Fellow BA's, I'll be making my first trip to Boston this weekend (Thu-Sun), I am working a good deal of the time but I'm hoping to break away to enjoy a few cold ones as well. I'll be staying at the Hilton in Back Bay and my business is at the BCEC. Just looking to sample some of Boston's finest brews, couple east coast guys I don't see often in CA. Preferably walking/cab distance from where I'll be. Can anyone recommend a good shop or pub where I could find such things? All your help is very appreciated. Cheers! Tyler
People will say that Bukowski's is expensive and they short pour you. Both things are usually true, but it's on the next block from your hotel.
I think the short pour complaints are more common with the Cambridge location, but YMMV. OP, everything in Boston is "cab distance"--Boston is really tiny geographically. Near BCEC, swing by Trillium for some samples (no pints available at the brewery) and then go next door for dinner at Row 34 and get a pint. Besides Buk's, you could try The Publick House, Deep Ellum, Cambridge Brewing Co, and Lord Hobo. Read this thread: http://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/visiting-boston-summer-13-edition.99268/
For walk ability, good pizza and a solid beer selection, salty pig. Similar, with longer walk, Picco. Also walkable => lower depths. Using the T is quite easy from where you'll be.
The Tip Tap Room is a nice short walk across the Boston Common from your hotel and always has a great draft list. 40+ taps of all craft stuff, great to get hard to find stuff on tap!
Trillium is a tiny brewery and parking sucks. It's right down the road from Harpoon. Idle Hands and Night Shift are right next door to each other. Idle Hands does Belgium and Night Shift's specialty seems to be sours. Meadhall in Cambridge has I believe 100 beers on tap. Enjoy!
all within a short T ride: Stoddards Salty Pig Lord Hobo (across the river in Camridge) a bus (or cab) will get you close to Deep Ellum in Allston these are my faves Trillium is definitely worth seeking out. I think they list where it's on tap at their website.
Coming up shortly as well...any Maine Beer Company bottles on sale or on tap in W. Boston? How about Headdy on tap anywhere?
Does Meadhall still suck? Not to derail or anything... My favorite beer bar in the city has always been Deep Ellum.
also OP try the Salty Pig. they typically have a small but nice draft selection, and nice pizza / other stuff. very close to your hotel. I've seen Lunch on tap there, they recently had KBS
You can usually find Maine Beer available in bottles - but not Lunch or any of the other specialties. Mo, Peeper, King Titus, maybe Weez (I happen to really like that one) are what you can expect. I personally haven't seen it on tap anywhere, but I haven't been to many bars lately.
Salty Pig is good but its worth walking the extra 5 minutes to Picco. Better selection and pricing than Salty Pig. Absolutely go to Row 34 and Trillium since you are working right there. Go nuts with pizza at Picco and local seafood at Row 34.
OP, I would second what Steven said. Tip Tap Room is less than 20 minutes via public transit from your hotel and probably a 30 or 35-minute walk. It typically has a killer draft list. Enjoy your weekend in Boston!
I'm heading that way for the marathon as well, so thanks for the input. Curious, any other good beers to maybe pick up and bring home? Free check luggage and all, might as well stock up some. I just got a few Maine Brewing stuff, so we'll see how that is.
If you want to sample a bunch of local beers all at the same time, the Drink Craft Beer fest is happening this weekend. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/drink-craft-beer-springfest-tickets-10256273791
