Back to Boston

Yesterday we took my son Thomas back to school; his second sophomore semester begins tomorrow at Boston University. Here's how things were supposed to go: He and Cathy and I were going to get up early, go to 6:45 mass (a quick one, sans music), go back to the house to say good-bye to Nora, hit the road and get diesel and breakfast in NJ (we were low on fuel), and be in Boston by noon (and getting some good chowder for lunch on such a cold day) while Nora took the Saab to 9:00 mass, and spent the day studying for her finals this week.

Not what happened. We were fine, right up to the getting diesel in NJ part, which we did in Ewing, just over the river. As we were finishing up, Nora called -- Thomas forgot his new computer! Okay, we'll go back, it's only 15 minutes, and since she's now fully awake, we'll all have breakfast at the Langhorne Cafe. But she still wants to go to 9:00 mass, so she says, I'll drive the Saab down and meet you at the diner, and we can all leave from there. Okay...but as we're pulling into the parking lot, she calls: Saab won't start! Up the hill to the house, a mile away, and sure enough, battery's dead (it was quite cold, about 15 degrees F). Get the jumpers out of the Jetta, fire it up, race around the neighborhood, turn it off, and...starts right up. Just cold? Dunno, but we decide to go back to the diner with both cars.

We get to the diner -- it's full. Okay, we go to another diner, the Blue Fountain down on the Lincoln Highway. I took the Saab, revving it high and stoking more amps into the battery. We get into the diner, sit right down, and that's when Cathy and Thomas tell me that he had not just forgotten his computer...he'd forgotten his dorm room keys as well. But he has them now -- thanks to Nora! -- and all's well, and we have a big laugh, and a great last breakfast together before taking Thomas back to school. The Saab starts, we drive back to the house, leave Nora with lots of hugs (and pets to the Corgis, who are now thoroughly confused), and get back on the way to Boston...over two hours later than planned.

It is, however, a beautiful day, and traffic's quite light, and we make it there in only 4.5 hours, traveling largely at or near the speed limit. I actually got some editing done while Cathy drove in Connecticut. By the time we got there, though, we were getting a bit peckish. We first thought about going to Legal Sea Food for chowder -- I've never been, and it's a place you should probably go at some time -- but decided it was out of the way, and Thomas recalled The Daily Catch, a little Sicilian seafood place in Brookline that he and I had chanced upon last year (we were on our way to Soul Fire for a barbeque dinner when we realized it was Friday in Lent...and there was The Daily Catch right across the street from our epiphany, so we went in and greatly enjoyed it), so we went there.

Had the place to ourselves, and you're probably wondering by now what any of this has to do with beer or whiskey or anything else you might be interested in -- to which I think I can properly reply that it's my blog, and I can write about whatever, no? -- but here's your payoff: Cathy and I ordered beers from their local-heavy selection. She got a Cape Anne IPA, which had a solid malt character I found appealing, and I got a Berkshire Steel Rail Extra Pale, a beer I've always enjoyed since my first tasting, years ago. And I was reading the label, curious if they had an ABV listed (5.3%, it turns out), when I came across the text shown in the picture: "In the words of renowned beer writer Lew Bryson, Steel Rail EPA is 'what the water in heaven oughta taste like.'"

Ha! I was surprised to find this, the first time I had any inkling that Berkshire had quoted my Ale Street News column from 2009 on the lack of respect pale ale gets from the geekerie. It's fun to see your name on a label; hell of a lot more fun than on a wanted poster, I assume!

Anyway, the meal was excellent: we had the house specialty fried calamari to start (made fresh there, not frozen), and I had calamari with a seafood-based red sauce over linguini, Cathy and Thomas each had scallops and linguini with white clam sauce. Quite tasty, and quite good with the beer. We took him to the dorm, unloaded, sat with him a bit, and got him settled in, saw his roommate again (real nice guy, spent Christmas with us), and...headed home. Even less traffic, another quick run...and the Saab won't start. Time for a new battery. Cheers!

