Harpoon Brewery Tour

Living in South Boston has many advantages.  There’s the beaches, the close proximity to Downtown Boston and the waterfront, among others.  All of that is great, but I have to say the hands-down best thing about living in South Boston is Harpoon Brewery.

Many Bostonians are familiar with the various Harpoon Festivals throughout the year, such as the October and Harpoon St. Patrick’s day Festivals, but few are aware of what else goes on at 306 Northern Avenue in South Boston.  Here, Harpoon hosts many exclusive “friends of Harpoon” tasting events, beer dinners and brewery tours.

The Harpoon Brewery Tour is hands-down the best brewery tour that I have ever been on.  Period.  Sorry Sam Adams, Shipyard and Redhook, Harpoon has outdone you all.

What makes the Harpoon Brewery Tour so great?  No, it’s not the 25-minute open bar at the end of the tour (that helps), but it’s the overall package.  The tour starts out like any other, with every other tour guide yelling his tired and rehearsed jokes loud enough so all of the eager out-of-towners in the group can hear. He shows you the goods, all of the storage containers and then talks about hops, malts, barley, WORT and blah, blah, blah.

What makes this tour so special is that the tour guides (two of them switch off) actually like what they are doing.  All too often brewery tours are hosted by no-personality robots who act as if they are performing a chore rather than a hobby. At Harpoon, the guides are enthusiastic enough without being annoying or fake, productive enough to ensure that the tour lasts 20-25 min (before tasting) and doesn’t bore the regulars and most importantly, they are unpretentious and real enough where you don’t feel “stupid” when asking a question about unfiltering, UFO beers and so on.

Speaking of unfiltered beers, another one of the highlights of the Harpoon Brewery Tour has to do with an unfiltered beer that is not part of Harpoon’s UFO line – the IPA.  Yes, Harpoon’s flagship beer, the Harpoon IPA is sampled during the tour as a “green” beer.  No, this isn’t their attempt at a Peak Organic IPA, this is Harpoon IPA before filtering, straight from the source in it’s fermentation stage.

 

This was definitely one of the highlights of the tour, but not the last. A walk through the brewery past cases upon cases of Harpoon, ready to be distributed led into a explanation of the Brewery’s history, and being granted the brewers license #001 in Massachusetts, and battling neck and neck with Magic Hat as New England’s #1 and #2 brewer (Sam Adams doesn’t brew in Boston). Great stories overall, which actually kept you entertained the whole time through.

This leads us to the end of the tour, about 20-25 minutes, as promised, after the tour began.  As you can imagine, the ending has us in a tasting room. The Harpoon Brewery tasting room is actually a small bar in the middle of it’s gift shop.  With two bartenders behind the bar and a brief introduction of all the beer on tap (about 6 including 100 barrel series and Leviathan), our 2 ounce glasses are continuously attended to.

After the tasting is over (about 20 minutes long), you have a great understanding of Harpoon’s beers and a great glow to go along with it.  This is great marketing on Harpoon’s part, as you are then released into the gift shop feeling as happy as ever.

If you do end up spending money after the Harpoon Brewery Tour, be sure to splurge on a growler and a growler koozie to go along with it.  Simply brilliant, and perfect for a afternoon trek back to Southie.

Harpoon Brewery Tour Information:

Saturday – 11:30-5pm (every half-hour)

Sunday – 12-3pm (on the hour)

For more information visit harpoonbrewery.com

 

 

Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project

Wachusett Brewing Company

High & Mighty Beer Company

Honest Town Brewery

Honest Town Brewery is located in Southbridge, Massachusetts. It was founded in 2005 and takes its name from one of the proposed names for Southbridge. Honest Town Brewery brews three year round beers and many specialty brews, which are available seasonally. Its brewer s Michael Labbe, who can be reached via e-mail at brewer@12crane.com. Labbe is also the American Beer coordinator for the Great British Beer Festival in London England and the head cellar man for the New England Real Ale eXhibition, and cellar man for the British Beer Company’s pubs.

