"We're Going to DOYLE'S!"

 
  Our tour has now brought us to the wonderful city of Boston.  Since it is the home of Samuel Adams Beer, a group of us decided to visit the Samuel Adams Brewery!  If you are ever in Boston, and enjoy drinking beer, you really must check out this brewery.  The tour is free (they only ask for an optional donation for a local children's fund), the tour is interesting and fun, and you get to try a bunch of their brews at the end!    

 
   During the tasting session at the end of the tour, our tour guide told us about a pub a few blocks away from the brewery named "Doyle's".  Founded in 1882, it is one of the oldest pubs in Boston.  And being so close to the Samuel Adams Brewery, it is also the first pub to offer Samuel Adams on tap.  Today, they offer the most varieties of Samuel Adams on tap than any other bar in Boston.  And thanks to its historic look, Doyle's has also been featured in many movies and TV shows such as Mystic River and Boston Legal.  Our tour guide also informed us about the free "party trolley" that takes people to Doyle's from Samuel Adams.  So obviously we needed to check out Doyle's. 

     Once on the party trolley, our driver began to tell us all about Doyle's and how awesome it was.  Every time someone new got on the trolley, he would yell "We're going to DOYLE'S!" with his fist pumping.  He had the music blaring and the lights flashing the whole way.  Our driver had a thick Boston accent, was hilarious and his genuine excitement and love for Doyle's was like watching a little kid describing Christmas morning.  He recommended the onion rings with great vigor, so I knew what I was ordering before I even looked at the menu.

Inside the historic Doyle's

   At the brewery, one of the beers we sampled was their Harvest Pumpkin Ale.  It was delicious!  But because it is now December, stores are no longer carrying it.  But Doyle's did not let us down.  They still had it on TAP!!  I had to order one. 
   I am usually not the biggest fan of pumpkin ales.  They are usually too sweet or just taste like fake pumpkin mixed with flat beer.  Now I am by no means a beer connoisseur.  My beer palate goes about as far as I like it or I don't.  But this pumpkin ale was unlike any other that I have ever tried.  It had a great earthy taste to it, with the sweetness balanced beautifully by the bitter.  And you could truly taste the spices in it; from the cloves to the nutmeg to the cinnamon dashed on top of the foam.  It has great clarity and goes down so smoothly.  If you haven't tried it, be on the look out next fall.  This is one seasonal beer you don't want to miss. 

   As I said earlier, our party trolley driver raved about the onion rings.  After such praise I had to try them.  These bad boys are hand battered and each order is individually crafted.  They tasted amazing!  One order is enough to feed a small country, but they are so tasty that you won't have any trouble finishing them off.  The onions tasted sweet and fresh and the batter is light and melts in your mouth.  Each bite has some crispy and some slightly doughy batter.  These are some of the best onion rings I've ever had.  And, they give you so many that you can share with your friends without secretly wishing they had just ordered their own. :)          

http://www.doylescafeboston.com/