For those who’re a beer fan, you’re properly conscious of the states seemingly saturated with award-winning breweries. We’re speaking about locations like Maine, Oregon, California, Vermont, and Colorado. And whereas all of these states are loaded with excellent breweries cranking out massively-hopped IPAs, crisp lagers, and daring, wealthy barrel-aged stouts (amongst different beer types), at this time we flip our consideration to a state with round 200 breweries (and rising!).
We’re speaking about Massachusetts.
Whereas the state is well-known for large names like Samuel Adams, Harpoon, and Jack’s Abby, numerous breweries are ready to be found this winter everywhere in the Bay State from Pittsfield to Provincetown. Positive, you would possibly must test the climate to verify a nor’easter isn’t going to pummel the state with snow earlier than planning a visit however winter is a superb time to journey round Massachusetts and partake in its many award-winning breweries.
Want just a little assist determining the place to drink in Mass? We did the world for you. Hold scrolling to see eight of our favourite, can’t-miss breweries.
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Based by brothers Mike and Steve Gabardi, Hopothecary Ales Brewery and Kitchen in North Studying, Massachusetts started when the duo traveled to beer locations like Vermont and California to pattern iconic brews. As a substitute of ready in line for can releases, they determined to only brew their beer. The Duo grew to become a trio after they added future brewmaster Kevin McComiskey into the combination.
The brewery opened in 2019 with a pair of IPAs and a pale ale. Now, not solely do they brew myriad memorable beers, however they’ve a lounge bar, taproom, full-service restaurant, and even a beer backyard (for the hotter months).
What to drink:
Whereas they make much more than three beers now, you’d higher strive certainly one of Hopothecary’s unique beers if you go to. We advise Elixir, an imperial New England-style IPA brewed with CTZ, Eureka, and Citra hops.
Whereas there are numerous award-winning, noteworthy breweries in Massachusetts, there are a couple of that stand above the gang. A kind of is Boston’s Trillium Brewing Firm. The brewery operates six totally different services within the state in addition to close by Connecticut. We advise visiting the Canton location as a result of that’s the place the manufacturing brewery restaurant, and taproom are positioned (there’s additionally a pilot brewery and restaurant in Boston for those who’re within the metropolis).
A menu of salads, hen wings, burgers, sandwiches, and even wood-fired pizza may be simply paired with a wide range of beers on faucet.
What to drink:
For those who’re visiting this winter, it’s a good suggestion to get a flight to strive as many of those excellent brews as attainable. However, since it should seemingly be frigid exterior, heat up with a Evening and Day imperial espresso stout. This 11.5% ABV banger is full of chocolate, espresso, and roasted barley taste.
Since 2014, the brewers at Fort Hill have strived to craft lagers and IPAs whereas paying tribute to their European ancestors through the use of conventional German brewing strategies. By the German Beer Purity Regulation, they particularly selected Easthampton as the location of the brewery due to the top quality of the water. Go to the on-site taproom and luxuriate in a pint of one of many rotating beers. They’ve round twenty faucets. Whereas they don’t serve meals, you’ll be able to order in, convey your personal, or there may be normally a meals truck or two on-site.
What to drink:
We imagine that there’s no improper time of yr to take pleasure in a wheat beer. That’s why, if we go to Fort Hill, we’d drink their Vice Bier. It’s a sessionable, 4.7% ABV hefeweizen made with a grain invoice of fifty% wheat malt and 50% malted barley. This offers it a ton of old-world banana, clove, and yeasty flavors.
Named for the creation of the Quabbin Reservoir and the 4 cities that had been disincorporated to create it, Vanished Valley Brewing is a small-batch brewery fashioned to brew craft of the best high quality in Western Massachusetts. It opened in 2016 and remains to be going robust so it seems the plan labored. There’s a full-service restaurant serving up ribs, pulled pork, and different barbecue favorites in addition to soups, salads, sandwiches, burgers, and pizza. There are eighteen beers on faucet so there’s one thing for each palate.
What to drink:
Whereas there are numerous types on faucet, together with bitter ales, pilsners, and even Saisons, we propose making an attempt its Watershed IPA. This 6.7% ABV IPA is dry-hopped to perfection and is loaded with tropical fruit, grapefruit, and tangerine flavors.
We aren’t positive what precisely a Vitamin Sea is. We think about currents carrying varied dietary dietary supplements as they smash towards rocky shores. It’s in all probability only a humorous play on phrases. Regardless, Vitamin Sea Brewing is a notable, fashionable brewery in Weymouth, Massachusetts. Its taproom is canine and kid-friendly and has a faucet rotation of twelve excellent beers. Whereas Vitamin Sea doesn’t serve meals, they do have a rotation of meals vans so that you’re positive to seek out one thing tasty to eat together with your sudsy brews.
What to drink:
Secret Trip isn’t solely an important identify for a beer, however this 6% ABV New England-style IPA is juicy, hazy, and loaded with tropical fruit and citrus flavors because of the liberal use of Citra and Michigan Copper hops.
Like many breweries, Evening Shift started when a couple of associates began homebrewing in Somerville, Massachusetts in 2007. They known as themselves the “night time shift” due to the lengthy hours they spent crafting distinctive and totally different beers than these they noticed at shops. Flash ahead to 2012 and the brewery was formally born. Within the years since, the brewery has obtained numerous acclaim. It’s additionally one other fashionable brewery that has myriad places.
For those who’re solely going to go to one, make the Everett location with its taproom that includes wine, cocktails, and thirty totally different beers on faucet.
What to drink:
There are lots of beers to select from on the Everett location, however we expect that because you’re in New England, you need to strive the brewery’s flagship NE IPA known as Whirlpool. It’s hazy, tremendously juicy, and full of peach, tangerine, and mango flavors at a crushable 4.5% ABV.
Exhibit ‘A’ Brewing was opened in 2016 and co-founded by Matthew Steinberg, a brewmaster who has labored within the trade for many years at locations like Harpoon, Offshore Brewing, and Excessive Horse Brewing. Its Framingham taproom is the place to go for tasty pints and cans to go. The brewery has fourteen beers on faucet in addition to a couple of “Brewer’s Particular Choices” that are taproom-exclusive beers.
What to drink:
Whereas a go to to Exhibit ‘A’ means it’s a must to strive The Cats Meow, a juicy, hazy New England-style IPA. We predict the true can’t-miss beer is Goody Two Footwear. This year-round German-style Kolsch is crisp, refreshing, and full of lemon, honey, and cracker malt flavors.
In relation to Massachusetts breweries, there are none extra well-known than Tree Home Brewing. Brewers of among the highest-rated beers on the earth (together with Julius and its many offshoots), Tree Home has varied places, however Charlton is its coronary heart. This sprawling campus is house to a brewery and two faucet rooms serving up the biggest choice of Tree Home beers than any of the opposite places.
What to drink:
Whereas we imagine you need to pattern as many beers as you’ll be able to (and take some house to take pleasure in later), no journey to Tree Home is full with out a pint (or two) of its flagship New England-style IPA Julius. This iconic brew is hazy, sublimely juicy, and full of peach, passionfruit, and ripe mango flavors.
