of a girlfriend being a bartender...always a good start. The food was great and although I didn't try any other beers besides pitchers of Bud, they had a pretty nice beer selection. They also had beer flights which is something you don't see nearly enough of. If I am down in the Greenwich Village area again I will definitely make a point of swinging by this place.

Brass Monkey - Little W 12th St.

Later on in the evening we made our way to the Brass Monkey, an Irish bar with tall ceilings and wood everywhere you look. The atmosphere was real interesting here; it was pretty dark, candles, not too busy (we got there around 10 maybe?). Then around 1130-12 it was like it turned into a dancehall and was jam packed. The Brass Monkey also had a good selection of brews (mostly European brews and mainstream Domestics).

Westside Brewing Co.- Corner of Amsterdam and W 76th St.

This was the last stop on our parade of drinking...and it was just as dangerous as any other bar we could have chosen. A selection of craft beers, ranging from some delicious California Pale Ales to Belgian beers. The Westside Brewing Co. was a nice cozy spot during the day, with a deck for people to sit outside and take in the busy NYC streets. The great thing about the Westside Brewing Co. was that we literally had to walk 10 feet from their door to our hotel door. Couldn't ask for anything better than that.

Overall an awesome trip which just happened to include some equally awesome beer bars.

Cheers!

Beer Is Important, But Come On...

2008-05-13T09:49:00.002-04:00

...I think the life of your first born child may take precedent over a 30 rack.

A fellow co-worker sent me this CNN article, which makes a pretty good case for this Australian as a nominee for the Worst Parent of the Year award.

Now if these were glass bottles, this might be a completely different story...

Beer Review: Otter Head

2008-05-05T23:06:00.001-04:00

I picked up a bottle of this from Blanchard's.They had two beers from Otter Brewery, the Otter Head and the Otter Ale.

I was honestly caught a little off guard from the Otter Head, but it is by no means a bad beer; it is actually pretty tasty. I think I was expecting something a little different from this English strong ale. The beer pours an amber, brownish-red color with a "murky" finish once settled. There also wasn't much of a head to the beer , which works with the thinner feel the beer had.

There was definitely the taste of the barley wine, and the taste stays in the mouth a good time after. At 5.8% it is the strongest beer that Otter Brewery produces. The taste of the alcohol is there, but not overwhelming; a very drinkable brew...could be dangerous on draught. I would order the Otter Head if I saw it on draught. Would I buy it from the store again? Sure, it might make a good fallback brew. And I definitely want to try the Otter Brewery Bitter.

Cheers!

Hooray Beer Part I

2008-05-01T11:13:00.002-04:00

So it is the first of May, which really gets me thinking of summer. Warmer weather, outdoor activities, and beers that really should be enjoyed in the sun. One beer that is great for the beach days is Red Stripe...and I love their slogan. So simple, yet so true.

Throughout the summer I will referencing beers and commericials that let you rejoice: Hooray beer!

Cambridge Brewing Company - 19 Years of Beer

2008-04-29T09:04:00.005-04:00

Thanks to my Beer Advocate newsletter, I was made aware of this celebration. The Cambridge Brewing Company is turning 19 years old, and to celebrate are holding their anniversary dinner with "beer-focused" and American cuisine...and 19 of their delicious beers.

It is happening both Friday and Saturday, so if I have the chance I might definitely try to make it over there. Over the past few months I've been having quite a bit of CBC beers and I am always impressed, so I can only imagine the same from this.

Boston Beer Summit Recap

2008-04-20T10:50:00.005-04:00

Session 2 of the Boston Beer Summit was a good one, with plenty of breweries (I think the final list was something like 66) and mass amounts of beer. We got there pretty much smack on 12:30 and it was already pretty busy; definitely busy than it was the same time last year. But the Castle never felt overcrowded, even when it came time for a (frequent) trip to the bathroom...they were smart enough this year to get some port-o-johns so the lines weren't as bad as last year.

