Beer in Massachusetts

A recent release by Massvacation, Massachusetts’ Local Goods Inspire Fresh Journeys, provided the inspiration for this post. In it, among other things, they promote five microbreweries/brew pubs. This planted the seed of an idea. We had done a couple of very popular posts in the past about New England microbreweries (see Great New England Brews and More Great New England Beer and Ale).

So we decided to do Massvacation one better. Following you will find a listing of all the breweries, brew pubs, and major beer fests in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (at least all of them we could find).

Massachusetts Breweries

From big to small, there are breweries all over the state making an enormous variety of beer and ale. Most of these provide tours but you should check their website or call for tour specifics.

• Backlash Beer Company, based in Boston, brewed in Holyoke
• Berkshire Brewing Company, South Deerfield, MA
• Blatant Brewery, Bondsville, MA
• Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams) – Boston, MA – Offer what is considered to be one of the best brewery tours in the United States
• Blue Hills Brewery, Canton, MA
• Cape Ann Brewing Co., Gloucester, MA – Tours and a pub with harbor views
• Cape Cod Beer, Hyannis, MA
• Cisco Brewers, Nantucket, MA
• Clown Shoes, Lexington, MA
• Cody Brewing Company, Amesbury, MA
• Element Brewing Company, Millers Falls, MA
• Frosty Knuckle Ale, Ipswich, MA
• Harpoon Brewery, Boston, MA – Also offer what is considered to be one of the best brewery tours in the United States
• Haverhill Brewery, Haverhill, MA
• High & Mighty Beer Company, Belchertown, MA
• Idle Hands Craft Ales, Everett, MA
• Ipswich Ale Brewery, Ipswich, MA
• Jack’s Abby, Framingham, MA
• Just Beer, Westport, MA
• Lefty’s Brewing Company, Greenfield, MA
• Mayflower Brewing Company, Plymouth, MA
• Mystic Brewery, Chelsea, MA
• Nashoba Valley Winery and Brewery, Bolton, MA
• Notch Brewing Company, Ipswich, MA
• Opa Opa Brewing Company, Southampton, MA
• Paper City Brewery Company, Holyoke, MA
• Pioneer Brewing Company, Fiskdale, MA
• Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project, Somerville, MA
• Rapscallion, Bedford, MA
• Sherwood Forest Brewers, Marlborough, MA
• Somerville Brewing Company, Somerville, MA
• Trillium Brewing Company, Boston, MA
• Wachusett Brewing Company, Westminster, MA
• Wandering Star Craft Brewery, Pittsfield, MA
• Wormtown Brewery, Worcester, MA

Massachusetts Beer Festivals

Wine does not have a lock on festivals. Here are some of the major upcoming beer festivals in Massachusetts:

• American Craft Beer Fest (ACBF): June 1 and 2, 2012 at the Seaport World Trade Center in Boston, MA
• Brew Fest: 9/22/2012 at the Amesbury Sports Park in Amesbury, MA
• RRI Wine, Beer & Food Festival: 3/29/2012 at the Oliver Wight Tavern at Old Sturbridge Village in Sturbridge, MA

Massachusetts Brew Pubs

Rounding out the picture of great beer in Massachusetts are the state’s many great brew pubs:

• Amherst Brewing Company, Amherst, MA
• Barrington Brewery and Restaurant, Great Barrington, MA
• Boston Beer Works, 2 locations in Boston, MA, and at Logan Airport
• Cambridge Brewing Co., Cambridge, MA
• Gardner Ale House, Gardner, MA
• Hingham Beer Works, Hingham, MA
• John Harvard’s Brew House, Cambridge, MA
• John Harvard’s Brew House, Framingham, MA
• Lowell Beer Works, Lowell, MA
• Northampton Brewery, Northampton, MA
• Off Shore Ale Co., Oak Bluffs, MA
• The People’s Pint, Greenfield, MA
• Rock Bottom Brewery and Restaurant, Boston, MA
• Salem Beer Works, Salem, MA
• The Tap Brewpub, Haverhill, MA
• Watch City Brewing, Waltham, MA