During my trip to the 2013 American Craft Beer Fest, Sean and I stayed at Hostelling International's Boston location, which is on Stuart St in Chinatown, leading us to having a few good meals in the area. I should also say, this was my first experience at a hostel, and it was a pretty positive one; the hostel was large, clean, and had some pretty decent amenities, including an espresso bar, lounge area, and even a kitchen space, and the rooms lock, which is fantastic, and each bed has its own locker that a padlock can secure. The room we were in had six bunks, each of which has a small cubby space at the head of the bed, which has a reading light and a few outlets to charge your phone. At just $50 a night per person, this is significantly better than just about any hotel in or around the city, and it is in a pretty great location, within walking distance to...well...just about anywhere in Boston.
Anyways, on to the food! When Sean and I arrived, we dropped our stuff off at the hostel, and went to grab some food. We spied Q Restaurant on the corner of Washington St and Beach St, a sort of pan Asian (or at least east Asian) restaurant offering sushi, Mongolian hot pot style dinners, Thai, and Chinese cuisine. We knew were going to get some dim sum in the morning, so we went with the Mongolian hot pot, which I last had back in 2000 in the Pacific Northwest (I think in Victoria) with my dad and brother on a vacation, and which Sean had never had. Essentially, you get a large bowl of hot broth (or in this case, broth that is heated to the point of an aggressive boil on a burner located in the middle of the table) in which you cook a variety of meats and/or vegetables. You can pick from a number of broths, which cost anywhere between three and eight dollars (or the Basic Broth, which is free), and at least one of these is vegetarian friendly. You can choose from combos or a la carte accompaniments for the broth, ranging from "Kobe" beef (I still have no clue why people aren't outraged that they are being asked to pay ridiculous amounts of money for a product that is not even available in the USA, and thus are being lied to) to fish balls to various vegetables. The combinations all include assorted vegetables, such as a small piece of corn on the cob, some baby bok choy, watercress, and a couple others. You also can choose from a few different noodle or rice options; Sean and I both went with the Udon noodles, and I had the Beef and Lamb combo, while he had just the Lamb. We went with a bowl of the Mala broth, which the menu says is their most popular. It was spicy, filled with chili peppers, and very, very flavorful, though the amount of time you are cooking the various items in the hot broth limits the amount of flavor transfer. The meat, which is sliced exceptionally thin (think lunch meat) cooks very, very quickly, as do the vegetables, though they can stay in the hot liquid longer without much issue. The noodles also did not require much of a soak, just enough to get them hot, really. The food was pretty delicious, and we were stuffed by the time we finished; the mile and a half long walk to the Seaport World Trade Center was definitely a positive, as it gave us time to digest, and also burned off at least a few calories (that we quickly replaced with beer, of course) as we walked in the very hot sun. I don't know how authentic the food was, but we both enjoyed it, and would go back. The prices weren't unreasonable, either, costing us each under $25 for the meal.
After the ACBF, we were pretty tired, and slightly tipsy, but by the time we got back to the hostel, we decided we needed some more food, if only to soak up the booze. Sean suggested finding a burger place, so with the help of my phone we found UBURGER, a small local chain with five locations throughout Boston. We went to the 140 Tremont St. location, which should only be about a 10 minute walk, that somehow we (I?) turned into a 30 minute walk via some unfortunate directional issues, arriving half an hour before they closed. I ordered a Cowboy Burger, which has barbeque sauce, pepper jack cheese, grilled mushrooms and bacon, and added a soda and fries, which cost me all of about $10; not bad in Boston. The burger was decent, nothing super special, but to a slightly intoxicated person at 10:30pm, it was perfect. Cooked a little more than I like (I don't recall being asked how I wanted it, honestly, though that could be me misremembering due to being exhausted), it was nicely salty, and the toppings were great. The fries were spectacular, shoestring fries that were deliciously crispy, salty and just the littlest bit greasy; aka, perfect drunk food. This is the kind of place that needs to be in the bar section of every college town in America. Probably not the most vegetarian friendly place, they do offer a veggie patty and some salads, but it is clearly not their specialty.
