Background
When the Boston crew was house shopping, their real estate agent suggested Roslindale – just outside of Boston proper. Roslindale is a bit more affordable, less dense, and features a relaxed and hip downtown area. Distraction Brewing, Roslindale’s staple brewery, embraces this vibe and is a great place to grab a drink and catch up with friends. And that makes sense, given the founders of Distraction – Mike Estey, Justin Garnache, and Patrick French, are a group of local friends who met through their kids and bonded over craft beers the way dads do. Etsey had been home brewing since 1998, and it was over his beers the friends laid their plans for Distraction. While they had the lease secured in 2017, Distraction did not open until late 2019, right before the onset of COVID-19. But this is the little brewery that doesn’t quit, and they have been an asset to the community since their opening.
Experience
We visited in December 2021, and were seeking out Distraction’s new collaboration with Nano Brewery out of Ventura California – Flying Distraction, a pineapple gose. It did not disappoint. With a strong pineapple flavor, just enough tartness to be assertive without palate-busting, and a nice balance of salt and warmth, it is a great beer to behold. To embrace the season, we also sampled Get Snappy!, a ginger snap inspired beer. With strong ginger on the nose and a hearty mouthfeel, this kept us warm on a chilly Massachusetts December night.
Parking is street based, but there is a robust connection to public transit, including multiple bus lines connecting to the MBTA orange subway line. While the brewery offers light snacks, including pita chips and hummus, we encourage visitors to take advantage of the number of local restaurants in Roslindale Village – Distraction encourages outside food. On our visit we picked up take out gyros from Effie’s Kitchen right around the corner – an authentic labor of Greek love straight from Thessaloniki tradition. Dogs are not allowed at Distraction Brewing – either in the taproom or patio – due to City of Boston health codes.
No lodging was noted nearby, but if you are interested in Roslindale, we would look at AirBnB for an authentic local experience. Otherwise, there are many places to stay in Boston proper – check out the newly renovated Langham Hotel for a splurge, for example.
There are many breweries to visit in the Boston area, including Bone Up, Night Shift, Trillium, Turtle Swamp, Harpoon, Lamplighter, Dorchester Brewing (try the BBQ) and Sam Adams.