But the beer! Most of the breweries were local to New England and New York, but there were a few outside the northeast. We started with IPAs only...and now that I think back on it that was a pretty bold move. I was definitely feeling their rath within the first hour. Our plan was to try and pick the type beer from a number of styles; but honestly, that didn't work so well. I do know that for IPA's I enjoyed Sebago's IPA (Maine) and Redhook's Longhammer (New Hampshire).

Unibroue is a brewery that I love that was there. I think they are most recognizable for their magical fantasy land labels. All there beer is crazy delicious and their label artwork is awesome. Check out the Maudite label.

I've been meaning to post up a review on some of their beers...in due time.

Oh, and check out the official Boston Beer Summit mug that everybody got. Mini beers!

In all it was a good time and got to taste some good brews. I'm looking forward to the American Craft Beer Fest in June.

Cheers!

Cambridge (UK) Beer Festival

2008-04-16T15:59:00.000-04:00

Although not the Boston area Cambridge, it does share the name.

Thanks to Stonch's Beer Blog, I was made aware of the Cambridge Beer Festival going on May 19th to the 24th...which just happens to be the same time I will be there!

Apparently it is the second largest beer festival outside of London, with over 37,000 visitors in 2007! The festival boasts 170+ "real ales" and over 60 foreign beers and ciders. Take a look at the cask setup they had going last year...

Just a little excited...

Boston Beer Summit and Bar Golf

2008-04-15T19:11:00.001-04:00

I'm pumped...and cannot wait for 12:30 Saturday afternoon to roll around for the session 2 of the Boston Beer Summit.

For those who couldn't get a ticket to the Boston Beer Summit Saturday session, you could always join the Boston Bar Golf Invitational pub crawl. Here is a example breakdown of the scoring structure from the website:

Hole 1 - Par 1 - Bonus Shot is 1 Tequilla shot
Have 1 beer - Score 1
Have 2 beers - Score 2
Have 2 beers and spilled a drink - Score 1
Have 1 beers and a Tequilla shot - Score 3
Have 2 beers and a Tequilla shot, but I fell down: Score 2

Whatever drinking activity you choose, it should be a good weekend.

Brighton Beer Garden Part II

2008-04-08T21:21:00.003-04:00

So today Fred and I decided to check out Brighton Beer Garden for their Opening Day Bash during lunch...in yesterday's post I mistakenly referred to this as their grand opening, but it was more likely for the Red Sox Opening Day game. Let's pretend it was both...

Anyway, the Brighton Beer Garden was definitely a nice surprise. Like I mentioned before, I had never been to SoHo, so I really didn't know what to expect from the inside. There are plenty of HDTVs scattered throughout, so it definitely is a good place for watching games. It also has a good beer selection for a sports bar, with all beers pretty reasonably priced. One of the reasons we headed over to Brighton Beer Garden was because they were offering up some free apps for the game...except we got there a little bit before. But the owner/manager (didn't have a chance to get his name) was real nice and cooked us up a plate of apps for 2 on the house. And they were pretty good too...wings, onion rings, mozz sticks, potato skins, fried wontons (I think), and chicken fingers. We were happy. And to top it all off they had Sam Adams Summer on draft already. We are already planning future lunch break trips.

Cheers!

Brighton Beer Garden

2008-04-07T17:49:00.000-04:00

On a drive through Brighton during lunch on Monday, I made my way past the building that once used to be SoHo. However, now stood Brighton Beer Garden. I had heard SoHo shut down but had no idea another establishment was already...established. I quickly drove by so I had no chance to see inside or anything, but apparently their "Opening Day Bash" as they call it is tomorrow, April 8th.

After doing a search for other "beer gardens in Boston," I came across the Boston Beer Garden, which has to be owned by the same company. This nar is located down in South Boston. If anybody has any input on Boston Beer Garden let me know.

Orlio Organic Common Ale

2008-04-05T18:21:00.005-04:00

"Tastes like beer." - Jordan

That pretty much sums up Orlio Organic Common Ale. But I guess that's the point right? I mean with a name like Common Ale you probably can't expect something too amazing, organic or not. We needed some beer as our stock was running pretty low (a lonely Dale's Pale Ale and some Bud Light made the fridge look meager), so we grabbed a variety of brews from Blanchards. I decided to go for a sixer of some organic beer, and the label on the Orlio stood out.

