Vacation

[bsardin]

I am looking for a place to vacation that is the best of both worlds. I need someplace that I can go where I can sample some great local beers that I can't get here in Arkansas but also someplace that has stuff for my family to do also. Does anyone have any suggestions?

[herman]

one word: Boston.

[Richard English]

Quote "...one word: Boston..."

Of course, if you make that Boston, Lincs. UK rather than Boston, Mass. USA, you will be right on the doorstep of Batemans of Wainfleet!

And with international airfares at an all-time low...

[Boto]

My vote would be Portland, ME. Lots of good family stuff, and a couple of good brewers in the area. (Gritty's, Geary's, Allagash, plus some others).

[mbritojr]

Boston, Mass. USA is def. a great choice. You have access to all the Mass. breweries and are only a few hours from countless others in RI, VT, and ME. I would recommend Providence, RI in late summer as well, which is host to the Great American Beer Festival (the largest gathering and tasting of breweries in the country).

[warmstorage]

actually, i think the quality of beer in Boston proper has gone down dramatically in the last few years, especially at local brewpubs, which used to be some of the best concentrated brewpubs anywhere:

* Commonwealth closed beer operations, taking away their fantastic cask and old ales, and laid-back bar (except during Fleet Center events) atmosphere;
* Northeast Brewing is defunct, and had some great brews;
* Boston BeerWorks used to be awesome, but got WAY too big for its britches; (the Salem location is decent, but i almost won't go to the Fenway anymore, and i've always hated the North Station location)
* John Harvards, reasonably high quality as it is in all of its locations, but a chain nevertheless, and often packed to the gills from dinner on...
* a couple locations of Rock Bottom, whose shockingly accurate name would be amusing if i thought it was satire: these locations suck just as bad as they do all over the country, right down to the watery beer served so cold it almost has an ice cap on top. no improvement over the also mediocre Brew Moon they bought out.
* Cambridge Brewing Co. is pretty decent, but i often leave a little disappointed: the food is so-so, and the atmosphere a little uppity and cramped.
* Watch City, in Waltham, is awesome, but a relatively long drive from central Boston (~20 to 35 minutes depending on traffic).

as for other "local" stuff, Spam Adams/Boston Beer Co. makes extraordinary experimental ales (the Millennium crowd) and a few decent specialty brews (Triple Bock), but mostly pounds out massive amounts of overpriced, overmarketed garbage.

no, i wouldn't recommend Bawstun: maybe Denver? (lots of great local beer: Wynkoop, Bull & Bush, Pint's Pub, Avery, etc., etc., and everything outdoors, skiing, sports, etc.) San Francisco? (fantastic local beers, plenty to do for all, make sure to go to Magnolia Pub & Brewery, in the Haight.)

i know this thread is outdated, but i'm curious about what beer the other posters think is so awesome in Beantown?

[warmstorage]

> I would recommend Providence, RI in late summer as
> well, which is host to the Great American Beer Festival
> (the largest gathering and tasting of breweries in the country).

ummm, i think Drunk Mike means the Great *International* Beer Festival and Competition, which, at roughly 300 beers and 60 breweries in 2002 is not the largest tasting in the country, a distinction which i think goes to GABF, the Great *American* Beer Festival, held in Denver, CO, which in 2002 had 1500+ brews from approximately 300 breweries.

-Drunk Dan

p.s. despite all my Boston-bashing in the other post, i agree with Drunk Mike's note that New England does have breweries within driving distance of Boston that are well worth a visit: i'd start such a list with McNeill's in Brattleboro, VT, and Northampton (Mass) Brewing, and Maplewood Farms in Amherst.