Honest Town Brewery’s year round beers include Padraig’s Irish Red, a dark ale with a unique red color and a crisp finish from malted barley; S.O.B or Southbridge Ordinary Bitter, the brewery’s lightest offering which provides easy drinking and a light malt aroma and crisp hop finish; and Blueberry, a light, refreshing ale with a taste of blueberry. Seasonally, Honest Town Brewery offers an American Pale Ale, Hefe Weizen, Antul’s 80 Shilling, Imperial Sturbridge Coffee Roasters Stouth, Honest Town Uberraschen Hefeweizen, Honest Town IPA, and Carpall Dorche Stout. Its present seasonal offering is the Capall Dorche Stout, which is black and velvety smooth with a rich, creamy feel. It contains mild roasted flavors and a cocoa and milk chocolate finish. It contains Nugget and East Kent Goldings hops.

Honest Town Brewery is a part of the 12 Crane complex, located at 12 Crane Street, Southbridge, Masachusetts. Its phone number is 508-764-1100. There, one can enjoy Honest Town Brewery offerings at the Dark Horse Tavern.

Visit http://www.12crane.com/honesttown/index.php to learn more.

Opa Opa Brewing Company

The Opa Opa Brewing Co. was founded in Southhampton Massachusetts by Dan Kramer, Dennis Bates (Brewmaster), and Tony Rizos. Following the success of their Southampton brewery they opened a second one in Williamsburg, Maine. They are located on Route 10 (169 College Highway) in Southampton, MA.

Some of the beers brewed by Opa Opa include Opa Opa Light, which is a crisp malt with a low-calorie pilsner style lager; Kix Brew, which is a light bodied ale with low bitterness and a smooth finish, and Opa American Wheat, which was a Silver Medal Winner at the Great American Beer Festival in 2006. Other beers of Opa Opa Brewing Company that have won awards include the Honesty 57 Pale Ale, which won the Silver Medal at the 2007 Great International Beer Festival; and the Opa Opa Red Rock Amber, which won the Gold Medal at the Great International Beer Festival in 2005 and 2007. Opa Opa also creates many seasonal brews such as the popular Opa Blueberry Lager.

The success of Opa Opa has spread around the country. Many restaurants and bars on the east coast have began to sell their brews including Massachusetts, Florida, and Connecticut.  They have also been featured in various local publications such as Business West and The Republican, as well as on CBS 3 Springfield.

The Opa Opa Brewing Company is located at: 162 College Highway Southampton, MA 01073.  They give weekly brewery tours, and can be contacted at 413-527-8282.

For more information, visit http://www.opaopabrewing.com.

Sherwood Forest Brewers

Sherwood Forest Brewers was started in 1997 by Dave Lambert, a home brewer with high ambition.  Like many local brewers, Dave would not be satisfied until his hobby turned into his job.   Blessed by the location of the famous Sherwood Forest, Dave’s hobby soon became a reality by successful marketing, friends, and beer.

Sherwood Forest’s beers are all named appropriately – Archer’s English-Style Pale Ale (Robin Hood Themed), Sheriff’s India Pale Ale, Maiden’s Blueberry Ale, and Friar’s Belgian Style Wheat Ale.

Sherwood Forest Brewers, Marlborough, MA

For more information, visit http://www.sherwoodbrewers.com/

Haverhill Brewery – The Tap Brewpub

Haverhill Brewery/The Tap Brewpub was founded in 2003 in the old shoe mill area of Haverhill Massachussettes. Paying homage to its roots, the Tap uses old wooden shoes as it’s tap heads, and uses names such as Leatherlips IPA and HaverAle.

