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NERAX
(New England Real Ale Exhibition) is held in early May each year in
Davis Sq. Somerville, MA. This event offers some of the best beers
you will ever find in the Northeast. |

Pouring a pint |
What is real ale?
Real ale is cask conditioned beer that is
different from other beers by the way it is brewed. These beers are top
fermented, like all ales, but are typically fermented in a secondary
vessel, like a cask or bottle. Real ales are always served from the
secondary vessel and are not pasteurized or filtered.
Due to the lack of filtration yeast and
other particles are left in the beer. This plays a role in the taste
and clarity of the ale and can make for a cloudy beer if poured
incorrectly. Once a cask or bottle is opened it should be consumed within
48 hours to preserve the freshness of the flavor.
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Session
Beers
Session beer is a pleasant, easily drunk
beer that's not too strong so you can drink a lot at a sitting. The beer
obtained its name from the old English tradition of sitting in a pub for
hours socializing and drinking a substantial amount of ale and still not
be seven sheets to the wind when it is time to go home.
However, although these beers are lower in
alcohol (typically less than 4.2% ABV) they are not lower in flavor. Many
are quite hoppy and can even have substantial body. Also a session beer
need not be light in color. It could be quite dark, as some stouts can
qualify for a session beer.
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The crowds and casks
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Enjoying a pint at NERAX
CAMRA
(Campaign
for Real Ale) is an organization dedicated to the preservation of
traditional cask conditioned ales. They are based in the UK and have over
45,000 members worldwide. They were formed in response to the many mergers
of small breweries by larger companies who replaced their traditional real
ales with mass produced beers.
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BEERS WE SAMPLED
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1872 Porter - Eastwood & Sanders (England)
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Dragonhead Stout - Orkney (Scotland)
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JHB - Oakham (England)
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Alba - Heather Ale (Scotland)
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IPA - Harpoon (USA)
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Obscurite Triple Brown - Watch City (USA)
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Matty O'Cohens - Magic Hat (USA)
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Pitchfork - RCH (England)
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Summer Lighting - Hop Back
(England)
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OUR TOP PICKS
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Harpoon Brewery (Boston) IPA - 5.9% ABV, Copper colored with
toasted malt character and a liberal cascade hop profile. Very smooth
with a generous hop flavor and hint of apricots.
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Magic Hat Brewing Co. (Burlington, VT) Matty O'Cohens - 3.2%
ABV, an Irish dry stout with a slight sour taste and strong roasted
malt flavors.
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A trip to Somerville would not be complete without a stop at Redbones!
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Keep real ale alive! Support your local
brewers and brewpubs |