Summer beers from New England


Summertime has hit the Hub in full force, which means that it’s time to bust out some easy-drinking beers to cool off with on these sticky afternoons. Here’s our annual roundup of New England breweries’ summer seasonals.



Summertime has hit the Hub in full force, which means that it’s time to bust out some easy-drinking beers to cool off with on these sticky afternoons. Here’s our annual roundup of New England breweries’ summer seasonals.


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Brewed by: Magic Hat


Location: South Burlington, Vt.


Alcohol by volume: 4.2 percent


“Gins and other alcohols and even water get infused with cucumber,” said Chris Rockwood, lead cellarman at Magic Hat Brewery. “So why not do it with a beer?”


Why not, indeed. HiCu is an amber to light red ale with an upfront nose of hibiscus and cucumber and a bitter hop taste to finish. Now that sounds like a Hawaiian vacation in a bottle!


HiCu is available only in Magic Hat’s summer variety pack, which also includes its signature #9, last year’s Elder Betty seasonal, and Blind Faith.


Magic Hat


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Brewed by: Otter Creek/Wolaver’s


Location: Middlebury, Vt.


Alcohol by volume: 4.25 percent


Otter Creek’s Wolaver’s line aims to showcase a variety of local, organic products. This summer, brewers mixed up a raw honey and chamomile mash in an unfiltered, American-style beer with “a kiss of herbs,” brewmaster Mike Gerhart said. “It’s the quintessential Vermont day in a glass.”


Otter Creek


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Brewed by: Smuttynose


Location: Hampton, N.H.


Alcohol by volume: 5.1 percent


Vunderbar is an unfiltered, dry-hopped pilsner. “We tend to not brew too many at Smuttynose these days,” said JT Thompson, minister of propaganda. It’s a heavier beer made with German malt and Czech Saaz hops, with a little bit of Noble hop to balance out all that grainy flavor.


“And it’s got a guy wearing lederhosen on the box,” Thompson said. “If that doesn’t make it awesome, I don’t know what does.”


Smuttynose


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Brewed by: Cape Ann Brewing Co.


Location: Gloucester


Alcohol by volume: 7 percent


Are they brewers or bakers? At Cape Ann, they might just be both. The Fisherman’s Sunrise Saison is a Belgian farmhouse ale with a very healthy dose of strawberries and rhubarb. “It takes summer flavors but doesn’t boil them down into a light and flavorless beer,” said Jeremy Goldberg, owner and head brewer. The saison will be available in bottles only until the beginning of August.


For something a little heartier, Cape Ann’s Spruce Biere de Garde (7.3 ABV) is brewed in the winter with spruce tips and orange peel. It’s availalbe on tap only.


Cape Ann Brewing Co.


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Brewed by: Boston Beer Co.


Location: Boston, Mass.


Alcohol by volume: 5%


Sales of Boston Beer’s Angry Orchard cider have picked up this summer. According to IRI, a firm that tracks liquor sales in retailers, Angry Orchard Crisp was the top cider brand in the US for the week ending on July 21.


The cider is brewed with Italian culinary and French bittersweet apples. Other ingredients, such as elderflower or Nigerian ginger, are added to make one of four varietis. They’re available in six-packs or on draft.


BeerPulse.com


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Brewed by: Newport Storm


Location: Newport, R.I.


Alcohol by volume: 7 percent


Newport Storm has had three storms a-brewin’ every year since 2005 as part of its Cyclone series. This limited-edition brew will be available until mid-July, Butzbach said. Cherry puree lends it a unique sour flavor. “We’ve never done anything like it,” spokeswoman Taylor Butzbach said. “It’s one of the more complicated recipes our brewer came up with-- he has a microbiology background.”


Newport Storm


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Brewed by: Cambridge Brewing Co.


Location: Cambridge


Alcohol by volume: 5 percent


CBC’s famous Heather Ale will hit shelves in early August. It’s also brewed with locally-grown malts, but features heather flowers, lavender, and sweet gale herbs handpicked by CBC brewers. It’s got a bright aroma, spicy herbal honey, and a toasty malt character that’ll have enthusiasts running to the heather-filled hills for more.


