Read Local, Drink Local Event Series

This fall, we’re trying a new event series. The Read Local, Drink Local Series, will “pair,” a beer tasting from a local brewery with a book about beer. Why are we doing this you might ask? Shopping local is more than about books, it’s about every part of our community; food, clothes, art, books, banks, and, of course beer. We saw this event series as a bookish way to connect with other members of our community. And, let’s be honest, the Cambridge/Somerville area has some of the best breweries in the country. Who wouldn’t want an excuse to sample their wares?

Our first Read Local, Drink Local event is at 7pm on Friday September 14, with Slumbrew and Norman Miller, author of the paired book Beer Lover’s Guide to New England.

Slumbrew is the research & development brand and concept of Somerville Brewing Company. Their mission is to brew unique, ingredient-driven beers that challenge common notions of what a beer should taste like. It is the result of nearly 15 years of beer travel and research by Caitlin Jewell and Jeff Leiter; and a decade of Jeff’s homebrewing recipe formulation. Norman Miller is the author of Beer Lover’s Guide to New England: Best Breweries, Brewpubs, & Beer Bars. He grew up in the beer wasteland of Leominster, Massachusetts, where he still resides with his dog, Fox, and his beer fridge, Beatrice. He writes the popular Beer Nut column that appears weekly in the MetroWest Daily News and the Beer Nut blog on wickedlocal.com.

And if you like what you taste, Liquor World is right in the shopping center.

Tasting is free with the purchase of the featured book. I suppose, if you don't want to buy the book, you could just stand there and listen to the presentation while everyone else samples delicious, delicious beer, but that doesn't sound like much fun to me. And, of course, you must be 21.

Click here to order Beer Lover’s Guide to New England. (You can also buy it in the store.)

The next two events in the series are on October 26 with Pretty Things, featuring the book Brewed Awakening (we’re still working on getting the author here) and on November 9 with Cambridge Brewing Company and John Holl author ofMassachusetts Breweries.

This is the first time we’ve tried an event like this so we’re interested in what you think about it. Comment on the post if you have questions, comments, concerns.