American Craft Beer Fest

On Saturday, Team Beeriety and some friends including Susie from We Are Not Martha headed down to the American Craft Beer Festival on Boston’s waterfront. It was an amazing array of 75 American brewers with over 300 different craft beers to sample. There was a lot of unusual beers and beer lovers at the festival and we did our best to check out as many of them as we could.

Pretty Things Beer & Ale Project

The beer was fantastic and while we all had our individual favorites, there was a general consensus that Pretty Things Beer & Ale Project was the break away star. Considering this small brewery run by a husband and wife team has only been around for about a year their beers show an astounding amount of sophistication and deliciousness. Their labels also live up to their name as some of the prettiest I’ve seen in awhile. They are surely a brewer to keep an eye on.

Brooklyn Brewery

Another favorite was Brooklyn Brewery’s Intensified Coffee Stout. Brooklyn has long been one of the most prominent craft brewers in America and this new brew showcases why. I’ve known and loved many coffee stouts, but never have I tried anything that so thoroughly captured the taste and mouthful of French press coffee and stout.

For a more detailed look at what beers grabbed our attentions take a look at our individual favorite lists:

Carleton:

• Brooklyn Brewery – Intensified Coffee Stout
• Pretty Things Beer & Ale Project – Baby Tree
• Ithaca Beer Co. – Cascazilla
• Cambridge Brewing Co. – Imperial Skisbsøl
• Dogfish Head Brewery – Sah’ Tea

Chris:

• Brooklyn Brewery – Intensified Coffee Stout
• Southern Tier Brewing Co. – Jah-va
• Watch City Brewing Co. – HellHammer Oatmeal Stout
• Pretty Things Beer & Ale Project – Cofounded Mister Sisyphus
• Terrapin Beer Co. – India Style Brown Ale

Erin:

• Ithaca Beer Co. – Flower Power IPA
• Southern Tier Brewing Co. – Imperial IPA.
• Victory Brewing Co. – Wild Devil
• Pretty Things Beer & Ale Project – Jack D’or
• Terrapin Beer Co. – Sunray

Ryan:

• Brooklyn Brewery – Intensified Coffee Stout
• Pretty Things Beer & Ale Project – Baby Tree
• Brewery Ommegang – Three Philosophers
• Left Hand Brewing Co. – Oak Aged Imperial Stout
• Southern Tier Brewing Co. – Cherry Saison

Susie (from We Are not Martha):

• Pretty Things Beer & Ale Project – Baby Tree
• Terrapin Beer Co. – Side Project 90 Shelling
• Brooklyn Brewery – Intensified Coffee Stout
• Dogfish Head Craft Brewery – Midas Touch
• Left Hand Brewing C0. – JuJu Ginger

Woody Chandler, Beer Monk

There was also plenty of interesting people in attendance, like Woody Chandler, the ‘beer monk’.

Pretzel Necklaces were all the rage

Several people also had curiously placed a necklace of pretzels around their necks, which I’d never seen before but seems like a great way to snack while keeping two hands free for beer. We’ll have more on the beer fest and exclusive interviews from the floor with brewers and attendees alike once we have a chance to sort through it all.

Until then check out the rest of the photos from the fest on the Beeriety Flickr account and let us know if you attended and what you were drinking in the comments!