At first the Common Ale reminded me of a simple American beer like a Budweiser or something, but with a little extra flavor towards the end. For an ale I was really expecting something with more taste, and maybe for it to be a little more bitter. But the more I drank it, the more I enjoyed it, something I was not expecting to experience after the first taste. I haven't had many steam beers besides Anchor Steam varieties, but the similar taste is there.

Would I buy it again? Maybe if the price was lower; at $9.99 for a six pack the Common Ale is definately not priced as one. I suppose that's due to the "organicness" of the beer. But at $10 for 6 I can't help but explore other (more inspiring) options.

Cheers!

Holy Downtime

2008-04-05T18:08:00.002-04:00

For anybody who visits and reads this blog on even a semi-regular basis may have noticed that I've been slacking. This was due to my dumb ass using LimeWire and acquiring an unwanted virus that took my computer nearly out of commission. But now we've got a freshly repaired computer and refrigerator full of beer, so you'll be getting your fix of beer and Boston bar info.

Oakham Ales Bishops Farewell

2008-03-25T17:11:00.000-04:00

Being a fan of English bitter ales and in particular Oakham Ales Jeffrey Hudson bitter, I had a feeling I was going to love this ESB. Just like the Jeffrey Hudson, the Bishops Farewell was served on cask at Deep Ellum. I am confident in saying that is one of the reasons this beer tastes so damn amazing. The Bishops Farewell, although a similar type of bitter, tastes and looks quite a bit different than the Jeffrey Hudson. It pours a lighter golden color and has a fruity, "flowery" taste. I wouldn't have guessed it from the taste, but being an ESB the Bishops Farewell is a little stronger than the Jeffrey Hudson.

With the thoughts of both Oakham Ales, I wondered if it would be possible to visit the brewery soon. I am heading over to my parents house near Cambridge, UK in May, and it turns out the brewery is only about an hour away!

Don't worry, there will be plenty of photos after that trip...

Cheers!

The Lower Depths

2008-03-18T18:12:00.003-04:00

Enjoy bars with expansive beer lists and the atmosphere of your buddy's basement? Well then The Lower Depths Tap Room might be for you. Fred told me about this bar and said he was heading there for some drinks...naturally I decided to tag along. Located right past Kenmore Square on Comm Ave. (476 Commonwealth Ave.) in the basement of what I believe is an apartment building sits this gem of a beer bar. It feels like someone's basement because, well it is. The ceilings are low just like in a house, and it has a very laidback vibe.

The Lower Depths is one of the few places you could call a strictly beer bar...there were a few bottles of wine accumulating some dust behind the bar, but I didn't see anybody drinking wine. The reason for this is because they do not have a liquor license...and I'm almost positive they aren't running moonshine out the back. But I don't think that really effects the customers going here or the success of the bar.

If I had to take a guess, I would say the beer menu at The Lower Depths had about 100 or so, broken out by country. There wasn't anything on the bottle list that really jumped out at me, but it certainly had a variety. The draught beer selection was also nice, but nothing that really differentiated itself from the bottle list. Just as with some other Boston area beer bars, the prices are a little on the steep side. The one price comparison I have is to The Publick House, and The Lower Depths was more expensive. With all said, if you are looking for some new places to find some different beers in Boston and are getting sick of the same spots, this is definately a good start.

Cheers!

St. Patty's Day Brews

2008-03-13T23:53:00.000-04:00

It's late, I'm tired, but I feel the need to pay respect to the upcoming holiday that is all sbout the consumption of alcohol, and in particular, delicious Irish brews. No matter what religion you are, who doesn't love going out to put a few (or more) down for ol' Pat.

Hmm...What to drink? There is always the green beer, god knows what it actually is half the time. I think its supposed to be an Irish amber or red ale. And of course, we cannot forget the Irish whiskey, which truly holds a special place in my heart...and belly. But if you feel like venturing off the beaten but beautiful Guinness path, here are some other brews that Pat would approve.

