Boston Beer Scene: Local Favorites And Traditions

Boston is one of the heaviest drinking cities in the United States, with Bostonians consuming an average of nearly 16 drinks per month. Beer is the overwhelming beverage of choice, and Massachusetts is home to over 150 commercial breweries, with more than 20 of them located in the Boston metro area. The city's drinking culture is influenced by the large number of college students, a dreary winter season, and its deeply rooted Irish ancestry. Boston offers a wide range of craft beers, from well-known brewers like Samuel Adams and Harpoon to local favourites such as Night Shift and Lord Hobo.

Boston's top 5 beers

Bostonians love their beer, and with Massachusetts being home to over 150 commercial breweries, they are spoilt for choice. Boston is one of the heaviest drinking cities in the US, with residents consuming an average of nearly 16 drinks per month. Here are the top five beers in Boston:

• Samuel Adams: The flagship brand of the Boston Beer Company, founded by Jim Koch, is named after Founding Father Samuel Adams, who inherited his father's brewery on Boston's King Street. The initial beer offering was the Samuel Adams Boston Lager, a 4.8% ABV amber or Vienna lager. The Boston Beer Company is the fourth-largest brewer in the US, with products available across the country and internationally.
• Bud Light: While some of the top-selling beers in Boston are national favourites, Bud Light takes the top spot as the highest-selling light beer in the US. Introduced in 1982, it has an ABV of 4.2% and 110 calories per 12 fluid ounces.
• Coors Light: Brewed in Golden, Colorado, and known for its "cold-certified" label, Coors Light is another popular light beer option for Bostonians. It has an ABV of 4.2% and 110 calories per 12-ounce can.
• Blue Moon Belgian White: This Belgian-style witbier, brewed by MillerCoors, has an ABV of 5.4% and is brewed with malted barley, white wheat, orange peel, coriander, and oats. It is typically served with an orange slice and has several seasonal variations.
• Guinness: While Guinness may be synonymous with St. Patrick's Day, it is also a popular choice in Boston, which has the largest urban concentration of Irish Americans. This dark Irish dry stout originated in Dublin, Ireland, in 1759 and has since become one of the most successful beer brands worldwide.

Honourable mentions include Miller Lite, Angry Orchard Crisp Apple Cider, and the local craft beers from breweries like Trillium Brewing Company, Dorchester Brewing Company, and Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall.

Boston's best beer bars

Boston is one of the heaviest drinking cities in the US, with Bostonians consuming an average of nearly 16 drinks per month. Beer is an essential part of life in the city, and there are plenty of bars to grab a brew. Here are some of Boston's best beer bars:

The Publick House

The Publick House is a popular choice for beer lovers in Boston, with an incredible selection of Belgian and Belgian-style beers. You'll find Trappist and Abbey Ales, Flemish sours, stouts, eisbocks, and more. The draft list features regional craft beers and domestic brews from Fiddlehead, Jack's Abby, Proclamation Ale, Citizen Cider, and Oxbow Brewing, among others. The food menu includes a five-cheese mac 'n' cheese with various add-ons and a selection of moules frites.

Tip Tap Room

The Tip Tap Room offers 36 types of beer on tap, including a mix of local, domestic, and international imports such as Allagash Witbier and Trolls Trolls Trolls imperial stout from 3 Floyds Brewing. The food menu features items like lamb burgers, spicy fried chicken bao buns, and various tips (steak, chicken, tofu).

Castle Island Brewing

This Norwood-based brewery opened a taproom in Southie in 2021, pouring a mix of Castle Island's own beers, limited releases, one-offs, collaborations, and experimental beers. They also serve classic bar pizzas, wings, and other beer-friendly food.

Row 34

Row 34 is a highly recommended seafood restaurant with an incredible beer list. It's one of the few places in the city where you can find Trillium's beer on tap. They offer a delightful raw bar and an extensive draft and bottle list, making it a perfect spot for a dinner date.

Russell House Tavern

This Cambridge restaurant offers upscale American fare and a solid tap list focusing on New England craft breweries. You'll find nitro and cask selections, reserves, and interesting ciders. They also offer growlers of harder-to-find options.

Worden Hall

Worden Hall, named after a 19th-century guest house, offers 40 drafts and 75+ bottles of craft beer, with a focus on New England craft breweries. Their menu includes cask ales, sours, Belgians, hop-driven brews, and seasonal and limited-release options. The bar is covered with over 12,000 shiny pennies, and the patio offers a relaxing space to enjoy your drink.

Cambridge Brewing Company

The Cambridge Brewing Company is the oldest brewery/restaurant in Boston, producing a range of crowd-pleasing beers in different styles, including ambers, porters, and English-style ales. They also offer some unusual brews, such as a corn lager or a gin barrel-aged sour with cucumber. It's a perfect spot for a group hang, with a varied menu of upscale pub fare.

Bukowski Tavern

Bukowski Tavern is a divey and kitschy beer bar named after the author Charles Bukowski. Despite its unassuming exterior, it offers an extensive draught and bottle list focused on hard-to-find craft beers, mainly from regional breweries. If you can't decide what to order, you can spin the Wheel of Beer and let fate decide.

Democracy Brewing

Democracy Brewing is a worker-owned brewery and pub that opened on July 4, 2018, in downtown Boston. They offer a selection of malty, hoppy, and light brews, along with snacks from their full-scratch kitchen, including house-smoked wings, poutine, mac 'n' cheese, and steak frites. They also host community events and offer 32-ounce growlers for takeaway.

Sam Adams Downtown Boston Taproom

The Sam Adams taproom near Faneuil Hall offers 20 rotating draft lines, including exclusive beers made just for the taproom. You can enjoy bites like chicken tenders, loaded tots, and cookies from local bakeries while sipping on a variety of Sam Adams brews.

