Boston Area Craft Beer Bars?

[scinerd3000]

I'm headed to Boston tomorrow and have 4 hours to kill right outside Harpoon Brewery. Looking for some locals to tell me good places to go. Obviously harpoon is on my list but what else is around South Street Station that's worth checking out. I am taking the train up and have tons of time to kill before being picked up.... Ideas?

Cheers

 

[Boleslaus]

Stick around until Monday and go see the hockey game haha. Other than that I have no advice. I've never been to boston. Just bored at work.

 

[Cape Brewing]

Depends on how fah you wanna travel and how much time ya got.

I know every decent beer bah within about a 25 mile radius of South Station... (where I commute in and out of every workday)

 

[Cape Brewing]

four hours to kill... hmmm....

"lookin' for a decent beer or two without a ton of work" option close to South Station is probably Kinsale in Govt Center. It is a solid 10 minute walk if you know where you're going.

another 5 minute walk from Kinsale and you can hit Boston Beer Works on Canal Street over by North Station.


If you're looking to get in a cab... three places I would recommend are:

Publick House: Belgian beer heaven, somewhat upscale, kinda pricey, bit of a cab ride
Deep Ellum: Hole in the wall hipster place, still reasonably nice, fantastic beer list
Bukowski: Hole in the wall hipster dive bah, resonably priced, great beer list, cash only

 

[broadbill]

American Craft brew Festival is in boston this weekend:

http://beeradvocate.com/acbf/

 

[cstarner]

If you're gonna go as far as Deep Ellum I would recommend going a few blocks further down the street to Sunset/Big City.

 

[Cape Brewing]

I wouldn't drink at Sunset for free.

 

[PGHBrew]

I would check out Cambridge Brewing Co. They had some pretty good beers when i was there. Just a short ride on the red line T (if I remember correctly) from south station and your there.

 

[cstarner]

To each his own. I'm just saying they have a huge beer selection and for a non Boston native isn't a bad place to check out.

 

[Cape Brewing]

CBC is a great place... it's a brewery as opposed to a beer bar (but then again so is Boston Beer Works... but Beer works is walking distance).

CBC is a bit of a distance by cab but not much longer than Publick. I THINK Deep Ellum and Bukowski would be a shorter cab ride.

Although... if you want to hit CBC, you could hit Lord Hobo as well which is about a block away. That's a GREAT place. Actually... that might be my final suggestion. Hop in a cab to CBC, spend an hour or two there, and then walk over to Lord Hobo.




... and apologies on Sunset. I despise the place and whenever "beer bars in Boston" comes up, Sunset gets thrown out immediately. Yes, they have a huge beer selection (115 taps or something like that and 350 bottles). The problem is every time I, or anyone in any of the homebrew clubs I know, have gone in there, almost every beer on tap is a diacytil bomb because the lines haven't been cleaned in forever. All of the beers are served in pint glasses at at the exact same temp. Yes, they have a ton of beers, but that doesn't mean a ton of good beers. I see Sunset as a margarita and fajita bar that has decided to push a gimmic of having a million beers as well. Uur club does the occasional pub-crawl through Boston and we hit 6 or 7 bars... Sunset gets skipped every time.

Sorry again... I don't be to be a jerk about it... I just hate that place and would never send someone there.

 

[ayoungrad]

Newest place for on tap microbrews is Meadhall in Cambridge. Lord Hobo's is right nearby as well. You can Google them.

Also check out Publick House in Brookline (on the Green line). Its a great place especially if you like Belgian Beer but even if you don't...

And yeah, I think there are still tickets online for the Craft Brew Festival.

 

[bovineblitz]

I wouldn't drink at Sunset for free.

It's great at lunchtime. The bartender there is awesome, she really loves her beer and will give you like 8 samples even if you only order 2 beers. I don't like going any other time though. Deep Ellum is way better for dinner.

I've never had issues with diacetyl there and I'm crazy sensitive to it.



My favorite places are in Cambridge, specifically Cambridge Brewing Company and Lord Hobo. They're basically right next to each other. Meadhall is supposed to be good but I haven't been there yet. IMO CBC is the best that the area has to offer, it's one of the country's oldest brewpubs.

I'm not too familiar with stuff near South Station, as far as I know though there's nothing decent down there.

