It’s a running joke in the travel publishing industry that your product is out-of-date before it even hits the shelves. This time-tested maxim has again proven to be true when applied to The Good Beer Guide to New England. Published by the University Press of New England in May 2006, the guide has sold quite a few copies and been critically well-received. While a remarkable amount of the book’s content has stood the test of time, I’ve been compiling information to keep the book updated online (in anticipation of a second edition down the line). If you have any updates, please feel free to contact me with your information.
The craft breweries of New England, which for you New Yorkers is defined as the six states of the Northeast, excepting your own, have experienced impressive stability in turbulent times. Of the 96 breweries and brewpubs (counting chain operations only once) and 11 beer bars profiled, only four have closed shop (New Hampshire’s Franconia Notch, which the book noted was in the process of closing, Owen O’Leary’s brewpub in Natick, Massachusetts, the Manchester location of the Hops brewpub franchise, which was a victim of a corporate bankruptcy, and the Maple Leaf Malt and Brewing Company in Vermont). Two breweries have converted their production operations into contract brewing operations (Casco Bay Brewing and Concord Brewery). During the last two years, we’ve seen sixteen new beer destinations open. In Massachusetts, the following brewpubs opened for business: Pittsfield Brew Works (Pittsfield), Gardner Ale House (Gardner), Brewmaster’s Tavern in Williamsburg, Mayflower Brewing Company (Plymouth), Honest Town Brewery, Brewery and Pub (Southbridge), Cody Brewing Company (Danvers), Beer Works opened a location in Lowell, and John Harvard’s opened another location at the Jiminy Peak ski area (Hancock). Maine saw the creation of three new places, the Marshall Wharf Brewing Company (Belfast), the Inn on Peak’s Island (near Portland), and The Run of the Mill Public House & Brewery (Saco). Connecticut has three new brewing operations: Southport Brewing opened a new location in Hamden, the Carlson Craft Brewery opened in Branford, and the guys behind the Cambridge House opened a new location in Torrington. Vermont had two new openings, the Stonecutters Brewhouse and Lawson’s Finest Liquids. Another two breweries came and went in the time since the guide was published. We hardly knew Hornpout Brewing (VT) and the Whale Tail Brewpub (ME).
In the first edition of the guide, I limited my selection of Great Beer Bars to 11 places in New England. In so doing, I defined a ‘great beer bar’ as being “comprised of a combination of rarely achieved elements.� These places excelled in several crucial respects, including “extraordinary selection of craft beers, respect their clients in terms of keeping prices fair, hold events promoting craft beers (from beer dinners to brewer meet-and-greets), make craft beer key to their business, and also offer true character as pubs.�
By these hard-to-meet criteria, I would now add the following four places to round out the list as the “15 Great New England Beer Bars.�
–The Dirty Truth, Northampton, Massachusetts. Former proprietor Daniel Lanigan and his partner built a massive multi-tap destination in downtown Northampton to rival the pub Lanigan now owns outright, Amherst’s the Moan and Dove. The Dirty Truth doesn’t capture the attitude of the M&D but it does provide another worthy addition to the local nightlife and the Massachusetts beer scene.
–Ebenezer’s Pub, Lovell, Maine. Owner Chris Lively goes all out to provide the ultimate geek adventure for true beer enthusiasts deep in the Maine tundra. A big fan of Ebay, you’re likely to find a lot of unexpected offerings both listed on the menu and on reserve if you know to ask for them. Make sure to ask for Chris if you visit (he lives in the house attached to the bar).
–Cambridge Common, Cambridge, Massachusetts. The dedicated ladies who run Cambridge Common probably sponsor more beer events than any other beer bar in the Boston area. The tap lists often favor hard-to-find regional beers, including usually never seen offerings from Sebago and others.
–British Beer Company, multiple Massachusetts locations. A powerful influence for beer good on the south shore, the BBC locations have an even mix between imports and American craft beers. I had the opportunity to review the Walpole location last year.
Updates (as of October 14, 2008)
Chapter One: Connecticut
-Opened a new location in Hamden, CT
-While Steve Schmidt remains the brewmaster here, brewer Dave Weikel handles most of the day to day brewing at Cambridge House now. The owners at Cambridge House have been talking expansion for some time now and recently opened a production facility and brewpub of about 15-20 barrels in Torrington. They will continue to use the services of the Thomas Hooker facility for bottling. UPDATE: Dave Weikel has left the brewery and has been replaced by Chris Jacques, the capable former head brewer at the John Harvard’s location in Manchester.
