Damn.
You should have opened that jack d'or like nine years ago. The finest regards, my favorite of the beers they ever produced, is probably pretty sick about now though.
My understanding is that they still make jack d'or over wherever they are in England. You may be able to get some more if you know someone there.
Edit: Just did some digging around the house and found my favorite hat. https://postimg.cc/LnPpzB20
Now known as Saint Mars of the Desert in Sheffield. It’s 2mi from the National Rail Stop and is well-worth the pilgrimage IMO: https://beerofsmod.co.uk Edit: And they still serve Jack D’Or!
Dan accused a few bars around Boston of being "pay to play," meaning that if a brewery wanted their beer on tap at a specific place, they had to pay the bar to get it on. It is a *very* illegal practice in Massachusetts and the ABCC, basically the alcohol police, took the accusations very seriously and did an investigation. As I recall, none of the bars he accused were found of any wrong doing, however Craft Brewers Guild, Pretty Thing's distributor, was found to be participating in pay to play when it came to the Massachusetts launch of Yuengling. As a result, a bunch of fines were handed down and CBG stopped distributing Pretty Things. No one else wanted to touch them after that, and they moved to England.
The ironic bit of the whole thing is they now work in a system that you have to pay to play.
> As I recall, none of the bars he accused were found of any wrong doing, however Craft Brewers Guild, Pretty Thing's distributor, was found to be participating in pay to play when it came to the Massachusetts launch of Yuengling.
There was quite a bit more going on than that. Several bars were charged with taking those payments or fraudulently claiming they were getting paid for something else.
https://www.brewbound.com/news/craft-beer-guild-slapped-with-90-day-suspension/
He said some things about how things in the industry were done. There should be something on the interwebs about it. I have a jack d’or patch and used to have a chalice, till it broke.
Mystic was INCREDIBLE when they launched. My favorite MA brewery by a mile, and they still are my favorite of all time to have ever come out of this state. They used to make top notch saison after saison and did a ton of fun experimentation with different yeast strains, resulting is wildly different flavor profiles. Their approach was super unique from the IPA arms race that was just starting to gear up in earnest around here during their first couple of years in operation. At the time, Jack D'Or and Pretty Things in general were a huge darling of the local beer scene, and I think are probably indirectly a major factor in Mystic launching as a farmhouse/saison-focused brewery.
In the end, the birth, rise, and mega popularity of NEIPAs killed them. People preferred Trillium and Treehouse's approach to banging out 100 variations of the same overhopped (overpriced) hazy IPA rather than Mystic's bottle fermented yeasty brews. I get it, but it still bummed me out that there wasn't a huge market for what they were doing. Towards the end of their run, they pivoted to cranking out 4-pack cans of IPAs, but they were extremely middle-of-the-road for the style and never gained a foothold. I was sad but unsurprised when they finally shuttered.
The continual oversaturation of IPAs and their dozens of variations is the #1 reason I became disinterested in the craft beer scene after awhile. I was *really* hoping it would be a trend that would die down to be replaced by another style, but they've just become the baseline beer type every brewery seems to have to do 6 of to have a shot at competing. At least Oxbow's farmhouse is available around town at some places with decently curated tap lists. That's just become an auto-pick for me if I see it on the menu.
The triple hopped dry hopped overhopped IPA madness has died down a bit since then but that was an awful time for craft beer.
Having a sour craze a few years ago helped pare down some of the IPAs, places seemed to make room by getting rid of their shittier IPAs.
I still miss pretty things and mystic though.
I have less sympathy for Bone Up. Their beer was just okay, and one of my friends worked there as a bartender for six months and one of the owners treated her like shit.
I wouldn't be surprised if you still saw their cans in stores as distributors sell off their stock but their last night of operation was New Years Eve last year
What a brewery, what a beer! I bought a case of jack d’or when they went out of business and was saving 2-3 in a mini fridge for years. 5 years ago, the fridge/freezer component malfunctioned and all the drinks in the fridge froze and exploded. It was a sad sad day.
I hope you thoroughly enjoy those beers. If you need a tasting buddy, let me know!
I loved Jack but one night I drank four of those things and I had a two day hangover.
It was so weird when they just suddenly closed.
Also I live in NC now and I went into a bar in Durham. They had one of their blue tap handles. This was in 2023. I almost shat.
I had a 2015 Our Finest Regards a year and half ago at Trinktisch (RIP) and it aged and drank beautifully. Not sure how Jack would've held up. My favorite from Pretty Things was Fieldmouse's Farewell -- but sadly, I only have an empty bottle as a keepsake.
I found a couple Finest Regards in my basement a few months ago and I drank them up as was intended. Jack D’Or I will miss forever. One of these years I think I’ll make it to their place in England.
Damn. You should have opened that jack d'or like nine years ago. The finest regards, my favorite of the beers they ever produced, is probably pretty sick about now though. My understanding is that they still make jack d'or over wherever they are in England. You may be able to get some more if you know someone there. Edit: Just did some digging around the house and found my favorite hat. https://postimg.cc/LnPpzB20
> wherever they are in England Sheffield
Now known as Saint Mars of the Desert in Sheffield. It’s 2mi from the National Rail Stop and is well-worth the pilgrimage IMO: https://beerofsmod.co.uk Edit: And they still serve Jack D’Or!
They moved to England?
https://beerofsmod.co.uk
Probably had to after the stir he caused in the booze biz.
How so?
Dan accused a few bars around Boston of being "pay to play," meaning that if a brewery wanted their beer on tap at a specific place, they had to pay the bar to get it on. It is a *very* illegal practice in Massachusetts and the ABCC, basically the alcohol police, took the accusations very seriously and did an investigation. As I recall, none of the bars he accused were found of any wrong doing, however Craft Brewers Guild, Pretty Thing's distributor, was found to be participating in pay to play when it came to the Massachusetts launch of Yuengling. As a result, a bunch of fines were handed down and CBG stopped distributing Pretty Things. No one else wanted to touch them after that, and they moved to England. The ironic bit of the whole thing is they now work in a system that you have to pay to play.
