Back From Boston

I'm still reeling from my trip to Boston. Every year the Brewer's Association holds a craft brewers convention in a different city, this year in the land of chowder. Because it was relatively close, we were able to bring a few people from the brewery...so Dad, Matt, Jamie and I piled ourselves into a minivan and headed south last Monday.



We arrived Monday night (after a dinner stop at 7 barrel brewing co.) in time to check in and go grab our first Boston pint. Tuesday morning was the brewery tour day, so by 7:30am we were loaded into a bus on the way to Trinity Brewpub, Buzzards Bay Brewing, Mayflower Brewing and Cape Cod brewing. By 9am I had an oak aged scotch ale in hand, while munching on bacon out of a chalice. Very nice way to start the day. After the tour we hit the welcome reception at Harpoon Brewing Co., where 2000 brewers were allowed to wander around the entire brewery.



On Wednesday the seminars and tradeshow began. Crazy good opening speach and keynote address by Greg Koch of Stone brewing. It started off with a video highlighting the best parts of being a craft brewer and a challenge to brewers to continue with what makes us great. You can watch it here: http://vimeo.com/4298464. After the seminars ended, there was a visit to Boston Beer Co., where Mr Sam Addams treated us all to Lobster and crazy beer brewed at their research brewery. Dad was very happy because they also had the hockey game on.

Thursday was more seminars and tradeshows, followed up by 60+ cask conditioned beers back at Harpoon. Friday was all day seminars and closing reception. On saturday we headed home, stopping only for beer to bring back to the brewery (Phil in particular was itching for some hoppy stouts) and lunch at American Flatbreads.

I've been back for a few days now and my head is still going in a million directions - between catching up on being gone for a week and starting to work on all the big projects that I want to undertake this year, now that I'm full up on inspiration again.