Boston's craft beer revolution

Boston is one of the heaviest drinking cities in the United States, with Bostonians consuming an average of nearly 16 drinks per month. Beer is the overwhelming beverage of choice in this city, which is home to the craft beer revolution. Massachusetts houses over 150 commercial breweries, with more than 20 of these located in the Boston metro area. Boston also has over 50 colleges, including Harvard University, Boston University, and Boston College, which seems like the perfect recipe for bars, restaurants, and independent brewers. However, strict blue laws and a ban on "happy hour" make things a bit more complicated.

Boston became a hub for the developing craft beer revolution in the 1980s, with the founding of several well-known breweries such as Samuel Adams and Harpoon. The city itself now houses over a dozen craft breweries, with many more in the rest of the Commonwealth. Some of the biggest names in the Boston brewing industry include Dorchester Brewing Company, Trillium Brewing Company, and Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall.

The craft beer scene in Boston is constantly evolving, with new breweries, taprooms, and beer bars opening their doors. Here are some of the top craft beer destinations in Boston:

• The Publick House: Features an incredible selection of Belgian and Belgian-style beers, including Trappist and Abbey Ales, Flemish sours, stouts, and more.
• Tip Tap Room: Boasts 36 types of beer on tap, including local, domestic, and international options.
• Castle Island Brewing: This Norwood-based brewery opened a shiny new taproom in Southie in 2021, pouring a mix of their own suds, limited releases, one-offs, collaborations, and experimental beers.
• Row 34: A seafood restaurant with an impressive selection of craft beers, often featuring exclusive drafts and regional breweries on tap.
• Russell House Tavern: An upscale American restaurant in Cambridge with a beer program featuring New England craft breweries on tap and an extensive bottle list.
• Worden Hall: A South Boston restaurant with a decor reflecting Saratoga Springs' rich horse racing culture. They offer 40 drafts and 75+ bottles of craft beer, including cask ales, sours, Belgians, and hop-driven brews.
• Cambridge Brewing Company: The oldest brewery/restaurant in the city, producing a range of crowd-pleasing beers in different styles, as well as some unusual brews like a corn lager or a gin barrel-aged sour with cucumber.
• Bukowski Tavern: A divey and kitschy beer bar with an extensive draught and bottle list focused on hard-to-find craft beers, mostly featuring regional brews.
• Democracy Brewing: A worker-owned brewery and pub that opened on July 4, 2018, offering malty, hoppy, and light brews, as well as a full-scratch kitchen.
• Sam Adams Downtown Boston Taproom: The relatively new taproom near Faneuil Hall serves Sam Adams brews from 20 rotating draft lines, including beers made exclusively for the taproom.

Boston's beer culture

Bostonians are known for their love of beer, and the city is home to a thriving beer culture with a variety of craft breweries, pubs, and restaurants that serve local pours. Boston is one of the heaviest drinking cities in the United States, with residents consuming an average of nearly 16 drinks per month. This drinking culture is partly influenced by the large number of college students in the city, the dreary winter season, and the city's deeply rooted Irish ancestry.

Massachusetts is home to over 150 commercial breweries, with more than 20 located in the Boston metro area. Some of the biggest names in the Boston brewing industry include Dorchester Brewing Company, Trillium Brewing Company, Harpoon Brewery & Beer Hall, and Boston Beer Company, the producer of the well-known Samuel Adams beer. Boston's breweries offer a range of beer styles, from IPAs and stouts to sour ales and lagers. The city also has a number of beer bars that offer brews from local and international craft breweries.

The Publick House, for example, is known for its selection of Belgian and Belgian-style beers, including Trappist and Abbey Ales, Flemish sours, and stouts. Row 34, a seafood restaurant, offers a carefully curated list of craft beers that pair well with their fish dishes. Democracy Brewing, a worker-owned brewery and pub, offers a range of malty, hoppy, and light brews, as well as a full-scratch kitchen. Boston's beer culture also extends to its sports teams, with Samuel Adams becoming the official beer of the Boston Red Sox in 2018.

While Boston has a strong drinking culture, the city also has strict alcohol regulations, including a ban on "happy hour" and strict blue laws. Additionally, the high cost of living in Boston can impact the spending habits of drinkers and the operations of drinking establishments. Despite these challenges, Boston's beer culture remains vibrant, with a mix of well-established and up-and-coming craft breweries, innovative taprooms, and beer bars that cater to a variety of tastes and preferences.

Boston's beer history

Boston is one of the heaviest drinking cities in the United States, with Bostonians consuming an average of nearly 16 drinks per month. Massachusetts is home to over 150 commercial breweries, with more than 20 of these located in the Boston metro area. Boston's drinking culture is influenced by the high volume of college students, a dreary winter season, and a deeply rooted Irish ancestry.

Beer has been a part of Boston's history since the city's early days. The Pilgrims who landed at Plymouth Rock in 1620 did so because they were running out of beer. The first brewing license in Boston was issued in 1630, and the first public house, where ale was made and served, was licensed in 1634. In the 1800s, Boston was known as one of the premier beer meccas in America, with numerous breweries and crafted beers. The city was home to 27 breweries by 1890.

During the 1900s, the American Temperance Movement championed prohibition, which nearly wiped out all of the local breweries in Boston. In 1984, Jim Koch reintroduced craft brews to the city and the nation with Samuel Adams. Shortly after, Harpoon Brewery emerged as the largest brewery in New England. Today, Boston is home to several nationally-known brewers, including Samuel Adams and Harpoon, and has become a hub for the developing craft beer revolution.

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