O'Hara's Celtic Stout

Smithwick's Irish Red Ale

Kilkenny Irish Cream Ale

Caffrey's Irish Ale (please indulge me if you find)

Harp

Wexford Irish Cream Ale (brewed in England but so good it deserves a spot)

So go forth this weekend and enjoy the drunken (should be) holiday that is St. Patrick's Day.

Cheers!

Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier

2008-03-09T22:21:00.009-04:00

I'm not a big drinker of wheat beers...in fact I can't think of a time when I've gone out of the way to really drink one. I'll have a UFO or a random one down at Deep Ellum from time to time, but that's about it. On a recent trip down to Blanchard's I decided to have a go and went for the Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier. The Weihenstephaner Brewery (that's the English site right there, helping you out) is the oldest existing brewery in the world, producing delicious beers since mid 700 A.D. So when I saw a bottle of the Hefeweissbier with the label stating "Oldest Brewery in the World," I had to try it out.

The Hefeweissbier pours a deep orange color with a light, airy head. Taking my small amount of knowledge with wheat beers, the Hefeweissbier tastes like a genuine wheat beer. It definitely has a light earthy taste to it, and alcohol doesn't seem to come on until the end, and even then it isn't very pungent. For a beer that I typically don't drink, I did enjoy it. Would I order one at a bar? Probably not, but that's just because it isn't my style. However, if you like hefeweizens and other wheat beers, I would definitely try the Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier, because it is one of the better ones I've had.

Cheers!

Sixpoint Craft Ales

2008-03-07T19:51:00.002-05:00

I had only become aware of Sixpoint Craft Ales recently on a trip to The Publick House. They had made Sixpoint Ales it's own section on the beer menu, so I figured it had to be something special. Being the curious person that I am, I asked what the deal was with this brewery...apparently its tough to come by, so when its around they love it. The Sixpoint brewery is located down in Brooklyn, New York City. I had a couple pints of the Sweet Action, which is a blonde ale. After the first sip I knew why they made such a big deal out of this beer, it's amazing. I also had a taste of the Sixpoint Brownstone; I typically don't drink brown ales but it was also pretty tasty.

About a week later I went back to The Publick House, hoping I would be able to have a few more pints of the Sweet Action, but it just so happens they were already out...booo. I figured that I wasn't going to be tasting a Sixpoint brew for a while, but leave it to Deep Ellum to pull one out of the woodworks. Jordan and I made it down to Deep Ellum a couple days and there on the beer menu was the Six Point Bengali, the Sixpoint IPA. I was only able to have a pint of the Bengali, but it's a great IPA.

If you see any Sixpoint brews at a bar I would suggest grabbing one...you may have a hard time finding another.

Cheers!

A Case of Yuengling!

2008-03-04T21:11:00.000-05:00

Beer is a great gift, there is no denying that...especially if it's a beer that you hardly ever get to drink. My lovely girlfriend Leslie was kind enough to bring back a 12-pack of Yuengling bottles from her trip to upstate New York. Yeungling is a great American lager, brewed down in PA and can only be found in a few states.

For a lager, Yuengling pours pretty dark and has a nice thick head. In my opinion, it is one of the best American lagers, especially when compared to Budweiser or Coors beers. I really wish we could buy Yuengling at more liquor stores around Boston, or even get it on draught. If anybody knows where I can pick some up around Boston in the future, let me know.

Cheers!

Boston Beer Summit 2008

2008-03-03T17:58:00.005-05:00

It's almost that time of year again...tickets for the Boston Beer Summit go on sale tomorrow, March 4th. The Summit is happening April 18th and 19th (Friday night and all day Saturday) with 3 sessions. I'll be trying to go to the Saturday afternoon session, 12:30 to 4:00 p.m...last year was a blast, I'm sure this year will be equally as fun. A sample of some breweries include:

Long Trail
Spaten
Mercury
New Century
Flying Dog
Sierra Nevada
Magic Hat
Saranac
Shipyard
Oskar Blues
Grittys
Gearys
Redhook
Smuttynose
Buzzards Bay
Rapscallion Brewing
Stone Coast

For Boston Beer Summmit tickets, check out their page:

Boston Beer Summit Tickets

Cheers!