Race you to Christmas!

I am becoming a slave to my calendar...yesterday was a taping for American Beer Blogger at Porter's Pub in Easton, had a great time with Larry Porter, and found out about Weyerbacher's coming new graphics and logo, and talked to owner Troy Reynard about Two Rivers Brewing, a new brewpub coming to town soon. Good taping, good fun, good beer...and then on the road along the river back home to make dinner before heading to a dress rehearsal.

After the second of those evening rehearsals this week, my church choir's Christmas concert is tonight (and of course, I'd be happy to see any of you at St. Andrew's RCC in Newtown: it's a very good concert, with a small string ensemble). Tomorrow night I'm at Appalachian Brewing in Harrisburg for a book signing and fundraiser for the "American Beer Blogger" Kickstarter campaign (come out and pledge!).

I get to spend the weekend with the family, then Tuesday 12/20 I'll be visiting Valley Malt in western Massachusetts to see their custom micromaltings operation, dropping in to check out Element Brewing, and checking in with Will Meyers at Cambridge Brewing to sample some beers he's made with Valley Malt...and then over to Craft Beer Cellar for a Kickstarter fund-raising event with Suzanne and Kate, and Chris Lohring will be there with plenty of Notch Session beers (including the new Černé Pivo dark lager), and brewer Nate Heck will be joining us from Harpoon with their latest 100 Barrel release; come on out, 4-6, get some Notch and fresh Harpoon, and make a pledge to bring great beer (and some real fun) to TV! (I then pick up my son and drive home...should get in around 1 AM...)

Thursday 12/22 is the Book Singing Party at the Grey Lodge! It's not a typo: have a beer, pick up a signed copy of Pennsylvania Breweries or New Jersey Breweries, and join the surprisingly musical crowd at the G Lodge in singing some Christmas carols. We just had a great time at the family's annual caroling party, and my pitchpipe's all warmed up. It's an old-time Christmas...in a bar! We'll be harmonizing from 7:30 to 9:00, and remember, we all sound better after a couple drinks. 

After that? Well, next Friday, the family's going to do our usual last-minute Christmas shopping and lunch and wandering around Bethlehem, PA (and maybe grabbing a couple quick beers at Bethlehem Brew Works and the Hotel Bethlehem). After that...it's into the Christmas/New Year's week, and a chance to relax before I start on a round of Kickstarter fundraisers...more about that later!

More on the Kickstarter

I'm taking the TV fundraiser on the road...WAY out on the road. The first event is set: I'll be joining the wonderful Kate & Suzanne at the Craft Beer Cellar in Belmont, Massachusetts on December 20, from 4 to 6. Please come on out, see the video, ask me any damned question you want, and pledge some money to the Kickstarter.

Okay, I know, that's not real exciting. So Chris Lohring is going to be there too, with plenty of fresh Notch Session Beer for us to sample (and buy, folks: buy some, because I'm going to be and I hate being alone on things like this!). I'd love to do more events in the area, but I'll be visiting Valley Malt earlier in the day to find out what's going on there, then stopping in at Element Brewing on my way east; you know, it's just work, work, work.

There might be some stuff going on in Portland, Maine the night before, too: I'll keep you apprised.

Pretty Things event that I'm missing...why can't the college year be longer?

We brought Thomas home from his freshman year at BU about a month ago, and now I get this email from Dann Paquette at Pretty Things...

