Yankee Brew News Archive

IBS Conference Welcome

Originally Published: 04/96

By: Donald Stephen Gosselin

Welcome to New England

Fellow beer enthusiasts and industry professionals, it is both a pleasure and honor to welcome you to New England, the home of American microbrewing.

With deference to our brothers and sisters in California, I must point out that North American microbrewing had its origin right here in New England. History tells us that when California was part of the Spanish Empire, our mariners plied the seas in the service of His Majesty King George, and later, the Continental Navy, only to return to Boston to slake their thirst with locally-brewed ale. Huzzah! So intoxicating was this fine, local ale that some of the lads got together in a few of our pubs and plotted themselves a dandy revolution. Indeed, New Englanders have given America its first great civics lesson; ale and politics usually bring out the best in each other.

While our West Coast neighbors point with pride to the 1983 birth of the New Albion Brewing Company, we New Englanders proudly point out the Bunch of Grapes, the Green Dragon and the Bell In Hand -- the latter two of which still stand in one form or another. All of these once-pub breweries preceded New Albion by a few hundred years or so, but who's counting?

As you wander down the Freedom Trail and visit some of our unique and historic pubs, don't forget that North America's most vibrant microbrewing scene lies within several hours' drive in any direction (except east). Aside from Boston proper, the colonial brewing capitals of Cambridge, Portland, Portsmouth and Providence are home to many modern small breweries which produce some of the finest ales in the world.

As for the remainder of New England, we count over seventy operating breweries. Some are easy to find. As for the rest, we can only offer the wry Yankee saying, "You cahn't get theyah from heyah." Seriously though, Yankee Brew News has worked with the Institute for Brewing Studies to put together tour bus visits to many of our regional breweries. We urge you to take advantage of these tours. It sure beats navigating our narrow, paved "cowpaths" with an atlas in hand. You did bring an atlas, didn't you?

Who knows--some of you might get lost, drive around for a while and end up liking it here. Either way, you're sure to love our local ale. Enjoy!

Donald Stephen Gosselin

Publisher

Yankee Brew News

Pull quote:

Aside from Boston proper, the colonial brewing capitals of Cambridge, Portland, Portsmouth and Providence are home to many modern small breweries which produce some of the finest ales in the world.