tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32000395277446582042009-07-08T21:07:52.670-05:00A blog written by a beer geek for anyone interested in good beer. I am not an expert, I am a beer drinker with an opinion. I use the blog as a discussion forum for The Beer Necessities, my beer appreciation course at Wellesley College, but I encourage all of you to share your thoughts.bostonbeermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11946540539841598718noreply@blogger.comBlogger59125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200039527744658204.post-26892097664830495972009-07-08T20:55:00.003-05:002009-07-08T21:06:42.737-05:00

For those of you in the Boston area, check out Downtown Wine and Spirits' new website and blog. Better yet, visit them the next time you are in Davis Square. It is a somewhat small and unassuming store, but they have a great selection and the prices are decent. I have found a number of Belgians there that I could not find elsewhere in the Boston area and they generally have a good selection of

bostonbeermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11946540539841598718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200039527744658204.post-66830200360236346322009-07-05T21:56:00.008-05:002009-07-05T23:19:19.613-05:00

On July 4th my brother Tom and his friend Phil stopped by for a couple of cold malted beverages and some BBQ. Both had home brews in hand and wanted me to give them a try...let's call this the battle of the knuckleheads.I could tell you many stories to support this name. They would include catapults, geese, their role as altar boys, Mark Messier, a bar called Rasputin's, and a side kick named

bostonbeermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11946540539841598718noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200039527744658204.post-45039781475355456652009-06-12T20:40:00.003-05:002009-06-12T21:03:21.295-05:00

I have tried almost all of the St. Bernardus beers available in the United States and I have never been disappointed. For some strange reason I am just getting around to trying the Tripel. One word...fantastic. I am enjoying a nice 750 ml bottle of it right now and it is a solid 4.7 out of 5 in my ratings.It is a manageable 8% abv. This tripel pours bright orangish gold with a thick white head

bostonbeermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11946540539841598718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200039527744658204.post-8792588783789914482009-05-29T19:25:00.010-05:002009-06-12T21:08:23.493-05:00

I picked up Magic Hat's new summer 12 pack tonight fully expecting to extol the virtues of a brewery that almost always comes to the table with solid offerings. I am fond of the brewery for a number of reasons: I watched the Red Sox win the World Series in 2004 while sipping one of their beers in a Burlington, VT pub; my brother Tom majored in drinking at St. Michael's College in nearby Winooski

bostonbeermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11946540539841598718noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200039527744658204.post-76695670970397760402009-04-16T22:20:00.002-05:002009-04-16T22:23:26.158-05:00

I am combining some of my passions today. I arrived in Indianapolis this morning for the 2009 Museums and the Web conference. I manage technology projects for a museum so this is my yearly opportunity to learn from a wide range of international museum technologists that are working on some really cutting edge stuff. But if you are reading this on my beer blog you probably don't care too much

bostonbeermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11946540539841598718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200039527744658204.post-76817659412099033412009-02-15T22:58:00.002-05:002009-02-15T23:17:04.915-05:00

I was walking through one of my local package stores (liquor store for those who have no idea what a "packie" is) the other day and I came across a couple of bottles of Shipyard Brewing Company's new Signature Series. About an hour ago I cracked open their Pugsley's Imperial Porter. Holy Shipyard this stuff is fantastic. Shipyard has always been a pretty good brewery , but I kind of lost track of

bostonbeermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11946540539841598718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200039527744658204.post-3611535564489830832009-02-14T22:03:00.003-05:002009-02-14T22:43:07.552-05:00

Are you drinking anything special for Valentine's Day? I had my favorite burrito today (Bueno y Sano in Amherst), some of my favorite pizza (BBQ chicken pizza from Antonio's), my favorite sundae (Moosetracks from Richardson's Dairy in Middleton), so now one of my favorite new beers...Southern Tier Imperial Choklat Stout. I have been cellaring this one for a while and figured why not break it out

bostonbeermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11946540539841598718noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200039527744658204.post-73764948045632968152009-01-18T21:05:00.003-05:002009-01-18T21:28:32.452-05:00

We are approaching the third week of my Wellesley College Wintersession course, The Beer Necessities. The only homework assignment is for students to go out and try a new beer and to review it. Here is a place to share some of those reviews and to start some discussion about them. Feel free to just tell me what you tried and whether you liked it or not, or give us a couple of lines about it. So,

bostonbeermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11946540539841598718noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200039527744658204.post-18328927636933486152008-11-02T21:34:00.002-05:002008-11-02T21:57:14.491-05:00

