Shannon Jutras

Dear Drinkers, 

How lovely to meet you here again. Last month we were able to celebrate a group of people very close to my heart: Women in the beer industry. Now we are just in time to celebrate equally important women: Moms. Especially Moms who like beer. 

You may, at this very moment, be troubling over what to do to honor this significant woman in your life. Do you bring her breakfast in bed? Cliché. A nap? As if. Mom might be too polite to tell you what she really wants for Mother’s Day, but I am not: Mama wants a DRINK. 

Mom wants to get out on the town, eat a meal she neither prepared nor cleaned, and sip a zippy beer in the easy May sunshine. Find their prototype below and follow these tips to cement your status as the favorite child. 

The Foodie or The Picky Eater 

Three Words: Wachusett Brew Yard. With its primo location in the Worcester Public Market, the incredible variety of food and fancies available within feet of the Wachusett Brew Yard appeals equally to adventurous eaters and people who pick the onions out of guacamole. The citrusy hop character of Wachusett’s Wally IPA compliments food with spice, like Jamaican jerk chicken from One Love Café. The unique, converted airstream trailer bar is the perfect backdrop for a family photo op. It’s truly a day drinker’s paradise. 

The one who says, “I don’t need anything, I just want my children to be happy” This is a TRAP. Do not believe a single word of such martyrish nonsense and get ready to ace this test of your love. Beer and brunch are required at minimum, and a thoughtful gift won’t hurt either. Armsby Abbey has what parents need with an extensive tap list of exclusive drafts from breweries like Hill Farmstead, Oxbow Brewing, and Brick and Feather. The Abbey’s weekend brunch menu is full of thoughtful offerings that pair beautifully with farmhouse ales like Fox Farm’s Annata Grape Harvest, and their elaborate charcuterie boards will haunt your dreams in a good way. 

The Fur Parent 

Whether they always have a doggie water bottle in the car or carry Attila the Bun around in a backpack, fur parents deserve pampering too. Pets are welcome at some of the best breweries in town, including outdoors at the Wachusett Brew Yard, Greater Good Imperial Beer Co., and always at Redemption Rock Brewing. Consider this a loving reminder to make sure everyone is on their best behavior – breweries can only be pet friendly if pets and parents are friendly too.

The Beer Snob 

One of the best ways to honor a parent is giving them the time and resources to explore interests of their own. If they are a true beer aficionado, the gift of a homebrew kit might be a life changer. Local homebrew suppliers sell materials and offer the knowledge and support to make the best possible beers from your first batch. Homebrew Emporium in West Boylston has a friendly team who can help you decide the right size system and set you up with recipes and ingredients to brew beer of your own invention. 

Happy Mother’s Day  to all the parents out there regardless of their official title: The ones who made us, the ones who raised us, and the ones who stepped up and treated us like family. Write them a nice card, call them up, buy them a beer. And if you make them cook or clean on their special day, may the Sumerian beer goddess Ninkasi have mercy on your soul.