Of course, it’s debatable, but to me The J. Geils Band defines Boston rock ‘n roll. The blues-rock sound of the band in their prime is raw, fun, and a rollicking good time. For many music fans though, Geils is best known for their early 80s hit “Centerfold.” Their sound added an element of pop music, with even a hint of new wave to the mix in the early 80s. Just like the changing sound of The J. Geils Band, Boston’s beer scene has distinctly reinvented itself in the past few years. With all these amazing breweries in Boston, what better than to pair Boston beers than The J. Geils Band? I present to you The J. Geils Band and a Six Pack. Six Geils classics in a head-on collision with six fine Boston beers.
Harpoon’s Mike’s Pastry Cannoli Stout and “Centerfold”
Harpoon Brewery + Mike’s Pastry + The J. Geils Band = Boston. To lead off The J. Geils Band and a Six Pack is the band’s most familiar song, “Centerfold.” Just as Geils Band (since 1968) represents the city, Harpoon’s long-standing tenure in town (since 1986), and the iconic North End pastry shop Mike’s Pastry (since 1946) do as well. This collaboration combines three Boston heavyweights.
The bounciness of “Centerfold” is an easy introduction to The J. Geils Band. Most folks already know it. Although stouts may seem like foreign territory to some beer drinkers, this Harpoon stout would be a good place to start. Forgoing any sense of a biting bitterness in the beer, it’s been replaced by a friendly sweetness. But at the same time doesn’t lose it’s classic stout taste. Ingredients include lactose, cocoa nibs, and vanilla. Each of these tastes comes through distinctly. The lactose adds the sweet flavor to it, as well as the distinct tastes of cocoa and vanilla are present. Sipping a Mike’s Pastry Cannoli Stout and listening to “Centerfold,” and you’ll think you’re in Beantown even if you’re actually miles away.
Nightshift’s Whirlpool and “First I Look at the Purse”
Whirlpool, an American Pale Ale, has an easy-drinking familiar taste about it. It’s a great beer to enjoy outside, inside, or really anytime. A perfect accompaniment to a good time. And it’s very tasty. Just like this Contours cover off The J. Geils Band’s first album, it’s a good time. Head nodding, toe-tapping, dancing in your seat type of good time. Grab a Whirlpool while listening to this track and just enjoy it. Whirlpool is one of the beers in constant rotation at the Everett and Boston based brewery Night Shift. With this track on and a Whirlpool in hand, life’s worries don’t matter. Whirlpool is a go-to beer for any occasion, just as this song livens up even the dullest party.
Jack’s Abby’s Shipping Out of Boston and “Southside Shuffle”
Technically, Jack’s Abby is from Framingham. We’ll consider that the “Greater Boston Area.” And with a name like “Shipping Out of Boston,” this beer certainly has to be part of The J. Geils Band and a Six Pack. The beer is an homage to the manufacturing past of Massachusetts and is made from ingredients inspired by these factories. Just like this, The J. Geils Band has a true working-class vibe. The “Southside Shuffle,” a feel-good raucous tune, is perfect to dance all night to with a cold Jack’s Abby after a day at work in the factory or any other kind of job. The beer itself is crisp, with a distinct maltiness. It pours an amber shade. It’s got a full-flavor profile and gets smoother with each sip. With Geils a true Boston band, and this beer dedicated to working-class Bostonians, it’s a perfect match.
Lord Hobo’s Consolation Prize and “Back To Get Ya”
The song “Back To Get Ya” builds up before exploding forward, just like the alcohol content of this DIPA. Consolation Prize doesn’t taste like a 9.5% beer, but it comes “back to get ya” before you know it! The beer is surprisingly smooth for such a high ABV. It’s easy on the palette, with a sweetness and a shot of bitterness. And the name Consolation Prize sounds like the name of an unreleased Geils classic.
Trillium’s Double Dry Hopped Congress Street and “Must of Got Lost”
The live version, from the exquisite, “Blow Your Face Off,” is a great rendition of this track. Mentioning Boston and beer in the same breath, for the last thirty or so years, Sam Adams was it. Trillium though, which brews truly phenomenal beer, has given the Boston classic a run for the crown. The brewery opened locations in Fort Point (down the road from their original brewery), the Fenway, a beer garden on the Rose Kennedy Greenway, with their headquarters and another brewery in Canton. They literally have Boston on their beer. Their beers include their Boston street series (like this Congress Street), island series (named after Boston harbor islands), lighthouse series (after local lighthouses), and the new Emerald Necklace series (named for parks in Frederick Law Olmsted’s chain of greenspace).
The DDH Congress Street is a fave of mine. It has a noted citrus flavor with a distinct dryness due to the double dry hopping. As the beer is sipped, it has more of a creaminess to it. This beer is delicious. Just as The J. Geils Band represents the city of Boston, so does Trillium. “Must of Got Lost” is simply a great rock song, just as this Congress Street is simply a fantastic beer. At the Trillium brewery, with so many amazing options to choose from, it’s easy to “get lost” in the menu! Never fear, DDH Congress Street is always a good bet.
Backlash Beer’s Fenway IPA and “Give it to me”
Wow, this can is cool! It’s part of Backlash Beer’s rotating neighborhoods of Boston series. The can depicts Fenway neighborhood landmarks like the Citgo sign and the Green Monster. With a strong Boston pride, just like J. Geils, this is a nice pairing. As far as the track “Give it to me,” in this case, give it to me, as give me a Fenway IPA! Backlash Beer operated a taproom in Roxbury but closed earlier in the year. The beer can still be found in your grocer’s cooler as they are now a contract brand. This means they brew their beer at other facilities; they just don’t have a visitable, brick and mortar location. The beer is a solid IPA with a nice balance of hops, sweetness, and juiciness.
An Empty Six Pack
Other than a Sox hat or a Boston accent, nothing says Beantown like The J. Geils Band and a six pack of these Boston beers. Spanning the career of The J. Geils Band, each of these six tracks matches perfectly with these six Boston beers. Cheers!
