tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56267971027482134942024-03-13T09:30:59.868-04:00Boston Beer BarsBoston Beer Bars that serve the freshest of the fresh, the hoppiest of the hops, the frothiest of the...froth. Hooray Beer!Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03462400843527621478noreply@blogger.comBlogger92125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626797102748213494.post-15934872422985089632013-02-12T21:46:00.000-05:002013-02-13T21:21:07.080-05:00Burns Supper, The Haven, JP<a href="http://thehavenjp.com/">The Haven</a> is known around Boston as the Scottish pub with authenticity: the food, the decor, the beer list, the people. It's as if you can step off a Jamaica Plain street and stumble into a Scottish local without ever having to flash your passport. We live only a few blocks from The Haven, so when we were invited to the traditional Burns Supper, we eagerly accepted the invitation.<br />
The Burns Supper is an annual tradition in which the life and work of poet Robert Burns is celebrated. Along with readings of Robert Burns work, a dinner of haggis is served. The Haven in Jamaica Plain fully embraces their Scottish heritage and puts on several Burns Suppers around the birthday of the poet (January 25th). We were fortunate enough to attend a dinner on the Sunday night, January 27th.<br />
It was a fairly cold night, so we made our walk extra brisk. As we entered The Haven, we were greeted with a fresh hot toddy, a great treat that warmed us right up. While the whisky was a great start, both my wife and I immediately reached for a couple Scottish favorites: Innis & Gunn (rum cask) and a Belhaven.<br />
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Before dinner was served, Jason, The Haven's proprietor, addressed the crowd and gave his welcoming speech. Upon giving a brief history of Robert Burns and the supper named after the man, students from a local West Roxbury dance school performed authentic Scottish Highland dancing.<br />
The main event of the night was the traditional Scottish dish, haggis. Prior to the serving of the dish was the piping of the haggis, which involves the reading of a Robert Burns poem. We received some helpful translations from Jason, but by itself is a pretty entertaining (albeit slightly confusing) reading. I took some video, and while the the video is a bit dark, the audio gives an idea of what to expect.<br />
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Even though we frequent The Haven quite often, we have never been brave enough to try the haggis. Essentially a sausage filled with oatmeal, sheep kidney, and beef heart, it certainly sounds a bit intimidating. What we found was an extremely comforting and hearty meal, similar to a ground lamb or beef with seasonings. Along with a side of mash and neeps, the meal was the perfect culmination to an authentic Scottish celebration.<br />
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The Haven has been serving Burns Supper since the restaurants inception, and they've been improving year over year. If looking for a night of entertainment, traditional, unique food, and a bit of Scottish history, keep your eyes peeled for the 2014 Burns Supper at The Haven!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><g:plusone size="medium"></g:plusone></div>Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03462400843527621478noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626797102748213494.post-60498789104152249512011-12-09T13:04:00.001-05:002011-12-09T13:07:10.183-05:00A Beer with Your Frites - Saus<a href="http://www.eatfrites.com/">Saus</a>, 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:<br />
<br />
<b><u>Bottles/Cans</u></b><br />
Gulden Draak<br />
Piraat<br />
Lindemans Frambroise and Peche<br />
Duvel <br />
Corsendonk<br />
Wittekerke<br />
Sixpoint Sweet Action<br />
Trappistes Rochefort<br />
Left Hand Milk Stout<br />
Smuttynose Old Brown Dog Ale<br />
Naragansett<br />
Mystic Saison<br />
<br />
<b><u>Draught:</u></b><br />
Pretty Things Jack DÓr<br />
Ommegang Three Philosophers<br />
La Chouffe<br />
Unibroue Maudite<br />
Lagunitas Little Sumpin Sumpin<br />
Slumbrew Portter Square Porter<br />
Crispin Cider<br />
Ipswich Oatmeal Stout<br />
<br />
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.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><g:plusone size="medium"></g:plusone></div>Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03462400843527621478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626797102748213494.post-82896944669346633472011-08-08T19:48:00.000-04:002011-08-08T19:48:54.765-04:00We've Got Cone-age!Almost three months after planting my Cascade rhizome, I've finally got some defined cones:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6081/6023934222_6a35e63c35_b.jpg"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6081/6023934222_6a35e63c35_z.jpg" alt="Cascade Hop Cones" /></a><br />
<br />