THIRD ANNUAL SAINT  BOTOLPH'S FEAST DAY PUB CRAWL

If you've ever read a bottle of Saint Botolph's Town, you know that Boston is named after the 8th century saint by the name of "Botolph". Known as the patron saint of travellers, old Saint Botolph will no doubt look over us and perhaps cast his blessings as we "travel" pub to pub in celebration of his feast day.
Come join us Friday, June 17th!
This year we're moving our Botolph's crawl to Cambridge. Why not celebrate that fine city of Boston and it's patron saint from across the Charles? Okay, it may be slightly ridiculous but that's the way it's going to be!
3:30 meet at Mead Hall, Kendall Square
4:30 Cambridge Brewing Company
5:30 Lord Hobo, Hampshire Street
6:30 Atwood's Tavern, Cambridge Street
7:30 Bukowski's Tavern, Cambridge Street
8:30 Trina's Starlight Lounge

Some great bars, and delicious Pretty Things beers...and I got no excuse to be in town! The boy's just going to have to take a summer course next year. Meanwhile, I'll have to assuage my hurt feelings by dropping in at the Pretty Things event at Midatlantic Friday night.

And yes, I've been busy during Philly Beer Week, but I still am, and when I have a moment...I'll post.

Rare 'Poonage at Misconduct Tavern next week

I think I told you my son's now attending Boston University which, among other changes in my life, has occasioned a convenient reason to renew my pleasant relations with Boston bars, brewpubs and Boston-based breweries...like Harpoon. I've been a Harpoon fan for years, always happy to run into it, and the folks from the brewery are great, including the president, Rich Doyle, who has served both Harpoon and the larger craft-brewing community for years with insightful leadership.

That's why I'll be at Misconduct Tavern next Tuesday (6-8 PM) to join Rich Doyle for a tasting of some rare Harpoon beers that often don't get outside of Boston Metro. It's an open event, with flights of smaller glasses, so you can try more than a couple without staggering home.

The lineup, on draft first:
Harpoon Leviathan Triticus
Harpoon 100 Barrel Series Glacier Wet Hop
Harpoon Octoberfest
Harpoon Belgian Pale Ale

And in Bottles:
Harpoon IPA
Harpoon 100 Barrel Series Island Creek Oyster Stout
 
I'm really looking forward to the oyster stout, it sounds like a very special beer. So maybe I'll see you there? Come on down, taste beers from one of the oldest, largest craft brewers on the East Coast.

20 years of Harpoon Octoberfest celebration

Ah.... 'PoonFest.

Back in the early days of our marriage, Cathy and I lived in Waterbury, Connecticut. We were young(er) and in love, and we took pleasure in simple things. We had to, they were all we could afford. At the time, one of the cheap simple things was gasoline, and we traveled around New England as much as we could. Which is how we wound up in Boston for what was, apparently, the first Harpoon Octoberfest. Who knew?

We had a great, great time, drinking, whooping it up, and grinning like idiots at having found a beer event that was bigger than three brewers standing at tables talking to 50 people. Needless to say, Harpoon Octoberfest has grown to be quite a bit more than that...they expect 14,000 people this year. Well, you know, Harpoon just keeps growing!

Here's what they've got:

Two massive tents will be erected at Harpoon, transforming the brewery’s parking lot into a Bavarian-style beer garden. A wide selection of Harpoon beers will be poured on draft featuring the brewery’s Marzen-style fall seasonal offering, Harpoon Octoberfest Beer. Live oompah bands will entertain with traditional waltzes and lead the crowd in the beloved chicken dance. Sauerkraut-stuffed bratwurst and knockwurst will be served alongside mustard-covered pretzels.

20 years of Harpoon Octoberfest this weekend, October 2 and 3. Get to the website for details.

The End of the Trip

Well... As mentioned below, we did go into Boston on Friday. We snaffled some free breakfast at our motel (fruit salad, and biscuits with honey for me), then went in and did the very touristy Faneuil Hall, where the big find for all of us (even Cathy) was Newbury Comics. Otherwise, the place reminded me of the first time I went there, 20 years ago: why the hell was it that I wanted to come here, again?

On the other hand, our lunch at the Black Rose cleared up my memory. We'd been to the Black Rose several times when we were younger (Cathy quite a few more than that), and in my memory it had morphed into a 'plastic paddy' joint. I'm glad we went back, because it was enjoyable and sure as hell looked 'authentic' (whatever that means in an "Irish pub" in Boston) Friday at lunch. Lunch was good, too, and the Guinness was as fresh as ever I remember.

