This photo is for Dave Bonta, who recently blogged about brewing his own beer (with photos by Rachel Rawlins). I mentioned to him that I picked up some Pretty Things beer, created by craft brewers in the Boston area who rent brewery space once a week and put out fantastic beer and ale (see story). Yesterday afternoon, D and I (see D on the right) tried the Field Mouse's Farewell brew, a delicious rustic ale that tastes not like a field mouse, as I initially feared, but of all the things a field mouse might like -- rye, oats and wheat, and a bit of hops to cut the sweetness. This was our first Pretty Things, but certainly not our last. And guess what, Dave? You can get Pretty Things in Pennsylvania (not sure how far away any of the places listed are) if you run out of your own stash.
[Charles River, Boston; 5/28/12]
Speaking of pretty things, we were graced with the prettiest weather this entire weekend. We dined al fresco on D's deck yesterday, at an outdoor cafe in the city with a friend on Sunday, and outdoors by the river in Portsmouth, NH on Saturday. And we did lots of wandering in between eating, so I'll spare you photos of all our food. Here are a few pretty things from the weekend...
[Nesting swans, Public Garden, Boston; 5/27/12]
[Waves and puffy clouds, North Hampton Beach, NH; 5/26/12]
[View from The Old Ferry Landing, Portsmouth NH; 5/26/12]
There were oh so many more, but maybe I'll save them for a not so pretty day.
Thanks! This was a good post to happen across on a brewday morning. (The hot and humid weather finally broke last night, so I decided to seize the day.) All those pubs and bottle shop[s are in eastern PA, but I imagine it'll appear in my neck of the woods pretty soon. I give them a lot of credit not only for adventuresome brewing, but marketing that seems targeted well outside the usual beer-drinking demographic (male Neanderthal).
Posted by: Dave | Wednesday, May 30, 2012 at 10:26 AM
It really does sound nice, and looks very delectable, but I'm afraid the name reminds me inescapably of the persistent rumour that the best country cider should always contain a dead rat, to start the fermentation I believe, and to add a certain je ne sais quoi...
The swans are very pretty though.
Posted by: Lucy | Wednesday, May 30, 2012 at 10:46 AM
Dave: I guess when you're not trying to sell billions of gallons of the stuff you don't have to cater to Neanderthals. Anyway, sounds like you're happily brewing your own.
Lucy: Eeuuww. Speaking of catering to Neanderthals (see Dave's comment). My first reaction to hearing the name Field Mouse called forth eau de dead mouse rotting behind the walls somewhere I lived. But this beer smelled and tasted lovely. The swans are pretty, albeit rather nasty mannered creatures.
Posted by: Leslee | Wednesday, May 30, 2012 at 07:45 PM