Brewery Trip! Dorchester Brewing Company

Back in 2016 when I was doing bar prep and getting ready to move out of Boston I had heard of a new brewery opening in Dorchester. While I did not visit back then, I was able to back in April during our Boston trip and while I had always heard good things about the brewery they COMPLETELY blew away my expectations.

Dorchester Brewing Company sits near a busy intersection on Massachusetts Ave. in Dorchester. While I would not go strolling around too far past this area it is in a relatively good section of Dorchester. The taproom inside is quite nice but the two stars of the show are the outdoor patio and the rooftop deck. While I was not able to check out the roof deck the patio was awesome.

The draft list was exquisite. They had a variety of styles on their tap list which I am always a fan of, however, it was their IPAs that instantly called my name. My flight had three and while all were fantastic it was their imperial pilsner that won the day. It was crisp, clean, and would be the perfect beer on a hot summer day. Additionally, I was able to grab a sip of my girlfriend’s (now fiancée, not a big deal but sort of a big deal) Russian Imperial stout that was perfectly textbook and absolutely delicious. The food was also amazing. While we had other dinner plans and just split an order of loaded fries they were awesome as well.

Dorchester Brewing Company is one of the best breweries in the city bar none, and you had better believe that the next time we visit Boston we will be back.

Fourth of Brew-ly

Happy Fourth of July! I hope everyone is enjoying the day and has already started their festivities. Yours truly has already prepped his wings, made his hot sauce (more on that in a future post), and has the pork shoulder on the smoker. But today is not just about food, or celebrating this country's birthday... it is about the beer. But since certain beers do not play well with this hot weather and you'll want to make it to the fireworks it's all about finding the right beer(s) to take you through the day while not sacrificing the taste. Here are some styles and beers to fill your cooler with today. 

Pilsner: Pilsners are definitely one of the best styles for a hot day. With a mid-tier ABV and a light mouthfeel and a crisp finish you'll be able to have a few as stay upright and still enjoy what you're drinking and eating as well. This would be one of the first I would reach for.
Good selections: 'Pils' from Lagunitas and 'Buffalo Czech' from Shaidzon

Kolsch: Kolsches have a similar crispness as pilsners but since the kolsch style uses ale yeast the taste lingers a bit longer. They are still very crisp but are slightly more complex on the back end. This is the style I am currently enjoying and would definitely recommend.
Good selections: 'Outlier' from Treehouse and 'Handline Kolsch' from Devil's Purse

Witbier: Wits have a nice and citrusy taste that can linger. Light mouthfeel with a subtle complexity and a lingering wheat taste these are more common than the other two so you may be able to find them more easily. Always a good selection in a pinch.
Good Selections: 'Bottom Up Wit' from Revolution and 'White' from Allagash

Hefeweizen: Unfiltered with big fruit flavors that vary from beer to beer. Nice complexity with a good mouthfeel and a lingering fruit flavor.
Good Selections: 'Hefeweissbier' from Weihenstephaner and 'Hefe-Weibier' from Paulaner Munchen

Those are the some of the best styles with good and readily available options to fill out your cooler. If you are feeling extra adventurous some other styles to look for: Wild Ale, Berliner Weisse, Gose, Lagers, and Session IPAs.

Have a great Fourth and please comment below on what you're going to be enjoying today.