Archive for August, 2012

Review: Samuel Adams Fat Jack

Wednesday, August 29th, 2012

It’s pumpkin time! I know some of you are thrilled and some of you are less than thrilled, but I’m forging on. There are pumpkin beers in my house, dammit, and I’m going to drink them.

Sam Adams' Fat Jack Pumkin beerThere will be a 99 Bottles survey of the season’s best pumpkin beers in the next couple of weeks. A pumpkin jamboree of sorts. But I wanted to start off by reviewing one pumpkin beer that should be of interest to New Englanders. Samuel Adams has released a double-pumpkin beer called Fat Jack for the first time. Double-pumpkin beers are always more interesting to me than the regular ones, and since this is a new beer, I’ll break it out into a separate review now and then compare it to the others later.

Fat Jack pours brown (my wife said “caramel”, but she’s more fun than me), with a rapidly dissipating head. The beer looks thick, which may be due to the use of 28 pounds of real pumpkin per barrel.

Put your nose in the beer and you smell cinnamon, nutmeg, raisins, and alcohol (that’s the 8.5 percent ABV talking). It smells like Thanksgiving dinner.

Caramel and smoked malts combine with the spices and the pumpkin to give you a complex, hearty flavor. My one quibble is that I get a little sour gourd flavor in the aftertaste, but I might also reiterate that there are real pumpkins in here. You can probably make the connection. With this much flavor this beer won’t please the Shipyard Pumpkinhead crowd, but I’m not sure that’s who Samuel Adams is marketing to here. The beer pleased me, and that’s all I can hope for.

Fat Jack is a limited release. It comes in a 1-pint, 6-ounce bottle for a suggested retail price of $6.99.

By Gary Dzen, Boston.com Staff- Re-posted from Boston.com

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7 Very Cool Beer Labels

Monday, August 27th, 2012

Sometimes it’s not just the taste of what’s in a beer bottle that makes you smile but the style wrapped around it. Any male of drinking age recognizes the iconic blue ribbon of Pabst or Miller High Life’s lady on a crescent moon. But some microbreweries take bottle art to another level. Witness seven of the coolest beer labels—direct from the makers themselves.

 

Founders Double Trouble
Which way is up? This double IPA’s label is best appreciated when the bottle is empty.

Double Trouble beer

Double Trouble beer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Uinta Crooked Line Tilted Smile
This imperial pilsner’s name seems to allude to the facial expression folks get when they have their buzz on. And the dude’s shirt says it all: respect the 9%.

Tilted Smile beer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jester King Black Metal Farmhouse Imperial Stout
Not only does this killer stout scream when uncorked, it’ll make you want to don face paint and break out your King Diamond records.

Jester King beer

 

 

 

 

 

 

Abita SOS
You’ve heard of a message in a bottle, but how about a message on a bottle? Proceeds from the sale of this pilsner—brewed around the time of the oil spill in the Gulf Coast—go to help restore and preserve our coastal wetlands.

Save Our Shore beer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Odell Brewing Double Pilsner
This crisp, seasonal pilsner packs a hardy punch. You know you want this label as a full piece tattoo on your back.

Odell Double Pilsner Beer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Avery Brewing Co. duganA
Beer geeks spend hours pontificating on the pronunciation of this beer, but we’d rather spend our time with this bottle gazing at the shapely beauty, clad in see-through silk, floating amongst the clouds like a deity.

duganA beer

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

Blue Point Brewing Co. No Apologies
Regrets. We’ve all had a few. From Frank Sinatra to Sid Vicious. But you won’t regret swillin’ a bottle of this 10% double IPA. And if the ransom note lettering and safety pin don’t make you reach for your old punk vinyl records, you can simply entertain yourself by reading the label.

No Appologies beer

 

 

 

 

 

 

By Greg Barbera, Re-posted from MadeMan.com

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Pick-Up Lines, Upgraded for Realism & Respectfulness

Friday, August 24th, 2012

Guy picking up girl with bad hatLet’s face it, pick-up lines never work. Even the clever ones are cheesy, and they only make a woman think you’re some hackneyed pickup artist. (Sidenote: isn’t it weird that grammar uses a hyphen for the line, but a conjoined word for the artist? You so crazy, English language. Well we can do that too, with these pick-upgrades.) Anyway, here are some one-liners that are a little more likely to succeed, since they’re forthright and treat a gal like more than just another pretty face with a lot of patience for your contrived approach.

