Aeronaut Brewing Co, Somerville, MA - 2017

Aeronaut Brewing Co was one of the places from my 2015 visit that I revisited in 2017, along with the ICA, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Club Passim, Stoddard's pub, Arnold Arboretum, Doyle's cafe and the Sam Adams Brewery Tour.

Built like a Venetian palazzo on Boston's Fenway between 1899-1901, the inner courtyard of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum combines Roman, Byzantine, Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance elements and stone columns with flowers, plants and palm trees and is as memorable as the art collection displayed in the surrounding rooms.

After visiting the museum on Saturday 7 October, 2017, I caught a Green line train to Lechmere on Boston's original subway line, much of which runs above ground.

The sun was setting as I rode the 87 bus from Lechmere to a stop on Somerville Avenue (Central Street). I took a photo and was admonished by a pedestrian striding past for taking a photo 'in the dark'.

Not to be dissuaded, I took a further photo from the steps of St Anthony of Padua parish church in Properzi Way, before arriving at Aeronaut Brewing Co in Tyler Street.

The taproom area of the brewery building was full of young people talking loudly to make themselves heard.

I ordered a tray of my choice of 4 x 5oz measures to sample a variety of beers and managed to find a seat at the end of a table where a small group were playing a Scrabble board game.

My favourites in descending order were Wiesner (6.7% ABV) a hoppy wheat IPA with wheat, spelt and American hops; NEIPA S.M.A.S.H. (7.1%) a juicy New England IPA with Blue Ox malt from Maine and Rakau hops from Massachusetts; Hop Hop and Away (4.8%) a hazy India Session Ale and Bruce Sumac (6.2%) a rosy and tart wheat ale made with wild foraged Sumac.

Perhaps I should have saved some money by ordering the $12 'IPAs for days' feedback flight listed on the printed beer menu which I only noticed later?

The dim lighting makes the large space of the taproom with its high ceilings more intimate. It also allows retro games to be projected onto the walls.

A variety of board games can be borrowed from the bar and there is a collection of arcade games in another area of the brewery building to cater for all tastes.

At 8pm I could move to a small table near the corner stage area which was set up for 'Forrest presents' featuring the house band with guests..

First up was Xenia Dunford playing acoustic guitar and keyboards. The 14 oz beer glass in the foreground holds a favourite beer from my 2015 visit - A Year with Dr Nandu (6.3% ABV -$7) an American IPA brewed with Mosaic and Centennial hops.

Next up was Stace Brandt with soulful vocals and playing electric guitar in a laid back style, backed by the house band, featuring Forrest on bass.

Just as music sounds better with a beer to drink, my latest 16 oz 'pint' glass, of earlier favourite Wiesner, tasted even better with the funky live music from Stace Brandt! After her set, Stace kindly gave me her website and instagram links. It would be great to see Stace playing at Ace Space, Newbury, if she gets a chance to tour the UK one day.

A nice feature of the Aeronaut tap room is that much of the brewery equipment is visible and although the light was dim I was able to take some photos to illustrate this post.
Earlier I had enquired at the bar about Lia Olsborg, who I had met here in 2015. This time, I left a copy of West Berkshire CAMRA's Ullage magazine for her which featured Lia and Aeronaut Brewing Co. (Winter 2015/16 - page 7)

Just after talking to Stace, it was wonderful to spot Lia in the taproom, wearing her brewing clothes and to give her a further copy of Ullage, which she kindly posed with. Lia moved up from a beer cellaring role to become a brewer at Aeronaut in March, 2017. She was able to give me some helpful information about NERAX. When I mentioned that the cask ale in the tap room had sold out, Lia suggested a visit Maverick Marketplace Cafe on my way to Logan airport the next day as John Tyler might be serving Aeronaut's cask ale there (which turned out to be the case!).

After a rewarding evening at Aeronaut Brewing Co, it was time to travel back to Jamaica Plain, starting from the bus stop at Conway Park. Here, a shadowy sign revealed that the park's site was the former location of Bay State Smelting Company which melted down scrap metal to retrieve lead and cadmium inside.

At Central Square, Cambridge, the terminus of the 83 bus, the Moody's Falafal Palace looked appealing from aesthetic and culinary aspects! Subsequent research revealed that the building was originally a White Castle or (imitator) White Tower hamburger restaurant. Both chains were involved in a copyright fight in the 1930s.

Thankfully, the Red Line and Orange Line 'T' trains were still running to get me the rest of the way back to Jamaica Plain.

Thanks to Lia and all at Aeronaut Brewing Co and Stace and all the musicians for another memorable final night in the Boston area. Cheers!

