Hi all you Craft Beer Drinkers! For those who don't know me, I'm Jeff from DrinkCraftBeer.com and I'm (along with Co-Founder Devon) am slightly obsessed so you don't have to be. I only clarify why I'm obsessed because this morning (Tuesday, April 21st, 2009 for those not reading this as I type) I found myself waking up at 6am on purpose for the second time in recent memory. The last time was to write Professional Brewer for a Day and involved a life threatening commute through an epic blizzard. Why would I do something so utterly dreadful yet again? Well this year Boston is playing host to the Brewers Assocations' National Craft Brewers Conference. DrinkCraftBeer.com managed to score press credentials to this event so we'll be reporting back to you all throughout the week, starting today with the Boston Proper Brewery Tours!

Each year, the Brewers Association sets up a series of brewery tours in the host city and surrounding areas. The Boston Proper tour included (from first stop to last): Beer Works Canal Street, Watch City Brewpub in Waltham, Rock Bottom Boston, Cambridge Brewing Company and Samuel Adams. This year, DrinkCraftBeer.com was on the tour.

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We here at DrinkCraftBeer.com are big proponents of sustainable eating and drinking. Earth Day is fast approaching (April 22, 2009), and we decided that just any old food-pairing event wouldn't do. With that in mind, we've decided to do this tasting, titled "Eat Local, Drink Local - Beer Pairing Goes Green," in accordance with the 100 Mile Diet rules. What that means is that everything in the tasting was produced within 100 miles of Boston, MA. Eating local reduces your carbon footprint as food doesn't have to be shipped nearly as far. It also means that you're supporting your local economy. Lastly, it ensures that you're eating fresher since your food isn't spending days or weeks on a planes, trains and trucks going across the country (or even across several countries).

We've selected four local breweries, one of which is even organic, to showcase their local flavor. We've then paired three of these with local cheeses from Massachusetts. Our breweries are Pretty Things Beer & Ale Project, Peak Organic, Mayflower Brewing Company and Mercury Brewing Company. And, we've listened to our readers. Our homepage poll for "Favorite Spring Beer Style" showed that you love Pale Ales and IPAs, so we went with those for two of the pairings. Then we added in a Saison, #3 on the poll and our favorite style.

Hannahbells are tiny hand-made cheeses using a French recipe. But it's two sets of twins with 120 cows who make this local delicacy on Shy Brothers Farm in Westport, MA. They use a very hands on process to make their cheeses and, they believe, are the only ones making this style in the United States. We've never tasted cheese quite like this! See the cows and how Hannahbells are made here.

You may remember Westfield Farm's Capri Chevre from our "Drink Craft Beer, Eat Craft Cheese" event last spring. Well you all liked them so much, we're bringing back their Pepper Capri Chevre! Based in Hubbardston, MA they've been turning out hand crafted cheeses since 1971.

Do you want to come and try these combinations for yourself? Do you live in the Great Boston area? Then you're in luck! On Saturday, April 25, 2009 we'll be at the Wine Gallery in Brookline, MA from 3-6pm with each of these pairings for you to try! Come down, say hello and try some delicious local beer and local cheese!

Saturday, April 25, 2009
3pm - 6pm
Wine Gallery Brookline
375 Boylston Street
Brookline, MA
(617) 277-5522 
Public Transport: Take the D branch of the Green Line to Brookline Hills. Wine Gallery is around the corner.