There are very few things better than scouting out a new brewery after a hot New England hike. The temperatures were in the 80s in September and after a lovely hike up to the summit of Mount Tom, I was happy to discover that there were two breweries just a few miles away. New City Brewery and the Abandoned Building Brewery were both in the same complex a 5 minute drive from the state park entrance. With Olive in tow, we headed out to try some local Massachusetts beer.
Stop 1 was at New City Brewery. First glance they had a great outdoor patio and awesome indoor area. Dogs were allowed INSIDE and OUTSIDE so this brewery was quickly Olive approved (anything dog friendly gets high remarks in my books). Inside there was a large bar, and plenty of seating options. There was a stage with live music and generally speaking, the brewery had a great vibe. We decided to try a flight of 6 and a flight of 4 so we could sample all ten beers and sodas being offered --when in Rome, er, Massachusetts.
Let me start by saying I was so excited to try an alcoholic ginger beer. Sure, we have all had goslings, or some form of ginger beer we mixed with rum to make our dark and stormy. But locally made alcoholic ginger BEER (8% ABV), sign me up. "New City's specialty is different from that of other craft breweries. New City's flagship product is an alcoholic, Jamaican-style ginger beer. One of the main passions of brewmaster Sam Dibble is reviving alcoholic ginger beer in America's rapidly growing craft beer industry".
"Bursting with the aroma of fresh ginger, with an effervescent bite and a clean, crisp finish, New City Ginger Beer has subtle notes of tropical pineapple and citrus that compliment its distinctive zip of ginger, with a slight hint of molasses. Spending countless hours washing, grinding, and steeping ginger, it was easy for Sam to come up with the flagship product's tagline, "Our Roots Run Deep." It was with the completion of the New City Original Ginger Beer that the brewery was ready for action. After a year and a half of research and development, Sam had created a ginger beer."
"In addition to being a fully functional 30 barrel brewhouse, New City Brewery also features a tap room to showcase the flagship ginger beer alongside six other rotating handcrafted beers and non-alcoholic ginger soda. The New City Tap Room offers flights, pints, and growlers to take home. The tap room features beatiful exposed brick, natural light, a stunning reclaimed bar from Fenway Park, and of course New City's full selection of handcrafted beers".
While the ginger beer was a crowd favorite (I even brought a 4 pack home) there were some other great beers on the list. I really enjoyed the summer ale, golden ale, porter and the mule. However if you are going to bring anything home, my vote is their flagship ginger beer. Two thumbs up to this brewery and I will gladly be back soon after another Holyoke Hike.
Need to Know
Monday 4pm-10pm (later for Monday Night Football)
Tuesday 4pm-10pm
Wednesday 4pm-10pm
Thursday 4pm-10pm
Friday 4pm-11pm
Saturday 1pm-11pm
Sunday 1pm-8pm
New City Brewery - 180 Pleasant Street, Easthampton, MA 01027
- 413-529-2000 - newcitybrewery@gmail.com
After our flight at New City, we realized we had a half hour before the brewery next door closed for the day (we aren't quitters). Abandoned Building Brewery was indeed, located in what appeared to be an abandoned old mill building. ABB's claim to fame is as "Easthampton's first craft microbrewery". There are food trucks every Friday in the beer garden and I was happy to see that dogs were allowed, even inside the brewery.
Abadonded Building Brewery puts an emphasis on local ingredients, which is definitely something I can get behind. "Locally malted barley and wheat from Valley Malt is incorporated into many of our beers. The malt is grown in Massachusetts, New York, and Maine. The brewery started a hop yard in Hadley in 2013 with 100 plants that includes 4 varieties. We also source hops from our friends at Four Star Farms in Northfield, MA. Belgian Farmhouse and Hoppy American ales are our specialty. The original recipes were developed to incorporate the local malts and hops that highlight the unique flavors of the Pioneer Valley".
The tap room was trendy, with various seating options and view of the brewing tanks. There were several futons and tables that sort of made me feel like I was having a beer in my college dorm room. Nonetheless, there was a small bar where you could order your flight and plenty of options to sit and enjoy your beer.
We went with a tasting of four beers, the Hydra, the Belladonna, Other End and Lolas (the saison, always my favorite). I wasn't in love with any but enjoyed the saison the most in the sampler. They have bottles and cans to go, and you also have the option to fill a growler. There is no good served in the brewery but you are welcome to bring your own to enjoy with one of their beers. Read more about their beers here.
Need to Know
Sunday 1:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Monday Closed
Tuesday Closed
Wednesday Closed
Thursday 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Friday 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Saturday 12:00 pm – 10:00 pm
142 Pleasant Street Easthampton, MA 01027
(413) 282-7062 abandonedbuildingbrewery@gmail.com
Wrap Up
One hike, two breweries. Both with some good options and both VERY dog friendly. Dogs are allowed inside both and you can bring your own food and grab something from the food truck on Fridays. The favorites were the Ginger Beer from New City and the saison from Abandoned Building. All in all, the perfect way to end a sunny New England summer Sunday with good company and a cold beer.
Two more New England breweries sampled, so many to go.
Two more New England breweries sampled, so many to go.
It's indeed a good news for all the whisky lovers that Abandoned Building Brewery is a place who serve the variety of whisky to entertain their taste buds. I thinks it's a must go place for a the whisky lovers.
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