NERAX 2017

Word on the street is that Thronbridge Jarl will be on tap at tonight's session. I've had this beer in the U.K. and it's a real special brew -- bright and citrusy. Cheers NERAX punters!!

 

Ironically it's probably the closest location to the T since it was at Dillboy. The others from memory being that random VFW hall on the outskirts of Union and Aeronaut.

I can understand @JrGtr's point though, I did get that, "where the heck am I" feeling when I went to that area.

But yes, it's no more remote, likely less remote actually, than Haverhill, Salem...etc. as well.

 

Lol. I live two blocks away so maybe I'm biased

 

Yeah, that's a bit of home turf thinking. For those of us further out, not so much. It is a bit of a walk from the Red Line, and parking around there is a bit tough.

So we're all crashing at BearsOnAcid's place tonight, right?

 

Ah, well that explains the part about Worden Hall. Excited about checking that out afterwards today too. I wonder how much "The Streets" costs?

How's the food there? We may have dinner there, I like Five Horses' food, but Worden's menu looks very different.

Nah, I'm good. I live in Davis Square.

 

Is parking really bad? Coming from RI this morning. Was going to park at Quincy Adams and take the T to Broadway and walk (although the weather sucks). Just wondering if I should roll the dice and just drive in.

 

I like the food. I usually get the deep dish pizza, as odd as that might sound

 

There's usually spots open along Broadway. There's also a municipal lot a block down, by the bank.

 

Sounds good. I was eyeing that on the menu, but that price seems super high...$20-22? How big is it?

 

Maybe 10-12" but it can be a lot to eat with all the fillings. Probably just the right amount of food after a beer fest

 

While I thoroughly enjoyed NERAX once again this year, I found it interesting and a little sad how the style representation has shifted so much from previous years. Only 4 bitters in the book (of which one was American), but tons of IPAs and hoppy pale ales. I suppose it's inevitable that the broader trends in the industry are affecting the festival's options and choices but I miss the days when one could sample through ordinary, special and extra special bitters. Also, no Welsh cider this year, which was always a highlight!

I will say, even when brewing an American influenced session beer, the British brewers still excel. A stand out for me was the Red Beacons from Brecon, a red IPA with Maris Otter and a blend of US and UK hops. I generally don't love red IPAs but this one had amazing balance between the roundness of the body and the complex hop flavor and aroma.

 

Everything on their menu is expensive. Beer and food.

 

A similar trend is happening at the source in the U.K. -- especially in the craft beer bars and pubs that are popping up all over the urban areas - London/Edinburgh etc. A trend toward offering more IPAs and beers hopped w/the new varieties being used here in the US and less milds/bitters and ESBs. If nothing else -- there is way more variety in those places than there was just 5 years ago. CAMRA was formed in the 70s/80s to fight the threat of European lagers from destroying the cask tradition -- they now have a new mission which is to fight the influx of craft essentially from doing the same thing. Perhaps NERAX will take a similar tact in the future -- but I hope not.

 

I figured that must be the case, thanks for the confirmation. It truly is a delicate balance between respecting tradition and innovating (and I realize this true across the craft beer culture). I hope that in both the UK and at NERAX they can hue to a middle ground that serves both ends.

 

Good call on the pizza. It was fantastic. I was the only one that finished mine.

I had the Sopresseta/Garlic Sausage one, and I had a slice of the Fried Eggplant. Both phenomenal, but I think I might like the Fried Eggplant better.

I really like that bar...layout, food, tap list. I was surprised it was dead though on a Saturday around 4/5ish. I don't remember when we left exactly, but it could have been closer to 6. The place never really filled up. We went back to Davis to Five Horse and it was very busy, granted that place is smaller, and it was a bit later.