  • Are you from Tennessee? Because you’re the only ten I see here who politely laughs at bad puns.
  • Are you wearing space pants? Because you look tough and smart enough to be an astronaut whose ass is out of this world.
  • Can I borrow a quarter? My mom said to call home when I fell in love, and we live in 1995 when people didn’t own cellphones.
  • Did you know they changed the alphabet? They put U and I together. It actually changes very little, on a practical level.
  • Do you believe in love at first sight or should I walk by again & get to know the real you over the course of several weeks?
  • Do you have a library card? Because I’m checking you out…a book you will love, as a fan of complex roman a clefs.
  • I wish I was one of your tears, so I would only have to watch the final five minutes of your sappy movies with you.
  • That shirt’s very becoming on you. Of course, if I were on you, I’d be one of your stylish fashion choices too.
  • The ladies call me Milk, because I do your body good, and I smell like the underside of a cow.
  • You must be tired, because you’ve been running through my mind all day…working for humanitarian relief.

By Brendan McGinley, Re-posted from ManCaveDaily.com

 

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Slew of new restaurants opening near Harvard

Wednesday, August 22nd, 2012

Harvard Square’s already extensive menu of restaurants will get some new main courses in the coming months with an influx of eateries serving everything from burgers to traditional Japanese fare.

The corner of JFK and Mount Auburn streets will become the third outpost of Tasty Burger, the fast- food burger joint from the Franklin Harvard Square- Out of Town NewsRestaurant Group. The two-level, 180-seat restaurant is slated to open in September at the former 7-Eleven location at 40 JFK St.

“I’m from Cambridge, so I’ve been trying to get back home for a while,” said co-owner David Dubois, whose other restaurants include three Franklin Cafes and Citizen Public House. “One of the inspirations for the ‘Tasty’ was the original Tasty that was a little diner right on that same block. And my first cooking job was actually in that building — in the Garage — so it’s kind of like full circle.”

The largest of the Tasty Burgers — the second is set to open in Southie in a few weeks with take-away only — the Harvard Square restaurant will include a pool table and sell beer and wine.

A block away, the partners behind Osushi, a Japanese sushi restaurant in Boston’s Westin Copley Place, will open a larger 80-seat location at 1 Eliot St. within a month in the former Conga Tapas Bar space.

“Harvard Square is a great market for us,” said co-owner Timothy Panagopoulos, who runs Osushi with managing partner and chef Ken Iwaoka. “There’s a great exposure to students and tourists, and there was nothing really of Osushi’s caliber (there).”

While the nearly 10-year-old Back Bay location’s bar service includes beer, wine, sake and cordials only, and the menu is limited due to venting issues, the Cambridge Osushi will feature a full bar and more expansive traditional Japanese offerings, including a full range of cooked dinner entrees.

The owners of Toscano on Boston’s Charles Street, meanwhile, are building out a second Italian restaurant set to open this fall at 52 Brattle St., which formerly housed Cafe of India.

And Dante de Magistris, chef/owner of Dante in Cambridge and Il Casale in Belmont, has been in talks to open a restaurant in place of Casablanca once the landmark Brattle Street restaurant closes next month after four-plus decades. But no deal has been inked, according to de Magistris.

“We’re going through negotiations with the landlord,” he said. “We’re looking at other places as well. If we took it over … we’re going to stick to Italian. There are all different ways to create Italian food and an Italian experience.”

Another vacant space already claimed is the below-street-level 13 Brattle St., where the owners of Boston’s Beehive restaurant and music den plan to open a 328-seat brasserie with live jazz music next year.

By Donna Goodison, Re-posted from BostonHerald.com

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Chester’s Band of Brothers to Set Sail for Blue Moon Cruise

Monday, August 20th, 2012

It’s been said that a great opportunity only comes once in a blue moon! Well, on August 31st military veterans can take advantage of one! That’s right, a blue Blue Moon Cruisemoon will appear in the night sky!

ChesterNiteowl.com has joined forces with the Military Friends Foundation to offer a “Military Discount” to those who have served our nation! Bob Ahern,  Principal Partner of Chester Niteowl, LLC and Sarah Keller-Likens, Executive Director of the Military Friends Foundation are working jointly to offer veterans and a guest an opportunity to sail Boston Harbor on the Blue Moon Cruise aboard the Provincetown II, Boston’s biggest party boat!

The regular ticket price of $25 will be reduced to $15.00 for each veteran and their guest. This 21+ event will include a DJ for dancing, cash bar & food concessions along with some great give-a-ways!

