Boston bars have seen a lot. St. Patrick’s Day, the Marathon, championship parades. But nothing prepared them for 20,000 Scots showing up with a thirst that apparently knows no limits.
Scotland fans have flooded into Massachusetts for the World Cup, and the city’s beer supply is taking the hit. Hennessy’s Bar in downtown Boston, which has been open for over 30 years, ran out of beer on Sunday night. That never happens. The place had to get restocked Monday morning, and another delivery is scheduled for Thursday to get ready for Scotland versus Morocco on Friday. COO Noelle Somers told the Boston Globe that business after Scotland’s match against Haiti tripled what they do on St. Patrick’s Day. Tripled.
It’s not just Hennessy’s. Sam Adams saw its Boston taproom go dry over the weekend. Demand for their Boston lager was four times higher than what they normally see during a holiday. That is a lot of beer.
The Tartan Army took over Fenway too
Beyond the bars, the fans have made themselves at home. Thousands of them marched to Fenway Park in kilts, with bagpipes playing, to catch a Red Sox game. The sight of a Scottish invasion at an American baseball stadium is the kind of cultural crossover you don’t forget. Blue, tartan, and Saltire flags were everywhere.
The city’s only dedicated Scottish bar, The Haven, turned into headquarters. Owner Jason Waddleton stocked over 100 kegs of Tennent’s before the tournament started. Smart move.
Meanwhile, down in Dallas, England supporters weren’t exactly subtle either. Hundreds of them packed the Londoner Pub ahead of England’s World Cup opener, downing over 5,000 beers. Police eventually showed up and asked everyone to disperse around 10 p.m. Some fans stayed on the balcony for another couple hours anyway. So that went about as well as you’d expect.
Boston might want to start brewing extra. Scotland’s got at least one more match in town, and the Tartan Army doesn’t seem to know the word pace.
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