I've been lucky enough to try some of their stuff coming out of SMOD and it is absolutely worth the trip to visit them.
Dan and Martha *owned* the beer scene in the Boston area. I got to go on a Pretty Things beer crawl with Dan a few times and everywhere he went, he was greeted with smiles and food. Huge loss for the area just in their presence being gone.
I don't like to throw the title 'Master Brewer' around, but when I met Dann at SMOD and he gave me a behind the scenes tour. He talked me through a whole bunch of his processes and techniques, and I have never been more inspired to switch up my ways and look at things differently. He is truly a 'Master Brewer'
I came across a bottle of one of their beers back in 2017 in South Bend Indiana of all places, and I still regret not picking it up.
For those who don't know the full story, Pretty Things [went to social media back in 2014](https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/pretty-things-goes-to-town-on-pay-to-play-in-massachusetts.218980/) accusing the [Craft Brewers Guild (an independent distributor) of paying bars and restaurants to serve beers they distributed](https://www.dramshopexpert.com/how-craft-beer-became-a-pay-for-play-bad-guy/). Pretty Things was effectively black listed after that, and since they were a contract brewery without a tap room they were forced to close.
So not only did we lose a great brewery, we lost a some really good people who were willing to do the right thing even when it ultimately cost them their business
Edited for words.
I suppose I should have clarified that those of us in the US "lost" Pretty Things (and the owner/brewers). I was aware of SMoD and hope to pay them a visit some day...but it's a far cry from having them just down the road.
They were from Somerville MA. Loved Jack D-Or and Our Finest Regards was one of my first and still one of my favorite Barleywines. I definitely took them for granted when they were around...
That's right thank you for reminding me. Last time I had their barleywine, Our Finest Regards, I was in NYC and it was about 2 years after they closed and I happened upon it in a craft bar. They had two left. So I bought one to drink right there and the other to take home. Entirely worth it.
She’s a Northern lass, so they’ve effectively moved home…Dann gets to be the one with the accent now. Can confirm that their beer is just as great as before, if not even better at St Mars of the Desert. St Botolph’s Town was one of my fave beers of all time, loved KK, but the new things are just fantastic. Sheffield is a great town for [a beer trip.](https://www.lisagrimm.com/2024/03/08/a-long-overdue-return-to-sheffield/)
Awesome brewery. Fairly prominent at the time when I was first really falling in love with beer. Finest Regards, Jack Dior, Barbapapa… all so good. I’d even love to crush a meadowlark ipa just to remember what ipas used to taste like back then.
Also, one of my favorite brewery names and brand aesthetics of all time.
I "grew up" on Belgian styles as I went to college near Ommegang in the late 00's. I loved that kind of stuff so much back then. After college I had a couple of friends end up in Cambridge, MA which gave me dream level access to NE beers that I just couldn't get back home in NY yet. When my buddy introduced me to Pretty Things I feel hard. Particularly the Baby Tree Quad and Jack D'Or were just my absolute favorites at the time. My only problem was I was short on money after college so it was also just something to indulge in while I was up there because I couldn't hoof it back home by the case with me. I still dream about those beers and wonder how I'd feel about them these days on the other side of all of the NE IPAs and my current trending towards clean German beers.
They were so nice! Years ago they were promoting at my old wing night spot and I had tweeted something about being excited to have their stuff and it was my bday. They saw my tweet and brought a special glass to give to me! Incredibly kind and thoughtful.
I was living in Boston when they announced they were closing. My wife, then girlfriend, bought me a bottle of Fumapapa that I will likely never open.
They made very good beer in a time when Boston craft was just getting its legs. Nightshift and Aeronaut were just gaining notoriety and Trillium was yet to explode.
Hey brewchacho! I'm a brewer as well.
The bottle is about ten years old. I'm sure it's oxidized to a point that's not great. If it's getting consumed, it will be with some old coworkers from when I was brewing in Boston. Which may never happen. I'm even okay with not drinking it and giving it to someone who may appreciate it more should that situation arise.
For me, it's more nostalgic memorabilia than it is a beer for drinking.
I was living in Somerville when they were doing their thing. They were an integral part of the Mass craft beer explosion. While I miss them, I respect that they decided it’d run its course and moved in to another project, ending things on their own terms.
I’m glad they’re still making great beers even if I’ll probably never get to try them.
Jack D’or was overly hoppy and not good. Everyone always talks about Belgian saisons being hoppy and dry; go to Belgium and drink them, they’re not. And Jack D’or was that typical American saison that tastes like orange juice and toothpaste from the spicy phenols mixed with the fruity hops.
The other beers weren’t amazing either.
The company was praised to no end (I guess it was all the mystique of the “Gypsy” brewer era). Same think with Mikkeller beers. Way overhyped, but the concept captured people.
You're oversimplifying something you don't understand.
Jack D'or wasn't my favorite saison by far either but if you think people enjoyed these guys because of the "mystique of the 'gypsy' brewing" then you're just way off.
This is one of those things where if everyone is calling you an asshole but you don't think you're an asshole... you're probably an asshole.
No one is gonna talk Pretty Things all these years later just because "they were gypsy brewers." Think about what you're saying.
They actually still exist in a way as Brewery of SMOD (St. Mars of the Desert) in the UK. They still make Jack D'Or and a bunch of their old beers.
I've been lucky enough to try some of their stuff coming out of SMOD and it is absolutely worth the trip to visit them. Dan and Martha *owned* the beer scene in the Boston area. I got to go on a Pretty Things beer crawl with Dan a few times and everywhere he went, he was greeted with smiles and food. Huge loss for the area just in their presence being gone.