Aeronaut Brewing Co
14 Tyler St, Somerville, MA
Website: www.aeronautbrewing.com 
Twitter: aeronautbrewing
Facebook: aeronautbrewing
Instagram: aeronautbrewing

Taproom opening hours (October 2017):

Mon: 6pm-11pm
Tue - Thu: 5pm-midnight
Fri: 5pm-12:30am
Sat: noon-12:30am
Sun: noon-8pm

Maverick Marketplace Cafe, East Boston

East Boston might be compared to South London - a part of the city you are aware of but might never visit unless you live there or have friends there.

View from Maverick St, Rast Boston towards Charlestown

'Eastie' was neglected and with cheaper rents it housed a relatively high proportion of immigrants. Many residents are now from Central or South America and speak Spanish.

Recently, apartments have been built on the waterfront and LoPresti Park provides harbour views and recreational facilities.

On the afternoon of Sunday 8 October, 2017, the last day of my New England trip, I caught the Blue Line subway / T train towards Wonderland from State to Maverick.

An information board at Maverick station includes a photo of a streetcar emerging from the original tunnel, opened in 1904, which is now used by the MBTA Blue Line.

Above ground, from Maverick Square, an elevated mural shows the same scene.

At La Sultana Bakery, a Colombian bakery situated at the far corner of Maverick Square, I resisted the temptation of a cake or pastry but enjoyed a cup of coffee in a Spanish speaking environment.

Maverick Marketplace lies about 100 metres east along Maverick Street (No. 154). The historic building once housed the Overseers of the Public Welfare. It is now an incubator space for small businesses with retail and office space. It also houses Maverick Marketplace Cafe on the Ground Floor.

John Tyler served me a (16oz) pint of Aeronaut Brewing Co Sanctuary (4.6% ABV), a gluten-reduced saison style beer with minimal sourness, brewed in nearby Somerville. (In an effort to spread awareness of fresh cask ales at Maverick Marketplace Cafe, John and Dan (General Manager) upload YouTube video reviews.)
Lia Olsborg, an Aeronaut brewer and New England Real Ale eXhibition (NERAX) supporter, had kindly suggested this visit to me as Aeronaut's cask ale had all been sold on my brewery taproom visit the previous evening.

John also passed me the cafe's menu and I chose an omelette with home fries from the All Day Breakfast menu on page 2. The kitchen is just behind the cafe's bar which is open for breakfast from 8am (Sundays 9am).

My second pint was a wheat beer brewed by Night Shift Brewing in nearby Everett. Also visible in the photo above are tap handles from previously served beers decorating a high shelf on an inner wall of the cafe.

Looking in the opposite direction, there is a view of ivy covered walls through the window by the bar. At a quiet moment, John had time to chat with me and revealed that he is originally from Norwich and that his father was a CAMRA member.

With a few dollars in my wallet left to spend, and still some time before needing to check in for my flight, it was time for a third and final pint and John recommended nearby Malden's Idle Hands Craft Ales Four Seam (6.6% ABV). This cloudy New England IPA with tropical fruit flavours was one of my favourite beers on this trip and a best seller at the Maverick Marketplace Cafe. Also visible in the photo is the TV behind the bar showing a live baseball match from Boston's Fenway Park between Boston Red Sox and Houston Astros.

It was time to pay my bill and luckily there were enough dollars to include a tip for John and to reduce my luggage by giving him my Original Gravity% magazine. Boston's Logan airport is only a mile from here and easily reached by one stop on the Blue line to Airport station where free Massport shuttle buses link to the five airport terminals.

Maverick Marketplace Cafe - Not your usual bar
154 Maverick Street, East Boston, MA
Tel +1 617-455-6232
Website - www.maverickmarketplacecafe.com
Facebook - Maverick Marketplace Cafe
Opening hours (October 2017)
Mon - Sat  8am - 11pm
Sun            9am - 10.30pm

Aeronaut Brewing Co, Somerville, MA

After walking Boston's Freedom Trail and ending up at the Bunker Hill monument, Charlestown, on Sunday 15 November, a visit to Aeronaut Brewing Co in Somerville seemed like a good idea.

Pleasant Street, Charlestown

It is a downhill walk to Community College T station and then a straight walk over Gilmore Bridge, crossing railway tracks, until the junction with Monsignor O'Brien Highway.

panorama photo - looking north from Gilmore Bridge footpath

Monsignor O'Brien Highway with elevated track of the Green Line

Walk away from Charles River under the elevated track of the Green Line until the crossing for Lechmere T station. Catch an 87 MBTA bus from the adjacent bus station to the Somerville Avenue at Loring Street stop just after the Market Basket supermarket. Aeronaut Brewing Co is in a large building at the west end of Tyler Street.

Entrance to Aeronaut Brewing Co - note parking for bikes

On entering the building you notice that there are high ceilings. 

If you want coffee or something to eat head for the Foods Hub. Otherwise head into the brewery space with a bar in the far corner.