Sunday morning we woke up, incredibly sans hangover, and met my friends Forrest and Molly at China Pearl for dim sum. Few things appeal to me more as a breakfast food than dim sum, which consists of a variety of steamed buns, rolls, and rice dishes, among others, that are brought to the table on steam-table carts. There are a couple problems with this, as a non-Cantonese speaking individual: first off, I honestly have little to no clue what I am getting most of the time, as the wait staff for the most part spoke little to no English, and so I was left to guess what they were offering us several times; and second, I had no clue how much anything cost, since they just marked up the card on the table with stamps of Chinese characters. Despite these difficulties, we had some pretty good food, though it could have better. I loved the pork steamed buns (char siu bau), which were somehow both light and dense at the same time, and the sticky rice was great, filled with some variety of poultry. The steamed meatballs were less of a hit, though they were not bad by any means. The sweet buns filled with pork were great, a perfect combination of sweet and savory, though only Sean and I enjoyed them; neither Forrest nor Molly are big pork fans, as it turns out. We had a few other dishes, and I do not think anyone left hungry, though I suspect that I enjoyed the meal more than the rest of the group. We were each out exactly $10 at the end, so the fact that we had no clue what we were paying for individual dishes turned out not to be a problem at all; this was, in fact, remarkably cheap. China Pearl is one of two highly recommended Chinatown restaurants to get dim sum, with the other being Hei La Moon; I look forward to trying that restaurant as well in the future. I do not believe that this is a particularly vegetarian friendly type of meal, at least unless you are fluent in Cantonese and can converse with the waiters pushing the carts, as you may end up getting more than you bargained for otherwise.
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Showing posts with label ACBF. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ACBF. Show all posts
Friday, June 7, 2013
Monday, June 3, 2013
2013 American Craft Beer Fest (Boston, MA)
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| BeerAdvocate© |
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Harpoon Brewery©
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BeerAdvocate©
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Last year, I was disorganized, and because of that, I missed out on a few things; this year, I planned ahead, checking out the list of beers that would be at the festival and determining which were the ones I most wanted to try. This list consisted of 22 beers from 19 different breweries, which are located all over the country, from Maine to California. I tasted all but two of these beers (the missing beers were the Jack's Abby Smoked Maple Lager, because I forgot what I wanted, and Stone Imperial Russian Stout, which they were out of), and when I was done with my list I found a couple more to try as well. Overall, this was a great trip, and I had some delicious beers, as well as a few mediocre ones and even one or two that were just plain awful. Virtually all of them were new to me beers, though I had a couple of old favorites as well. My descriptions are going to be pretty short, just some quick observations. Without further ado, in the order that I tried them:
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| Brewery Ommegang |
Brooklyn Brewery's Silver Anniversary Lager (Doppelbock, 9%)--A medium bodied, hoppy beer, it was drinkable but not their best. I wish I had tried something else.
Oskar Blues Brewery's Mama's Little Yella Pils (Czech Pilsener, 5.3%)--One of my favorites of the night, this was a light, flavorful, delicious beer, perfect as a session beer or on a hot day while grilling. This has a lot more flavor than your average Czech style pilsener. Just what I expect from this company, a fine beer that is the equal of the previously reviewed Old Chub. These guys are a definite leader in the movement of great beers packaged in cans rather than bottles.
Allagash Brewing Company's Interlude (Saison, 9.5%)--The first thing that hit me about the Interlude was that it smells like champagne as it first hits your nose, but this disappears as you taste it and are overwhelmed by the huge, classic flavor of this fantastic saison. Wheaty, with a light body, this was among my favorites of the night as well.
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| Rogue Ales |
Victory Brewing Company's Prima Pils (German Pilsener, 5.3%)--This was another surprising disappointment, from another company I really have a lot of respect for. The Prima Pils was too light, too fruity and citrusy, and had nothing special to offer. The hops were too bitter, something that I would rarely say.
Stone Brewing Co.'s Cali-Belgique (Belgian IPA, 6.9%)--I did not write anything down for this; I'm not sure what that means.
Jack's Abby Brewery, llc.'s--Cascadian Schwarzbier (Schwarzbier, 7%)--This was a good, subtly hoppy beer, not as good as Jack's Abby's Hoponius Union, which is one of my favorite beers from Massachusetts, but this is a good option.
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| Dogfish Head Craft Brewery |
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| Widmer Brothers Brewing |
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| Kona Brewing Company |
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| Great Divide Brewing Company |
The Cambridge House Brewpub's Abija Rowe IPA (English IPA, 6.9%)--This is a beer two of my coworkers have been recommending for months, so I had high expectations, and Cambridge House met them. A wonderfully hoppy, slightly bitter beer, it is a quintessential IPA, a model beer for the variety. It is not quite as incredible as the Lunch, or a few of Stone's offerings, but you cannot complain about anything involving this beer.
