2013 Beer Bloggers Conference Boston

This weekend 150+ fellow beer bloggers will embark on the 4^th Annual Beer Bloggers Conference in Boston, MA. The event actually kicks off in Portland, Maine Thursday night with a pre-conference excursion as well as a Pre-Party at the Kinsale Irish Pub in Boston (more details soon to follow on the Kinsale event).

Sadly, we won't be attending, but there are an incredible amount of events and activities throughout the weekend to keep everyone busy! For additional updates from some of the great beer bloggers who will be there, definitely check out the blogs from Sean and the 2beerguys.com crew, Brian from Seacoast Beverage Lab, and Carla aka: The Beer Babe!

I know the schedule is jam packed both Friday and Saturday, plus a half day on Sunday. However, should you find yourself with some spare time and would like to venture out on the great city of Boston in search of great local New England craft beer and food, here are some places I highly recommend you consider visiting. All are MBTA accessible or within walking distance from the hotel.

Near the Hotel (Boston Park Plaza):

Stoddard’s Fine Food & Ales – A MUST STOP for any discerning beer fan. Stoddard’s offers 20 tap lines, plus four beer engines (sometimes a gravity cask too), featuring a lineup of great local and regional beers. Their burger is one of the best I’ve had in the city, and I always have a great time. The bartenders are friendly and make some delicious and creative pre-prohibition style cocktails too. The bar area can fill up quickly by 5:30pm as it is in the heart of the Financial District / Beacon Hill, but is a 10 minute walk from the Park Plaza and is T accessible (Red Line, Park Street stop).

jm Curley – Looking for great beer and an eclectic mix of food? Well, jm Curley is the place. Pretty much right across from Stoddard’s, this rustic restaurant features several local brands on tap and in bottle or can, which pair incredibly well with their diverse southern inspired fare.

Want to get away from the Boston Common area? Well, here are a few more in the city you may enjoy…

A Little Further Down the Road (Still in Boston):

Yard House, Fenway – The Yard House boasts one of the largest selections of beer in the city. The Fenway location is only steps away from historic Fenway Park and has ample seating for large groups. They have a huge bar, with a second bar in the back with garage doors for great patio dining. The food is decent, and the beer selection is big. It’s also conveniently located in between two T stops (Green Line D Line, Fenway Stop).

Lower Depths, Kenmore Square – The national chain restaurant not your thing? Try Lower Depths in Kenmore Square instead. Lower Depths features a great line up of local and national craft beer on draft, with a cask, plus a too-big-to-list bottle and can list. Their food is great too, but you better bring some cash as they don't take credit cards. However, it is well worth it! (Green Line, Kenmore Square Stop *any line but the E line).

Bukowski Tavern, Back Bay – A sister restaurant of Lower Depths, The "Buk" is an intimate beer bar in Boston’s historic Back Bay and is a great little place. The burger is always tasty, and it’s right off of Boylston Street a few blocks from the Prudential Building. Their beer book is vast, so you will not be disappointed. Also a cash only bar, their menus read, “In God We Trust. All others must pay cash.” (Green Line, Hynes Convention Center Stop *any line but the E line)

Want to get out of town? Here are some other highly recommended places to visit…

For the Adventurous (Outside of Boston Proper):

Redbones, Davis Square Somerville – Davis Square is one of the best places in the city. Okay, well it’s technically just outside of Boston, but there are an incredible amount of bars/restaurants that serve a ton of great craft beer. Redbones is the best place in Somerville to grab some food and a pint (or five). They feature 28 lines and two casks, which basically rotate daily or every few days, and their barbeque menu is delicious and extensive. They also have two bars, one upstairs with an adjacent dining room, and one downstairs dubbed “Underbones.” Underbones is a dark and mellow lounge, which is great to escape the outside heat (Red Line, Davis Square Stop).

Russell House Tavern, Harvard Square Cambridge – If you’re looking to visit the historic "Hahvad Yahd", Russell House Tavern is the best place to visit. They have a small bar upstairs, with a bigger bar downstairs. They also have a fairly good sized dining room downstairs and have another one of my favorite burgers in the city.  You’ll always find a small, but selectively great line up of local beers on both draft and in bottles (Red Line, Harvard Square Stop).

Meadhall, Kendall Square Cambridge – Meadhall has the largest beer selection in Cambridge with 100 tap lines. They are also meticulous with their lines, and group the same brewery’s beers next to each other at all times. They also serve all the beer in the appropriate breweries’ branded glasses, which is pretty rad. The draft list varies daily and features some of the Boston area’s finest brewers. Their Belgian-American food is delicious and pairs well with any of their beers (Red Line, Kendall Square Stop).

These are just some of the great places the City of Boston has to offer. The beer and food rival that of any other great beer city and you will not be disappointed by visiting any (or all) of these places. If you live here or in the area, you probably know already how awesome our city is. If this is your first time in Boston, welcome!

Enjoy your time and get out there and explore!

Cheers,

Adam & Sarah