July 2011
14 posts
We've moved! →
We’ve decided to move the blog to WordPress where we’ll have a bit more control of the content. Check us out there! http://thetastinglife.wordpress.com/
Jul 16th
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Jul 16th
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Nashoba Valley Winery
Last Saturday, Adam and I went to the Nashoba Valley Winery in Bolton, MA. This place is more than just a winery. They not only make their own wine, but also brew their own beer and liquor! Getting here, I couldn’t help but feel like we were driving through a little town in Vermont. Very quaint and charming. When you pull up all you see is fields and grape vines everywhere. As we waited...
Jul 14th
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Jul 13th
2 notes
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Jul 13th
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Jul 12th
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Jul 11th
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Jul 8th
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Jul 7th
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Jul 4th
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Wales/England Trip 2011
So Adam and I are excited to announce our first (and definitely not our last) overseas trip. Come October 27th we’re off to the UK! We’ll be starting off our trip in Swansea, Wales where, fortunately, my Aunt will be hosting us for a few days. I’ve been to Wales twice now, and as you can tell I can’t get enough of it. If it wasn’t for the weather…I’d actually consider moving there. As soon as you...
Jul 4th
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Jul 4th
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Jul 1st
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Jul 1st
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Jul 1st
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June 2011
27 posts
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2011 Zymurgy Best Beers in America →
Zymurgy Magazine just released a list of their reader’s favorite beers in 2011 and the results are about what you’d expect with perennial favorite Russian River Pliny the Elder on top for the third straight year. While a great beer, I disagree with the results as my favorite beer (and I’ve had all of these except for 3) Goose Island Bourbon County Stout finished 13th. 
Jun 30th
8 notes
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Jun 30th
1 note
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Jun 27th
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Jun 24th
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Jun 24th
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Jun 23rd
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Jun 23rd
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Harpoon plans Pumpkin Ale for the Fall →
As a pumpkin beer lover and fan of Harpoon’s UFO series, I’m excited to try this one. It should be out in August, so we won’t have to wait much longer. Imagine a pumpkin vine wound it way in a field of barley, and a brewer harvested it all to make a beer. Add Northwestern hops and a blend of spices, and you’ve got UFO Pumpkin. The malt combination provides a smooth body and...
Jun 22nd
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Jun 22nd
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Jun 19th
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Jun 16th
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Jun 15th
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Sad news in the craft beer world... →
Interesting article regarding one of people who played a key part in starting one of Boston’s most popular (If not THE most popular) breweries. 
Jun 15th
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An Incomplete List of New MA Breweries
Inspired by last week’s post on Night Shift Brewing, I did a little research and found there are a host of new breweries poised to open in Massachusetts in the coming months. Here’s a brief rundown of what you have to look forward to and how close each brewery is to opening. Jack’s Abby Brewing (Framingham) - This new brewery will fill a nice niche in the craft beer scene by...
Jun 15th
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Jun 15th
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Jun 13th
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Brew Day: AHS Summer Saison
On Sunday, Michelle and I brewed our first homebrew together (a big step in our relationship!). This was her first time brewing and only my fourth, so we decided to use a pre-designed extract kit from Austin Homebrew Supply. With the weather (hopefully) warming up, I thought that a nice saison would be the perfect thing to make.   While a bit time consuming on the small gas stove in my apartment,...
Jun 13th
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Jun 13th
36 notes
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Jun 12th
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New MA Brewery Coming Soon
It looks like the local beer scene will be growing larger in the coming months! Night Shift Brewing has announced that they have signed a lease on a location for a new brewery in Everett, MA. It appears that they still have a lot of work to do before we’ll be able to taste their beers (licensing, construction, and purchasing equipment are the next steps), but after reading a recent article...
Jun 10th
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Stone/Ishii/Baird Japanese Green Tea IPA →
The latest Stone collaboration sounds really interesting and it supports a great cause. Hopefully, we’ll see it here in MA. A wonderful spirit of camaraderie, cooperation and mutual support exists in the world of craft brewing. We have harnessed this spirit fully in the crafting of this special collaborative brew dedicated to the resilient people of Japan who are bravely endeavoring...
Jun 9th
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Jun 8th
3 notes
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Jun 6th
9 notes
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Jun 3rd
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Jun 2nd
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Jun 1st
May 2011
44 posts
dearbennichols asked: Oh, I mis-read! GOT IT. Duh. lol
May 31st
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May 27th
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May 27th
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May 25th
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Samuel Adams Boston Beer Week Kick-Off →
Michelle and I were lucky enough to win tickets from BeerAdvocate for this special event at the Sam Adams brewery in Jamaica Plain.  They’ll be pouring samples of several special beers including Utopias (one of the strongest beers in the world at 27% abv) and their new Cherry Chocolate Bock. Plus there will be food and beer pairings and a chance to meet the brewers.  Should be a fun start...
May 25th
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May 24th
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Memorial Day '11
4 day work week then Adam and I are off to Vermont! PRAY for good weather for us! 
May 23rd
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May 20th
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Five Beers for Judgment Day
If you haven’t heard, Judgment Day is fast approaching. According to leading..uh..experts?, May 21, 2011 will mark the beginning of the end of the world. In preparation, I’ve put together a list of beers that are likely your last chance for salvation. Avery The Reverend (RateBeer 94): Who better to save your soul than a big (10%) Belgian-style Quad with hints of dark cherries,...
May 19th
2 notes