The Boynton, Highland Street. A well placed bar thats large enough for a more boisterous nighttime crowd but still comfortable to stave off a sullen afternoon with drink. The Boynton has an updated feel with a nice row of taps and a large bottled selection. Look for the Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA, perfectly balanced yet aggresively alcoholic, not a bad buy at $6. But buyers beware - the plastic coated beer menu contains no prices, and your beer goggles might cost you. Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA is a rare find in local pubs, and for twenty-five bucks a bottle its no wonder. I would have liked to see more of a German representation in the Lager department, but the focus is pretty heavy on local ales. The Boynton has their own beer on tap made by Harpoon, and a number of Harpoon offerings to sample, another strong point. The atmosphere varies from an after-work crowd to shitfaced college kids; its at its best somewhere in between. The Boynton has a great menu for bar snacks and pizza, a key to it's longevity. Late night pizza shop out front caters to the finest of Worcester's drunks.

The Dive Bar, Green Street. The Dive Bar used to be this shithole bar where everyone else would go when the bar they were at closed for the night. Getting a beer at last call meant wedging through rows of drunken dickheads who seemed mostly interested in throwing shoulders and trying to pick up one of the withered bar skanks offering up their affections. Times have changed, and The Dive Bar resurfaced as one of Worcester's best places to find good beer. I sort of remember ordering an Opa Opa and possibly a Sherwood Forest there, and then a couple others, but who the fuck knows. The bar wasn't overly crowded or intoxicated and was nothing like I remembered, which was ironic because I was way more fucked up than I used to be when I used to go there in the old days. This time around they weren't so impressed with my act.