Boston Common - Niche Media - A side of Boston that's anything but common.
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Koch inspecting his handiwork from behind the bar. continued from page 74 seven percent. We all exist amid these giant global breweries, and we all know we need to help each other. We realize that we're going to do best if we do it collectively as a movement rather than as direct competitors. BC: What's the challenge of coming up with the creative beers you brew—everyThe site of what would become thing from high alcohol to unique the Sam Adams ingredients to Samuel Adams Utopias (at brewery. $190 a bottle), the most expensive and high-octane beer ever made? JK: Utopias is the Starship Enterprise of beer: Let's take beer where no beer has gone before and see what new worlds and life-forms we'll encounter. We're always wanting to innovate and push the envelope with the fermentation of grain. The fundamental definition of beer is fermented grain, just like wine is fermented fruit and liquor is the distilled product of an earlier fermentation. So that's our playground, the fermentation of grain. We're not constrained by anything more than that with our beers. BC: When you're out and you see someone drinking one of your beers, what does it feel like? JK: It's still a thrill. I remember the first time I saw someone drinking a Sam Adams and I didn't know him personally. That was an exciting moment. It was at Durgin-Park in Faneuil Hall, and I went over and thanked him personally for drinking my beer. BC: What do you enjoy about coming to Doyle's? JK: I love everything about the place. In a word, it is authentic. It's been around since 1882, so think about what it's lived through: two world wars, and even worse, Prohibition. I also love the energy year-round at Doyle's. St. Patrick's Day festivities start with breakfast, and the place is packed till closing time. There is a whole series of nontraditional holidays at Doyle's too—Election Night, after the Boston Marathon, and after the annual Emerald Necklace Road Race. BC: What do you eat when you're here? JK: Doyle's is not a mecca for vegetarians, but I can always find something: pizza, a salad, or the meatless Reuben. Back in my carnivorous days, I loved the "Famous Burgers." And I love Doyle's chocolate desserts. BC: Are there any memories from Doyle's that really stand out for you? JK: One night about 20 years ago, I was having a beer at the bar. A guy was sitting next to me, talking to another patron. He recognized me and told me how much he loved Sam Adams. At first I didn't recognize him; he was dressed in jogging clothes. Gerry Burke [the bar's co-owner] tipped me off: It was Mayor Flynn. BC: Who else worth mentioning have you run into here? JK: Doyle's has its share of occasional celebrities, but it's really about a wonderful mixture of people enjoying each other's company. BC: Have you ever run into our current mayor? JK: No, but I've seen the late Senator Kennedy here. BC "The first time I saw someone drinking a Sam Adams, I went over and thanked him."—JIM KOCH BEER TASTING 101 Step aside, oenophiles. Beer connoisseurs have their own rituals for savoring a glass. • "First, look at it," Koch says, holding up a pint of lager at eye level. "You're looking for color and clarity." • "Second, aroma," he declares, extending his nose over the top of the glass. "You're looking for hoppy character, which might be floral, might be piney, might be grapefruity— even with other tropical fruits like apricot and mango. And then some slightly roasted notes and some malt sweetness." • Third, drink it. "This is not like wine; you get to swallow," Koch says. "You are looking for a very specific flavor structure, with a lot of complexity. The balance should be between the body and sweetness of the malt and the spiciness and bitterness of the hops. In great beer you will be able to taste each one of those four elements in a three- to five-second parade across your palate." Skoal! Samuel Adams was first launched in Boston on Patriot's Day in 1985. PHOTOGRAPHY BY VALENTYN VOLKOV (PINT) ON THE TOWN 76 BOSTONCOMMON-MAGAZINE.COM 074-076_BC_SC_OTT_Spring13.2.indd 76 2/12/13 2:59 PM