Local brew pubs + local brews
A note: These are expanded as we drink. And as you, noble and generous beer geeks, share your knowledge with us. Many thanks to Adam for additions.
Boston Beer Works, Boston
Pubs in Fenway + Canal St
Apparently this is where Boston's sports maniacs go to get sufficiently inebriated before, after or during games. That = scary to us, however locally brewed draft beer = good.
Cambridge Brewery, Cambridge
Pub in Kendall Sq
The lighting in here is quite unfortunate, but if you can get over it, there are some nuanced brews on the menu and they are carefully paired, if you ask your server, with the pub's food. We might have tried a lambic there and it might have been very good. Our friends ordered other stuff and, sadly, we were hoping to be wowed more than we were. You can take growlers home from the pub, if you find something you like.
Allagash Brewery, Portland, Maine
About: For those who enjoy the clean, citrusy flavor of Blue Moon but do not want to support the Coors Brewing Company. This is a great white ale that makes for nice summer drinking. Yes, Blue Moon is brewed by Coors, which does not advertise this fact because it does not want the beer to lose its "street cred" and because the jokes about Coors making a white ale are just too easy to make.
Where to get it: Beacon Hill Wine + Spirits, Marty's Liquor (Washington St in Newton, not far from Newton Corner) and Marty's Liquor (Harvard Ave. in Allston)
Berkshire Brewing Co., South Deerfield, Mass.
About: Sold in stores in growlers or 22 oz bottles, but it's worth it to find these babies on tap especially if it's the Steel Rail Pale Ale.
Where to get it: The Independent in Somerville's Union Sq + Whole Foods
Buzzard's Bay Brewing, Westport, Mass.
About: TBD
Where to get it: TBD
Cisco, Nantucket, Mass.
About: We haven't tried this one yet, but the Cisco Brewers is one in the same with Triple Eight Distilleries, which makes vodka, gin and rum, and Nantucket Vineyard, which makes all the standards (merlot, cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir, zinfandel, etc) and something called prodeano.
Where to get it: Find the beer at the Harvest Coops
Endurance Brewing Co., Boston
About: TBD
Where to get it: TBD
Geary's, Portland, Me.
About: TBD
Where to get it: Harvest Coops
Harpoon, Boston, Ma & Windsor, Vt.
About: Yup, two local breweries, but most of it is made in VT these days.
Where to get it: Just about any liquor store worth its salt
Long Trail Brewing Co., Bridgewater Corners, Vt.
About: In addition to making a quality selection of brews, including a fascinating but not overly sweet Backberry Ale and a solid IPA, Long Trail devotes this, an entire section of its website to keeping the environment green. We can certainly lift a pint to that.
Where to get it: Occasionally the Sports Depot in Allston offers $2 bottle specials, which is a crime we enjoy participating in. Also available at Blanchards in Allston and Marty's in Newton.
Magic Hat Brewery, Burlington, Vt.
About: Inexplicably favored by stoners at UMass, circa 2000.
Where to get it: Trader Joe's on Memorial Drive!
Mercury Brewing Co., Ipswich, Mass.
About: Mercury
is responsible for Ipswich Ale + Stone Cat Ales & Lagers
Where to get it: United Market on Putnam + Brookline in Cambridgeport, but lots of other places too.
Otter Creek Brewing, Middlebury, Vt.
About: Otter Creek
brews Otter Creek & Wolaver's (organic) beers
Where to get it: Wolaver's is in most Whole Foods locations, it's sort of THE accessible organic beer. Otter Creek is pretty standard too.
People's Pint, Greenfield, Mass.
About: The People's Pint is a fine, fine, repeat, fine brew pub with wonderful food in Greenfield. Worth the drive down Route 2 to have a draught pint and the world's best blackened turkey burger. But in its bottled form, the Pint's brews are just as heavenly.
Where to get it: Run, don't walk, to Whole Foods on Putnam Ave in Cambridge and buy Farmer Brown in 22 oz bottles (we've known these as "bombers." Are we the only ones?).
Red Hook Brewery, Portsmouth, N.H.
About: The company's ESB is a great beer that many people have somehow never tried. Dare we say, though, the company's Blonde Ale is the best summer beer available. Period. We prefer it to Sam Summer, which is saying quite a bit
Where to get it: Marty's in Newton.
Shipyard Brewing Co., Portland, Maine
About: We know Shipyard best for its yearly offering of Pumpkinhead, one of the best and tastiest examples of the seasonal beer. You can also usually pick up mixed 12-packs of its other offerings on the cheap
Where to get it: Marty's in Newton.
Smuttynose, Portsmouth, N.H.
About: We've always been big fans of the Old Brown Dog Ale, which is a tasty example of an America brown ale (not unlike Brooklyn Brewing Company's offering) and also has a beautiful brown lab gracing its label. The company's robust porter has won critical awards as well.
Where to get it: Marty's in Newton almost *always* has mixed 12 packs available in its cooler.
Tremont Ale, Boston
About: TBD
Where to get it: Masa Restaurant, 439 Tremont St in Boston; Fajitas + 'Ritas by Boston Common
Wachusett, Westminster, Mass.
About: It's nice that since New England produces a lot of blueberries, we have a tremendous selection of local blueberry ales. Wachusett produces one of this group that also includes: Sea Dog (Bangor, Maine), Ipswich (in its namesake, Massachsuetts), Stone Cat (also in Ipswich), Kennebunkport (in its namesake, Maine) and of course Boston Beer Works (Fleet Center and Fenway Park locations). If you're looking to try something else from these guys, their winter ale is surprisingly light and smooth for its great earthy flavor.
Where to get it: Redbones in Davis Sq, Marty's in Newton.
Watch City Brewing Co., Waltham
Pub on Moody St.
Do not go to Watch City for the food. But definitely go for the delicious (seasonal) variety of beer, and then take some home in a recyclable growler. We were partial to the Spring, the Titan + and their Belgian brews.