-The brewery has been rebranded as the Thomas Hooker Brewing Company. The owners moved from their former sketchy digs in Hartford to a new production facility in Bloomfield, Connecticut. In sad news, brewmaster Paul Davis left the brewery and is presently weighing exciting new projects in New Hampshire. There is a split opinion as to whether the Thomas Hooker line, which was developed by Paul, is being brewed to his original recipes and retains its quality. No word on whether the brewery’s namesake, a religious and colonial leader, approves of the company’s unfortunate “Get caught with a Hooker” ad tagline.
-Following a late 2007 bankruptcy for parent company Avado Brands, the company closed its Manchester, Connecticut location.
-Brewer Chris Jacques has left John Harvard’s for the Cambridge House. He has been replaced by local homebrewer Frank Fermino.
-Despite experiencing substantial fire damage to its roof in early 2006, Bru Rm is open for business.
New in Connecticut
-Located in Branford, Connecticut, owner and career firefighter Andrew Carlson has completed efforts to open his own mini-craft brewery (1 barrel system) in the town. According to Carlson, :”I am going to have two year round beers available in 22 ounce bottles. These will be real ales being bottle conditioned and unfiltered. The first is an American style wheat ale. Its name is Vete Öl. This is Swedish for Wheat Ale. I decided to basically use a Swedish translation of their English names as their names. It is made with 100% organic wheat and malts. The second beer is kind of a hybrid Amber-English style beer called Bärnsten Öl. It is a balanced easy drinking beer. It is about 90% organic malts. I was planning on offering a third year round beer in bottles, but instead, I will be offering it as a cask ale in pins and firkins. It is an Old Ale style and it is called Gämmal Öl. I will be self distributing my beer.”
Chapter Two: Maine
-Tod and Suzi Foster, the husband and wife owners of one of Maine’s oldest microbreweries, the Bar Harbor Brewing Company, recently announced their plans to sell their business to a Florida-based advertising executive. The sale of the brewery, which produces the award-winning Cadillac Mountain Stout and Thunder Hole Ale beers, is expected to close in early 2008. The new owner, Evan Contorakes, is the Chief Executive Officer of the Ronin Advertising Group of Miami, Florida, and also owns the Parkside Restaurant in Bar Harbor. The Fosters will retain a consulting role for one year following the sale in order to aid in the transition of the brewery. Six packs of the Cadillac Mountain Stout and other beers have started to appear on local beer shelves. The new owners have opened a tap room in downtown Bar Harbor.
-Maine Coast is no longer brewing but it is not clear that this will remain the case permanently.
-Sebago is no longer brewing at its pub locations. The enterprise’s entire brewing operation has been moved to its production brewery.
-Geoff Houghton has opened a new pub, The Run of the Mill Public House & Brewery, in Saco, Maine.
-Owner Andy Hazen’s son Ben is thankfully back from Iraq and brewing alongside his dad at the tiny barn brewery, which has a new grain silo to save some space.
-Head brewer Jason Perkins and his crew have a new toy: the first American koelschip, a flat, open Belgian vessel used in spontaneous, airborne fermentation.
-Casco closed its production plant and now contract brews at Shipyard Brewing in Portland
-The Stone Coast Brewing Company has reportedly stopped brewing, though its sister pub in Bethel, the Sunday River Brewing Company, remains open. I’ve not yet learned the reason for the closure.
-Rocky Bay has closed its operation and stopped brewing.
New in Maine
-Another outlet of the Shipyard Brewing Company.
-Located in Belfast, Maine, the brewers at Marshall Wharf are brewing on the system formerly operated by the Rocky Bay Brewing Company. Opened in Fall 2007 near the water on, of course, Marshall Wharf, the brewery’s beers are available at the nearby 3 Tides Restaurant, 2 Pinchy Lane, Belfast, Maine.
-Owner Geoff Houghton of the Liberal Cup in Hallowell has opened a new brewpub in Saco on the river.
Chapter Three: Massachusetts
-Brewer Ben Roesch has left Nashoba to help open and run the Honest Town Brewery in Southbridge, Mass. I have heard no news of who replaced him but Nashoba is still producing and distributing beer in its local market.
