The Pink Shoe Diaries

I’m writing this entry in Word now, because when I came in this morning there was a note in everyone’s mailbox stating the three words that every employee dreads::

“Server is down.”

Had I known this would happen I would have called in!!

I was debating calling in anyway because I am pretty damn hung-over today. Last night Adam and I went on a tour of the Sam Adams Brewery in Jamaica Plain which by itself is fun, but unremarkable (since I have gone before). But this particular tour was different because it was led by Jim Koch (the founder of Sam Adams, and a fucking awesome guy) and hosted by the Strohm brothers from BeerAdvocate.com which means there was LOTS of beer to be had, on this beer tour. We met in the lobby of the brewery at 6PM where we were given large cups of assorted Sam Adams brews (Sam Summer, Boston Lager, Boston Ale, etc..) and given free reign to roam around, inspect the photos and displays throughout the room. At around 6:30 Jim Koch came in, poured himself a beer and began chatting up some of the people milling around. Soon thereafter, he gathered all 80 of us together and told us that we would first be given a brief history of the Beer, then we would go into the actual brewery and learn how it’s made, and then we would make our way to the tasting room where we would, and I quote, “drink our asses off”.

And let me tell you, Mr. Koch was true to his word.

Although I had taken the tour before, it was a totally different experience this time. He explained in detail his yearly trips to Bavaria to select hops, he took questions from the crowd, he told us all about his family ( he is a 4th generation brewer) and he did not lie about the tasting room! Adam and I snagged perfect, front row seats with another couple; Carla and Matt who would later become our beer best friends. Usually in the tasting room you get about 3 or 4 six ounce servings of assorted beers. Not this time, though! We were given six servings (and refills) including SAM ADAMS UTOPIA WHICH RETAILS WHOLESALE FOR $160 A BOTTLE. That was definitely the highlight of the night. It’s 50proof beer that tastes more like a maple-y liquer but no, it is beer and it is GOOD. (and served in a snifter). We got to try a lot of “experimental” brews that played around with levels of hops, alcoholic content, etc. (I decided that if I ever go into the brewery business, I am soooo brewing a hop-py beer and calling it “Big Hoppa”.) Jim Koch got pretty much wasted and we got our picture taken with him., and Adam who was “just buzzed” (so he says!) got to talk to him one on one for a few minutes which was nice since Jim is his idol. All in all it was a fantastic (and free!) night. And it makes me love Sam Adams all the more.

If you like beer at all, and like going to events in the New England area that involve free beer you should sign up on BeerAdvocate.com, they have events every month that celebrate beer like: tastings at restaurants, brewery tours, “beer-fests”, etc. And these events are usually either free, or relatively inexpensive. I would check it out. Look for me, my handle is “pinkshoes” (of course)

After the beer madness, we stopped by Dee-Dee’s in Quincy to have a few cocktails with Jenny and Mark V, followed by the obligatory Taco Bell run (does anything taste better when you are drunk? I think not) and then went home where I passed out clutching half of my double taco.

Good times.