COMMONWEALTH:

On a visit to The Commonwealth Brewing Company, you can't help but notice the decor. It would be difficult, if not impossible, to duplicate what they have at the Commonwealth; with the attention to detail, there is a great visual impact and it is truly unique. There is copper, lots of gleaming copper, imported from England. The table and bar tops are covered with copper sheeting, and there are antique copper brew kettles behind the bar; even the ventilation ducts are copper. The twenty foot high ceilings and large floor-to-ceiling windows create an open, airy atmosphere, and since these large, high windows surround the establishment on three sides, patrons can look directly out onto the streets of downtown Boston. It is in this setting that you can enjoy a wide selection of terrific food for lunch and dinner from an eclectic menu, including 1st Prize winning "Great Yankee Ribs," fresh fish, thick steaks, delicious pasta and sensational daily specials. The chef tells us one of the most popular entrees is Harvest Pie, a traditional deep dish casserole made with ham, turkey, fresh vegetables and potatoes, and covered with a flaky crust. Editor's note: Look for a recipe from Chef Kane in the Barley and Hops Column.

The actual brewery operations take place on the lower level. Joseph Quattrocchi, The Commonwealth owner, calls Brewmaster Tod Mott "a really great brewer, just a great person." Prior to becoming a brewer, Tod was a ceramic artist and decorative house painter. "Beer and ceramics are very similar in that it's all in understanding your ingredients, time and temperature, recipe formulations, a little chemistry, a little microbiology, and magic," said Tod. "I started as a homebrewer, and I brewed with a passion; I really loved it! I entered some competitions and I started winning; that gave me the confidence I needed." He decided to switch careers and became an apprentice at Catamount Brewing in Vermont. He worked at a couple other breweries and then came to The Commonwealth. Tod has been with The Commonwealth for a year and a half, and though he hasn't changed a lot of the formulas, Quattrocchi says "he's tweaked them a little bit here and there, and done some really fun things with seasonals."

All the beer is draught except for Boston Burton Ale which is two years old and, according to Quattrocchi, "was close to being discontinued because of lack of support and promotion during the business transition." Then it won Best of Boston in Boston Magazine and Best Local Brew in the local newspaper so they decided to redesign the label, bottle it, and really promote the product. It was turned over to a distributor and has been very successful. The Commonwealth is now introducing a new product called Boston Brown Ale with a label design conducive to a family of products. Currently, they are only distributing in Massachusetts.

Located in the historic West End of Boston known as the North Station, the Commonwealth serves English-style ales brewed fresh on premise. "Let no man thirst for lack of real ale!" is the motto adopted by this brewery when they began producing their own beers in 1986. In the beginning, this Boston Brewery/Restaurant was owned by an Englishman and two Chinese-Americans. Joseph Quattrocchi, now sole owner of The Commonwealth Brewing Company, is a banker who lives in New York, was not a homebrewer, and, in fact, has never brewed at all. He bought half interest in The Commonwealth three years ago, and then bought his partner out when their business philosophies grew apart.

The brewery produces a variety of beers, from a light blond to a heavy stout. Eight beers are on tap, four of which are served at the traditional British cellar temperature of 58 degrees and, as good English style beers, they are cask conditioned. If you like a smooth, traditional English bitter, try Boston's Best Burton Bitter. For a good balance of sweet and bitter flavors, Amber Ale, russet red and richly fragrant of Goldings hops, is your best bet. Classic Stout, strong and nearly black in color, is a classic Irish stout which contains a buried hint of sweetness. Finally, the Special Old Ale, which is aged for six to twelve months, is a barley-wine offering the complexity of fine sherry. The traditional cellar serving temperature allows the flavors and aromas to be more pronounced and is preferred by some.

Commonwealth Brewing Company

Quattrocchi, like most business people, has always had a lot of calls for donations. Because he wanted to be involved in a charity with some control over the results, The Commonwealth sponsored a big party last year with proceeds going to Children's Hospital in Boston. The goal was to create an identity and associate The Commonwealth with the Children's Hospital benefit, thereby helping the children and publicizing The Commonwealth Brewing Company. It was very successful, raising around ten thousand dollars, and Quattrocchi hopes to make it an annual event.

The Commonwealth Brewing Company, considered the place to go before and after the games by fans of the Bruins and Celtics, as well as those of the visiting teams, is just a short walk from Boston Garden. This will be the 67th and final season for events before retirement of the Garden-the new Shawmut Center sports complex is being built nearby to replace the Garden. This new complex has been met with mixed emotions by Bostonians; they are very strong on tradition.

Because of this tradition and rich heritage, Boston has much to offer to visitors. Many historical sites sit side by side in Boston, and add to the uniqueness of the city. Some points of interest include Paul Revere's House, the oldest wooden building in Boston; The Boston Tea Party Ship & Museum; The Old State House, the seat of Colonial Government; Bunker Hill Monument, site of the first major battle of the Revolutionary War; The Old North Church, famous for "One if by land, two if by sea," and Faneuil Hall, "the Cradle of Liberty."

