Breweries in New England!

[drives_a_bike]

I'm going to my buddy's wedding this summer in the Berkshires, Western Massachusetts. We're flying into Boston and the driving to some little village, where we rented a cottage.

I just started my research, but I wonder if anyone has any insight on cool little breweries or great places to get great beer out there, that I might not be able to get my hands on in the Midwest.

Thanks people!

 

[nukebrewer]

If you have time to make the drive, go to Burlington, VT and visit The Alchemist where Heady Topper is brewed. There's also Berkshire Brewing in Deerfield, MA but they only do tours/tastings on Saturdays. Go a little ways south into CT and there's Thomas Hooker and Old Burnside Brewing. Even further to the south and east in Willimantic, CT is a brew pub called Willimantic Brewing Co (aka Willy Brew). In the very south east corner of CT is Cottrell Brewing, but their beer is nothing special. Clown Shoes is near Boston, but I don't remember exactly which town it is. A brewery whose beer I just started drinking is Wachusett Brewing and they've got some pretty solid beer. That's all I've got off the top of my head, but that should get you started.

 

[Gavagai]

If you're heading up to Vermont, The Alchemist and Hill Farmstead are worth the drive. Stop at Fiddlehead as well, if you're up there. If you can't make it out to Hill Farmstead, you can probably find their beers (as well as some from Lawson's Finest Liquids) at Prohibition Pig (Waterbury), Farmhouse Tap and Grill (Burlington), and Three Penny Taproom (Montpelier).

As far as western MA goes, as well as Berkshire Brewing, there's Element Brewing and the brew pubs Northampton Brewery and the People's Pint (really good food). None can really compare to VT breweries, though.

 

[shoreman]

Berkshire brewing - awesome beers

Amherst brewing - brewpub

Moan and Dove - good place to get a bunch of beers

The people's pint makes good stuff

High and mighty as well

 

[SharonaZamboni]

You could also go to Northampton, MA. It sure is an interesting little city! The Northampton Brewery is there, but I really can't recall having any of their beers. Berkshire Brewing Company has good beers, and they are usually available at local stores.
Hope you enjoy your trip- it's a very pretty area.

 

[Pugnax88]

+1 for northampton brewery, they have some good stuff. The peoples pint in greenfield is also pretty good, food is excellent, same for amherst brewing co in amherst. A little further east in Gardner is the Gardner ale house, good beer and food.

If you get a chance, in Westminster on your way out to wherever you are staying, hit up Wachusett brewing co. They have some great brews, one of my favorites. I know I mostly just repeated what others have said, but I figured id toss them out there as a second opinion. Good luck

 

[libeerty]

Jacks Abby in Framingham, MA (25 mins outside city) makes incredible lagers. Cambridge Brewing Company is also very good, right next to Boston.

 

[Gavagai]

Also, if you're just looking for Massachusetts beer in stores, Pretty Things and Mystic make some great beers. Ipswich and Mayflower are pretty good as well, and Cambridge Brewing Company just started bottling.

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

Some stuff that may kinda be on your way or can be a fun road trip.

The Alchemist - Waterbury Vt - though all they have is Heady Topper, a 100 Rate Beer also same Town as the Ben and Jerry's factory.

Magic Hat - Burlington VT - Pretty cool place. They have basically an entire bar where you can try any of their beer.

Ommegang - Cooperstown NY - Quality Brewery, haven't been there since they expanded and added the Brewpub but I'm sure it's awesome.

Cooperstown Brewery - Cooperstown NY - A really cool small brewery with great guys who run it.

Wachusett Brewery - Westminster MA - Not a bad brewery at all.

That's about all I can think of right now that won't have you going too far out of the way (aka to northern New Hampshire, NYC, or NJ)

 

[jamieofthenorth]

Oh man, if you can swing up to Maine, you'll be in for a huge treat. We're well known for our abundance of microbreweries. You could visit Shipyard, Allagash, Gritty's, Oxbow, Maine Beer Co. to just name just a few. In addition to the beer, Maine is known for its incredible coastlines, mountains and forests. So glad I live here.

 

[Calichusetts]

Jacks Abbey is a must...maybe the best brewery in Mass right now. They have redefined the lager and will be along the way from Boston to Western Mass. Alchemist and Hill Farmstead are probably the next two on the list of amazing NE breweries. Mayflower is okay, some like it some don't. Their water profile really turns me off in most of their brews besides the IPA and Oatmeal Stout...and I'm from Plymouth! Pretty Things does amazing things but they are contract brewed so I don't know what a tour would be like. Good luck

 

[JoesInBoston]

Jacks Abbey is a must...maybe the best brewery in Mass right now. They have redefined the lager and will be along the way from Boston to Western Mass. Alchemist and Hill Farmstead are probably the next two on the list of amazing NE breweries. Mayflower is okay, some like it some don't. Their water profile really turns me off in most of their brews besides the IPA and Oatmeal Stout...and I'm from Plymouth! Pretty Things does amazing things but they are contract brewed so I don't know what a tour would be like. Good luck

I think the closest you can get to a tour of Pretty Things will be tracking down Martha and Dan Paquette to have a beer with them. They are awesome people and can talk beer with you from sundown til sunrise.

Harpoon is right in Boston, and they will be unveiling their Beer Hall soon!

 

[drives_a_bike]

WOW! Thanks people! It looks like Barrington brewery is only 10 miles from where we're staying and Berkshire Brewing Company is pretty close as well...oh and Amherst is on our way from Boston to where we're staying.

Thanks for all the suggestions! I have some more research to do. Im sending 6 bombers of my upcoming IIPA to the house before we leave for our trip to share at the wedding, so I'll have that box that I can load back up with some great NE craft beers I can't get in the Midwest.

 

[drives_a_bike]

Thanks again to everyone! We just got back from our trip. It was a really busy trip (I was in the wedding, and had lots of jobs), but I still got my hands on loads of beer. The first night I got a growler of Berkshires Lost Sailor IPA, Steel Rail Extra Pale Ale, and Coffeehouse Porter. Also, some DFH 90 Minute IPA (can't get it back home. In fact, it the first DFH I've ever had). The next night we drank Big Elm (Sheffield, MA) 413,it's their farmhouse...and their IPA, both very good! Also tried a Peak Organic IPA that night.
The night of the wedding we had a few kegs of the two Big Elm beers.

We drove back to Boston the next day and ate at Union Oyster House, and I tried Harpoon's IPA and their seasonal dark hefe.

Kudos Massachusetts! I drank a lot of really great beer last week

 

[Bostonbrewin63]

Treehouse brewing is a must!! Jack Abby's is a must! Opa opa milk stout is also good... (Not a huge fan of opa opa but milky stout is good) there are so many good ones! I would go to the local package store (Julio's or Austin liquors) an look around.