Cambridge Brewing Co.


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Brewed by: Blue Hills Brewery


Location: Canton


Alcohol by volume: 4.8 percent


Blue Hills’ original watermelon HefeWeizen just wasn’t enough for adoring fans, so the brewery added pomegranate and blueberry to the lineup, said Jim O’Neil, director of operations. They’re usually available from March to September, but O’Neil said that last year the demand was so high that they shipped out in February, despite the snow on the ground.


For those looking for a higher ABV (7.25 percent), Blue Hills’ brand-new, imperial-style King’s Kolsh should be hitting shelves and taps soon.


Blue Hills Brewery


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Brewed by: Pretty Things Brewery


Location: Somerville


Alcohol by volume: 7 percent


“We were trying to make the best IPA ever,” brewer Dann Paquette said. Considering the fact that this seasonal will become part of Pretty Things’ year-round lineup starting when it’s released at the end of July, they might have just succeeded.


Part of that requires getting the recipe just right, all the way down to the water profile. The hops are also rather unique: 60 percent of them are passionfruit-tinged Galaxy hops from Australia, and the other 40 percent is made up of citra and chinook hops that add a touch of grapefruit.


The result is a hoppy, floral, citrusy, and very American beer. “We usually do more English or Belgian stuff,” Paquette said. “It was time to get into the untapped market of American beer.”


Pretty Things Brewery


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Brewed by: Boston Beer Co.


Location: Boston


Alcohol by volume: 5.5 percent


This version of Sam Adams is only available in the summer variety pack, which also includes their Little White Rye seasonal. It uses citrusy hops and blueberries from Michigan, the Pacific Northwest, and New England, Glanville said. A dash of honey makes it smooth and sweet.


Head Brewer Jennifer Glanville recommends pairing it with seafood and even ice cream. “We made a blueberry float with Ben and Jerry’s ice cream,” she said. “I’m still making them for my friends at home!” But don’t worry — Glanville assured that it still tastes like a beer.


Boston Beer Co.


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Brewed by: Shipyard


Location: Portland, Maine


Alcohol by volume: 4.4 percent


“The fruit flavors that we us are traditional summer flavors,” founder and co-owner Bruce Forsley said of Shipyard’s Melonhead beer. It was released in May, and Forsley said the response to it so far has been very positive. It’s lighter and more refined, exactly the way a summer beer should taste, Forsley said.


Shipyard


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Brewed by: Cambridge Brewing Co.


Location: Cambridge


Alcohol by volume: 5.5%


Cambridge Brewing Co. makes this summer favorite with locally grown and malted wheat and rye, Will Meyers, CBC brewmaster, said in an email. It’s an unfiltered beer described as “cloudy, spicy, fruity but dry, with a spritzy effervescence” on the brewery’s website, with a high rate of carbonation that’s perfect for a summer day.


Cambrige Brewing Co.


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Brewed by: Harpoon


Location: Boston


Alcohol by volume: 6.2 percent


Harpoon turns 20 this summer, and what better way to celebrate than to bring back last year’s summer brew, the White IPA? Head Brewer Sean Cornelius expects the limited-edition IPA to be gone by the end of summer. White IPA is a Belgian white and hoppy American IPA combo with a zingy orange and citrus background.


Harpoon


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Location: Middlebury, Vt.


Alcohol by volume: 5.25 percent


No wonder brewmaster Mike Gerhart calls the Vermont Lager “a favorite in the rotation:” the German-style pilsner has won gold at the Great American Beerfest. Made with imported and dry IPA noble hops, Gerhart said that it goes along well with just about any kind of cuisine.


Otter Creek


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Brewed by: Longtrail


Location: Bridgewater, Vt.


Alcohol by volume: 4.7 percent


First introduced in the spring of ‘08, Longtrail’s Belgian White is based on traditional Witbiers from the 14th century. The brewery’s website calls it clean and crisp, with a light, fluffy head and “soft notes of citrus and spice.” It’s become a summer favorite and will be available through the season.