The Greater Boston Convention and Visitor's Bureau states that "Faneuil Hall Marketplace is the second largest tourist attraction in the United States, (Disney World is the first). Faneuil Hall began in 1742 as Boston's meeting and market center. Just behind the hall, is Faneuil Hall Marketplace which includes Quincy Market, a long narrow market hall which has been carefully restored with its original 19th century granite and its neighboring North and South Markets. Hundreds of boutiques, restaurants, food stalls and pushcarts fill the area. There is always a crowd around the numerous street performers in front of Faneuil Hall." Just across the river in Cambridge, you'll find the nation's oldest university, Harvard, and MIT (The Massachusetts Institute of Technology.) The architecture is grand at both schools, and the extensive libraries and historical museums are open to the public. A visit to Harvard Square offers bookstores, coffee houses, cafes, boutiques, ethnic restaurants and the well-respected American Repertory Theatre.

Newberry Street, only eight blocks long, is Boston's version of New York's Madison Avenue (according to Joseph Quattrocchi,) and the site for the future Back Bay Brewing Company. "The Back Bay will be a different style restaurant-one that fits more with the Back Bay neighborhood; the menu will be more upscale, and the wine offerings will be significantly improved," Quattrocchi said. "Also, the brews will be a little different. At The Commonwealth, being the first brewery/restaurant in the country, the brews are married to their history, and most of the formulas were created by a retired brewer from Bass. There have been several brewers over the years, but the formulas have stayed pretty much the same-they are sort of bound by tradition. Boston is a revolutionary kind of town, bound by its history. At the Back Bay, we'll have a little more fun with beers-certainly more fun with the names. The food will be much different-more creative; with a larger kitchen, there is more flexibility," added Quattrocchi.

Quattrocchi classifies The Commonwealth as a Brewery/Restaurant (not a brewpub) because the menu and the atmosphere is more diversified; in the downstairs bar, they offer Reggae and Calypso music on Friday and Saturday nights. In a press release, President Joe Quattrocchi writes, "Finally...great food, quality fresh-brewed beers and ales and lively entertainment...all in a casual, fun atmosphere in the heart of Boston. The Commonwealth Brewing Company is Massachusetts' oldest continuously operated brewery, and New England's first restaurant/brewery. In fact," writes Quattrocchi, "we helped launch the brew pub industry!"

Editors Note: Quattrocchi is looking for another location for his new brewery/restaurant. It will be a different site than the Back Bay area, but the concept remains the same.

Acknowledgements:
Tourism photos used with the permission of Greater Boston Convention and Visitor's Bureau.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

CONTINUING EVENTS
The Charles Hotel Jazz Festival
January 1 - April 30. The Regattabar, Charles Square, Cambridge. (617) 864-1200.

Impressionist Dennis Miller Bunker
January 13 - June 4. Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. (617) 566-1401 and Museum of Fine Arts (617)267-9300.

Coppelia - January 26 - February 12.
Boston Ballet, Wang Center. (617) 931-ARTS.

Psychology: Understanding Ourselves, Understanding Each Other
February 7 - April 28. Museum of Science.
(617) 723-2500.

Maple Sugaring- February 11 - March 26.
Mass. Audubon, Lincoln. (617) 259-9500.

JANUARY
1995 Bike Show Superseries
January 15. Bayside Expo Center.
(617) 265-5800.

Skating in the Park- January 18.
Four Seasons & Ritz-Carlton Hotels, Boston Public Garden. (617) 338-4400.

FEBRUARY
Retail Stock Sale- February 1-28.Filene's Basement. (617) 348-7273.
1995 Boston Wine Expo- February 4-5. World Trade Center. (800) 367-9822.

Chinese New Year Celebration
February 5. Chinatown. (617) 635-3485. Bean Pot College Hockey Tournament February 6 and 13. Boston Garden. (617) 277-3200.

1995 Boston Sportsmen's Show
February 9-12. Bayside Expo Center.
(617) 265-5800.

1995 N.E. Boat Show- February 18-26.
Bayside Expo Center. (617) 265-5800.

Cats Plain & Fancy- February 25 and 26.
Hynes Convention Center. (617) 954-2000.

MARCH
3rd Annual Irish Writers Series
March 1 - 31. Throughout Boston.
(617) 635-4505.

Candide
March 8, 10, 12, 14, 17, 19. Boston Lyric Opera. Emerson Majestic Theatre.
(617) 248-8660.

Irish Spring Shamrock Classic 5K Run & Walk/Shamrock Shuffle 1K for Kids March 12.
Back Bay. (508) 655-6270.

N.E. Spring Flower Show
March 12 - 18. Bayside Expo Center. (617) 536-9820.

Harlem Globetrotters- March 26.
Boston Garden. (617) 277-3200.

Boston Computer Fair
March 31 - April 2. World Trade Center
(800) 367-9822.

APRIL
Boston Marathon- April 17.
Hopkinton to Boston. (617) 236-1652.

Re-creation of Paul Revere's Ride
April 17. North End. (617) 635-3911.