Bukowski's is okay, I go to the Cambridge one pretty often. Beer prices are a bit high, anything specialty is pretty much a total ripoff. Food prices are pretty bad too except for the Buk burger which is a $2 real actual burger, an extra $1 for cheese and $1 for fries... it's not on the menu and you can only get it before 8pm on weekdays, including fridays. The only reason I go to Bukowski's is because of the Buk burger, the beer prices are just too high to justify it unless I get some sort of deal on the food. The beer selection is usually pretty good though.

 

[Cape Brewing]

I always hit the Bukowski's by Fenway and have always had great experiences.

Maybe I'll give Sunset another shot sometime. Maybe they've changed. Only issue is, if I'm hiking it over thst way, I'm going to Deep Ellum.

 

[scinerd3000]

American Craft brew Festival is in boston this weekend:

http://beeradvocate.com/acbf/

haha thats what im going up there for. Can't wait.

Bukowski's is on my list as is Publick although I get in at 1:30 and they arnt open until 5 pm

 

[scinerd3000]

for the record more interested in either dives or something with an awesome tap/bottle list. Not looking to pay out the nose but good beer is worth a little cab ride. Plus I have legs....Walking or public transit will work Is Sunset really that bad- looked them up and had mucho mixed reviews. Lord Hobo's looks awesome!

 

[Cape Brewing]

Thats not right. I have lunch at Bukowski's on occasion during the week.

 

[Cape Brewing]

I am sticking with the CBC / Lord Hobo recommendation.

 

[scinerd3000]

Thats not right. I have lunch at Bukowski's on occasion during the week.

I was talking about Publik. Bukowski's is most likly where ill be going although harpoon has tours at 2 and 4 so maybe ill hit that up first...Have you been? is it worth it

 

[Cape Brewing]

Oh sorry. I thought you meant both were closed until 5:00.

I've never done the Harpoon tour so can't give any advice there.

 

[BrewsCampbell]

Slightly off original topic: I too will be at the beerfest and am looking for a place to eat and have a good brew within walking distance of the trade center; any suggestions?

 

[ayoungrad]

I went on the Harpoon tour. It was fun, interesting and the people are nice. And just as important, they let you hang out afterwards and drink samples to your hearts content (included many varieties). I have heard mention that they don't always like it if you stay too long but I was there until after the tour following ours came back to the tasting room. They said nothing to us and gave no hint for us to leave.

 

[paledragon]

I'd check the Cambridge brewing tap list online before goin there. Occasionally their rotating selection is just plain weird. Their standard beers are good though. I'd put lord hobo at the top of the list. Food is better than meadhall, and IMHO better (although smaller) selection of beer.

P.d.

 

[bovineblitz]

I'd check the Cambridge brewing tap list online before goin there. Occasionally their rotating selection is just plain weird. Their standard beers are good though. I'd put lord hobo at the top of the list. Food is better than meadhall, and IMHO better (although smaller) selection of beer.

P.d.

They have Flower Child right now, it's their tribute to Ithaca Flower Power. It's awesome. I also looooove the grisette. The Citra Tripel I was a little disappointed with cuz I saw citra and expected hoppy... it's a good belgian tho. Red God is awesome too.

http://cambridgebrewing.com/beer/seasonal/

 

[Cape Brewing]

All this talk about different places... Screw it... On way to Bukowski's now!

 

[j1laskey]

I wouldn't drink at Sunset for free.

Is this the "Cantina" or the "Grill"?

 

[Cape Brewing]

Grill

 

[j1laskey]

Man....I love the grill....best wings and pizza

 

[Cape Brewing]

Ok. They may very well be. I've been to Sunset at least a half a dozen times and have never had a good "beer experience" there and that seems pretty consistant with beer nerds I know.

Maybe we all caught them on am off night, maybe we're all stupid or maye they've just recently gotten a lot better. I can't give you a good explanation.

Bukowski's fo' lunch, a house pale and a Lagunitas Fusion III. Now at The Other Side for a Lost Abbey Red Barn.

 

[j1laskey]

Bukowski's fo' lunch, a house pale and a Lagunitas Fusion III. Now at The Other Side for a Lost Abbey Red Barn.

I hate work.

 

[Cape Brewing]

LOL!

I'll update you when I hit Kinsale

Actually... I shpuld probably at least make an appearancr back at the office quick