Daily Archives: August 15, 2014

Wednesday, August 27, 7:00 pm – Boston Beer: A History of Brewing in the Hub

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Porter Square Books, 25 White Street in Cambridge, will host Norman Miller, author of Boston Beer: A History of Brewing in the Hub, on Wednesday, August 27, beginning at 7 pm. Free, but please rsvp at www.portersquarebooks.com. 

Since before Patriots like Paul Revere and Sam Adams fermented a revolution in smoky Beantown taverns, beer has been integral to the history of Boston. The city issued its first brewing license in 1630, and breweries like Haffenreffer Brewery and American Brewing Company quickly sprung up. This heady history took a turn for the worse when the American Temperance Movement championed prohibition, nearly wiping out all of the local breweries. In 1984, the amber liquid was revitalized as Jim Koch introduced Samuel Adams craft brews to the Hub and the nation. Shortly after, Harpoon Brewery emerged and became the largest brewery to make all its beers in New England. From the planning of the Boston Tea Party over a pint at Green Dragon Tavern to the renaissance of the burgeoning craft brewing scene, join author and “Beer Nut” Norman Miller as he savors the sudsy history of brewing in the Hub.

Norman Miller grew up in the birthplace of Johnny Appleseed and plastic pink lawn flamingos: Leominster, Massachusetts. Despite being a late bloomer as a beer drinker, he has been writing the Beer Nut column for the MetroWest Daily News in Framingham, Massachusetts, and the GateHouse Media family of newspapers since 2006, as well as a blog of the same name.

Currently, Norman lives in his childhood home in Leominster with his dog Foxy, his cats Trouble and Tweak and his prized possession, Beatrice the beer fridge, which is always stocked up with Boston beers.

Friday, April 10 – Tuesday, April 21 – Musical Journey of Historical Gardens from Lisbon to Rome

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The American Horticultural Society is planning a Mediterranean Cruise April 10 – 21, 2015. Enjoy a rare voyage that combines sublime chamber music with the pleasure of cruising to some of the finest gardens in the Mediterranean Sea. This glorious spring cruise features exclusive recitals in historic venues on several islands and in coastal towns of this fabled region. As we sail the coast of Iberia, to the islands of Mallorca, Sardinia, and Sicily, and on to Southern Italy, we encounter lush, beautifully landscaped gardens in spectacular Mediterranean settings. We will visit the Generalife Gardens near the Alhambra (below); the oasis of Palmeral of Elche, a UNESCO World Heritage site; Valencia’s Jardin Botanico; and the Orto Botanico Cagliari –which will open its doors on Saturday exclusively for the American Horticultural Society group.  Katy Moss Warner, President Emeritus of AHS, will be your host in this musical journey of historical gardens from Lisbon to Rome aboard the 100 guest, all suite Corinthian. Also accompanying the guests will be John Stewart, Senior Preceptor in Music at Harvard University, Emeritus, a composer and music theorist. Complete itinerary and costs may be viewed at http://www.ahs.org/uploads/pdfs/2015_Mediterranean_Brochure_Final.pdf.