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Ahh, December in Boston — a time for tourist hordes at Fanueil Hall, wrapping presents in front of the On Demand yule log, and lobbing angry tweets at the MBTA. If there’s one thing to look forward to amidst the icy streets and T delays, it’s a tasty pint at the end of the tunnel. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned in the past year, it’s this: we have so many to choose from. In no particular order, here are three beers that I’ll reflect on fondly when I think of 2013.
Congress Street IPA – Trillium Brewing Company
I don’t know how Trillium does it; they seem to be cranking out a fantastic new beer every time I blink. This tiny, couple-run facility has more presence in my favorite bars than breweries four times its size, and for that I am extremely grateful. Kudos to the Tetreaults for pouring two years of work and money into pursuing their dream, and adding a vibrant new business to Fort Point in the process. If you get the chance to swing by 369 Congress Street, sample (finally!) everything you can get your hands on – especially this juicy, bright IPA.
Kiwi Rising – Jack’s Abby
Beer drinking doesn’t happen in a vacuum – I can recall a lot of my first encounters based on where I had them. I first locked eyes with a tap of Kiwi Rising at VeeVee (my local bar of choice in my ‘hood of choice) and it’s been love ever since. Mass Rising winning the gold for 
Other Strong Beer was a huge highlight of GABF, but my taste buds will remember the citrus-heavy New Zealand hops of Kiwi Rising as the best of the Jack’s Abby bunch.
Left of the Dial IPA – Notch Brewing Company
Some beers stay in your head for days, and others are meant to be the background music for conversation and good times. To me, Notch’s session beers are the craft equivalent of Radiohead – a subtle enhancement to any social occasion. This year, April’s standout event was a huge celebration of Session Beer Day at Deep Ellum, drinking Left of the Dial from a comically oversized glass with fellow craft fans. And the best part? No regrets the next day. Cheers to you, Chris Lohring, and to all of us, an excellent new year of beer discoveries.