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.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><g:plusone size="medium"></g:plusone></div>Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03462400843527621478noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626797102748213494.post-37529211897541637072011-07-09T14:38:00.002-04:002011-07-10T11:04:11.403-04:00Growing Hops in the City<p>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.</p><br />
<b>The Hop Rhizome and Planting Environment</b><br />
<p>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 <a href="http://www.freshops.com">Freshops.com</a>, and they arrived in bubble wrap bags within a week.</p><br />
<p>Once I had the hop rhizomes, I took a trip to the local hardware store and purchased the following items for planting:</p><ul><li>15" tall plastic planter</li>
<li>organic potting soil w/ fertilizer</li>
<li>6 foot plastic stake</li>
<li>gardening twine</li>
</ul><p>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.</p><br />
<b>Growing and Maintaining the Plant</b><br />
<p>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.</p><br />
<img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5238/5873674237_20615cab90.jpg" width="332" height="500" alt="Hop Planter"><br />
<br />
<p>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.</p><br />
<i>Update: Here is the plant as of 7/10:</i><br />
<img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6013/5921692209_0ccd302eff.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Hop plant after 2 months"><br />
<br />
<p>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.</p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><g:plusone size="medium"></g:plusone></div>Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03462400843527621478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626797102748213494.post-44087448313906664032011-01-30T21:55:00.000-05:002011-01-30T21:55:38.605-05:00Infinium Tasting at Sam Adams Brewery<p>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 <a href="http://www.giltcity.com/boston">Gilt City Boston</a> 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.</p><div align="center"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5096/5392032292_c421cc3e0c.jpg" alt="Jim Koch at Sam Adams Brewery" /> <br />
</div><p>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:</p><p><ul><li>The original Jamaica Plain brewery is actually leased by Boston Beer Company, they do not own the property</li>
<li>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.</li>
<li>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. <br />
<li>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.<br />
</ul></p><div align="center"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5100/5391430005_7c2258174f.jpg" alt="Sam Adams Infinium Tasting" />
</div><p>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.</p><div align="center"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5258/5391430865_176451b792.jpg" alt="Infinium by Sam Adams and Weihenstephan" /> </div>
<p>Thanks again to Boston Beer Company, Gilt City Boston, and Jim Koch for an awesome night and great beer!</p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><g:plusone size="medium"></g:plusone></div>Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03462400843527621478noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626797102748213494.post-51803763016781998812010-10-29T17:53:00.006-04:002010-11-01T17:50:54.488-04:00Pumpkin Fest, Belgian Beer Fest, & Insane Tap Lists<p>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.</p><h4><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232;">Best Use of Pumpkins...Ever!</span></h4><p>Tomorrow marks the third annual <a href="http://cambridgebrewing.com/events/details/3rd-annual-cbc-pumpkin-ale-fest/">Cambridge Brewing Company Pumpkin Festival</a>, which entails costumes, pumpkin beers, and a 150 pound pumpkin which is actually used as a vessel to serve beer!</p><br />
<img alt="Cambridge Brewing Pumpkin Festival" height="100" src="http://cambridgebrewing.com/images/uploads/Pumpkin-Poster-2010-2.gif" style="height: 700px; width: 500px;" /><br />
<br />
<p>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.</p><ul><li>When - Saturday, October 30th @ 4pm</li>
<li>Where - Cambridge Brewing Company, Cambridge, MA</li>
<li>Cost - $10 at the door and pay per serving (admission includes pint glass!)</li>
</ul><h4><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232;">Tomme Takes Over Armsby Abbey</span></h4><p>Smack dab in the middle of the week is an event at <a href="http://armsbyabbey.com/">Armsby Abbey</a> 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 <a href="http://beeradvocate.com/events/info/38713">BeerAdvocate</a>.</p><ul><li>When - Wednesday, November 3rd @ 6pm</li>
<li>Where - Armsby Abbey, Worcester, MA</li>
<li>Cost - Free admission, pay per serving</li>
</ul><p>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."<br />