Longtrail


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Brewed by: Mayflower Brewing


Location: Plymouth


Alcohol by volume: 8 percent


The Styrian Aurora IPA is part of Mayflower’s Cooper series, in which brewers showcase one type of malt and one type of hop per beer. This one-off, available only in 22-ounce bottles, uses Golden Promise malt from Scotland and spicy Styrian Aurora hops.


Once the Styrian Aurora sells out, it’s gone for good, but Mayflower founder and president Drew Brousseau said that there might be an opportunity to produce another Cooper series installment before the summer is up.


Mayflower Brewing


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Brewed by: Shipyard


Location: Portland, Maine


Alcohol by volume: 4.8 percent


Shipyard’s annual summer ale is a light wheat option with a golden amber color.


Shipyard


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Brewed by: Newport Storm


Location: Newport, RI


Alcohol by volume: 4 percent


This summer marks the second year that Newport Storm is releasing this citrusy, unfiltered summer classic. The run is expected to last until August, said spokeswoman Taylor Butzbach.


Newport Storm


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Brewed by: Boston Beer Co.


Location: Boston


Alcohol by volume: 5.3 percent


Brewer Jennifer Glanville says this little gem has an “earthy character, but it’s fresher.” Oranges, corriander, and white sage give it a bright and crisp finish.


Boston Beer Co.


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Brewed by: Mayflower Brewing


Location: Plymouth


Alcohol by volume: 3.8 percent


Mayflower’s Summer Rye is a light unfiltered ale, perfect for extra-hot summer days. Founder and president Drew Brousseau said that it’s a spicy but mildly fruity brew and a nice alternative to traditional wheat beers.


Mayflower Brewing


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Brewed by: The People’s Pint


Location: Greenfield


Alcohol by volume: 4.5 percent


This Belgian whit uses a 50-50 mix of wheat and pilsner malt, according to brewery manager Chris Sellers. A little bit of spice and citrus make for a tart finish and refreshing afternoon drink.


Untappd.com


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Brewed by: Smuttynose


Location: Hampton, N.H.


Alcohol by volume: 5.46 percent


Smuttynose put a spin on the traditional Weizen by adding chamomile for a slightly floral flavor. It’s made with German yeast and is available through August.


Smuttynose


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Brewed by: Berkshire Brewing Co.


Location: South Deerfield


Alcohol by volume: 5.5 percent


Berkshire Brewing uses authentic Pilsner floor malt from the Cech Republic for this brew, according to its website. It’s light, dry, and crisp, with a generous share of Saaz hops for a richer aroma. How’s that for a Bohemian rhapsody? The Czech Pilsner will be available in July and August on draft and in 22-ounce bottles.


Berkshire Brewing Company


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Brewed by: Harpoon


Location: Boston


Alcohol by volume: 4.8 percent


Harpoon’s Honey Cider is made with pressed apples, yeast, and wildflower honey. Sean Cornelius, head brewer, described it as light, tart, and sweet. It’s also gluten-free, making it a great summer drink for those who can’t usually sip a beer. “We seem to be hearing a lot more people asking for it,” Cornelius said.


Harpoon


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Ice pops gone tipsy


Katie Barszcz for Boston.com


We asked some of Boston’s bartenders, cocktail connoisseurs, and foodies to send us recipes for ice pops for grown-ups — because al fresco beverage consumption shouldn’t be the only leisurely way to keep cool this summer.


Please note: All of these recipes call for a trusty ice pop mold. If you don’t already have one on hand, here are a few do-it-yourself options for makeshift molds that we dug up with a simple search: mini baking tins, vacuum seal bags, plastic cylindrical containers with their lids, ice cube trays with tooth picks (if you’re really desperate), and, of course, Dixie cups.







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Boston Real Estate Now


Are home prices finally cooling off after a double-digit tear? Or are they just taking a breather before heading up again?


That's one of the big questions right now in the housing market, both locally here in Massachusetts and Greater Boston and nationally as well.


Home sales across Massachusetts are back to boom-time levels, with the July the best showing since 2006, The Warren Group reports this morning.