I am generally not a fan of hard cider. I had a friend that worked for Woodchuck a while back and it was pretty good, but I couldn't drink it too often. It always tasted too sweet to me. Obviously beer is my thing and just about always my drink of choice.Well I made a recent visit to one of my favorite places, King Eider's Pub in Damariscotta, ME. Jed does a great job with the beer selection--

bostonbeermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11946540539841598718noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200039527744658204.post-25844793652895632272008-10-31T17:30:00.003-05:002008-10-31T17:52:05.430-05:00

I rarely rejoice in anything dying, but MillerCoors has announced that Zima will no longer be produced. I am pretty sure that Zima was the first malternative to hit the big time market. I so remember making fun of anyone in college drinking this stuff. It was schilled as a clear, light, and refreshing alternative to beer. In reality it was an alcoholic soda pop. I remember trying it once,

bostonbeermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11946540539841598718noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200039527744658204.post-41770549947651318012008-10-12T20:16:00.003-05:002008-10-12T21:10:26.691-05:00

I have never really been a huge fan of pumpkin beers. I spend most of my fall absorbing as many Oktoberfests beers and autumn ales as possible. I love the rich malty smoothness of Oktoberfest beers...Hacker Pschorr, Sam Adams, Brooklyn, Geary's Autumn Ale and of course der Konig of them all, Ayinger Oktoberfest.However, over the last couple of years I have dabbled in pumpkin ales and I have to

bostonbeermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11946540539841598718noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200039527744658204.post-86636325007770466392008-08-01T21:14:00.002-05:002008-08-01T21:17:04.905-05:00

I am posting this important press release for a great cause. Please attend or just send a check.FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Doug Fleming friendsofdarryl@gmail.com 206.571.2243 RAISE A GLASS TO DARRYL GOSS A FUNDRAISER TO CELEBRATE GOOD MUSIC, GOOD BEER, AND DARRYL! Fact: ALS, better known as Lou Gehrig's disease, has no boundaries‑anyone can get it

bostonbeermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11946540539841598718noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200039527744658204.post-54246183523294266602008-06-25T21:48:00.003-05:002008-06-28T21:42:54.564-05:00

Did you get to the American Craft Beer Fest at the World Trade Center in Boston last weekend? I was pretty impressed with the size of the crowd and the well-planned logistics of getting everyone in the building. I was less impressed with the huge set-up given to "Michelob Brewing Company" and Here's to Beer as you entered the festival. Why not throw up a huge neon sign that said Anheuser Busch

bostonbeermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11946540539841598718noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200039527744658204.post-15082843751126933932008-05-31T21:30:00.002-05:002008-05-31T22:23:13.294-05:00

Ok, so you would have to have seen There Will Be Blood to understand why we called our last homebrew such a mouthful of a name. Well, it really isn't a homebrew, we created it at Barleycorn's Craftbrew On Premises facility. For all you Massachusetts locals, Barleycorn's is in Natick and you really have to make a visit--Dan Eng has a great facility and really knows his stuff. I go with my buddies

bostonbeermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11946540539841598718noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200039527744658204.post-45007455277787170832008-05-22T21:47:00.003-05:002008-05-22T22:01:20.807-05:00

Ok, I have held back as long as I could. These Coors Light ads are killing me so I want some good answers for what all or one of these inane phrases mean. I know you can come up with some funny responses."Tastes as cold as the Rockies""The World's Most Refreshing Beer""Cold. Down. Easy."And what is the deal with those absolutely ridiculous labels that turn blue when they are the right temperature

bostonbeermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11946540539841598718noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200039527744658204.post-8456655564854468162008-05-17T22:28:00.002-05:002008-12-13T00:02:47.827-05:00

What is your favorite local beer? I am talking about something that is made pretty close to where you live that you drink on a regular basis. No need to wax poetic on it (but feel free to do so if you'd like).I absolutely love Smuttynose IPA and Ipswich IPA. Post a quick comment and share your favorites.

bostonbeermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11946540539841598718noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200039527744658204.post-20604980240397568142008-05-07T21:16:00.003-05:002008-12-13T00:02:48.029-05:00

