Sam Adams Brewery tour

Had some friends from back home in Vegas coming to Boston for a couple of days, so we headed out to the fabled Sam Adams brewery, long a drinking destination that I have yearned to see. Upon first glance, the collection of plain, worn red brick buildings in the Jamaica Plain section of the town is very unimpressive. Just a single small sign identifies it as the first brewery opened by the craft beer pioneer himself Jim Koch. The tour, by the way, is free; so immediately a selling point for a broke writer such as myself.

Inside was a wonderful collection of American craft beer history. Our knowledgeable guide was a middle aged cheery New England woman, who had a plethora of information, and was able to greatly describe all the scientific process involved in brewing. Everywhere you turned, there was other equally cheerful employees. I mean, how the fuck couldn't you be happy, working in a brewery that encourages their employees to drink a glass a day.

The tour ended in the tasting room, where we received a free 7 oz sampler cup, and were given three full pours of different Sam Adams varietals: The flagship Boston Lager, the Alpine Spring(which I discussed last week on this blog), and the Black IPA, which I found quaff able but far from transcendent, as I do all other IPAs. The tour guide suggested we take the trolley piloted by a 'crazy townie Sam Adams fan' to Doyle's an iconic Boston pub which was one of the first to sell Sam Adams. Awesome fucking food, and I got a chance to sample some Sam Adams that is made specifically for Doyle's, and is unavailable elsewhere.

Despite my initial lack of Willy Wonka-esque awe, the brewery was a great tour, with great people, and most importantly: Great Beer.