Wine, Beer & Spirits

HISTORICAL CHINATOWN TOUR:

CHINESE NEW YEAR SPECIAL EDITION

Elliot Savitzky | Culinary Instructor, Chinatown Expert Let’s spend the afternoon strolling through Boston’s Chinatown on the day of the Chinese New Year parade. We will be visiting many different locations and retail establishments during the tour such as dim sum, BBQ, Pho, hot pot, noodle shops, as well as restaurants of various cuisines. We will also stop by bakeries, bubble tea shops, herbal medicine shops, live poultry markets, grocery stores, and a ginseng coop, all while discussing the history and architecture of Boston’s Chinatown. This will not be a “tasting tour”, rather, during the last stop, we’ll enjoy a delicious meal together. Please see the section description for the meeting point. Tuition includes the cost of dinner, soft drinks, taxes, and tip. The instructor will send a welcome information package via email one day prior to the class. Students are asked to follow Massachusetts State COVID Guidelines.

COURSE CODE: CHTN Sec. 01: Sunday, 11am-3pm. Jan. 29 | $95 Meeting point: The class will convene at the Chinatown Gate located at the intersection of Beach St and John F Fitzgerald Surface Rd, Boston, MA 02111 (Google Map 42°21’04.6”N 71°03’35.2”W) and then walk to the restaurants together.

HOME BREWING COFFEE WORKSHOP

Broadsheet Coffee Roasters Making the perfect cup of coffee is no accident. Join the Broadsheet Coffee Roasters team in an immersive home brewing class hosted in their roastery and training lab. You’ll learn about what factors most affect the brewing process, why they matter, and will then apply this knowledge with hands-on practice across multiple brewing methods. Attendees will leave with helpful tips on how to thoughtfully taste and store coffee, tried-and-true brewing recipes, and solid advice for troubleshooting while brewing at home.

COURSE CODE: COFF Sec. 01: Saturday, 10am-12pm. Feb. 4 | $60 Meeting point: This class will meet at the Broadsheet roastery and training lab located at 373 Washington St, Somerville, MA 02143.

WINE, BEER & SPIRITS

BELGIUM VS GERMANY: BEER HISTORY AND VIRTUAL TASTING

Kris Butler | Exam-Certified Beer Judge Belgium v. Germany. Not a sporting match, but a beer comparison! These neighboring countries have dramatically different brewing traditions. Belgium is known for sweet, full-bodied beers with ingredients like orange peel and dark sugar that “go down like a loaf of bread,” while Germany is known for cold-conditioned crisp beers of limited ingredients and restrained flavor. We’ll talk about the major historical styles from both countries while exploring the influences on their brewing histories, from religion and technical advances to cultural preferences and even geography.

COURSE CODE: BEGE Sec. 01: Sunday, 2-4pm. Feb. 19 | $85

THE DRINK PROBLEM AND THE MAPS

MADE TO SOLVE IT: A GRIPPING TALE AND DELICIOUS BEER TASTING

Kris Butler | Exam-Certified Beer Judge In the late 1800s, guzzling to excess exploded on the heels of the Industrial Revolution. In England, organized anti-drinking groups created startling maps intending to shock people into abstaining from alcohol. Did these lovely temperance tools inspire zealous anger—or did they just make people thirsty? The story of their brief existence will be told amidst a tangle of licensing laws, corrupt temperance organizers, exasperated women, and—of course—several delicious pints of beer which we will sample in class while admiring the maps.

COURSE CODE: DRMA Sec. 01: Sunday, 2-4pm. Mar. 26 | $85

INTRODUCTION TO FRENCH WINE

John Fiola | Diploma WSET, Certified Wine Educator Even to the most accomplished wine consumer, French wine can be mysterious and daunting in its complexity. We also tend to think of French wine as being highly sophisticated and therefore very expensive. Join sommelier, John Fiola, as he breaks down the critical role French grapes and wine making techniques have played around the world and how to choose an outstanding, affordable French wine. We will explore several regions of wine from Burgundy and Bordeaux to the Loire, Rhone Valleys and beyond while discussing the grape varietals, climates of these regions, and French wine making techniques that have shaped the entire wine industry.