Ahern, an Army veteran himself said, “We’re very excited to be working with the Military Friends Foundation and offer our warriors a unique opportunity to enjoy a night out on Boston Harbor under a blue moon! Their service and sacrifice should be celebrated and lauded, especially for those who have endured long deployments in recent years! The discount is offered to all past and present members of the armed forces who have served our nation.”

Keller-Likens agreed. “We’re happy to be working with the folks at ChesterNiteowl.com! What a great way for our heroes to enjoy a night out on Boston Harbor”!

Other sponsors of the cruise include Dirty Water TV, Higs Tickets and The Greatest Bar-Boston.

If your a veteran or know of a veteran who may be interested, here are the details:

Blue Moon Cruise

August 31, 2012 8pm-11pm, Boat will begin boarding at 7:15
Aboard the  Provincetown II, 200 Seaport Blvd. Boston, MA (Seaport District)
Military Discounted price- $15.00 Click here to purchase Tickets

 

By Chester’s Blog Staff ,  Blog.ChesterNiteowl.com

 

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Summer Brewfest Returns To Indian Ranch on August 18

Wednesday, August 15th, 2012

Fifth Annual Festival Features Craft Brewers from New England and Beyond, Music, Food and More

On August 18, 2012, just steps from the shore of Lake Summer BrewFest at Indian RanchChargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg, Indian Ranch will host its annual Summer Brewfest.  In a setting that normally offers music lovers a chance to see some of the greatest country, classic rock and pop bands, on this day only, music will take a back seat to beer. From 2 pm– 6 pm, attendees at the Indian Ranch Summer Brewfest will have the opportunity to sample some of the finest local, regional, national and international micro-brews, craft beers and malt beverages.

While brands like Harpoon, Sam Adams, Shocktop and Red Hook are staples to the Brewfest, the event has become well-known as the place to discover local and regional craft beers.  Massachusetts breweries are well represented at this year’s festival; Worcester’s own Wormtown Brewery will be joined by Wachusett Brewing Company, Watch City Brewing Company, Blue Hills Brewery, Berkshire Brewing, 50 Back American Lager and Paper City Brewery as well as festival newcomers the Somerville Brewing Company (makers of Slumbrew) and Notch Session Beers out of Ipswich.

Making their mark as the first craft brewery in New England to can its entire line of beers, Maine’s Baxter Brewing Co will make their Indian Ranch Summer Brewfest debut this year. They will be joined by and Peak Organic and Geary Brewing from Maine as well as Magic Hat and Long Trail Brewery from Vermont, and Woodstock Inn from New Hampshire.

The beer doesn’t stop there– breweries from around the country taking part in Brewfest include Wild Blue Lager and Ithaca Beer Company from New York state, Leine’s Lemon Berry from Chippewa Falls, WI and Boulevard Brewing from Kansas City, Missouri;  Widmer Brothers from Oregon, and Kona Brewing Company from Hawaii. International brands include Hoegaarden and Leffe from Belgium; Worthington’s from the UK; and Beck’s from Germany. Malt beverages like Woodchuck Cider, will also be available at Brewfest. Additional breweries are expected to take part in the Summer Brewfest.

The afternoon affair will also feature performances from Worcester’s Chyldz Play and the beachfront will be alive with beach volleyball and other games and activities. And what is a beer festival without food? Voted one of the Top Ten BBQ Joints in New England by the Boston Globe, BT’s Smokehouse of Sturbridge will once again serve up their award-winning Southern Style BBQ. From pulled pork to brisket and rib tips BT’s Smokehouse provides the perfect accompaniment to an afternoon of beer sampling.

Tickets for Summer Brewfest at Indian Ranch are $25 until August 11 and $30 after and available online at www.indianranch.com or by visiting the Indian Ranch box office.  Summer Brewfest is a 21+ event. Indian Ranch, less than an hour’s drive from Boston, Providence and Springfield, is located at 200 Gore Road in Webster, MA.  For more information, visit www.indianranch.com

Re-posted from BrewEngland.com

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Bruce Springsteen guitarist Nils Lofgren previews Boston shows

Tuesday, August 14th, 2012

Bruce Springsteen has made masterpieces and clunkers. (Who still listens to 2009’s “Working on a Dream”?) But for 40 years, his concerts have been consistently epic.

At 62, the Boss just wrapped a European tour with concerts that ran a rock ’n’ roll marathon of three-and-a-half-hours. In front of 80,000Nils Lofgren & Bruce Springsteen at London’s Hyde Park, he broke his curfew and officials pulled the plug. Next up is a Stateside stadium trek beginning at Fenway Park [map] on Tuesday and Wednesday and Gillette Stadium on Aug. 18.

