Lots of Free Beer at the Sam Adams Tour

The first time I went to Sam Adams in Boston, MA was April 12, 2008 with some college buddies.  One of them was the first person I knew in college that home brewed as well.  He even lived off campus so he could keep home brewing!

Okay back to Sam Adams.  If you have never been on a brew tour, never had a beer, or don’t know a single thing about beer this brewery tour is for you!  Oregon has this great museum called OMSI, which puts on awesome interactive learning exhibits (and they even offer a Beer Camp).  Sam Adams is the OMSI of beer.  Their tour is totally focused on teaching you about beer.  The history of beer, the history of Sam Adams, how beer is made, how to become a beer enthusiast and more.

Two super nerdy things about Sam Adams that I really appreciate:

One, they have created the perfect pint.  I’m not joking here.  Sam Adams spent two years creating the perfect pint glass.  From laser etching in the bottom of the glass to ensure a constant flow of bubbles and aroma release to narrow top to retain hop aroma and sustain the head.  This glass is amazing!  Now you just have to learn how do the perfect pour next.

Two, Sam Adams basically created freshness dating.  Most breweries use a “born date” – the day the beer was bottled.  This doesn’t actually help the drinker figure out when the best time to have the beer is.  It’s like milk cartons posting when the cow as milked instead of the expiration date!  Sam Adams makes it super simple to tell when their beer is ready to drink.  When you pick up a bottle of Sam Adams beer, on the label running up the side are all the months in a year.  One of those months will be marked (usually with a punch mark).  That month is the perfect time to enjoy that particular Sam Adams beer.

Jenna’s Tips:

• This is definitely a family friendly tour, however, if you are a big beer enthusiast.  Chances are your kids will be bored before you are.  Might want to pack some distractions for the kiddos.
• I love Sam Adams set of 4 7oz. tasting glasses, each glass has instructions on how to taste a Sam Adams Boston Lager (or any beer for that matter):  Step One: Color and Clarity.  Step Two: The Aroma, or Nose.  Step Three: Body and Mouthfeel.  Step Four: Flavor.  Makes a great gift for any beer lover you know.

Been to Boston, MA?  What’s your favorite brewery there?