The Common Ground - Allston, MA

2008-02-29T19:00:00.001-05:00

Ok so maybe it's a week later, but I say The Common Ground is still worth the post. First of all, thanks to Ash for hooking us up for some free Hoeegaarden beer...that always gives the bar some extra points.

This was the first time I had gone to The Common Ground, but not the first attempt. A group of us always make our way down to that area, but The Common Ground always has a line by time we get to it. And they charge a cover. That was the one gripe I had with this place...this is Allston, not downtown Boston. Its not even expensive, only $3, but its the fact of the matter that we had to pay a cover in Allston...before 10pm! That aside this bar is real cool.

The beer selection at The Common Ground is pretty good and has a decent amount of a nice wide selection of beers, but don't expect to find some of the more rare, craft type beers you might find at Publick House or Deep Ellum. However, they did have Dale's Pale Ale on draught, which was pretty interesting. The food at The Common Ground was also pretty good and decently priced. I ordered up the sliders (mini-cheeseburgers) and would definately recommend them.

Cheers!

The Publick House - Brookline, MA

2008-02-26T09:39:00.003-05:00

BBB Rating - 5/5

This has to be one of the coolest, coziest, most delicious bars I have ever been to in my entire life. I'm sure if you've ever read this blog, you know my obsession with Deep Ellum. The Publick House ties Deep Ellum with my top favorite bar in Boston. The Publick House has it's own unique atmosphere and decor that you probably won't find in any other bar. And the beer menu...all I have to say is that if you go to The Publick House and do not order beer...well sad for you, because The Publick House pretty much defines the term "beer bar."

My roommate and I had been planning to head to The Publick House for the past month but kept on forgetting. Last night (Monday) we both got home around the same time and decided there was no time like the present and made our way over. We got there and had to wait about 35-40 minutes for a table, which was okay because we got a seat at the bar and tried some delicious brews (if you go soon you might be able to try the Six Point Sweet Action). Now this was a Monday around 8:15pm, so keep in mind that if you plan on coming for a meal you are probably going to be waiting. I had been once before and it was equally as busy.

So after some brews at the bar we got seated at our table and we each had these King of England, monastery-like, intense chairs. "King of the Castle, King of the Castle!" It was a highlight. I had the fish and chips, and they were real good. So not only does The Publick House have a great beer selection and atmosphere, they got some damn good food too! - on a side note, I had the Mac n' Cheese last time and that was also amazing.

One thing I really like about The Publick House is how they break down their beer menu and the attention to detail they put into it...for both draughts and bottles they break the beer down by type (blonde ale, pale ale, Belgium, etc.) or by "here" or "there." "Here" are, as you might guess, domestics and "there" is anything from Europe. Each category of beer also has a quick description, just to let people know what they should expect. If you haven't gone to The Publick House and love beer, PLEASE go...and request to sit in the King seats.

Cheers!

Hoegaarden Promo at The Common Ground

2008-02-22T17:38:00.002-05:00

A co-worker of mine is doing some promo work at The Common Ground tonight for Hoegaarden beer. My roommate and I are thinking of checking out, maybe even scoring some free brew. If you're in the Allston area tonight check it out...if not I'll have a follow up to Common Ground, as I've never really been there before.

Cheers!

Boston Beer Works

2008-02-12T21:30:00.002-05:00

Looking for a place that brews their own beer and serves up some good bar food? Look no further than Boston Beer Works, with conveniently placed locations by North Station and Fenway. My roommate and I were walking randomly around Boston, trying to find some good places to get some drinks. The first place we came across was the Elephant and Castle; the second was Boston Beer Works by North Station.

This was the first time either of us had been here and it was about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, so I can't say what this place is like at night. It seemed like a cool place to go before games at the Garden (people were already there boozin' for the 7 o'clock Bruins game). We took a seat at the bar and ordered up some large glasses of the Bullfinch Bitter...you get two sizes to choose from for beers - a classic 16oz. pint or a 22oz. glass. The Bullfinch Bitter wasn't the greatest, but it was pretty good; it seemed to lack a bit of flavor. They had about 15 other microbrews, so I'm sure they had some good ones other there.