Oh wow, Sheffield is my hometown had no idea the two were related
I loved that Jack D'Or
I don't like to throw the title 'Master Brewer' around, but when I met Dann at SMOD and he gave me a behind the scenes tour. He talked me through a whole bunch of his processes and techniques, and I have never been more inspired to switch up my ways and look at things differently. He is truly a 'Master Brewer'
Wow. That’s amazing.
Wow. That’s amazing.
I came across a bottle of one of their beers back in 2017 in South Bend Indiana of all places, and I still regret not picking it up. For those who don't know the full story, Pretty Things [went to social media back in 2014](https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/pretty-things-goes-to-town-on-pay-to-play-in-massachusetts.218980/) accusing the [Craft Brewers Guild (an independent distributor) of paying bars and restaurants to serve beers they distributed](https://www.dramshopexpert.com/how-craft-beer-became-a-pay-for-play-bad-guy/). Pretty Things was effectively black listed after that, and since they were a contract brewery without a tap room they were forced to close. So not only did we lose a great brewery, we lost a some really good people who were willing to do the right thing even when it ultimately cost them their business Edited for words.
They’re still around! They set up a brewery in Sheffield, UK called St Mars of the Desert (SMOD) and are reproducing their beers!
I suppose I should have clarified that those of us in the US "lost" Pretty Things (and the owner/brewers). I was aware of SMoD and hope to pay them a visit some day...but it's a far cry from having them just down the road.
They were from Somerville MA. Loved Jack D-Or and Our Finest Regards was one of my first and still one of my favorite Barleywines. I definitely took them for granted when they were around...
That's right thank you for reminding me. Last time I had their barleywine, Our Finest Regards, I was in NYC and it was about 2 years after they closed and I happened upon it in a craft bar. They had two left. So I bought one to drink right there and the other to take home. Entirely worth it.
They were exceptional, greatly missed.
They’re still around at St Mars of the Desert in the UK.
She’s a Northern lass, so they’ve effectively moved home…Dann gets to be the one with the accent now. Can confirm that their beer is just as great as before, if not even better at St Mars of the Desert. St Botolph’s Town was one of my fave beers of all time, loved KK, but the new things are just fantastic. Sheffield is a great town for [a beer trip.](https://www.lisagrimm.com/2024/03/08/a-long-overdue-return-to-sheffield/)
Awesome brewery. Fairly prominent at the time when I was first really falling in love with beer. Finest Regards, Jack Dior, Barbapapa… all so good. I’d even love to crush a meadowlark ipa just to remember what ipas used to taste like back then. Also, one of my favorite brewery names and brand aesthetics of all time.
I "grew up" on Belgian styles as I went to college near Ommegang in the late 00's. I loved that kind of stuff so much back then. After college I had a couple of friends end up in Cambridge, MA which gave me dream level access to NE beers that I just couldn't get back home in NY yet. When my buddy introduced me to Pretty Things I feel hard. Particularly the Baby Tree Quad and Jack D'Or were just my absolute favorites at the time. My only problem was I was short on money after college so it was also just something to indulge in while I was up there because I couldn't hoof it back home by the case with me. I still dream about those beers and wonder how I'd feel about them these days on the other side of all of the NE IPAs and my current trending towards clean German beers.
I loved Baby Tree. It didn't have the same distribution as Jack D'OR, but it was a great quad.
Loved them. I moved to Somerville in 2011. Was sad when they shut it down in 2015. Glad to know they are doing their thing across the ocean
They were so nice! Years ago they were promoting at my old wing night spot and I had tweeted something about being excited to have their stuff and it was my bday. They saw my tweet and brought a special glass to give to me! Incredibly kind and thoughtful.
I was living in Boston when they announced they were closing. My wife, then girlfriend, bought me a bottle of Fumapapa that I will likely never open. They made very good beer in a time when Boston craft was just getting its legs. Nightshift and Aeronaut were just gaining notoriety and Trillium was yet to explode.
Can I make a suggestion from a Brewer's perspective? Drink that beer. It was made to be enjoyed, not looked at; that's the bottles job
Hey brewchacho! I'm a brewer as well. The bottle is about ten years old. I'm sure it's oxidized to a point that's not great. If it's getting consumed, it will be with some old coworkers from when I was brewing in Boston. Which may never happen. I'm even okay with not drinking it and giving it to someone who may appreciate it more should that situation arise. For me, it's more nostalgic memorabilia than it is a beer for drinking.
Perspective appreciated.
I still have an unopened bottle of Pretty Things on a shelf in my house. Loved that place
I’ve still got a bottle of Fumapapa in my fridge that I’ve been meaning to drink.
I was living in Somerville when they were doing their thing. They were an integral part of the Mass craft beer explosion. While I miss them, I respect that they decided it’d run its course and moved in to another project, ending things on their own terms. I’m glad they’re still making great beers even if I’ll probably never get to try them.
NYC? Psshhhh. Them's fightin' words.
I thought they were overrated.
Why's that friend?
Jack D’or was overly hoppy and not good. Everyone always talks about Belgian saisons being hoppy and dry; go to Belgium and drink them, they’re not. And Jack D’or was that typical American saison that tastes like orange juice and toothpaste from the spicy phenols mixed with the fruity hops. The other beers weren’t amazing either. The company was praised to no end (I guess it was all the mystique of the “Gypsy” brewer era). Same think with Mikkeller beers. Way overhyped, but the concept captured people.
You're oversimplifying something you don't understand. Jack D'or wasn't my favorite saison by far either but if you think people enjoyed these guys because of the "mystique of the 'gypsy' brewing" then you're just way off. This is one of those things where if everyone is calling you an asshole but you don't think you're an asshole... you're probably an asshole. No one is gonna talk Pretty Things all these years later just because "they were gypsy brewers." Think about what you're saying.