Drinking in Boston: Drink Locally, Think Globally

Recently a couple Bostonists took a trip to Chicago. Necessarily, this trip involved many visits to many different bars and pubs, as what better way is there to truly understand the heart (and stomach) of a new city? You can talk to the locals around you at the bar about their town, you can grill the bartender for the best little-known sights to see and restaurants to go to, and most importantly, you can try the city’s hometown beer.

One night we found ourselves at The Exchequer Pub in downtown Chicago. We were near Lake Michigan, the El, the Institute of Art, and so many other things that make Chicago Chicago. From the minute we walked in, it was clear we were the only non-Chicagoans and non-regulars at the bar. But before we baited anyone to talk about the wonders of their town, we naturally had to choose a beer. There were many fine brews to choose from: Guinness and Sierra Nevada to name two. But there was also a mysterious tap carved like a goose’s neck. We were tempted to try it anyway, but asked the bartender, only to discover it was a local brew: Goose Island’s Honker Ale. And it was delicious.

The point of this little story is that to “drink locally” means to not only patronize the breweries in your home town, but to experiment with the local brews of whatever town you may be visiting.

More local drinking recommendations after the jump.

Photo courtesy biskuit on Flickr using Creative Commons license.