We got an order of the spinach and artichoke dip, which was pretty damn good. But for some reason they decide to give you about half a pound of dip, which would surely result in a heart attack if one tried to consume the whole portion. In all, I would make a trip back to Boston Beer Works to try some more of the beer and food menu...and I would check out the Fenway location just because it is more convenient.

Cheers!

Jackie Moon and Bud Light

2008-02-07T22:40:00.000-05:00

The SuperBowl always guarantees an array of beer commericals...mostly Bud Light and Budweiser. This years commercial breaks suffered a bit in my opinion, with the exception of a few. This double feature ad (Bug Light and a teaser of Semi Pro featuring Will Ferrell) was pretty damn funny though.

"Bud Light...suck one!" Ahhhh thats great.

Another notable beer commercial is the Bud Light Wine and Cheese party one. Although I haven't reached that point in my life yet, I can certainly see a similar situation happening.

Cheers!

Living the High Life

2008-02-05T20:45:00.000-05:00

As my love for great beer has grown, I've also realized how much I have underestimated a great American beer...Miller High Life. I honestly had never even had this beer before until a few months ago. Good ol' Green Briar in Brighton serves a bucket of the champagne, and that was my first experience. So now every once in a while at Deep Ellum I'll have a bottle of it too. And I love it...it tastes better than Miller Lite, and has some actual flavor compared to light beers like Bud Light and Coors Light. And what's better is that the stuff is even cheaper that the other light beers! The High Life bottle is actually a pretty cool design too.

Now, go ask my roommate if he'd like a High Life. He'd probably say something along the lines of "Get that shit out of my face" blah blah blah...actually I know a few people who would say that. BUT I DONT CARE!! I stand by my new found love of the Champagne of Beers; Miller High Life.

Cheers!

Elephant and Castle - Downtown Boston, Financial District

2008-02-02T18:29:00.002-05:00

Anybody looking for a good old English pub? Well you probably won't find one but this is pretty damn close. The Elephant and Castle has what you need in a English pub...a selection of British beers and British food. The beers on tap include Boddington's, two Fullers beers, Bass, and some other non-British but delicious brews. As for food, they have curry and chips (which my roommate mistaked for actual potato chips), fish and chips, and a Yorkshire pudding! I feel like I'm back in England!

The only thing missing from this British pub was the long hanging wooden beams and cask beer. But oh well, you can't win them all. The only bad things I have to say about the Elephant and Castle was the lack of atmosphere. The music wasn't really playing, so it was almost eerily quiet. However, the bartender was able to throw on the Liverpool-Sunderland match, so that gave a bit of a booster. If you end up in the financial district the Elephant and Castle is definately a place to check out.

BBB Rating - 3.5/5

Big Apps + Big Beers = Big City

2008-02-01T17:42:00.001-05:00

BBB Rating - 4/5

Allston is a great place, let me tell you. You can find almost everything you need in a half mile radius from the center of Allston Village; Anna's burrito, stores with extensive booze selections (see Marty's and Blanchard's), dry cleaners on every corner, more take-out restaurants than you're cholestoral levels could handle, and a whole array of bars...those are just the ones that come to mind. Then smack dab in the middle of Allston you have Big City, which in itself has the elements of a great time: tasty bar food, broad beer selection, and pool tables!

I thoroughly enjoy taking indulging in all three of these things. Some friends and I hit up Big City after deciding seeing the Deep Ellum was busier than an Japanese subway car. Big City has a pretty good beer selection, and the prices aren't that bad either...we got some pitchers of the light stuff for about $12, and later I got a Chimay which was $7.50.

But the real prize here was the potato skins. Good lord! First off, they were freaking enormous. And they weren't the skins where all you have is the skin...there was a hefty amount of potato in there.

To top it all off, Big City has real pool tables, none of that 7 ft. bar pool table crap. These tables are legit and everything is in pretty decent condition. Sure there is the broken cue tip here and there, but all in all it's a decent place to shoot some pool. If anybody wants to shoot some let me know...

Cheers!