<h4><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232;">Belgium in Boston</span></h4><p>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.</p><br />
<b><u>BBF Pre Party</u></b><br />
<p>Starting at 6pm on Thurday (11/4), The Publick House will be hosting the official <a href="http://beeradvocate.com/events/info/38155">BBF Pre-Party</a> 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.</p><ul><li>When - Thursday, November 4th @ 6pm</li>
<li>Where - The Publick House, Brookline, MA</li>
<li>Cost - Free admission, pay per serving</li>
</ul><br />
<b><u>NoTF and Lord Hobo Post Party</u></b><br />
<p>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, <a href="http://lordhobo.com/">Lord Hobo</a> is throwing a serious party with vintages of Cantillon and Drie Fonteinen. The beer list posted on the <a href="http://beeradvocate.com/events/info/38852">BeerAdvocate event page</a> also mentions multiple Mikkeller kegs, Jolly Pumpkin, and some Belgian classics such as De Ranke.</p><ul><li>When - Friday, November 5th @ 6pm</li>
<li>Where - NOTF @ Cyclorama in South End, Post Party at Lord Hobo in Cambridge, MA</li>
<li>Cost - NOTF is soldout! Lord Hobo is free admission, pay per serving</li>
</ul><br />
<b><u>BBF Sessions 1 & 2</u></b><br />
<p>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.</p><ul><li>When - Saturday, November 6th @ 1pm and 6pm</li>
<li>Where - Cyclorama in Boston South End, MA</li>
<li>Cost - Both sessions are soldout!</li>
</ul><br />
<p>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!</p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><g:plusone size="medium"></g:plusone></div>Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03462400843527621478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626797102748213494.post-54794146195835219552010-09-17T11:31:00.000-04:002010-09-17T11:31:23.063-04:00Homebrewing: JP Pale AleThe 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.<br />
<h4><b><u>JP Pale Ale</u></b></h4>3.5 gallon boil volume<br />
3 gallon batch (15% boil-off)<br />
<br />
<b>Grain Bill:</b><br />
3# Extra Light DME<br />
.5# Crystal 40L<br />
<br />
Late extract additions: half the extract at 30 minutes, and 1/2 at 15 minutes<br />
<br />
<b>Hop Schedule (1 oz. Cascade & 1 oz. Centennial):</b><br />
.5oz Cascade and .1oz Centennial @ 45 min.<br />
.2oz Centennial @ 15 min.<br />
.25oz Cascade @ 10 min.<br />
.25oz Cascade and .2oz Centennial @5 min.<br />
<br />
Pitched Nottingham dry yeast @ 75F<br />
<br />
Dry hop with .5oz Centennial once target FG is reached<br />
<br />
<b>Targets:</b><br />
OG: 1.047<br />
FG: 1.012<br />
IBU: 38<br />
ABV: 4.5%<br />
<br />
I'll follow up in a few weeks time with a review of how it came out.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><g:plusone size="medium"></g:plusone></div>Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03462400843527621478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626797102748213494.post-63250059970973724112010-05-17T12:33:00.010-04:002010-05-21T11:40:25.235-04:00American Craft Beer Week Events in the Boston Area<p>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:</p><h3>Rock Bottom Brewery</h3><p>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.</p><h3>Harpoon Brewery</h3><p>Harpoon Brewery will be hosting a special beer tasting on Wednesday, May 19th at the Boston brewery at 6 P.M.</p><h3>Armsby Abbey Beer Geek Week</h3><p>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 <a href="http://beeradvocate.com/events/info/34524">full list</a>. More info is available at the <a href="http://beeradvocate.com/events/info/34524">BeerAdvocate event page</a>.</p><h3>Amherst Brewing</h3><p>Amherst Brewing is holding a Craft Beer Week which starts today, Monday the 17th. More information can be found at the <a href="http://beeradvocate.com/events/info/34542">BeerAdvocate event page</a>.</p><h3>Cape Cod Beer</h3><p>Cape Cod Beer in Hyannis will be offering free brewery tours at 11 A.M. on Tuesday the 18th.</p><h3>Mayflower Brewing Company</h3><p>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.</p><h3>Haverhill Brewery / The TAP</h3><p>Haverhill Brewery and The TAP will be releasing Special Reserves and seasonal beers this week. More information to follow on their website: <a href="http://www.tapbrewpub.com/">http://www.tapbrewpub.com/</a></p><br />
<p>For more Craft Beer Week events and information, visit the <a href="http://www.americancraftbeerweek.org/apps/events/events.html">American Craft Beer Week Events page</a>. And if I missed any that you know of, let me know and I will update the list.</p><br />
<p>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 <a href="http://beeradvocate.com/events/info/32787">BeerAdvocate event page</a> and at the <a href="http://www.juliosliquors.com/">Julio's website</a>.</p><br />
