Berkshire Brews
The Dalton Craft Beerfest, Berktoberfest, Berkshire Beer and Cider Trail… it seems like no matter where you turn these days there is beer on the mind and for good reason. A national resurgence of small craft breweries is taking the country by storm and the Berkshire region is no exception. Over the last twenty years a group of devoted Berkshire brewers and beer lovers have been working to enhance the art of American brewing and are now putting out some of the best beer one can imbibe.
Among the most senior of Berkshire breweries are the Berkshire Brewing Company, or BBC of South Deerfield, MA and Barrington Brewery of Great Barrington, MA. BBC was established in 1994, by partners Chris Lalli and Gary Bogoff. They boast unfiltered, unpasteurized ales in nine varieties as well as seven seasonal varieties, including their most popular Steel Rail Extra Pale Ale, Dean’s Beans Coffeehouse Porter, and a dark wheat beer, River Ale. Brewery tours are available every Saturday at 1 PM. The Barrington Brewery has been a staple of the Great Barrington community since 1995 and has won numerous awards for their establishment, including recognition in Bon Appetite’s 50th Anniversary Special, The New York Times, and the Boston Globe. Barrington Brewery uses solar energy to brew and has approximately twenty varieties between year-round and seasonal. With varieties ranging from light blonde ales to the dark creamy Black Bear Stout, Barrington Brewery has a beer for every drinker on the spectrum. The beer is reasonably priced and available on site in 22 oz. bottles, 64 oz. growlers or for the ambitious kegs.
Despite being two of the newest breweries in the area, both Wandering Star Craft Brewery in Pittsfield and Big Elm Brewery in Sheffield are generating quite a buzz. Wandering Star was established a mere two years ago and already boasts 15 varieties and three state distribution. Their Mild at Heart, an English dark mild ale, made Food and Wine’s list of top 5 Beers in 2011. The Bert’s Disqualified Imperial Stout has also received a nod. It was named one of the top 10 Favorite Beers of NYC Craft Beer Week by Food Republic. This dark rich beer with chocolate and smoked peat notes is not for the light hearted or light weighted, with an alcohol percentage of 9.5%! An extensive list of bars and restaurants pour Wandering Star, and can be found on their website. If you want to take some home, the brewery is open most Saturday afternoons. There are also select NYC locations that will fill a growler for you.
Big Elm Brewing is Berkshire County’s newest star. The brewery is housed in an old plastic molding compression building, certainly creative thinking by owners Bill and Christine. Officially debuting just a year ago, Big Elm is making it way up the local brew ranks. There are currently three year round brews and four seasonal varieties. If you are a stout lover, the Gerry Dog Stout is a must try! It has all of the flavor and body you want without the weight and syrup found in many craft stouts. The 413 Farmhouse Ale is what craft brewing is all about. Its traditional Belgian base is enhanced with chamomile, lemon zest, pink peppercorns and sea salt. The brewery is open most days but call ahead to confirm. Big Elm is also available at a great selection of restaurants and package stores across the Western Mass region.