Ashley's Post: The Beer Table

2008-01-30T19:50:00.000-05:00

So I was showing a co-worker the beer heaven that is Boston Beer Bars and she suggested I put up a picture of the beer table in the apartment...what a brilliant idea! Here it is...

My Dad and I crafted this beauty during the summer of sophomore year of college. The table is made up of beer caps from a whole array of different beers and beer coasters from over the world (well, the States and Europe at least). It's been through a lot and served its purpose(s)...area for drinking games, poker games, a dancing stage...good times.

While I was taking this picture off my camera I found these two other photos I really liked. I got the camera for Christmas and I was messing around the night before and morning after a typical New England snow storm. Hope you like em'.

Cheers!

Beer Review: Dale's Pale Ale

2008-01-28T20:45:00.001-05:00

What comes to mind when you hear "canned beer"? Cheap, watery, college...uncomfortable mornings? Maybe all of the above. However, there is hope for the canned beer, as I found out last weekend at the Mohegan Sun 2008 WineFest. Dale's Pale Ale is brewed by the Oskar Blues Brewery in Lyons, Colorado, and is by far the best canned beer I have ever had. Somehow they have managed to rid every negative taste from a canned beer and bring forward all the taste of a well brewed pale ale.

But why the can over the bottle? For those too lazy to read through their website, they list a few reasons, all of which seem to make sense. New aluminum cans are coated inside with a water-based coating so the beer and metal never touch; the can protects the beer from oxygen and light, both of which can lead to a nicely skunked beer; and cans are always a better choice for outdoor festivities.

For a list of bars and liquor stores that carry Dale's Pale Ale click here. Personally, I will be running down to Marty's on the corner of Harvard Ave. and Commonwealth Ave. to pick up a case.

Cheers!

Beer Review: Harpoon Munich Dark Ale

2008-01-26T23:34:00.000-05:00

Being from Boston, Harpoon is a popular beer in a lot of the bars in the area. We've been to the Harpoon brewery for some festivals and I get the IPA at bars from time to time, but never get the stuff on cask. Leave it to Deep Ellum to have this delicious brew available as their cask.

Now I hadn't had this beer before, even out of a bottle or regular draught, so I can't compare the bottle to cask in this beer review. The beer is medium bodied, very dark in color, and has a smooth taste. The head on the beer seemed to stay intact the whole time, always a nice treat. It wasn't a beer that I would order time and time again, however it was definately one of the better beers that I have had from the Deep Ellum cask. The Munich Dark Ale is great for the cold winter nights we get up here in Boston...which is probably why I went down two days later it was already gone :(. Damn New England weather.

Cheers!

The Sun WineFest '08 at Mohegan Sun

2008-01-21T20:54:00.001-05:00

So I made it down to CT this Saturday and stayed over the night. We went to this place in town for some quality sushi/sake drinking and while talking with some friends, found out that The Sun WineFest was going down at Mohegan Sun the next day (Sunday). Even better, free tickets would be supplied!

This festival did not disappoint; a nice selection of beers, basically free shots around every corner you turned, and more wines than you could possibly drink. There were a few beers, scotches, cool liqueurs that stood out, such as Gordon & MacPhail Scotch, a chai liqueur called Voyant, and Dale's Pale Ale. I will soon have a follow up to this post with some photos and a review/info on Dale's Pale Ale...it is probably the best beer to come from a can.

I'm actually a little disappointed in myself, as I cannot remember any of the names of the good wines I had. I know for sure one of the crap ones was from Long Island, but that doesn't say very much now does it? One notable wine booth was a Glastonbury company, the M&M Family of Wine. They seem to know all that is wine; even got a little lesson myself while I was there. If you want to learn about how to make your own wine or need the actual grapes to make wine, these guys have what you need. Thanks to Christina from M&M for hooking us up with the free tickets to the event too.

Cheers!

Now in Technorati...

2008-01-16T20:20:00.001-05:00

Technorati Profile

Check out Technorati for the best of blogs and the Boston Beer Bars profile!

Cheers!