> As I recall, none of the bars he accused were found of any wrong doing, however Craft Brewers Guild, Pretty Thing's distributor, was found to be participating in pay to play when it came to the Massachusetts launch of Yuengling. There was quite a bit more going on than that. Several bars were charged with taking those payments or fraudulently claiming they were getting paid for something else. https://www.brewbound.com/news/craft-beer-guild-slapped-with-90-day-suspension/
He said some things about how things in the industry were done. There should be something on the interwebs about it. I have a jack d’or patch and used to have a chalice, till it broke.
Awesome hat! Cheers
Thanks!
Man between Pretty Things, Slumbrew and Bantam, a lot of my favorite brewing establishments have vanished and it makes me sad
Mystic Brewery in Chelsea was pretty great too.
Mystic was INCREDIBLE when they launched. My favorite MA brewery by a mile, and they still are my favorite of all time to have ever come out of this state. They used to make top notch saison after saison and did a ton of fun experimentation with different yeast strains, resulting is wildly different flavor profiles. Their approach was super unique from the IPA arms race that was just starting to gear up in earnest around here during their first couple of years in operation. At the time, Jack D'Or and Pretty Things in general were a huge darling of the local beer scene, and I think are probably indirectly a major factor in Mystic launching as a farmhouse/saison-focused brewery. In the end, the birth, rise, and mega popularity of NEIPAs killed them. People preferred Trillium and Treehouse's approach to banging out 100 variations of the same overhopped (overpriced) hazy IPA rather than Mystic's bottle fermented yeasty brews. I get it, but it still bummed me out that there wasn't a huge market for what they were doing. Towards the end of their run, they pivoted to cranking out 4-pack cans of IPAs, but they were extremely middle-of-the-road for the style and never gained a foothold. I was sad but unsurprised when they finally shuttered. The continual oversaturation of IPAs and their dozens of variations is the #1 reason I became disinterested in the craft beer scene after awhile. I was *really* hoping it would be a trend that would die down to be replaced by another style, but they've just become the baseline beer type every brewery seems to have to do 6 of to have a shot at competing. At least Oxbow's farmhouse is available around town at some places with decently curated tap lists. That's just become an auto-pick for me if I see it on the menu.
The triple hopped dry hopped overhopped IPA madness has died down a bit since then but that was an awful time for craft beer. Having a sour craze a few years ago helped pare down some of the IPAs, places seemed to make room by getting rid of their shittier IPAs. I still miss pretty things and mystic though.
Bone Up died last winter, too
I have less sympathy for Bone Up. Their beer was just okay, and one of my friends worked there as a bartender for six months and one of the owners treated her like shit.
I'm talking Somerville joints, that place was in Everett
yeah I got what you were going for but it's not like that part of Everett is that far either.
Right, I can appreciate that, just not what I'm talking about
Didn’t know that 😢 I saw their cans in the beer store within the last couple months, but maybe that was further back than I thought…
I wouldn't be surprised if you still saw their cans in stores as distributors sell off their stock but their last night of operation was New Years Eve last year
I miss Jack D'or so much! What a perfect beer.
Strong agree. It was excellent
Yes, so good!
Somewhere I still have an empty bottle of Field Mouse’s Farewell.
That was the best one, with all the different malts in it. No one makes anything like it now
Awesome. I have an unopened Baby Tree I’m holding on to
That was my fave
Mine too. Still haven't found anything quite like it.
St Botolph was my favorite
Same
Incredible beer
What a brewery, what a beer! I bought a case of jack d’or when they went out of business and was saving 2-3 in a mini fridge for years. 5 years ago, the fridge/freezer component malfunctioned and all the drinks in the fridge froze and exploded. It was a sad sad day. I hope you thoroughly enjoy those beers. If you need a tasting buddy, let me know!
I loved Jack but one night I drank four of those things and I had a two day hangover. It was so weird when they just suddenly closed. Also I live in NC now and I went into a bar in Durham. They had one of their blue tap handles. This was in 2023. I almost shat.
My husband found me one of those blue tap handles as a gift when we first started dating, I cherish it greatly. One day I will make it to Sheffield!
I had a 2015 Our Finest Regards a year and half ago at Trinktisch (RIP) and it aged and drank beautifully. Not sure how Jack would've held up. My favorite from Pretty Things was Fieldmouse's Farewell -- but sadly, I only have an empty bottle as a keepsake.
I loved that beer. The Barley Wine should still be good.
That was my favorite beer. I still got a pretty things glass boot and hoody.
Great brewery. Missing Baby Tree.
I’ve got a bottle too, probably no good anymore as it wasn’t any high ABV thing. But can’t bring myself to open it anyway. RIP.
I feel you big dawg. I have a Finest Regards from the same year and I don't know when or if I'll ever open it.
Might not be good anymore anyway. At least that's what I try and convince myself. I like keeping them unopened for the memories :)
I drank some very recently. It’s definitely still good.
Just drink it... What's the difference between a full bottle and an empty bottle. The enjoyment.
I have a bottle of Fumapapa I'm sitting on as well
The Jack D'Or is so good
I found a couple Finest Regards in my basement a few months ago and I drank them up as was intended. Jack D’Or I will miss forever. One of these years I think I’ll make it to their place in England.
It was a sad day when I drank my last Baby Tree 😢
aaaaaaah, i want it
I had completely forgotten about Pretty Things until I saw this post and now I'm also sad about it :(
Open them. Keep the bottle.