Bacon and Beer Festival

Bacon. Beer. Sold.  No further description is needed, Eat and Bowery Boston’s latest festival says it all in the name.  The 2011 Bacon and Beer Festival will be held at The Royale on April 30th from 1:30pm to 4pm.

The Bacon and Beer Festival will showcase, yes, Bacon and Beer, from local establishments.  The brews will be served from your favorites, such as Blue Hills, Sam, Brooklyn, Cape Ann, Pretty Things, Clown Shoes and more.  The Bacon dishes will be served up from local restaurants from the South End as well as a few fine shops such as Whole Foods.

Come on, this event is a no-brainer.  If you like beer, you like bacon. If you like bacon, you like beer.  So sign up now!  $35 dollars. Learn more at the Bacon and Beer Website

A Day in the Life of Pretty Things – Beer Dinner at VeeVee

On April 4th, Join Dann, Martha, Jim and Anya for a day of Pretty Things at VeeVee in JP (I like how that sounds)

Chef Seth will be pairing their beers with five courses:

Breakfast: Bubble and Squeak (Vegetable and potato fritter with or without sausage), farm egg. Paired with St. Botolph’s Town

Lunch: Moules-frites paired with Baby Tree

Afternoon Tea: Tea Sandwiches (Cucumber, Egg salad…) Paired with Fluffy White Rabbits

Dinner: Seafood Waterzooi paired with Jack D’or

Midnight Snack: Cheese Course. Paired with Our Finest Regards

Cost is $65, not including tip. For more information visit VeeVee’s website.

Beer Summit 2011

This year’s Beer Summit will be held on April 15 & 16, 2011 at the Park Plaza Castle in Boston, MA. If you’ve never been to a Beer Summit before, you’re missing out. The Summit showcases great local beer from over 30 brewers.

This is the current list of Brewers that will be at the Beer Summit (More to come!): 50 Back, Affligem, Berkshire Brewing, Blue Hills, Boulder, Brooklyn, Buffalo Bill’s, Cape Ann, Cape Cod, Cisco, Clown Shoes, Franziskaner, Gardner Ale House, Geary’s, Gerbs Pumpkin Seeds, Gina Cigar, Harpoon, Heavy Seas, Innis & Gunn, JW Dundee, Ireland on the Road, Long Trail, Magic Hat, Mayflower, McNeill’s, Mercury, Narragansett, New Century, Newport Storm, Offshore, Olde Burnside, Oskar Blues, Otter Creek, Paper City, Peak Organic, Sam Adams, Shipyard, Southern Tier, Spaten, Stawski Imports, Stiegl, Trinity Brewhouse, Tuckerman, Union Station Brewery, Weihenstephan, Widmer Bros, Woodchuck, Woodstock Inn, World Class Beer, Wormtown.

Park Plaza Castle, Boston MA

For more information, visit http://www.beersummit.com/

Harpoon St. Patrick’s Festival 2011

It’s that time of year again!  Time to get your crew together and head down to the South Boston Waterfront for another Harpoon Fest. Never been, or don’t remember the last one!? Well, Harpoon Fests are a must.  Hundreds of beer drinkers gather at Harpoon Brewery and enjoy a wide variety of Harpoon Beers, food, music and more.

The St. Patricks Festival is always a great one to attend.  The weather is getting nicer so what better reason to drink outside on a Saturday?  Plus, it’s a week before actual Paddy’s day so you basically get an extra weekend of celebration.

The 2011 St. Paddy’s festival will be held at March 4th and 5th at the South Boston Brewery.  It’s $20 a ticket but you’ll get a discount if you have a friends of Harpoon card.  Free shuttles run from south station all day long, so no excuse.

Tickets are purchased at the door. Remember to come early! Lines are usually pretty long…

Harpoon Brewery

For more information visit http://www.harpoonbrewery.com/

Irish Village – Surprising Craft Beer Selection in Brighton Center

At first glance, Brighton’s Irish Village looks intimidating.  It resides amongst apartment buildings, warehouses and convenience stores on Brighton’s busy Market street, away from the “college” bars such as the Brighton Beer Garden and Green Briar. Outside of the bar you’ll usually spot a group of rough looking Irishmen smoking cigarettes.  But inside you might be surprised – if even slightly.

The Irish Village, or the IV, is a very small bar.  The place itself really is just a bar with a few tables, a very familiar Irish pub feel with a huge U-shaped bar right in the center – not too surprising.  But what you’ll find on tap might shock you.  15+ craft beers at fair prices.

