The success of Boston Beer Company’s Samuel Adams has breached the dam in search of the world’s best tasting beer. The leak is successfully free flowing with over 40 craft brewers building consumer alliances in liquid gold at this two day, three session event. The American landscape for beer is forever changed and challenged.
This event continues today at the Seaport World Trade Center and is presented by Harpoon Brewery and Beeradvocate. The 2 ounce servings poured in all colors and styles into recyclable compostable rice sample cups.
I enjoyed meeting the “Queen of Beer”, Rhonda Kallman, who co-founded Samuel Adams, at booth #753 representing her entrepreneurial patented caffeinated Moonshoot and Edison Light. There were new arrivals such as summery watermelon wheat of Blue Hills Brewery of Canton, MA, as my taste buds found “hoppiness.”
How does one begin to untangle the amazement and mystery of a Boston Beer’s Kosmic Mother Funk, a Belgian Sour @ 7% ABV or seasonals from Dogfish, Allagash, Brooklyn Lager, Harpoon, Wachusett, Smuttynose, and The Magic Hat. You simply can’t pick a winner but you can pick a fine craft beer for each day of the year.
Just in Massachusetts were representations from Beer Works, Berkshire Brewing Co., Blue Hills Brewery, Boston Beer Company, Cambridge Brewing Co., Cape Ann Brewing Co., Cape Cod Beer, Cisco Brewers, Clown Shoes, Cody Brewing Co., Element Brewing Co., Founder’s Brewing Co., Garden Ale House., Harpoon Brewery., Haverhill Brewery., High & Mighty Beer Co., John Harvard’s Brew House, Just Beer Brewing Co., Mayflower Brewing Co., New Century Brewing Co., Offshore Ale Co., Opa-Opa Steakhouse & Brewery, Paper City Brewing Co., Peak Organic Brewing Co., Pretty Things Brewing Co., Rapscallion, Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery, Wachusett Brewing Co., and Wormtown Brewing Co.
While the beer was the star, certain elements of style did seem to be missing from the event and I hope next year will be better. My minor criticisms were the terrible portable sani-cans, poor food pairing selections, seating areas, and most of all the absence of any music wanted me to have this at an outdoor venue such as Nantasket Beach, should some one scrape up some sand instead of trade show carpeting. I also realize that the logistics of safety and driving become obstacles in the location of such an event, but looking out across the water I saw the music pavilion and the future.
