A fundraiser is taking place in SoWa, an area of the city marked by refurbished brick industrial buildings. The fundraiser is the capstone to HUB Week, a days-long series of events all over Boston, and it's a brew contest between half a dozen local breweries. The event is held in a wonderful open-air brick structure that resembles the bones of an industrial cathedral.
All participants must brew their beer with water taken from the Charles River. Dirty Water. Not just any dirty water -- the Famous and Beloved Boston Dirty Water.
This beer tasting might scare the less hardy, and those of us in attendance are pooh-poohed by others. "We're surprised you don't have dysentery," and "Hey, you're not captive to your toilet" are common comments after we arrive home.
One of the brew-masters explains that the ultra-filtration process of the Charles River water makes the water soft and easy with which to brew. All we know is that we taste some pretty decent beers, so much so that we have a hard time voting for a winner. My friends and I each vote for different breweries as our #1.
No matter which table gets the most votes, those of us at the tasting are the true winners. We contribute to children's programs connected to the city and to the Charles River, and also we get to sample some damn fine beer.Loooooooove that Dirty Water, Boston. Thank you for being my home.