<p><b>EDIT:</b> Learned of another ACBW event going on, this one being hosted by the guys over at <a href="http://www.beeriety.com">Beeriety</a>. The event is on Thursday night, 8 P.M. at Charlie's Kitchen in Harvard Square. According to the <a href="http://tumblr.beeriety.com/post/596130377/join-the-beeriety-crew-and-boston-tumblrs-for-a">event's page</a>, it is co-hosted with the <a href="http://bostonmeetups.tumblr.com/">Boston Tumblrs</a> group.</p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><g:plusone size="medium"></g:plusone></div>Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03462400843527621478noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626797102748213494.post-41466825815422094252010-04-15T11:36:00.006-04:002010-04-15T11:45:05.335-04:00Deep Ellum and the Rest of the Best<div align="center"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flash-n-burn/4523651228/" title="Deep Ellum, Allston - Crop by gdkersey, on Flickr"><img alt="Deep Ellum, Allston - Crop" height="296" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4024/4523651228_596cfc63ed.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<p>The Boston Phoenix released the <a href="http://thephoenix.com/thebest/boston/2010/">2010 Best of Boston Winners</a> yesterday, and Deep Ellum took home some top awards. Getting hailed as the <a href="http://thephoenix.com/thebest/boston/2010/food/bar/">best bar in Boston</a> 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 <a href="http://thephoenix.com/thebest/boston/2010/life/bartender/">Boston's best bartender</a>: 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.<br />
<br />
Allston also scooped up a few other awards, as alluded to by the folks over at <a href="http://www.allstoncitylimits.com/">Allston City Limits</a>. Blanchard's got the award for <a href="http://thephoenix.com/thebest/boston/2010/shopping/wineandliquorstore/">Best Wine and Liquor Store</a> (they also have a fairly robust beer selection), and Sunset Grill and Tap picked up <a href="http://thephoenix.com/thebest/boston/2010/food/barbeerselection/">Best Beer Selection</a> (which as a title in terms of quantity, serves that place pretty well). <br />
<br />
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.</p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><g:plusone size="medium"></g:plusone></div>Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03462400843527621478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626797102748213494.post-400241184014437222010-02-21T13:26:00.002-05:002010-02-23T08:48:40.996-05:00Bruery/Ithaca Dinner at Cambridge CommonStarting 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. <br />
<br />
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.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flash-n-burn/4370850600/" title="Black Tuesday and LeBleu by gdkersey, on Flickr"><img alt="Black Tuesday and LeBleu" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4036/4370850600_0f10e22913.jpg" width="319" /></a></div><p>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.<br />
<br />
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.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flash-n-burn/4370850364/" title="Scallops Entree at Cambridge Common Dinner by gdkersey, on Flickr"><img alt="Scallops Entree at Cambridge Common Dinner" height="299" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4015/4370850364_581677c0d0.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<p>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.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flash-n-burn/4370100549/" title="Dessert with Brute and Melange No. Sechs by gdkersey, on Flickr"><img alt="Dessert with Brute and Melange No. Sechs" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4036/4370100549_3d0f79a64e.jpg" width="389" /></a></div><p>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.</p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><g:plusone size="medium"></g:plusone></div>Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03462400843527621478noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626797102748213494.post-6748501219388213542010-02-09T12:20:00.005-05:002010-02-16T12:45:09.914-05:00Harpoon Brewery Tour and Filming at CBC<p>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.<br />
<br />
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.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flash-n-burn/4341827087/" title="Taps at Harpoon Brewery Store by gdkersey"><img alt="Taps at Harpoon Brewery Store" height="500" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2695/4341827087_02f0278c53.jpg" style="border: 2px solid black;" width="332" /></a></div><p>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 <a href="http://www.harpoonbrewery.com/index.cfm?cdid=142531&pid=28476">Island Creek Oyster Stout</a>. 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.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flash-n-burn/4342562306/" title="Harpoon Brewery, Oyster Stout"><img alt="Harpoon Brewery, Oyster Stout" height="332" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4017/4342562306_ecccf0caaf.jpg" style="border: 2px solid black;" width="500" /></a></div><p>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.