Nearly 6,000 homes changed hands across the state in July. That's the most hectic month for sales since June 2006, the Boston-based real estate data firm and publisher reports.


However, Bay State home prices, after rising 12 percent through the first six months of the year, took a break in July.




The median home price in July was $349,000, down slightly from $350,000 in June. Hardly a big drop, but worth taking notice of.


The national numbers show a similar trend, with prices rising but at a slower rate, according to the latest Case-Shiller numbers.


Maybe we have plateaued, but we have done so at a high level. After all, at this point, you need to be pulling down well over $100,000 a year to afford the median prices home in Massachusetts, and even more than that if you are trying to buy within 128.


My bet is that home prices are just pausing before heading relentlessly upward again, but who knows, I may be wrong. Imagine that!


So what's your take?



Smoke in tunnel disrupts Red Line service



Buses will replace Red Line train service between JFK/UMass MBTA station and Park Street station through the end of Saturday service, due to smoke in a tunnel near the Broadway station, MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo said.


Work crews are working to repair several damaged electrical cables, Pesaturo said. Firefighters responded to reports of a fire around 10:30 p.m. and entered the tunnel after power to the tracks was cut a short time later, Boston Fire Department spokesman Steve MacDonald said.


Todd Feathers can be reached at todd.feathers@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @ToddFeathers.

Greenway Carousel grand opening


The Greenway Carousel celebrated it’s grand opening at the Rose F. Kennedy Greenway this Saturday afternoon. Tons of children, adults, and grandparents gathered around to ride the one of a kind carousel for the first time. The carousel took three years to build and was largely funded by donor Amalie Kass and the Tiffany & Co. Foundation.



The Greenway Carousel celebrated it’s grand opening at the Rose F. Kennedy Greenway this Saturday afternoon. Tons of children, adults, and grandparents gathered around to ride the one of a kind carousel for the first time. The carousel took three years to build and was largely funded by donor Amalie Kass and the Tiffany & Co. Foundation.


Samantha Laine


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Children held on as the carousel began to rotate.


Samantha Laine


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Teya Mahanama (left), 2, and her father Thusith, smiled as they waited for the carousel to start. “We would walk by every day and [Teya] would always ask, ‘Where’s the carousel?’” Mahanama said.


Samantha Laine


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Emily Kelley (left) celebrated her 9th birthday with friend Tierney Milliken by riding the carousel. The girls rode multiple times.


Samantha Laine


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The carousel animals were designed and sculpted by artist Jeff Briggs. One of the main themes was to capture Massachusetts animals of land, air, and sea.


Samantha Laine


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The carousel was made with an interactive light and sound system, allowing the lights to flash to the rhythm of any song.


Samantha Laine


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Twins Jordan (left) and Harrison Dennett from Worcester waited for the carousel to start.


Samantha Laine


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The grand opening corresponded with artist Jeff Briggs’s birthday, so everyone celebrated with birthday cake.


Samantha Laine


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The carousel is located between the Armenian Heritage Park to the north and the Boston Harbor Islands Pavilion to the south, near Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park.


Samantha Laine


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Children laughed and giggled as the carousel rotated and the music played.


Samantha Laine


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Artist Jeff Briggs said the falcon was his favorite animal on the carousel. “It pushes the parameters of the carousel,” Briggs said.


Samantha Laine


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These girls laughed as the carousel whirled around.


Samantha Laine


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People of all ages enjoyed the carousel rides.


Samantha Laine


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Amalia, 4, grinned as she waited for the carousel to start.


Samantha Laine


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Children held on tight as the carousel spun.


Samantha Laine


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The carousel contains fourteen unique characters including a sea turtle, a cod, a peregrine falcon, a grasshopper, a harbor seal, a fox, a skunk, a whale, three types of butterflies, a barn owl, and a sea serpent.


Samantha Laine


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Live Blog - Syria updates

Reader question: "If the UN cannot come to complete agreement on what to do, will that mean that Syria will have gotten away with using chemical weapons?"