COURSE CODE: FWNT Sec. 01: Friday, 6-8pm. Jan. 20 | $85

COMPARING OLD WORLD AND NEW WORLD WINES

John Fiola | Diploma WSET, Certified Wine Educator Wine making got its start in the Old World vineyards of Europe, some of which trace their origins back to the middle ages. However, with the migration of Europeans across the Atlantic, the culture of wine proliferated in North and South America and beyond. The result has created an interesting phenomenon, with distinct differences arising between the same varietals made in the Old World and those made in the New World. In this two-week course we will explore the similarities and differences of classic wine varietals from Europe and the rest of the world. In order to compare our wine, we will be sampling twice as many!

COURSE CODE: NUVO Sec. 01: 2 Thursdays, 6-8pm. Mar. 16 & 23 | $175

WINETASTING: A BEGINNER’S SAMPLER

John Fiola | Diploma WSET, Certified Wine Educator Uncertain as to the difference between Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc, Chianti and Cabernet, Burgundy and Barossa? Join us to learn how to distinguish between wine styles, grape varieties, and regions. We’ll discuss how to buy wine at all price points, how to taste wine to get the most out of every glass, what makes a New World wine different from the same type of wine produced in France or Italy, and the best food pairings for different wine styles.

COURSE CODE: WSAM Sec. 01: 2 Fridays, 6-8pm. Feb. 10 & 17 | $155

NATURAL WINE TASTING

Marie-Louise Friedland | Sommelier Buzz-word or serious and impactful winemaking technique? Weaving together discussions of environmental concerns and the ecological impact of conventional winemaking, this class seeks to decode the complex world of natural wine while sampling outstanding styles from leading natural winemakers. Sommelier, Marie-Louise Friedland, will guide you through tasting classic and contemporary styles of what is considered natural wine and will give students a working understanding of this growing and significant viticultural style.

COURSE CODE: NATR Sec. 01: Friday, 6-8pm. Mar. 10 | $85

ORANGE WINE TASTING

Marie-Louise Friedland | Sommelier What is it?! Is it made from oranges? Will this fad ever pass? In this class we will discuss the complex and long history behind the style of wine known as “Orange Wine.” (Spoiler alert, this style of wine has been around as long as the grape-fermented beverage has been around.) We will sample orange wine from all over the world in order to taste and understand several different styles of fermentation. Everyone will leave this class with a grasp of this prominent wine type and a new favorite.

COURSE CODE: ORAN Sec. 01: Friday, 6-8pm. Feb. 3 | $85

IRISH WHISKEY & HISTORY

John Doyle | Whiskey and History Enthusiast Ireland has a long and colorful history that has shaped the modern Irish whiskey industry. The whiskey itself has also left its own impression on Irish history and culture. In this class we will discover the impact whiskey has had on Ireland’s historical course, from the rebellions and uprisings to the golden age of Irish whiskey, and its fall. Along the journey we will sample four spirits that characterize the times.

COURSE CODE: IRIW Sec. 01: Thursday, 6-8pm. Feb. 16 | $85

FORTIFIED WINE SAMPLER:

SHERRY & VERMOUTH

Hannah Morrow | Cheesemonger, Wine Enthusiast Fortified wine was invented as a way to preserve wine from spoiling on long ocean voyages. Today, it is a craft in its own right. This class focuses on two of the most popular styles of fortified wine: sherry and vermouth. From light and dry, to rich and sweet, sherry is versatile and complex and makes a great partner to many different foods. We’ll also learn about how vermouth, a classic aromatized wine, is more than just a mixer. Students will come away with an understanding of the history of fortified wine, how they are made, how to pair them with food, and their use in cocktails.

COURSE CODE: FORT Sec. 01: Friday, 6-8pm. Mar. 17 | $85

CRAFT COCKTAILS 101

Augusto Lino | General Manager, Noir Bar In this hands-on craft cocktails crash course we will learn how to build, stir, and shake up craft cocktails using straightforward techniques. We'll learn the foundation of classic cocktails and how you can tailor them to suit your prefered palate. You'll come away from the class confident in mixing up some cocktails at home and how to appropriately stock your home bar.

COURSE CODE: MIXO Sec. 01: Thursday, 6-8pm. Mar. 28 | $85

TROPICAL COCKTAILS

Augusto Lino | General Manager, Noir Bar Let's take a trip to the tropics this winter. This class will teach you about the multi-faceted universe of tropical cocktails, from Cuba to Brazil, and visit the complicated history of Tiki.You will learn to mix tropical classics with less sugar and more punch, combining serious mixology with vacation favorites.

COURSE CODE: TIKI Sec. 01: Monday, 6-8pm. Mar. 20 | $90

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