Sam Adams, Lady Gaga and Doyle’s

Since Liang is visiting up from New York and since the proper response to an out-of-town visitor is to drag them around the city to do touristy things, we all went out to Jamaica Plains to do a tour of the Sam Adams brewery. The brewery has been around for a goodly amount of time, but has only been in Sam Adam’s possession since the mid-1980’s. Currently, its main purpose is experimentation and brewing specialty beers.

Our tour guide was on the snarky side. I think. Memories begin to take on a hazy quality around the point that we entered the tasting room. Since we sat at the far end of the tables, we were the last stop for the pitchers that got sent down the table to be sampled. This lead to us getting more than our fair share and to Dylan acting silly. Also, if you get a postcard from me from the Samuel Adams Brewery, I was stone cold sober when I wrote those and you’re welcome.

At the end of the tour, our guide suggested that we get on the trolley and go to Doyle’s Cafe for more beer and “chowdah”. Then a loud man with a Boston accent so strong that it had its own gravitational pull told us we should also board the trolley and go to Doyle’s.

So we went to Doyle’s.

This was one of the more surreal moments I’ve had in Boston. Our trolley looked to be older than God and was decked out with wooden floors and plastic disco balls. And speakers. Speakers blaring out Pokerface by Lady Gaga. Which the trolley danced to.

Our dancin’, Lady Gaga listenin’ trolley jerked into the parking lot at Doyle’s, spat out its passengers and waited for the next batch, a wary looking group of people who’d already, clearly, ridden it once and looked a little leery about doing so again.

Doyle’s was, apparently, featured in several recent movies that took place in Boston. Sadly, I saw no Ben Afflecks,  but I did see a surly waitress and I did see bowl made of bread filled with clam chowder.

In conclusion, I really like clam chowder served in a bread bowl.

Dylan Charles