Response: I don't want to say whether or there should be airstrikes on Syria. But as a reporter familiar with the different views on this topic I can say this -- Certainly some Western officials have been saying exactly that, that there must be accountability for last week's chemical weapons attack, that if there's no military action it will be sending a message to Syria that it's ok to use chemical weapons . Russia (like Syria's government) has been arguing that some Western nations are just looking for a pretext for military intervention in Syria and the alleged poison gas attack -- which they blame the rebels for -- is exactly that. So it all depends on which side of this issue you place yourself.


There are many issues on which the UN Security Council have been unable to agree. They're almost inevitably issues on which one of the five veto powers has a strong position. If one of the so-called P5 has a stake in an issue and starts waving around its veto, deadlock is inevitable. That's the way the UN works (or doesn't work). And it's important to point out that the Security Council was designed to be dysfunctional in that way because the Big Powers -- the victors of WWII -- wanted their vetoes...



Going Deep - Analyzing the Patriots' 53-man roster



The Patriots have made enough reductions to trim their roster from 75 to 53 players. While there are certainly a few more moves to come in the next few days, we now have a very good idea of what the roster will look like for Week 1 of the 2013 season.


First, here is a list of the reported and announced cut during the transition from 75 to 53 players:



  • Daniel Fells, TE

  • Jake Ballard, TE

  • Stephon Morris, CB

  • Marcus Benard, DE

  • Ben Bartholomew, FB

  • Gilbert Pena, DT

  • Matt Stankiewitch, OL

  • Scott Vallone, DT

  • Mike Rivera, LB

  • Johnathan Haggerty, WR

  • Luke Patterson, OL

  • Marcus Forston, DT

  • Jermaine Cunningham, DE

  • Tim Tebow, QB

  • George Winn, RB

  • Quentin Sims, WR

  • Zoltan Mesko, P

  • Justin Francis, DE

  • Ja'Gared Davis, LB

  • Kanorris Davis, CB

  • Josh Kline, OL

  • Justin Green, CB


Now, here's a look at the depth chart as it currently stands (blue indicates rookies, red indicates 2013 free-agent signings, green indicates trade acquisitions):


PATRIOTS 3.png


Some thoughts on the make-up of the Patriots roster:



  • Five undrafted rookies made the final cut: tight end Zach Sudfeld, wide receiver Kenbrell Thompkins, offensive linemen Chris McDonald, defensive tackle Joe Vellano and punter Ryan Allen. Sudfeld and Thompkins are being penciled in for significant contributions to the team.

  • The Patriots lack of depth at defensive tackle has been a big story line this preseason, and the Patriots currently stand with just three interior defensive linemen. Marcus Forston figured to be a top backup, but that role goes to Joe Vellano instead. It wouldn't be a shock for the Patriots to make a move at defensive tackle sometime in the next few days.

  • If that's the case, Adrian Wilson may be the odd man out. He has been spotted limping around the locker room for a few days now, and could be dealing with some kind of injury. If he's not shelved, he could be released.

  • Seven linebackers feels a bit heavy, but both Jeff Tarpinian and Steve Beauharnais will be used primarily for special teams purposes. Safety Nate Ebner and wide receiver Matthew Slater both figure to make a majority of their contributions on special teams, as well.

  • James Develin is a surprise name on the roster, if only because the Patriots have not opened the season with a fullback on their Week 1 roster since Heath Evans in 2008. It will be interesting to see if he sticks, and how they use him.

  • The biggest move, of course, is the release of Zoltan Mesko in favor of undrafted rookie Ryan Allen. The two punters were thought to be in a very close competition in terms of their on-field ability, and there is also a financial benefit of keeping Allen over Mesko — the team is spending $405,000 on Allen, as opposed to $1.323 million on Mesko. The three-year veteran Mesko has become a folk legend in New England for his community contributions, and was one of the best at landing punts inside the opponent's 20-yard line (third in the NFL in percentage of punts landing inside the 20 in 2012), but Allen is a back-to-back winner of the Ray Guy award as the best college punter in the nation. While Allen is slightly behind Mesko in talent right now, Allen has more potential.