Haverhill Brewery, The Tap Brewpub, Haverhill MA

Here are a few of the limited releases from the Haverhill Brewery website (www.haverhillbrewery.com):

Rock Bottom Brewery Boston

Similar to the Boston Beer Works in concept, The Rock Bottom Brewery, contrary to Bostonian belief is a national brewpub chain. The Rock Bottom Brewery & Restaurant Company, is based out of Colorado, and operates 35 locations nationwide.

The Rock Bottom Brewery in Boston, offers several fresh, handcrafted beers ranging from IPAs to Lagers. Although you won’t find the variety that you will at CBC and Beer Works, Rock Bottom at 115 Stuart Street in Boston is worth the visit.

Rock Bottom Brewery, 115 Stuart Street, Boston MA

Other Notes: Rock Bottom Wins Top Honors at 2008 GABF
Rock Bottom Restaurant and Brewery is named the “Large Brewpub and Large Brewpub Brewer of the Year” at the 2008 Great American Beer festival!

Tapping: Cranberry Wheat
August 2009

Tapping: Rocktoberfest
September 2009

Tapping: Pumpkin Ale
October 2009

Tapping: Liquid Happiness
November 2009

Berkshire Brewing Company

Berkshire Brewing Company, of South Deerfield Massachusetts, was established in 1994 by Christopher Lalli and Gary Bogoff, with the intent of brewing fine, regional, craft beers.

The beers of Berkshire Brewing Company are completely un-filtered, with no chemicals added. Currently, Berkshire Brewing Company produces 9 year-round beers, with a number of seasonals. Tours are available at the brewery.

Berkshire Brewing Company, Deerfield, MA

Berkshire Brewing Company’s Beers
(from BerkshireBrewingCompany.com)

Floor Malt Pils (limited time only) – This Pilsner is a true lager brewed with authentic Czech Republic two row floor malt. It is light in color, dry & crisp and hopped with Czech Sazz to impart a subtle bitterness in the finish.

Steal Rail Extra Pale Ale – A light colored, medium bodied, full flavored American style Ale. Steel Rail E.P.A. is our flagship product that has a full malt flavor and is balanced with a pronounced hop flavor and bitterness. Available on draft, 64oz. growlers and 22oz. bottles (Ale for Two). 5.3%

Traditional Pale Ale – A Traditional Pale Ale with a deep copper color, a caramel/malt flavor and a very rich hop aroma and flavor. Available on draft, 64oz. growlers and 22oz. bottles (Ale for two). 6.3%

Drayman’s Porter – A full bodied dark Ale with pleasant chocolate/roasted malt flavor with a slight malty sweetness that is balanced with a delicate hop bitterness, flavor and aroma. A smooth and memorable taste experience. 6.2%

Lost Sailor India Pale Ale – A medium bodied India Pale Ale, dry hopped to provide a very pleasing flora, citrus aroma. Well balanced between malty sweetness and hop bitterness. A very thirst quenching IPA. 5.5%

Shabadoo Black and Tan Ale – A full bodied dark ale which is a blend of our Berkshire Ale and Drayman’s Porter. It combines the caramel malt flavor of the pale ale with the chocolate roasted taste of the porter. Shabadoo is a complete and delicious ale. 6.3%. 10% of the proceeds go to the Western Mass Food Bank in honor of Joe, the creator and good friend.

Imperial Stout – A dark rich creamy ale. This is our version of this classic stout style. With its dense black color and velvety texture, our stout’s flavor hints of chocolate liquorice and coffee. This ale is truly a meal in a glass. 8.5%

River Ale – A medium bodied dark ale which contains a portion of wheat malt. River Ale has a slightly sweet malty, nutty flavor and is delicately hopped to provide a unique and pleasing taste. 7.0%.

Coffee House Porter – This dark ale combines the taste of real organic coffee with out popular Drayman’s Porter. The robust coffee flavor comes via a special coffee extract made  exclusively by Dean’s Beans, New Salem Ma. 6.2%

For a full list of beers and more information, visit BerkshireBrewingCompany.com

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