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flash-n-burn/4342592242/" title="Filming at CBC"><img alt="Filming at CBC" height="332" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4046/4342592242_9a8568493d.jpg" style="border: 2px solid black;" width="500" /></a></div><p>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.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flash-n-burn/4341836467/" title="Cambridge Brewing Company Line-Up"><img alt="Cambridge Brewing Company Line-Up" height="332" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4058/4341836467_c648bc2e67.jpg" style="border: 2px solid black;" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flash-n-burn/4341836467/" title="Cambridge Brewing Company Line-Up"></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flash-n-burn/4341848341/" title="Cambridge Brewing Company Beers"><img alt="Cambridge Brewing Company Beers" height="332" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4011/4341848341_ee9d73928b.jpg" style="border: 2px solid black;" width="500" /></a></div><p>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.</p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flash-n-burn/4341844265/" title="2007 YouEnjoyMyStout"><img alt="2007 YouEnjoyMyStout" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4031/4341844265_8bb979bda3.jpg" style="border: 2px solid black;" width="332" /></a></div><p>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!</p></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><g:plusone size="medium"></g:plusone></div>Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03462400843527621478noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626797102748213494.post-1775429020391226282010-01-15T16:35:00.008-05:002010-01-15T16:45:05.759-05:00A Bostonian's Beer Guide to Prague<p>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.</p><iframe width="600" height="350" frameborder="1" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" style="border:2px solid black;" src="http://www.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=116387295660478694827.000478d471030b3a080a7&ll=50.087878,14.416122&spn=0.038549,0.102997&z=13&output=embed"></iframe><br /><small>View <a href="http://www.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=116387295660478694827.000478d471030b3a080a7&ll=50.087878,14.416122&spn=0.038549,0.102997&z=13&source=embed" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">Prague Trip</a> in a larger map</small><br /><br /><p>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.<br /><br />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.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flash-n-burn/4246323038/" title="Krusovice"><img style="border:2px solid black;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4024/4246323038_4c98eb5b8e.jpg" width="332" height="500" alt="Krusovice" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flash-n-burn/4245544629/" title="Prague Cathedral"><img style="border:2px solid black;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4038/4245544629_ac45f96762.jpg" width="332" height="500" alt="Prague Cathedral" /></a><br /></div><br /><p>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 <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flash-n-burn/4246346512/in/set-72157607326003418/" target="_blank">The Lennon Wall</a>, 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.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flash-n-burn/4245593255/" title="U Fleku, Prague"><img style="border:2px solid black;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2619/4245593255_cec639596e.jpg" width="500" height="332" alt="U Fleku, Prague" /></a><br /></div><br /><p>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.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flash-n-burn/4246372030/" title="Minipivovar U Medvídků X33"><img style="border:2px solid black;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4037/4246372030_3a48ea2791.jpg" width="332" height="500" alt="Minipivovar U Medvídků X33" /></a><br /></div><br /><p>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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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 <a href="http://www.mandarinoriental.com/prague/">Mandarin Oriental hotel</a>. 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.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flash-n-burn/4245609415/" title="Czech Beers at Barego"><img style="border:2px solid black;" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4011/4245609415_07d5aa98eb.jpg" width="500" height="332" alt="Czech Beers at Barego" /></a><br /></div><br /><p>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.