Bar at Aeronaut Brewing (at closing time)

 There always seems to be something going on at Aeronaut Brewing Co to make a visit worthwhile. On Sunday 15 November 2016, Earlier in the day Patrick Coman Band had been playing 'Red & Blues' music for BYO picnic live sessions with other musicians playing bluegrass, folk and Americana between 2pm and 8pm. Videos of the Patrick Coman Band playing Nine to Fivers and Carry On at the event were later posted on YouTube. 

Prateek Poddar

Singer / Songwriter Prateek Poddar was playing acoustic guitar underneath the screen showing an American Football game (New England Patriots v New York Giants) when I arrived.

 

The range of draft beers was listed on blackboards above the bar:

Expat - 6.4% ABV Foreign Export Stout, 

A Session with Dr Nandu - 4.6% ABV American Pale Ale, 

Saison of the Western Ghats - 4.7% ABV French Saison, 

OrangUtan Skies - 6.5% ABV American IPA and

 Lagerfeuer (Campfire) - 5% ABV Marzen made with smoked butternut squash 

 were the choices available. 

My first beer was a half measure of Saison of the Western Ghats, a spicy French style farmhouse ale.

A Session with Dr Nandu

Next, it was time for a US pint (16 fl oz) of A Session with Dr Nandu. An excellent example of a beer in one of my favourite styles. It was good taphouse value at $6.

Brewing vessels are situated opposite the bar.

Tips could be left in the litre steins at the corner of the bar. Prateek finished his set and another acoustic guitarist took his place under the screen.

Sitting near the corner of the bar I was in a good position to watch the musicians, the football game on the screen and the bar itself. Above the bar a blackboard, flanked by a growler, advertised that 32 fl growlers are available. Examples of beer mats with original artwork were pinned on a board underneath.

A banner in the bar gave details of a canned IPA from the brewery - A Year with Dr Nandu.

Jonathan with Ullage

Wearing an Aeronaut Brewing t-shirt, Jonathan agreed to pose with a copy of Ullage, the West Berkshire CAMRA magazine I had brought with me to give any interested beer lovers. My third draft beer selection was OrangUtan Skies, with tropical and citrus hops. This American IPA was also in great condition.

Lia with Ullage

As luck would have it, Lia Olsborg, CAMRA member, cask ale enthusiast, Cellarman with NERAX (New England Real Ale EXhibition) and Aeronaut Brewing was also on duty at the bar this evening. She was interested to find copies of Ullage and posed for a photo.
I passed on best wishes to Lia from Stephen Crossland, the Managing Director of Loch Ness Brewery, a mutual acquaintance. Stephen brought firkins of LochNESS and DarkNESS to the 2014 Spring NERAX cask ale festival at Aeronaut Brewing Co, organised by CASC, the Cask-conditioned Ale Support Campaign. Lia mentioned that she also liked Prince of DarkNESS, which Stephen had brought in bottles.

Lia's overall favourite Aeronaut beer is Berliner Weisse with raspberries added to the cask. On Firkin Fridays, there is always a cask of ale at the taproom in addition to the normal keg taps. Lia says 'I'm waiting for the day that more UK breweries embrace sour beers. They're one of my favorite styles.'.
Asked to name some favourite beers from the UK, Lia suggested Landlord 'when it's good and has been taken care of', Inveralmond's Lia Fail, Purple Moose's Dark Side Of The Moose, Fyne Ales' Jarl, Titanic's Plum Porter and Oakham's Citra. It was nice to discover that Lia's list included two of my favourite beers in Jarl and Citra
We have both enjoyed visits to CAMRA's Great British Beer Festival, held in London every August. However, it was a shame to hear that Lia's plans to visit in 2015 had been upset by UK border controls affecting non-European volunteers.

Expat - Foreign Export Stout

The taproom bar closes at 8pm on Sundays. When last orders were called, my fourth selection was Expat. This 6.4% ABV export stout had roast coffee notes and was a good beer to finish up with. 

Bosco

Now that Lia was busy again, I found that my neighbour at the bar was keen for conversation. He had been enjoying beers and watching the American Football game. As the end of the game, approached the Patriots were behind in points. However, a second from the end, Stephen Gostowski scored a 54 yard field goal with 1 second remaining to give the Patriots a 27-26 victory against the Giants. Bosco, my neighbour, turned out to be a Brazilian who now preferred living in Boston. With the taproom closing, it was time to say goodbye and prepare for the journey back to my Airbnb accommodation, involving a #83 bus ride to Central Square, Red line to Downtown Crossing and then Orange line to Jamaica Plain.

It was easy to find the place I was looking for before leaving Aeronaut Brewing Co!

For more details about Aeronaut Brewing Co visit website www.aeronautbrewing.com which includes current taproom hours.

An interesting article by Christopher Hughes about the founding of Aeronaut Brewing Co was posted on the Boston magazine website (11 April 2014) How Aeronaut Brewing Plans to Change Craft Beer Forever