There is just about nothing better than a great pint of real ale. Pair that up with some good friends, Redbones pulled pork, and an Anna's burrito as a nightcap and you have the recipe for a fantastic Wednesday night. Yes a Wednesday night--when you love good beer you make these kinds of sacrifices!I am describing my first visit to the New England Real Ale Exhibition (NERAX), sponsored by the

bostonbeermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11946540539841598718noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200039527744658204.post-50282273736628235772008-04-13T21:25:00.002-05:002008-04-13T21:29:32.798-05:00

You have to love the Onion. Check out this link and insert a picture of yourself in place of the second guy. Ok, so maybe you don't make your own beer that often, but are you the neighbor that doesn't stop talking about. I am guilty as charged.http://www.theonion.com/content/amvo/beer_production_threatened_by?utm_source=onion_rss_daily

bostonbeermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11946540539841598718noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200039527744658204.post-51084172971165958762008-03-29T20:22:00.002-05:002008-03-29T21:02:40.297-05:00

Have you tried any of the beers in the Southern Tier Brewing Company's Imperial series? Why not? For me it all started with the Unearthly Imperial IPA. Extreme does not always mean good, however Southern Tier does a great job with these beers.Unearthly is an insane 11% with 153 IBUs. I give this beer a whopping 4.7 out of 5. It is loaded with floral, citrus and spicy hop flavors and is remarkably

bostonbeermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11946540539841598718noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200039527744658204.post-83396619237538077982008-03-15T16:49:00.003-05:002008-12-13T00:02:53.611-05:00

Last week I traveled to Miami Beach for a few days to attend a museum conference. My expectations for finding new beers were not high, but it ended up being worse than I thought. Whenever I travel in the US, I generally look for a local brew or something that is not distributed in the Northeast. Unfortunately the best beer I could find during two meals was Sam Adams Lager (a good beer, but I kind

bostonbeermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11946540539841598718noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200039527744658204.post-7012082873491702462008-02-13T22:47:00.002-05:002008-02-13T23:00:01.487-05:00

I am not sure if this is a bad dream or a sign of the coming apocalypse. A-B has unveiled two new beers recently. Chelada is a lovely melding of those two timeless classics, Budweiser and Clamato Juice (yes clam and tomato juice - repulsive enough without the Bud). The latest offering is Bud Light Lime -- look out Corona, you don't even have to buy real citrus fruit with these bad boys. Keep your

bostonbeermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11946540539841598718noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200039527744658204.post-42037694326608547652008-02-08T23:05:00.000-05:002008-02-08T23:25:41.721-05:00

You really have to give them credit, Jason and Todd Alström are the Kings of Beer in Boston. I was very excited to see the press release for the upcoming American Craft Beer Fest at the Seaport World Trade Center. These guys have done a shitload for craft beer in Boston, but this is over the top. The numbers 75 - 300 - 15,000 bring a tear to my beer. The thought of 75 brewers, 300 beers and 15,

bostonbeermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11946540539841598718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200039527744658204.post-58928007099398634032008-02-02T16:02:00.000-05:002008-02-02T16:32:16.498-05:00

What will you be drinking this Superbowl Sunday? If you could afford a ticket to the game, perhaps you can afford the ridiculously priced new beer from Carlsberg. For a meager $398 you can pick-up a just under 12oz bottle of their Jacobsen Vintage 1. Hell, with Superbowl tickets selling as high as $77,000 why not pick up a six-pack or two for the tailgate.We will undoubtedly be bombarded with ads

bostonbeermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11946540539841598718noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200039527744658204.post-55191394062427103872008-02-01T21:01:00.000-05:002008-02-01T21:12:58.254-05:00

I love teaching The Beer Necessities, my wintersession beer appreciation course at Wellesley College. However, it is just that, a non-credit wintersession beer appreciation course where we have a lot of fun talking about beer and tasting some excellent brews. But check out this for credit course at University of King's College in Halifax, Nova Scotia called Brewing Science: The History, Culture

bostonbeermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11946540539841598718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3200039527744658204.post-58725749926798550492008-01-08T22:12:00.000-05:002008-01-08T22:16:57.580-05:00

Sadly, Grolsch, which is exclusively distributed in the US by Anheuser Busch, is in the process of being purchased by SAB Miller. You really have to read more than beer labels these days to figure out who you are paying for your beer.http://stlouis.bizjournals.com/stlouis/stories/2008/01/07/daily12.html?jst=b_ln_hl

bostonbeermanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11946540539841598718noreply@blogger.com0