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flash-n-burn/4248234990/" title="Wine Cellar and Tasting Room"><img style="border:2px solid black;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2749/4248234990_a341899f45.jpg" width="500" height="332" alt="Wine Cellar and Tasting Room" /></a><br /></div><br /><p>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.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/flash-n-burn/4246329356/" title="Classic Czech Beer and Absinth"><img style="border:2px solid black;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2522/4246329356_6f8b1f92dd.jpg" width="332" height="500" alt="Classic Czech Beer and Absinth" /></a><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><g:plusone size="medium"></g:plusone></div>Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03462400843527621478noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626797102748213494.post-3558542505292670912009-11-16T14:08:00.001-05:002009-11-16T16:16:55.328-05:00Lord Hobo "Official" Opening on Wednesday the 18thIf 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 <a href="http://beeradvocate.com/forum/read/2393887">official announcement</a> 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:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.lordhobo.com/">http://www.lordhobo.com/</a><br /><br />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.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><g:plusone size="medium"></g:plusone></div>Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03462400843527621478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626797102748213494.post-28843726244528449012009-09-29T12:15:00.008-04:002009-09-29T12:46:32.582-04:00Ramping Up for Boston's Belgian Beer WeekWith Oktoberfest festivities coming to an end this week, Boston beer lovers have got something great to look forward to: <a href="http://beeradvocate.com/fests/bbf" target="_blank">The Return of the Belgian Beer Fest</a>, 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.<br /><br />Information on all these events and tickets for the Belgian Beer Festival can be found at BeerAdvocate.com. The tickets are selling fast, and <del>Night of the Funk tickets should be gone very soon</del><a href="http://twitter.com/BeerAdvocate/status/4473908893"> Night of the Funk has just sold out</a>. 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!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><g:plusone size="medium"></g:plusone></div>Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03462400843527621478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626797102748213494.post-75142309177730621162009-08-24T18:04:00.002-04:002009-08-24T18:57:14.437-04:00Duvel Green in BostonDuvel 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.<br /><br />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:<br /><ul><br /><li>Sunset Grill & Tap, Allston (Tuesday, 8pm)</li><br /><li>The Publick House, Brookline (Tuesday - <a href="http://beeradvocate.com/events/info/26978">BA Event posting</a>)</li><br /><li>Deep Ellum, Allston (Wednesday)</li><br /><li>Redbones, Somerville (Wednesday)</li><br /><li>Jimmy's Pub, Mansfield (Wednesday)</li><br /><li>Biltmore, Newton (Wednesday)</li><br /><li>Armsby Abbey, Worcester (Thursday)</li><br /><li>Sierra Grille, Northhampton (Thursday)</li><br /><li>Old Forge Restaurant, Lanesboro (Thursday)</li><br /></ul><div class="blogger-post-footer"><g:plusone size="medium"></g:plusone></div>Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03462400843527621478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626797102748213494.post-34416302961920179142009-08-14T09:04:00.003-04:002009-08-14T09:09:56.045-04:00Mini-Belgian Beer Fest at Julio's on SundayFor those who just can't wait for <a href="http://beeradvocate.com/fests/bbf" target="_blank">BeerAdvocate's Belgian Beer Fest</a> 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 <a href="http://www.juliosliquors.com/calendar.htm" target="_blank">Julio's Event Calendar</a>.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><g:plusone size="medium"></g:plusone></div>Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03462400843527621478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626797102748213494.post-12889294217061053522009-07-31T09:09:00.006-04:002009-07-31T09:15:27.671-04:00DrinkMaster Boston Groupon Deal - 7/31Today's <a href="http://www.groupon.com/boston/" target="_blank">Groupon Deal for Boston</a> 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!):<br /><br /><a href="http://www.groupon.com/boston/">http://www.groupon.com/boston/</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><g:plusone size="medium"></g:plusone></div>Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03462400843527621478noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626797102748213494.post-30133804888677395252009-07-10T11:05:00.003-04:002009-07-16T16:31:46.789-04:00Pretty Things Latest Release - American Darling<p><a com="" site="" target="_blank">Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project</a> 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 <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Pretty-Things-Beer-Ale-Project/80217901965">Facebook fan page</a>, the release of their newest beer, <a href="http://prettythingsbeertoday.com/site/node/63">American Darling</a>, 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?