Hops on Hops Brewery Passport Program
While many beer fans plan to travel to Cape Cod beaches or the New Hampshire woods in the summer months, a group of Greater Boston breweries are here with a reason to stick around the city. The inaugural Hops on Hops Brewery Passport launches July 1 at nearly 30 regional taprooms, with prizes for folks who visit them all by September 30.
“It started as a fun little thing to get people moving around to different breweries north of the city,” says Chris Welch, organizer of the Hops on Hops Brewery Passport and taproom manager at Lord Hobo in Woburn. The more Welch talked about the idea with fellow breweries, the more signed on. Melynda Gallagher, co-owner of Lost Shoe Brewing and Roasting Company in Marlborough, is a Hops on Hops co-organizer.
The map of 27 participating breweries plus Lord Hobo’s Woburn and Seaport locations (the only brand with two stops on the passport) spans a “windshield wiper of the northeast region of the state,” Welch colorfully explains. It includes nine Boston-area breweries, a dozen north of the city and eight “not-quite-Worcester west.” Check out the full lineup below.
The challenge promotes taprooms in north-central Greater Boston during a typically slow season—and promises a grand prize package for one “Hops on Hops” Champion.
The Hops on Hops Brewery Passport is free to begin at any participating brewery, and all participating locations have branded “Champion” glassware ready to go for anyone who completes all 29 stamps. All Champions will be entered to win a grand prize pack, which includes a Yeti backpack cooler, a 16-ounce commemorative koozie and goodies from participating breweries.
Welch understands the region the passport covers is “pretty spread out, but I made sure that there's always a couple of breweries in the area” to encourage folks to make a day of visiting. He’s looking forward to seeing how the inaugural Hops on Hops Brewery Passport goes to see if there are ways to make it even more inclusive in the future, such as tapping into the Mass. Brew Bros maps of Mass. breweries to organize other regional passport programs.
The state’s non-profit craft beer association Massachusetts Brewers Guild is helping to promote the Hops on Hops Brewery Passport. MBG member Winbrook, Inc., a leading player in the New England print and promotional product industry, produced the passports and Champion glassware, which were designed in-house at Lord Hobo by Kate Ballenger, a longtime employee and the current director of customer experience.
“I love the beer industry as a whole,” says Welch, who worked for other breweries and restaurants before joining Lord Hobo five years ago. “This is a cool way to encourage people to see new places and try new things.”
To learn more about the Hops on Hops Brewery Passport, email hopsonhops@lordhobo.com or stop by a participating brewery between July 1-September 30.
Hops on Hops Brewery Passport 2024 participating breweries
BOSTON AREA
Sam Adams Brewing Company Faneuil Hall or Jamaica Plain
