The People's Pint Beer Dinner at Cambridge Common

Last night's beer dinner at the Cambridge Common was a fantastic time, as usual. With a slightly smaller crowd than what is typical at these events, the atmosphere was very cozy and intimate, with lots of space and time to ask questions and learn more about the beers and the People's Pint Brewery. Suzanne and Kate were there, though this was one of their very last events before they leave the Common to open their own craft beer store in Belmont in early November. I had the opportunity to meet their hand-picked replacement, however, and Ben seems to be totally ready and excited to pick up where the girls leave off. He assured me that they will continue to put on beer dinners at the Cambridge Common after Suzanne and Kate leave, which really got me excited. If you haven't been to one of these beer events yet, you really need to move it to the top of your "to-do" list. The atmosphere, food and beer really just can't be beat!

Pied PIPA

Last night's dinner featured 5 different beers from the People's Pint Brewery, located in Greenfield, Massachusetts. Never having tried any brews put out by them before, I was really looking forward to the tasting - and I wasn't disappointed. We were first served Pied PIPA, an American IPA with 5.2% ABV. This beer is brewed with Cascade hops and a special strain of Marris Otter malts, which is a slightly nutty English malt, creating an interesting dynamic between pine and citrus hoppiness and sweet caramel. The mouthfeel verged on sticky, and there were very slight hints of fruitiness on the backside, which was definitely different. While I didn't consider this beer outstanding, it certainly wasn't subpar either - the only thing keeping me from ordering it again was the overlong aftertaste of lingering bitterness. Though I enjoy a nice bitter IPA as much as the next hophead, I like to keep any aftertaste short - I'm not a huge fan of tasting my beer 30 minutes after my last swallow, and this brought my opinion of the Pied PIPA down a couple notches. 

Provider Pale Ale

Following the Pied PIPA, we were served our starter course (a Ploughman's Platter) alongside a glass of Provider Pale Ale. This is a clean, refreshing and crisp beer, with floral hoppiness and some nice biscuity malts. The mouthfeel is very light with a dry finish, and there are slight hints of herby sweetness throughout the brew. I thought that it paired really well with Ploughmans Platter, with the fresh bread highlighting the doughy malts and the beer's hop notes cutting through the creamy, slight heaviness of the cheddar cheese. This beer was extremely well balanced, in my opinion, and highly drinkable. It'd be nice to enjoy with any sort of sandwich lunch or cheese platter. 

Double IPA

Our third beer was a Double IPA brewed with over four pounds of Columbus and whole-leaf Centennial  dry hops per barrel. This beer is a must-try for all you hopheads out there, though for those slightly more bitter-shy, I'd suggest that you pair the brew with something similar to the salad we enjoyed along with it. The salad we were served was dressed in a Balsamic Vinaigrette, with lots of toasted walnuts and Gruyere cheese on top. The richness of the nuts and cheese really helped to reduce the sharpness of the extreme bitterness in the beer, which my companions really appreciated. The Double IPA tasted a little like Wachusett Larry DIPA to me, with lots of tropical hops and a strong grapefruit presence. The beer was slightly sticky however, verging on syrupy, and this probably would keep me from ordering more than one or two pints. So, though not super super drinkable (and why would you expect it to be at 8% ABV), this beer was really good and worth seeking out. 

Farmer Brown

Finally our entrees came, Short Ribs and Mashed Potatoes paired with Farmer Brown Ale, and Grilled Salmon with Ginger-Apple Chutney, Parmesan Risotto and '09 Slippery Slope. Interestingly enough, Slippery Slope is a Braggot, which has been described to me as 1/3 honey, 1/3 apple cider and 1/3 malts and barley. This beer was probably one of the most unique brews I've come across, tasting very fruity and liquory, almost exactly like a very delicious hard cider. I thought it was awesome and paired extremely well with the slightly spicy, slightly sweet Ginger-Apple Chutney on the salmon. Unfortunately, my companion thought so as well, and since the salmon was the dish he ordered, I was only able to steal a few quick sips while he was using the restroom. On the bright side, Farmer Brown, the beer that came with my meal, was one of the best brown ales I've ever tasted, and probably my very favorite beer of the whole night. The beer itself, as you can see from the picture, is extremely dark, bordering on black, and looks thick and flat. Do not be fooled, however, because the mouthfeel is actually really light, sort of medium to light bodied, and is highly, highly drinkable. The brew is heavy on pecan nuttiness, which I thought was awesome, with lots and lots of roasted grain and smooth malts present. Paired with the short ribs, the brew gave off a slight smokiness and a tiny bit of bitter coffee. Overall, it was phenomenal and I will be making the trek down to one of the few stores that the People's Pint distributes to in order to score myself a few bombers (heck, this stuff was so good I'd probably pack a lunch and head out to Greenfield to get myself a glass if it came to that). 

Oatmeal Stout

Our last beer, served with dessert, was an Oatmeal Stout. After the glory I experienced drinking the Farmer Brown, I was sure that the next dark beer would be a let down, but no, no, no. The Oatmeal Stout was delicious, especially paired with the dark, chewy, chocolate oatmeal brownie they served it with. It was very sweet, heavy on the milk chocolate, smooth, creamy and not super heavy either. The extreme sweetness of the chocolate present in the beer was balanced really well by some bitter coffee and roasted malts, resulting in a great, drinkable brew. Not a bad way to end the night at all, and again, there I was trying to steal a few sips from my buddies after I'd drained my glass. What can I say, I'm just a beer freak. 


Bottom line, you need to get yourself to a beer dinner at the Cambridge Common or risk missing out on one of the best experiences you may ever have in your life. Yes, I realize that sounds extreme, but guys!! These nights are so fun and so educational, you really can't help but have an awesome time. Hopefully I'll see you there next time... look for me, the girl trying to steal everyone else's beers.... : )


Cheers!!