Few things are more exciting to a craft beer enthusiast than having a new brewery open right in your neighborhood. Down The Road Brewery officially launched this week, and although they don’t have a tap room yet they are headquartered in Newton, very close to where I currently reside. The first product released by Down The […]
Tag: Pale Ale
Sierra Nevada Snow Pack
In the days before specialty beer stores that allowed you to buy everything by the single bottle, one of the quickest ways to sample a number of offerings from a brewery were sampler packs. Some packs also contain special beers that are only bottled for the mix packs. When I am having people over or getting together […]
Sixpoint Sensi Harvest
One of the reasons I love IPAs and other hop forward beers is the smell, that huge burst of succulent hops the smacks you right in the nose as you drink. Most of the aroma in hoppy beers comes from dry hopping, where dried hops are added as the beer ferments and conditions. Dry hopping adds little […]
Geary’s Ixnay
Gluten, the group of proteins in wheat, barley and rye that give bread its structure, has been in the news a lot lately. Many people are adopting a gluten-free diet either due to a diagnosis of celiac disease, an allergy or sensitivity to the protein, or personal choice. During the brewing process gluten is one of many proteins […]
Summer Beers: Slumbrew Island Day and Sebago Simmer Down
Although I have been drinking a lot of craft pilsners during these warm summer days, I also love light-bodied hoppy beers when it’s hot and humid. In particular, the bright and fruity flavors of American style hops are a perfect complement to a summer BBQ. A couple summer beers I tried recently fit this description. They are light and drinkable, but feature […]
Brewmaster Jack Hop Essence:Huell Melon
I’m probably never going to own a brewery. This is a statement of fact, not of regret. I have an awesome career that has nothing to do with the beer industry. Plus, I brew, drink and write about beer for fun. Sometimes when a hobby becomes a job it loses some of its luster. Still, I […]
Shipyard American Pale Ale
While I’ve been a proud resident of the Boston area for over a decade now (outside of a brief stint in CT), I was born and raised in Maine. I received my undergraduate degree from Bowdoin College. During my time in Brunswick I developed my passion for chemistry (my “real career”), rugby and started my […]
Harpoon 100 Barrel Series: Citra Victorious
I am a strong believer that the best way to learn about beer is to brew it yourself. Many breweries make an active effort to involve all of their employees in the brewing process, assuring that they all know where the product they are selling comes from. Every year all of the employees at Harpoon […]
Peak Organic Simcoe Spring
We finally made it to April! The weather is improving, temperatures are rising and the sun is making more frequent appearances. The porters and stouts in the fridge are starting to get replaced by pale ales and other lighter beers that complement the warmer days. My ideal spring beers are light and drinkable enough for a warm spring afternoon, […]
Harpoon Brewery Beer Hall/First Frost Ale
Harpoon is established as one of the preeminent craft breweries in New England. Their IPA and UFO series of beers are staples at nearly every bar in Massachusetts and beyond. Harpoon is currently brewed in two locations, Windsor, VT and on the Boston Waterfront. The Boston brewery recently opened up a large beer hall where […]
Hoppy Boston 
