Brookline Beer Store Now Has… Beer


1218466008Until now, Brookline craft beer fans have been somewhat puzzled by the arrival of Publick House Provisions. The retail arm of the beloved Publick House—the Washington Street mecca for microbrews, obscure European suds, and comfort food—promised fancy cheeses (a la Formaggio, but smaller-scale), gourmet packaged goods, incredible beer-appropriate glassware, and a vast selection of bottled beer to go.

Problem was, they couldn’t procure the retail liquor license they needed, owing to (surprise!) local blue laws that prohibit the owner of a sit-down watering hole from also selling beer to go. Though DailyCandy promised back in April that the beer would be arriving soon, the cold cases stood empty for months, while the Publick House’s lawyers hit the books. (Check out manager Jamie Hios’ plea for support on Beer Advocate; after all this headache, methinks these Brookliners—Brooklinians?—deserve a tall one.)

Thankfully, there’s light at the end of the tunnel.

I popped into Publick House Provisions last Friday and while all of the fridge shelves were still barren, Hios informed me (with great relief) that the license approval had just gone through the day before. Beer would be arriving from the distributors within a week or so.

Could they get it here any sooner? I asked. Apparently, beer distributors are a bit like bartenders. “They don’t like to be pestered,” Hios joked. “The more you ask, the more they get annoyed. It’ll get here when it gets here.”

In the meantime, I nibbled on some crazy good cheese, like Portuguese Azietao, Jasper Hill Bayley Hazen Blue, and one super-stinky washed-rind that practically made my eyes water. (To the guy sitting next to me on the T afterward, I’m sorry. But not so sorry I won’t do it again.)

So Brookline, keep an eye out. And have your mugs at the ready.

Publick House Provisions, 1706 Washington St., Brookline, 617-277-2880.