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| Element Brewing Company with a decent line |
Boston Beer Company's Samuel Adams Tetravis (Quadrupel, 10.2%)--Sam Adams is often forgotten when talking about craft beers, partially because they no longer officially qualify, since they are a publicly listed company on the NYSE, and partially because people tend to think of them as being much, much bigger than they really are. Most of their beers are rather mundane, with a few of their regular beers being legitimately loved and respected in the beer community, but it is their special beers that show their roots and their ability. The Tetravis is a strong, delicious beer, and while I did not take much in the way of notes and thus do not have much specifically to say about it, I can say that one word I wrote down was "spectacular." Kudos to a company that I, and many others, do not often give enough respect to.
Banner Beer Company's American Summer (American Blonde Ale, 3.7%)--Banner is a new local brewery specializing in low ABV session beers, a nice idea, as I will admit that I do not really want to always be drinking super high alcohol brews. The people involved seem really, really nice, and I wanted so badly to like this beer....but it just reminds me of Budweiser, and that is never, ever a positive thing. It was just boring, and I really hope they improve, because more breweries in the area is always a good thing, especially when the people involved are so very friendly.
Olde Burnside Brewing Company's Father Christmas Highland Ale (Scotch Ale/Wee Heavy, 9.2%) and Stone of Destiny (Black and Tan, 12%)--By this point, my already poor handwriting had severely deteriorated, to the point that even I can barely read it. This did not in any way decrease my enjoyment of the beers I was drinking, of course, but it does make my opinions slightly suspect. That said, I thought that both of these were good beers, with the Father Christmas a nice example of a Scotch Ale; malty, slightly sweet, a good drinking beer with a nice mouth feel. The Stone of Destiny, that rare bottled black and tan, was also a good one, a perfect example of what you're looking for in a black and tan. This was my last scheduled stop.
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| Mad River Brewing Company |
And on to the additional beers I tried, that were not on my original list.
Mad River Brewing Company's Jamaica Red Ale (American Amber/Red Ale (6.5%)--I only wrote one word: "Awful." Cool sign though.
Otter Creek Brewing's Hop Session Ale (American Pale Ale, 4.25%)--A nice example of a session ale, light and tasty.
High Horse Brewing's Mr. White (Witbier w/ Grapefruit, 4.75%)--High Horse does some nice stuff, and this is a good witbier, with a decent, mild flavor. Also super friendly people. Read my review of the High Horse itself here.
All in all, this was a great success, for me personally and for BeerAdvocate and the ACBF; the event continues to be a blast for all participants, and grows year by year. In the future, they may have to expand to offer a fourth, or even fifth session over three days. After only six years, this event is already the largest beer festival on the east coast, one of the largest in the country, and attracts about 15,000 people over a two day period; that is distinctly impressive. Well done BeerAdvocate, well done Harpoon, and well done to all the brewers and attendees. Not a single fight, argument, or even disagreement seemed to break out while I was in the area, which considering the amounts of alcohol being consumed and the number of people involved is a true testament to the respect people have for this event.
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| View of the giant room |
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| Another view of the giant room |
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| Some swag from Kona |
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| The all important guide to the ACBF |
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| More swag, this time from Widmer Brothers |
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| One more shot of the room...people of all ages were there, a great event! |
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| Long Trail and Otter Creek; two great Vermont breweries side by side |
Monday, June 4, 2012
2012 American Craft Beer Fest (Boston, MA)
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BeerAdvocate©
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Craft breweries are a specific category, defined as producing fewer than six million barrels of beer each year. This actually includes breweries that you wouldn't expect, such as Boston Beer Company (aka Samuel Adams) and D.G. Yuengling & Son, both of which are typically thought of as being "larger" independent breweries. At the 2012 ACBF, there were at least 121 breweries serving more than 550 beers. While I'd love to say I tried all of them, if I had tried to do so in the 3.5 hours of the event's "A" session, I'd have succumbed to alcohol poisoning long before succeeding. However, I did try to take some brief notes on many of those I did try. Each pour is two ounces or less; oftentimes the heartier (aka, higher ABV) beers are poured in smaller amounts, though that all depends on the brewery and/or person pouring. So, in no particular order, here goes:
- Brooklyn Brewery: Mary's Maple Porter (English Porter, 7.2%)--The first beer I tried, mostly so that I'd have something to drink while waiting in the extensive Dogfish Head line, this was a truly lovely little porter, with a light maple flavor that was present in every sip. The porter was exceptionally smooth, almost milk stout like in that fashion, but with a burst of flavor in every sip that belied that same lightness. Absolutely one of the best beers I had all day.
- Dogfish Head Brewery: 120 Minute IPA (American Double IPA, 18%)--This is a super strong, super flavorful IPA, though not hugely different from the 90 Minute IPA that is available year round. I am certainly glad I tried it, but it did not hold up to the WorldWide Stout that they served last year.