2013 Boston Tattoo Convention


Tattoo enthusiasts from around the country attended the 12th annual Boston Tattoo Convention at the Sheraton Hotel in the Back Bay on Saturday Aug. 31. The Labor Day weekend event, which runs until Sept. 2, features live entertainment, tattoo contests as well as new colors and designs from artists and vendors. --Matt Juul/Boston.com correspondent



Tattoo enthusiasts from around the country attended the 12th annual Boston Tattoo Convention at the Sheraton Hotel in the Back Bay on Saturday Aug. 31. The Labor Day weekend event, which runs until Sept. 2, features live entertainment, tattoo contests as well as new colors and designs from artists and vendors. --Matt Juul/Boston.com correspondent


Matt Juul/Boston.com


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Chrissy Clouthier, a shop assistant at Arrows & Embers Tattoo in Concord, N.H., said that she knew she wanted to have tattoos ever since she was 15 and received her first one as soon as she turned 18.


Matt Juul/Boston.com


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Clouthier’s arm tattoo of a ship is inspired by her brother who’s in the Navy. Many of her tattoos are inspired by family members who have served in the military.


Matt Juul/Boston.com


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A myriad of different tattoo colors were on display.


Matt Juul/Boston.com


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From left: Tattoo artists Nick the Barbarian of Precision Body Arts from Nashua N.H. and Dietsch of Always & Forever Tattoo Studio from Watertown showed off their ink. Dietsch said that the image of the tattooed outlaw inspired him to get into the body art culture and that he loves his job because he “gets paid to draw.”


Matt Juul/Boston.com


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This statue of Yoda from “Star Wars” sported the same head tattoo as artist Nick the Barbarian.


Matt Juul/Boston.com


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A design of a female character created by Nick the Barbarian.


Matt Juul/Boston.com


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Lake, a model hailing from Morgantown, N.C., showed off her ink for Always & Forever Tattoo Studio in Watertown.


Matt Juul/Boston.com


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Lake, who also goes by “Lake-ness Monster,” said she was a big fan of Disney’s “Alice in Wonderland” so she decided to get tattoos of the cartoon’s characters.


Matt Juul/Boston.com


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A close-up on Lake’s arm tattoo of The Caterpillar from “Alice in Wonderland.”


Matt Juul/Boston.com


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Air Force veteran and tattoo enthusiast Eric Daigle of Providence showed off his tattoo of a Japanese hannya mask. Daigle, who was also getting some ink done at the convention, said that his brother got him interested in tattoos.


Matt Juul/Boston.com


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Various needles on sale by Needle Jig.


Matt Juul/Boston.com


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A convention goer got a tattoo on his leg.


Matt Juul/Boston.com


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From left: Convention goers Brenda Martin-Tousignant and Mark Tousignant of Westfield. Mark is a tattoo artist at Exodus Tattoo and Pierce in East Windsor, Conn.


Matt Juul/Boston.com


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A close-up on Mark’s hand tattoos.


Matt Juul/Boston.com


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Clothing vendor Ricardo Zulueta of Tom’s River, N.J. Zulueta, who lost a brother to suicide, said that he hopes to use his brand to inspire people to “live life to the fullest” as well as bring attention to the issues that surround suicide.


Matt Juul/Boston.com


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A close-up of Zulueta’s tattoo.


Matt Juul/Boston.com


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Body piercer Saylor of New York City showed off his various piercings.


Matt Juul/Boston.com


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Saylor said that he likes humorous tattoos, like this tattoo of a bear on a unicycle done by Philadelphia-based artist Tim Pangburn.


Matt Juul/Boston.com


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Images of “Frankenstein” inspired tattoos by Lee O’Gorman Designs of Holdfast Tattoo from Dover, N.H.


Matt Juul/Boston.com


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A tattoo enthusiast got ink done at the Jesse Levitt and Steven Bahruth Needleworks booth.


Matt Juul/Boston.com


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The convention also had paintings and other pieces of art on sale.


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A close-up of a painting from Jenny James Tattoos & Artwork.


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