But for the first time since Springsteen came barreling out of Freehold, N.J., he’s without sax man Clarence Clemons, who died a year ago. For E Street Band guitarist Nils Lofgren, who spent three decades stationed between Springsteen and Clemons on stage, the loss of the Big Man has been huge.

“It was a giant challenge to re-create the band and another chapter without Clarence,” Lofgren said from his home in Arizona. “I saw it as the biggest challenge I’ve ever been through with the band … But Bruce has navigated it pretty spectacularly.”

While Clemons’ nephew Jake Clemons has joined the band, he hasn’t replaced Clarence. Instead, the younger Clemons is part of a five-piece horn section.

“There is no Clarence II, just like there is no Gary Tallent II, Roy Bittan II, and so on,” Lofgren said. “But having the horn section is great, having Jake and Ed (Manion) share the sax duties is great. Bruce has so many songs that lend themselves to horns, it’s good that we can put them to use every night.”

The E Street Band now features 18 members who play dozens of instruments, from guitars and fiddles to accordions and glockenspiels. Lofgren calls it “the greatest toolbox in rock ’n’ roll history.” And with three “new” albums to pull from (2011’s “Wrecking Ball” and the double-disc re-issue “The Promise”), there is plenty of fresh material.

“Sometimes all the pieces are roaring at once, and then a moment later, the show is just Bruce with a harmonica and guitar,” Lofgren said.

By the end of the night, everyone’s covered with sweat and occasionally blood — Lofgren tore his rotator cuff during a stage tumble in the spring; he’s had both hips replaced after too many rock star leaps from the drum riser.

The guitarist began with Neil Young, toured with Ringo Starr and has a small but successful solo career. His latest album, “Old School,” features Bad Company singer Paul Rodgers and Foreigner frontman Lou Gramm. But he says he’ll always be ready when Bruce calls.

“I’ve trained my whole life for this,” he said. “As long as my health is fine, I’ll keep doing this.”

Bruce Springsteen, at Fenway Park, Tuesday and Wednesday. Tickets: $75-$103; event.etix.com. Bruce Springsteen, Gillette Stadium, Aug. 18. Tickets: $40-$101; www.ticketmaster.com.

By Jed Gottlieb, Re-posted from BostonHerald.com

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Bueller! 5 Keys to Calling Out Sick

Wednesday, August 8th, 2012

Ferris BuellerThe weather’s getting nicer, and three-day weekends are looking more and more tempting. But with the constant weight of the collapsing world economy and threat of job loss, calling out sick might seem like a thing of the past. And yet, maybe there’s still hope, lying within each and every one of us, that we can pull it off… provided we don’t screw up our carefully constructed excuses. For best results, follow these tips, and you’ll be enjoying an impromptu vacay day in no time.

 

 

1. Know Your Boss’s Style
Does he or she like you to call in so you can call out? Maybe they prefer a text message. Or maybe they need you to email them and CC anyone else who may need to know so your responsibilities can be deferred to them for the day. Get a feel for your manager’s preference. Getting the details right will ensure that your boss and co-workers stop short of disemboweling a voodoo doll with your name on it.

2. Lie Like a Champ
Keep it simple. Say it’s a 24-hour virus and leave it at that. Don’t add unnecessary details like, “It must have been the generous helping of Ethiopian food I ate last night” or “And then I projectile-vomited a Guinness world record of eleven feet.” Bad liars always try to beef up the details of their story, and that’s where they run into trouble.

3. Don’t Try to Sound Really Sick
No coughing between each breath, pretending to pass out mid-sentence, excusing yourself because you need to spit out something “otherworldly” or doing your best Harvey Fierstein impression. (Oh man, now I need to go watch Mrs. Doubtfire.) Seriously though, since your best bet is to draw as little attention to your situation as possible, over-acting is uncalled-for.

4. Be Cool With Co-Workers
Don’t ever talk about your partying exploits to your co-workers. They’re already depositing any excuses into their “Oh, it’s another hangover” mental file. Instead, pre-empt their suspicions with a story about how one time you went out for a drink on a Saturday night, and it was too much for you to handle. The next day the police found you romantically spooning a homeless person. And from then on, a single wine cooler, imbibed over the course of 4.5 hours, is all you will partake in… on a wild night.

5. Beware Social Media
On your fake sick day you should treat Facebook, Twitter and any other social networking platforms you frequent like minefields. Even if you aren’t “friends” with your boss, he’s probably only one or two degrees removed from your status updates. In other words, today’s not the day to post about how you Man v. Food’ed your favorite burrito challenge, bench-pressed two cheerleaders and washed it all down with a pitcher of rum. Remember, buddy, you’re “sick.”

