CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS

During April ’05 Boston trip, initially visited CAMBRIDGE BREWING at Kendall Square (a retail/ entertainment center taking up a few centralized city blocks). One of the first brewery-restaurants in the United States, this popular establishment opened in 1989. Alongside contending watering holes Flattop Johnny’s, Jasmine & Kendall Lounge, and Tommy Doyle’s Irish Pub, its blue-green entrance leads to brick-walled, high ceiling bar with brew tanks to the rear. Outdoor dining was available and large menu boasted seafood, brick oven pizza, and mildly upscale entrees.

Wheat-husked, maize-dried, yellow-fruited lightweight Regatta Golden Ale, mildly embittered sourdough-tinged Tall Tale Pale Ale, and remarkably diverse Cambridge Amber (with coffee-roasted brown chocolate reticence nudging pale-caramel malting) will please softer palates. Dry-malted, Saaz-hopped, red-fruited spring seasonal Vienna Gold also had a muted tone.

Biscuit-y, barley-toasted, honeyed tea-like smoothie Bitchin Bitter English Ale, mild rye-marbled, red licorice-dabbed Saison Du CBC, and bitterly wood-burnt, coffee-roasted, molasses-dipped Charles River Porter will satiate heartier thirsts.

Best Bets: alcoholic Ommegang-like, floral-hopped, orange-blossomed, fig-sugared, coriander-spiced Tripel Threat Belgian Strong Ale and incredible cocoa-chocolate-y, raisin-pureed, prune-dried, maple-sugared, Cognac-like digestif Blunderbuss Barleywine.

www.cambridgebrewing.com