Here is a list of the current draft selection at the Irish Village:

• Allagash Belgian White
• Dogfish 60min IPA
• Harpoon IPA
• Harpoon Seasonal
• Hoegaarden Belgian White
• Leinenkugel Sunset Wheat
• Sam Adams Lager
• Sam Adams Seasonal
• Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale
• Stone Arrogant Bastard Ale
• Ten Penny Ale
• Wachusett Blueberry Ale

Not bad, huh?  So if your in Brighton Center and are looking to enjoy some good beers at a very cool local Irish bar look no further then the Irish Village.

Irish Village, Brighton Center, Brighton MA

To learn more visit http://irishvillagebrighton.com/

Dogfish Head Tap Takeover at the Grill Next Door

The Grill Next Door is Haverhill’s neighborhood beer bar with a comfortable and friendly atmosphere. They are doing great things over there, especially for a bar outside of the downtown area. March 1st is an example of one of their impressive events – a Dogfish Head Tap Takeover.

The Dogfish Head Tap Takeover will include the following beers: Fort, Immort Ale, Chateau Jiahu, Unearthly, My Antonia, Palo Santo Marron, Pangaea, and more!

For more information visit http://www.thegrillnextdoor.net/

Southern Tier Keg Party at Redbones in Somerville

On Wednesday, February 23rd, head over to Redbones in Davis for a Southern Tier Keg party.  Southern Tier and barbeque – need I say more.

From the Redbones website:

Redbones brings Southern Tier’s ‘Innovative, high quality’ beer from rural NY to Davis Square – 12 on tap, 1 night only.

Brews include IPA, Phin & Matt’s, Gemini, Choklat Imperial Stout, Old Man Winter & Iniquity plus a half dozen more!

For more information, visit www.redbones.com

Ommegang Beer Dinner at Cambridge Common

What are you doing for dinner Tuesday night? Not sure? Cambridge Common has you covered once again with a Ommegang Brewery Beer Dinner.

Premeal Beer: Rare VOS

~ Starter ~
Grilled Shrimp, Gruyere Cheese, Bacon and a Hennepin Mustard
Paired with Hennepin

~ Soup ~
Cheddar, Asiago, and Country Ham
Paired with Witte

~ Entree ~ [choice of]
Roasted Pork Medallions, Zuur au Jus, Smashed, Green Beans
Paired with Zuur

OR

Waterzooi (Flemish Stew with Chicken, Leeks, Fennel, Carrot, and Potato)
Paired with Belgian Pale Ale

~ Dessert ~
Cheesecake
Paired with Three Philosopher’s

All beer dinners are $50 in 2010 (INCLUDING tax, gratuity, and Brown Paper Ticket fee).

For more information visit http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/128265

Lord Hobo Beats Expectations

Cambridge has the vibe that most beer bars strive for (see Church Key).  It’s hip, a bit grungy, and a tad pretentious (in an enjoyable way).

Lord Hobo fits this description too a tee.  When you walk in, you’ll first notice the large U-shaped bar that completely fills the room. You’ll then probably spot the taps – nearly 50 of them, with many local brews including a rotating Haverhill Brewery tap for $4.

Along with the huge bar and great tap selection, Lord Hobo also plays excellent music – which to me goes a really, really long way.  It’s of the alternative/punk genre, but not the stuff you’d hear on the radio.

And the food – outstanding.  The fries alone are worth making the trek out to Inman Square.  It’s a little off the beaten path, so driving is preferred, but it’s walkable from Central Square.  Actually, its a few doors down from the CBC, which is helpful.

Lord Hobo, Cambridge MA

Visit to the Cape Ann Brewing Company

Gloucester Massachusetts is known as America’s First Fishing Port.  The miles of ocean along Gloucester’s coast is still largely occupied by industry, mostly seafood, but in one small corner near the ocean, it’s beer.

I took a visit to the Cape Ann Brewing Company during the summer, which I would highly recommend due to the chilly ocean winds of Gloucester.  The brewpub it self is fairly small, but perfect for posting up and enjoying one of their fresh beers.

Cape Ann has three beers on tap year round – the Fisherman’s Brew, Fisherman’s IPA, and the Fishman’s Brew.  They also have rotating lines of seasonals.

During my trip in August, I was lucky enough to grab on of Cape Ann’s newest additions to the summer seasonal collection – The Fisherman’s Tea Party.  This Barleywine is made from 3 different types of tea that were amongst the tea varieties dumped into the Boston Harbor during the Boston Tea Party. With a 9% ABV, the Tea Party finished very smooth with a complex and smokey bite.

Overall, great time in Gloucester and the Cape Ann Brewery.  No tours here, but just a very cool, relaxed environment in this small local brewpub.

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