We did a bit more Faneuil Hall (well, they did, anyway: I sat and read the book I'd bought at Newbury, a relaxed moment in the midst of shopping frenzy), then headed over to Boston University for Thomas's 3 PM tour. It was a good tour, with an energetic and engaged young guide (a rising sophomore, studying advertising and psychology, a scary combination of majors), and the weather held, a darkening sky and a rising breeze that stayed rainless. The tour was over, though, and we were done with college tours. Time for a little fun.

We drove over to Cambridge, and parked the car. Nora and I hung out in a Starbuck's, reading, while Cathy and Thomas took the T to Harvard Yard and hung out with the Crimson crowd. Nora and I were biding our time till the Green Street Grill opened at 5:30, when we were going to meet my friend and fellow writer Lauren "DrinkBoston" Clark there. (Do yourself a favor: if you've never read DrinkBoston, go there now and read a bit. Bet you can't read just one page; Lauren's writing is smart and informative, personal, and fun without being smart-assed.)

While we waited for Lauren, I had the chance to have my first Pretty Things beer, Jack D'Or. It's very nice: sweet, but edgy, and quite approachable, a saison that's not trying too hard to be 'Belgian' and 'complex.' I'd have had another, but Lauren walked in, we had introductions (Lauren's that treasured adult who treats your teenagers just like they want to be treated: like people), and we got down to cocktail business. I got a rye Manhattan (Old Overholt, up, with a twist) that made me sigh, thinking about how fumble-fingered I am at making cocktails. Lauren wanted something with the Laird's Bonded Apple Brandy, and got a Diamondback. Interesting drink, have to have it again sometime.

We chatted, got caught up, and, perhaps inevitably, I had another drink (inevitable because the Manhattan had been so good!). What do you have with Irish whiskey besides a hot whiskey, I asked the cocktail queen. She apologized for geeking out, and grabbed her iPhone: she has a cocktail app! We decided on a Brainstorm: 2 oz. of Irish whiskey, and 2 dashes each of dry vermouth and Benedictine, which was then stirred (a long time), strained, and garnished with orange peel. The orange peel ruled the opener -- fresh, sweet, tingly -- but the drink itself was not dominated by anything: the whiskey (Powers) was mellow enough to stay in check, while the herbal dry/sweet of the two adds blended nicely (thanks to the prolonged stirring). A very civilized drink.

Time to go! Nora and I got the car, picked up the other two on Mass Ave, and whirled away to Cambridge Brewing Company for dinner. I'd been to CBC years ago, maybe 1993? But Will Meyers' beers kept getting such rave reviews (and our conversations in the course of a few phone interviews over the years have been so interesting) that I wanted to stop in, and it was Cathy's pick for dinner (Nora and I were talking about Redbones for barbecue). I got a Berliner Kendall (fun name, good sour, and a bit of funk; maybe some proper brett? I would have drunk more of it, but for the interest of variety) and Cathy got a pale ale (good, solid, clean).

Dinner: We split a Local Pick Plate: a wooden platter of locally-made/grown foods that was all so good we did everything but lick it clean. I had a grilled Italian sausage pizza that was excellent; the sausage was quite good, very stand-out in flavor, and the crust was crunchy-crisp. (Nora got the Warm Italian Sub, and I could have enjoyed that, too: what a rich, wet mess of a sandwich!) I had a Charles River Porter with the pizza: big, solid, a touch of chocolate.

We were done. We left, back to our motel room, and called it a week. Though we did have an interesting and delicious breakfast at the Boulevard Diner in Worcester Saturday morning (Italian breakfast: a big link of grilled Italian sausage, sitting on top of two fried eggs and crusty brown homefries, all smothered in a rich, long-simmered red sauce with plentiful toasted bread), and some pretty damned good barbecue (brisket and pulled pork, and some "Texas chili") at a new place in Sharon, CT for dinner/lunch. But that was just sustenance on the way home...