</p><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.prettythingsbeertoday.com/site/sites/all/themes/prettythings/images/adGLASS.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 425px; height: 319px;" src="http://www.prettythingsbeertoday.com/site/sites/all/themes/prettythings/images/adGLASS.jpg" border="0" alt="Pretty Things American Darling" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">*Photo courtesy of Pretty Things Website*</span></i></div><br /><p>7/16 UPDATE: Just picked up a bottle of this from Blanchard's in Allston yesterday, so it is now available for store purchase.</p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><g:plusone size="medium"></g:plusone></div>Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03462400843527621478noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626797102748213494.post-92181829602963894292009-07-09T10:14:00.002-04:002009-07-09T10:18:13.400-04:00Updated Boston Beer MapI've recently updated the <a href="http://bostonbeerbars.blogspot.com/2008/05/best-boston-beer-bars.html">Boston beer map</a> 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!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><g:plusone size="medium"></g:plusone></div>Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03462400843527621478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626797102748213494.post-35331309605205248432009-07-01T22:07:00.003-04:002009-07-01T22:29:15.674-04:00A Bostonian's Beer Guide to ParisBefore I left for my trip to Paris a couple weeks ago, I made a <a href="http://bostonbeerbars.blogspot.com/2009/06/paris-beer-bars.html">map of Paris beer bars</a> 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.<br /><h3>La Cave à Bulles</h3><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rnCeVfM6Tos/SkvxTDtuW4I/AAAAAAAAAH8/NXma3cH6iYM/s1600-h/paris+beers.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rnCeVfM6Tos/SkvxTDtuW4I/AAAAAAAAAH8/NXma3cH6iYM/s320/paris+beers.jpg" alt="French Craft Beer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353637891776863106" border="0" /></a><br /><p>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.</p><h3>Au Trappiste</h3><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_rnCeVfM6Tos/SkvyIddms1I/AAAAAAAAAIE/Vo0k4PpziCc/s1600-h/Au+Trappiste.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_rnCeVfM6Tos/SkvyIddms1I/AAAAAAAAAIE/Vo0k4PpziCc/s320/Au+Trappiste.jpg" alt="Au Trappiste" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353638809221641042" border="0" /></a><br /><p>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 <a href="http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1682/5213" target="_blank">La Choulette Blonde</a>, which was served with the appropriate branded glassware...always a nice touch.</p><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rnCeVfM6Tos/SkwVbdyMruI/AAAAAAAAAIk/dAEJXl5nfxY/s1600-h/La+Choulette.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 180px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rnCeVfM6Tos/SkwVbdyMruI/AAAAAAAAAIk/dAEJXl5nfxY/s320/La+Choulette.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353677618632503010" border="0" /></a><br /><p>In all, Au Trappiste is a place to enjoy local craft beers in a busy part of Paris.</p><h3>Falstaff Bastille</h3><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_rnCeVfM6Tos/SkvyzpWVrUI/AAAAAAAAAIU/UV3jyYRTXzs/s1600-h/Falstaff.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 180px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_rnCeVfM6Tos/SkvyzpWVrUI/AAAAAAAAAIU/UV3jyYRTXzs/s320/Falstaff.jpg" alt="Falstaff Bastille Gueuze" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353639551146765634" border="0" /></a><br /><p>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.</p><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_rnCeVfM6Tos/SkwBlWJ90CI/AAAAAAAAAIc/aXpSYE2bYqQ/s1600-h/Ile+Saint+Louis.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_rnCeVfM6Tos/SkwBlWJ90CI/AAAAAAAAAIc/aXpSYE2bYqQ/s320/Ile+Saint+Louis.jpg" alt="Ile Saint Louis View" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353655798150844450" border="0" /></a><br /><h3>Frog and Princess</h3><p>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.</p><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rnCeVfM6Tos/SkvyoFA6qII/AAAAAAAAAIM/m9PUtM1BJzY/s1600-h/Frog+and+Princess.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rnCeVfM6Tos/SkvyoFA6qII/AAAAAAAAAIM/m9PUtM1BJzY/s320/Frog+and+Princess.jpg" alt="Frog and Princess Beers" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353639352414677122" border="0" /></a><br /><p>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.