 

By Jason Epstein, Re-Posted from MadeMan.com

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Sports bar chain Stadium ready to expand its game

Friday, August 3rd, 2012

Despite the crowded field of sports bars in this state, the Mayo Group is moving forward with plans to expand its Stadium Sports Bar & GM of Stadium SPortsbar, QuincyGrill concept.

Mayo, a Boston-based real estate firm, opened the first Stadium restaurant in South Boston in 2004. Mayo then opened a Quincy location in 2009, in the former Alba restaurant on Hancock Street, and most recently a Waltham restaurant opened in February.

Next, the company will open restaurants in Worcester in December and in Lynn next spring, said Hol Hustus, Mayo Group’s director of restaurant operations. Hustus said the company would like to open two additional Stadium restaurants by the end of 2013, and is searching for Massachusetts locations. He said the company is also on the hunt to acquire another sports bar brand.

“We plan on being very aggressive through the next 12 months,” he said.

Hustus said Stadium attracts restaurant goers with affordable food and drink prices. But Hustus said the restaurants have also been successful by not leaning entirely on sporting events. Live music, DJs, trivia, and open mic nights attract patrons to the restaurants even when the local teams aren’t playing, Hustus said.

The restaurants also bring in revenue by renting function rooms for events as diverse as fantasy football drafts to baby showers. Hustus said the restaurant is reaching out to alumni groups to host private screenings of their colleges’ football games this fall.

The Mayo Group decided to open in Worcester and Lynn to have locations near its real estate offices in those cities. The three current locations were all opened in former restaurants, while the Worcester location is a former hookah bar and the Lynn site is a former bank.

The Quincy and South Boston restaurants are both about 4,500 square feet. The Waltham location is smaller, at about 2,100 square feet. The Worcester and Lynn restaurants will be closer in size to those in Quincy and South Boston, Hustus said.

By Adam Vaccaro, Re-posted from EnterpriseNews.com

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5 rules for Surviving City Nightlife

Wednesday, August 1st, 2012

Beginning of a night at barYou want to drink the finest spirits, hang with your friends, listen to good music and talk to pretty women. The only way to do all these things is to experience the nightlife in your area. But the bar and club scene is rife with hazards. Stick to these golden rules and you just might make it out alive. And have a hell of an evening, too.

 

 

 

1. Live in the middle
Never be the drunkest or sober-est guy entering or leaving the bar. Unless you’re a designated driver, going super-sober makes it tough to relax. Meanwhile, getting super-drunk means being the guy who acts like an idiot, pukes on a car and wakes up the next morning feeling like utter crap. So stay cool, have a few drinks, get a good buzz on and enjoy yourself. Having trouble finding the middle? It’s the space where you aren’t afraid to dance but can still assemble coherent sentences.

 

Partiers dancing

2. Know when to call it a night
To quote How I Met Your Mother, “Nothing good happens after 2 a.m.” As soon as the girls start to leave the club, it’s time for you to leave the club. Seriously, what good is a drunken sausage fest? The amount of fights skyrockets after the females clear out. And even if you don’t end up getting in a scrap, your best prospect for the 3 a.m. is that McDonald’s has added the 20-piece chicken nuggets to the extra value menu.

3. Plan a spot to snooze
If you don’t live downtown, make arrangements to sleep at someone’s house in the area. Make these plans before you get intoxicated. There are few things more nerve-wracking than trying to find a place to crash when the night wraps up. And it usually ends with you curling up on a dirty floor with your jacket as a pillow and your shirt as a blanket.

 

Drunk man sleeping

Not likely a pillow-top sidewalk!

4. Be prepared
One-night stands don’t happen every week, but when fate smiles on you, you had better be following the Boy Scout motto. Carry two condoms when you go to the bar (one may break, and if you carry more it’s weird). We recommend Billy Boy, which has slim, rectangular shaped packaging, allowing it to slip easily into the fifth pocket of your jeans rather than fattening up your wallet.

Promo girls“Oh you guys are heading out? Good thing we brought the minivan!”

5. When things go south, roll with it
Your best memories of nights out will sometimes come when ridiculously good things happen… and sometimes when ridiculously bad things happen. If you wake up in a bush three hours after last call, it may suck at the time, but chances are you and your buddies will laugh for about it for weeks. You can’t change what has happened so go with the flow, keep a smile on your face and deal with the consequences tomorrow.

By Jordan Scheltgen, Re-posted from Mademan.com

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