Massachusetts Beer Week is upon us! Day #1 had a successful trip to Sterling Street Brewery in Clinton, and then a big slide west to my ‘ol hood visiting Oakholm in Brookfield and Altruist in Sturbridge. Where will you be heading today? Speaking of Massachusetts, Mike Patterson of Somerville, MA, the owner, and brewer of @smallchange is our Seven Question Beer Sunday guest along with our west coast beer friend, Rob @sdbeertour.
I’ve met Mike several times at local events. You can add him, along with his awesome wife Emily, to the ever-growing beer list of awesome people in the beer & brewing community. They currently don’t have a brewery but plans are in motion to create a taproom. The beer they make, minus the homebrews Mike crafts for his next creation, is currently contract brewed in NH. They have a variety of styles that can be found in and around Massachusetts. I’m particularly fond of his beer called Whatever’s Cool with Me.
One might think Rob’s IG handle, @sdbeertour, suggests he drives a beer tour bus, showing off Southern Cal breweries. Well, you would be dead wrong! This California native does his own kind of beer tour but the true story of how that name came to be can be found below ⏬
Big applause to Mike and Rob for their Seven Question Beer Sunday submissions. Your support is truly appreciated!
Cheers 
Ed-
GotHops.blog
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- What is your name and location?
Mike Patterson, Somerville, MA - What is your day job?
Owner/Founder at Small Change Brewing Company - Where can we find you on the socials including Untapp’d?
Facebook: @smallchangebrewing
Instagram: @smallchange
Twitter: @smallchangebeer
Untappd: SmallChangeBrewingCompany
Web: www.smallchangebrewing.com
1 – Last time you visited more than two breweries on the same day, and name them.
Summer of 2019. We visited Maine Beer and Allagash, then stopped at Tributary to get some beer to take home.
2 – Favorite brewery or beer from New York?
Defiant Brewing in Pearl River. It’s a cool spot just over the border from where some of my wife’s family lives in NJ. They have an amber lager that I look forward to drinking whenever I’m in the area.
3 – How long will the haze craze last?
I don’t think it’s a craze anymore, I think this is normal. I think you’ll see breweries continue to put out a wider variety of styles in the coming years, but nothing is going to outsell a hazy IPA anytime soon.
4 – Name the most expensive beer you ever bought and was it worth it?
I don’t buy a lot of expensive beer, the only recent one that comes to mind is Exquisite Corpse from Remnant. It’s an 11% barrel-aged imperial stout and I grabbed an extra bottle to cellar. It wasn’t outrageously expensive, but it was worth every penny.
5 – Ever drink a pint of Guinness while wearing green?
No
6 – If you could only drink 1 beer, every day, for the rest of your life, what beer would it be and why?
A pilsner from Notch [brewing]. Easy drinking, but done so well that there’s enough going on to keep you interested every day.
7 – Describe your best brewery experience?
I don’t know if I could pick a single experience. I can’t wait to get back to the days where you can randomly stop into your local place, pull up a barstool, and have a beer. I think that day will be my best brewery experience.
(editor note: Hell ya to that, Mike! You, me, and everyone else included.)
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- What is your name and location?
Rob, I’m a born and raised San Diego native. Can’t even imagine living anywhere else. I can literally go to the desert, mountains, and beach all in one day. I live a pretty active lifestyle and having the option to drive in any direction to enjoy the outdoors is awesome. On the weekends you can find me hiking and exploring the trails around San Diego and beyond with an amazing group of friends. - What is your day job?
By day I work in inventory control for a large national company, nothing to exciting but it’s allowed me to enjoy some great adventures outside of work. - Where can we find you on the socials including Untapp’d?
Social media-wise it’s just my Instagram @sdbeertour. It already takes more of my time than I like to admit. - Want to plug your side hustle?
Side hustle would be helping out at Helix Brewing in La Mesa, California. I’ve been fortunate enough to help out with just about everything there, beer festivals, brew days, and building Sourworx, the barrel age sour program at Helix, whenever a hand is needed I’m there.
1 – Ever drink a pint of Guinness while wearing green?
Of course I’ve drank a Guinness while wearing green. I’ve even carried a can of Guinness to the top of Mt. Whitney, and I used to collect Guinness items (anyone want to buy a Guinness Snow Board?) lol. Guinness in a way guided me to craft beer, I realized beer should be enjoyed and not just slammed down.
(editor note: absolutely…save the beer funnel for those bud heavies)
2 – Have you ever done any beer trading and how many trades have you done, if yes?
I’m not a beer trader, there is no way I could keep up with it. Luckily I have a few friends that do, and they’re kind enough to share. I’ll trade amongst friends but that’s about it.
3 – How did you devise your IG name and is there a meaning?
So the @sdbeertour name came about in a way that has nothing to do with taking people on beer tours. I know it seems that would be the logical reason for the name, but it actually came about because one day I decided to go to every brewery in San Diego and I wanted to keep track of it. I was embarking on a tour of San Diego beer, so I thought up the name sdbeertour.
4 – Ever have Heady Topper from The Alchemist? If yes, what did you think?
Hmmm probably, I’m not good at keeping track or remembering all the beers I’ve had. I always joke with my friends @ipa_lush and @mattsassi because they remember beers from years ago, I’m lucky to remember the beer I had yesterday. lol
5 – Favorite brewery or beer from Florida?
Haven’t had many beers from Florida, but one that stands out to me is J. Wakefield Brewing, they’ve done a few collaborations with one of my favorite local breweries Pure Project Brewing, and every time it’s outstanding.
6 – When not drinking beer, what is your go-to beverage?
When I’m not having a beer, I have a guilty pleasure for a Coca Cola, but it has to be from a can and ice cold. I know it’s not the best thing for me, but hey we all have that one guilty pleasure.
7 – Hop Head or Malt Head and why?
I’d say I’m more of a hop head. I tend to enjoy more IPA’s. It’s amazing all the flavors you can get out of the hops. But I will say I do enjoy a good porter or stout, especially if it’s been barreled aged. I just feel they tend to fill you up, I prefer having a few tasters of them instead.
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Look for these future responses from the following for SQBS soon…
Part 28
Will @pittsburghbrewguy
Part 29
Katie Stinchon
Executive Director of the MA Brewers Guild
@MABrewersGuild
#MABeerWeek March 6-13
Part 30
Keith from @beerselfie and @thatonebeergirl
Part 31
Colleen from @travelikealocalma
www.travelikealocal.com
Part 32 – Could be you?
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Thanks for reading and have a great day!
Ed-
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