The murder of George Floyd by four Minneapolis police officers seems to be the match lit in the proverbial room full of explosives that is racial injustice in the United States. Since the footage of the altercation was released protests have been continual across many cities and states, and there is a renewed interest in […]
There are many great things about social media, especially in times of isolation. I have built the majority of my following for Hoppy Boston through my social accounts, and met a ton of awesome people who have become virtual and in a few cases real-life friends. There is also a ton of crap on social […]
I am a huge nerd, and not just when it comes to beer. I am also a science nerd (the PhD in medicinal chemistry will do that), plus I love video games, everything Star Wars, and epic fantasy novels. One of the reasons I started writing Hoppy Boston was to get my non-science writing chops […]
Last week I wrote about my first visit to Lost Shoe Brewing and Roasting Company in Marlborough (spoiler alert, it is pretty awesome), and I thought I would follow up with formal reviews of a couple of their beers. I bought everything they had available to-go in cans, the big advantage of selling all of […]
You know what is one of the hardest parts of writing a blog about local beers for over 6 years? I lose track of which beers and breweries I have, or have not, written about. For example, I was sure I had written at least one review showcasing a beer from Vanished Valley, but I […]
Every year on Black Friday there is a major set of barrel-aged beer releases from one of the biggest former-craft breweries in the country. Some people still go crazy for those beers (although many languish on store shelves), but I have started a new post-Thanksgiving tradition. Every year we go to visit my parents in […]
In an increasingly competitive craft beer market it can be advantageous for a newer brewery to establish a niche, a particular subgroup of beer styles that they specialize in and can be immediately identifiable with their brand. The issue is, as the brewery grows this niche can be limiting, but stepping outside can confuse customers […]
I’ve shoveled snow the last two weeks so I think it’s safe to say that winter is here. While the Starks might be ready for winter I am not, but I choose to live in New England so I guess I can deal. One of the things I do love about the cold and dark […]
As we move from fall into winter my beer fridge is being reloaded with dark and malty offerings. A number of these beers will be old favorites, along with some new offerings from breweries that I know make consistently excellent dark beers. In addition, I am going to try and sample the malty offerings from […]
The weather is getting cold, I’ve seen a few snow squalls, it is dark well before I make it home from work every day. You know what that means: it’s stout season! While I am not ready for brutal cold or for shoveling, I do love some dark and malty beers this time of year. […]
