As the weather gets to be more spring-like (that’s not really a word, but it will do), BC students get more adventurous and want to try new activities in Boston. Obviously we all know that we go to school in Boston, but sometimes it’s easy to forget since we live in a nice little bubble. But don’t forget! Go do things!
This past MLK day, I went to the Sam Adams Brewery. (Fun fact: Even if you’re not 21, still go! You get root beer instead of beer during the tasting portion of the tour.) Located almost at the end of the Orange line at the Stony Brook stop, it took awhile to get there via public transportation (I hate you, MBTA). So I may have been a tad cranky when Jack (my “friend”) and I got there. Thankfully, a tour was starting in 15 minutes, so we didn’t have to wait long.
Our group ended up being fairly large, probably because of the national holiday. Our tour guide, Ryan, was a big, strapping young guy with a nice beard and boots. Basically, imagine someone you think would give you a tour of a brewery, and you’ve got him. First, Ryan showed all the different ingredients that go into beer, and more specifically, Sam Adams beer. Although I have been to my fair share of breweries and should probably be bored of these basic facts by now, I always forget. So it was nice to brush up on my beer ingredients.
Next, we went into the actual brewing room and Ryan explained how each tank was different and what went on there. To be honest, I spaced out and stared at the woman with hot pink hair for a while, so I can’t give you a step-by-step guide on how Sam Adams brews its beer. Besides, I don’t want to ruin it for you! But those tanks were huge!
That’s a lot of beer!
Last but not least, Ryan led our group into the tasting room, where we were able to try three different beers. The first was Boston Lager, one of the most famous Sam Adams beers, and it’s been given the award of Best Beer in America multiple times! So you know it’s good. Next was Winter Lager, their special seasonal winter beer. To finish off, we tried an IPA (Indian Pale Ale, for those out there who don’t get beer lingo) called Tasman Red, which was more on the bitter side of the beer spectrum.
So many different beers to try!
The tour lasted approximately 45 minutes. But the fun didn’t stop there! Afterwards, we took a white party trolley about 5 minutes down the road to Doyle’s, a pub that has been open for over one hundred years, and was the first bar to sell Sam Adams beer. The man who drove the trolley was so enthusiastic about going to Doyle’s that I got butterflies in my stomach. At Doyle’s, Jack and I both ordered food as we watched the Bruins game. Using his tour ticket, Jack was able to get a free “perfect” Sam Adams pint glass!
I highly recommend making the trek out to the Sam Adams brewery. It was a blast, and such a great way to celebrate America on MLK day and the inauguration. So go try some beer, and go to Doyle’s for yummy greasy food after. You won’t be disappointed.
Photo Sources:
http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/i/tim//2010/07/21/Row_of_tanks_1_610x492.jpg