- Stone Brewing Company: Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale (American Black Ale, 8.7%)--I'd have sworn this was an IPA, based on the tremendous citrus-y flavor and strong bitterness, but apparently I was wrong, as this is considered a Black Ale. That said, it doesn't lose any of its brilliance, as this was tied for the best beer I had at the ACBF. If this were an IPA, it would be the best I'd ever had, which is impressive; instead, it's the best Black Ale I've ever had.
- Kona Brewing Company: Big Wave Golden Ale (American Blonde Ale, 4.4%)--This is actually pretty flavorful, which surprised me, because my only other experience with Kona had been their Longboard Island Lager, a super light lager that, while refreshingly enjoyable, isn't exactly flavor packed. Big Wave is also light and refreshing (much needed at about halfway through the event, especially since most of the other beers I'd been drinking had been high ABV offerings), but doesn't sell itself short by skimping on flavor. Highly recommended if you can get it and are going to be relaxing outside on a hot day.
- Element Brewing Company: Dark Element (American Black Ale, 8%)--I'm a big Element fan, as it is located in Millers Falls (MA), a village of Montague, where I've worked for the last couple years, and where my mother has worked for nearly 30 years. As always, I love to support local businesses, and it's so much easier when the local business puts out a good product. Dark Element is one of a few beers I've tried from Element, and it is my favorite thus far. A strong, dark, and citrus-y offering (and available on tap at Hope and Olive), this is not a beer that everyone will enjoy, but if you like strong beers, try this.
- DL Geary Brewing Company: Geary's Hampshire Special Ale (English Strong Ale (7%)--I'll admit, I'm a little biased when it comes to Geary's; it was my first beer, and I've been drinking it for...well, since before I could legally drink beer. It's pretty much omnipresent in southern Maine, so I had easy access. The Hampshire Special Ale (or "HSA") is the best that Geary's has, a porter-ish "Strong Ale" that always seems to hold up to my (very high) expectations for it, year after year. It's quite hoppy, very malty, and just overall a fine choice, and among my all time favorite options.
- Kennebec River Pub & Brewery: Penobscot Porter (English Porter, 6.4%)--The first beer I had of the night that I wasn't thrilled by. Now, it wasn't bad, but it wasn't special either. That said, it was from Maine and the girl giving out the samples was pretty damn cute, so it's an acceptable option for those simple reasons.
**Please note that from here on out, my reviews will be a little less informed; I had previously been typing my notes into my phone, but then I (finally) got a pen, and started writing them into the booklet, which I appear to have left at my friend's apartment in Boston, so this is entirely memory based now**
- Rogue Ales: Double Dead Guy Ale (American Strong Ale, 9%)--Strong, bitter, and tasty. Well crafted beer, as almost all Rogue beers are.
- Brewery Ommegang: Hennepin (Farmhouse Ale/Saison, 7.7%)--This was a decent beer, not Ommegang's best, but certainly drinkable. That being said, if offered any other similar beer I'd probably leave this one.
- The People's Pint: Farmer Brown (English Brown Ale, 5.4%)--The People's Pint is a brew-pub in Greenfield (MA) that serves solid beer and solid food and that I will absolutely, 100% not go to ever again. The service is that bad. However, since this isn't about their brew-pub, but just their beers, I'll give a pretty strong endorsement to the Farmer Brown; it's not nearly as strong as most beers that I'd recommend, but it's got a pleasant taste, and would make a fine introductory beer for those who think they don't like non-Budweiser options. I would like to mention The Pint's sister restaurant, The Gill Tavern; great food and great service, one of the best restaurants in Western Massachusetts.
- Maine Beer Company: Mean Old Tom (American Stout, 6.5%)--Holy SHIT! The best beer I had all night, and apparently, I didn't even have their best (that would be "Lunch," a strong 7% IPA that they were, quite sadly, out of by the time I meandered over at the end of the night). I'm not even sure how to describe this, other than to say that this is the ultimate stout. I cannot wait until I find some more, and I also cannot wait to find the Lunch.
- Dogfish Head Brewery: Festina Peche (Berliner Weissbier, 4.5%)--Wow. Just wow. Awful. I think wasting beer should be a criminal act, and yet, I tossed the majority of the pour I received of this atrocity. According to BeerAdvocate, this is actually a highly rated beer, but I couldn't stand it, and neither could my friends Joe and Sean who accompanied me to the ACBF. Stay away, especially considering there are so many fantastic options from this standout company.
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BeerAdvocate©
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Harpoon Brewery©
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