Deep Ellum - Allston, MA

2008-01-15T22:54:00.004-05:00

BBB Rating - 5/5

Texas...the land of rootin' tootin' cowboys (well, besides T.O.), big steaks, weak politicians and a little place called Deep Ellum. I visit Deep Ellum a few times a week, just a short walk down the street. Except I live in Allston, have never seen a true cowboy, and the restaurant next door serves a selection of pizza, chinese food, and BBQ.

So what on earth could I be speaking of? Why the greatest bar in Allston for sure. Located on Cambridge St., right by the corner of Cambridge and Brighton Ave. sits the smallest, tastiest bar you will find in this neck of the woods. From the outside it looks like nothing but a small dive that has nothing going for it besides some windows and dark inside. But as soon as you step foot inside Deep Ellum, you know you've found something special. My roommate and I sat down at the bar and immediately claimed we had found heaven in a 20' x 100' brick building. Let's break it down:

The draught beer - about 20, constantly being changed for the seasons and keeping some popular ones. Favorites include the selection of Brookylns, Ommegangs, and Dogfish Heads.
Cask Beer!! - Enough said...these are few and far between in the U.S.
Bottled beer - selection does not change as much as the draught, but you ask for something special they might be able to pull it out of a hat
Food - tasty tasty tasty. May I recommend a nice beer, and a pretzel with the beer cheese. If you are really hungry, the Grubbins plate is a beauty
Liquor - these guys do not mess around, they are all very skilled with the booze. Ask Max (the man in charge of the sauce) to put something together with whatever you can throw at him

If you havent yet experienced Deep Ellum, it is worth the trip. I am lucky, for I am only a few blocks down the street so this heavenly spot is available to me in a jiffy. Check out the newly designed Deep Ellum Website and see what it's all about.

Numero Uno

2008-01-15T22:45:00.000-05:00

Well hello there. Welcome Boston Beer Bars, a place to find my point of view on bars around the Boston area and beers from around the world.

The main point of the blog will be to review bars for beer and alcohol selection, atmosphere, location, food, etc. However, Boston Beer Bars will also be a place to find reviews on beers from around the world, and around the corner (note Harpoon Brewery). Oh, and I can't forget the hard liquor, alcohol related gadgets and gizmos, and any other news that I come across.

So subscribe using the RSS feed, Boston Beer Bars will be updated on a weekly basis (or if it's a drinking week, maybe more).

Cheers!

About Boston Beer Bars

2008-01-01T22:50:00.004-05:00

Boston Beer Bars was created in hopes of helping fellow beer lovers find great beer in the city of Boston. Whether it is discovering a great new beer bar, trying a new beer from the liquor store down the street, or getting the scoop on an upcoming beer festival, Boston Beer Bars provides frequently updates info on all of Boston's beer news.

Best Boston Beer Bars

2008-01-01T22:48:00.016-05:00

Use the Boston Beer map below to put together the ultimate Boston beer guide. The Boston beer map has different color pins for different types of locations:

blue pins are beer bars
red pins are brewpubs
yellow pins are stores that have great craft beer selections
green pins are breweries

And if there is something missing that you think should be there, let us know!

View Larger Map

Below are some of Boston's honorable mentions and personal favorites:

Deep Ellum - Allston, MA
477 Cambridge St., Allston, MA 02134
http://deepellum-boston.com/

The Publick House - Brookline, MA
1648 Beacon St., Brookline, MA 02445
http://www.eatgoodfooddrinkbetterbeer.com/publickhouse/

The Lower Depths - Boston, MA
476 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 02215

Redbones BBQ - Somerville, MA
55 Chester St., Somerville, MA 02144
http://www.redbones.com/

Boston Beer Works
61 Brookline Ave., Boston, MA 02215 (Fenway area)
110 Canal St., Boston, MA 02114 (TD Banknorth area)
http://www.beerworks.net/

The Independent - Somerville, MA
75 Union Square, Somerville, MA 02143
http://www.theindo.com/

Contact

2008-01-01T22:20:00.003-05:00

Have a beer that you want to share? Know of an awesome Boston area bar? Let's hear about it.

Send any suggestions, questions, or comments to gdkersey(at)gmail.com. Or hit me up on one of these networks:

BeerAdvocate
Facebook
Flickr
Going.com
Twitter