Underappreciated Beer People

You often hear about special beers, great brewers/breweries or what bars have to offer on tap but seldom do you hear about someones beertender (unless they were awful). One Saturday recently we went into Lowell Beer Works just to stop in and try the new Beers of the Month then head home where we had some beers and snacks lined up for the night. As we walked in we saw Paul , one of our favorite beertenders, behind the bar and my face lit up because I knew our plans had changed for the better. Once we realized Paul was teamed with Amy, another favorite beertender, our quick stop for a couple sample racks had changed to an all-night session. A nights plans changed by one person, the bartender. So this got me thinking what makes up a good beertender? Do you have a favorite? What qualities does he/she have to be your favorite? For us we like both Paul and Amy because they are outgoing and can carry a coversation even on the busiest of nights, they have a good sense of humor though completely differant, Amy dry & sarcastic and Paul jovial & self depricating and they are knowledgable about what they serve enough so if you need help with a choice whether beer or food they can help. As with any relationship (for lack of a better word), the relationship with a regular beertender is fostered over time and they get to know your habits maybe what type of beers you like, the glassware you prefer( yes my "princess glass" Amy) maybe sometimes you do not even have to order because they already know what you want. So if you have not yet done it acknowledge your better beertender. Also let us know your favorites and why they are.
P.S. If you are ever in Lowell Beer Works look for Big Paul and Amy and tell them we sent you.

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Sea Dog Brewpub Woburn,MA

Our group of seven took a trip to the new Sea Dog Brewpub in Woburn, MA. The pub is part of a chain with another Brewpub in Hull, MA and three brewing locations in Bangor, South Portland and Topsham ME. It was a very open place with a comfortable waiting area furnished with cushioned chairs and sofa, a nice sized bar area with plenty of bar tables. The pub was dimly lit with a few Sea Dog wall paintings scattered throughout the establishment and one end of the bar was covered with Mugclub mugs.
When we arrived there was a bit of a wait (no doubt that was due to it being the "new place in town") so we decided to take up residence at a small side-bar area and order some appetizers and beer of course. The appetizer list was standard with some variations like Sweet Potato Skins, Lobster Tempura and Buffalo Wings that were grilled. There were also your regular appetizers like nachos and chicken fingers. Even though we didn't order entrees their small menu seemed to hit all areas sandwiches, burgers, pasta, chicken and it was heavy on the Sea(dog)food. Overall our service was great even though we did have to wait a little in between orders but that is most likely because it was so busy.
On to the main reason we went there, the beer. They listed eight standard beers Owls Head Light, Wind Jammer Blonde Ale, Sea Dog Pale Ale (not available when we visited), Old East India Pale Ale, Old Gollywobbler Brown Ale, Riverdriver Hazelnut Porter, Sea Dog Stout, and Blueberry Wheat. They also had a Seasonal which was a Winter Ale, they had a Raspberry that was not listed and unfortunately they had no Cask Conditioned Ales. The highlights for our group were 1) the IPA- an english style IPA with a light floral aroma, crisp clean balanced flavor and a tinge of bitterness 2) the Hazelnut Porter- dark near black having a big sweet nose the flavor started almost surgary followed by a rush of hazelnut then backed with dark malt bitterness 3) Blueberry Wheat- was the surprise of the night with most turning their noses up to a fruit beer at first, you could smell the blueberry from a distance and it had a big blast of sweetness that was nicely balanced with the sour from the blueberries floating in the beer.
Overall a great establishment that is worth checking out, good beer and good food always make for an enjoyable experience.

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