<br /><br />While I wasn't able to hit all the places I had laid out on the <a href="http://bostonbeerbars.blogspot.com/2009/06/paris-beer-bars.html">Paris beer map</a>, 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.<br /><br />I hope this mini-guide comes in helpful for any beer lovers traveling to Paris.</p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><g:plusone size="medium"></g:plusone></div>Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03462400843527621478noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626797102748213494.post-70712451341076846962009-06-19T16:23:00.006-04:002009-06-24T20:12:27.462-04:00Exploring the Paris Beer SceneSo 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 <a href="http://beeradvocate.com/acbf/">ACBF</a>, 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.<br /><br /><iframe width="530" height="350" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=116387295660478694827.00046c9148db763401bcb&ll=48.853195,2.350731&spn=0.039533,0.072956&z=13&output=embed"></iframe><br /><small>View <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=116387295660478694827.00046c9148db763401bcb&ll=48.853195,2.350731&spn=0.039533,0.072956&z=13&source=embed" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">Paris Beer Bars</a> in a larger map</small><br /><br />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...<div class="blogger-post-footer"><g:plusone size="medium"></g:plusone></div>Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03462400843527621478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626797102748213494.post-17854200589260757812009-06-18T14:22:00.003-04:002009-06-18T14:29:50.354-04:00Tickets Still Available for American Craft Beer Festival!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 <a href="http://beeradvocate.com/acbf/tickets">BeerAdvocate Website</a>, 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.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><g:plusone size="medium"></g:plusone></div>Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03462400843527621478noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626797102748213494.post-26412845195103394492009-06-17T10:47:00.002-04:002009-07-21T16:38:37.721-04:00BeerAdvocate Recognition and ACBFBoston.com has a <a href="http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/food/articles/2009/06/17/the_alstrm_brothers_are_the_go_to_guys_for_beer/?page=full">great article</a> 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.<br /><br />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 <a href="http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/596/23030">Kate the Great</a>, 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.<br /><br />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 <a href="http://beeradvocate.com/acbf/beer">seriously impressive brewer line-up</a>, sporting 300+ beers over the 2 days.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><g:plusone size="medium"></g:plusone></div>Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03462400843527621478noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626797102748213494.post-12577799506106156692009-06-04T16:18:00.003-04:002009-06-04T16:56:54.750-04:00Harpoon Summer Session this WeekendBoston 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 <a href="http://www.harpoonbrewery.com/index.cfm?pid=28567" target="_blank">Summer Session</a> 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 <a href="http://www.harpoonbrewery.com/index.cfm?cdid=129808&pid=28476" target="_blank">music line-up</a> sounds promising, with both DJs (namely <a href="http://www.myspace.com/redfoxxworth" target="_blank">RageFoxx</a> and <a href="http://www.myspace.com/baltimoroder" target="_blank">Baltimorodor</a> duo of Boston's own HeartThrob) and bands including the lively <a href="http://www.myspace.com/televandals" target="_blank">Televandals</a>.<br /><br />Here are the quick details of the event:<div><ul><li>Friday 6/5 - 5:30pm-11pm</li><li>Saturday 6/6 - 3pm-11pm</li><li>Cover is $20 and includes souvenir pint glass and one drink ticket</li><li>CASH BAR - $5 a pint</li><li>Expected beers on tap - Summer Ale, IPA, UFO selections (White and Original)</li></ul></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><g:plusone size="medium"></g:plusone></div>Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03462400843527621478noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5626797102748213494.post-26371028174426140142009-05-20T09:57:00.006-04:002009-05-20T10:30:30.367-04:00Cough Up the Change for That BeerAs 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.<br /><br />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.". <br /><br />Will this new sales tax affect your beer/wine/liquor purchasing habits?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><g:plusone size="medium"></g:plusone></div>Garethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03462400843527621478noreply@blogger.com4