-Beer Works has experienced a tremendous amount of change since the Guide was published. Co-founder Steve Slesar, who was widely considered the beer guy at Beer Works, sold his share of the business to his brother Joe. Fenway brewer Jodi Andrews has decamped to the Stoudts Brewing Company in Pennsylvania. Salem brewer Scott Houghton left Beer Works in late 2007 and was replaced by brewer Mike Roy, formerly of Milly’s. Beer Works also opened two tap rooms at Boston’s Logan Airport, both in Terminal C, which offer 8 to 10 beers brewed at the Salem Beer Works locations. As per usual, there is also talk that Beer Works will open a series of new brewpubs in other parts of New England. No definite plans have been made on this front yet but there is some word that Beer Works may be in the process of purchasing the Watch City Brewing Company in Waltham. Watch City’s brewer denies any such purchase is in the works but a Beer Works source confirms his company has viewed the property with an eye towards a possible purchase.
-After months of planning and discussions, Boston Beer decided not to build a new brewery in Freetown, Massachusetts. After negotiating and accepting tax incentives and purchasing a plot of land, the brewer of Samuel Adams beers sent a letter to officially end its relationship with Freetown on the $200 million brewery plan. Boston Beer also purchased an existing brewery in Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania, from Diageo North America, for $55 million. The brewer plans to spend another $50 million to renovate the plant and will start brewing there in summer 2008. Boston Beer wrote off $3.4 million in capital investments, including engineering, for development of the Freetown property.
-Assistant brewer Megan Parisi has joined the staff.
-Harvard Square brewer Geoff DeBischopp left John Harvard’s after completing his MBA. His replacement is former assistant, Jason Taggart. Tim Morse left the Framingham location, whose head brewer is now Maria Poulinas.
-Opa Opa is experiencing substantial growth and has started distributing its beers in growlers, six-packs, and kegs as far away as Boston. The team also opened the Brewmasters Tavern in Williamsburg, Massachusetts. Starting in March 2008, the Williamsburg location also serves as a big brewery for the company
-For such a picturesque location and a shiny new brewing system, the Tap can’t seem to keep a brewer for more than a few months. Since the Guide was published, Dann Paquette left for a brewing job in England, Stephen Bernard took over and then left for the Three Floyd’s Brewing Company in Indiana, Mike Labbe, formerly of Concord and Pennichuck, quickly came and went, and he has been replaced by a local Haverhill guy, Jon Curtis, marking a helluva quick ascent from homebrewer to kicking around Ipswich to head brewer. A good guy and brewer, the Tap may finally have found a guy who will stick around a while.
-After years of toiling in the cramped environs of its downtown location, Cape Cod’s owners moved their brewing system to new digs in Hyannis. The brewery, which recently received shipment of seven new tanks (including a 30 barrel fermentation tank), is located at 1336 Phinney’s Lane in Hyannis. Cape Cod’s retail portion is open Monday through Friday, noon to 6 pm, and Saturdays from 11 am to 2 pm, with tours at 1 pm.
-Mike Labbe, formerly of Concord, left for Pennichuck, The Tap, and then Milly’s. Owner David Asadoorian sold the brewery to new owners, Peter and Cedric Daniel, who have changed both the brewery’s name (to Rapscallion Brewing) and its location (to Pennichuck in Milford, NH). The brand has failed to show up almost anywhere in Massachusetts and it’s difficult to tell how the brewery is faring.
-Cisco has opened a taproom, called the Cisco Brew Pub, at Boston’s Logan Airport.
-Assistant brewer Dave Thompson has reported that Owen O’Leary’s is closing its doors. He and brewer Dan Kramer have removed the brewing system, which may turn up at another of the chain’s locations, either in Southboro or Brockton. The pub made a respectable 550 barrels last year in a tough, Bud Light drinking crowd. Dave will return to working at Deja Brew while Dan has his hands full with the Opa Opa Brewing Company and the Brewmaster’s Tavern in Western, Mass. The full story is available here.
-Matthew Steinberg has left to open the now running Mayflower Brewing Company in Plymouth, Massachusetts. He had been replaced by brewer Joe Cleinman, but he recently left Offshore. No word on who has replaced Joe.
-There is word that the BBC guys have purchased some brewing equipment and plan to reopen the brewery in their pub in downtown Brattleboro, formerly the Latchis Brewery.
-Run by the same owners, the brewery has been rebranded as the Pioneer Brewing Company. The brewery still produces a line of Hyland beers along with its own new line of Pioneer beers.
-There were some rumors that the Watch City Brewing Company was in the process of being purchased by the Beer Works chain but that does not appear to be the case. Watch City’s brewer denies that any such transaction is in the works.
New in Massachusetts
-I have not heard whether there is any brewing occurring on premise or whether the chain ships in beer from its other locations.
-Located on a somewhat rundown strip in downtown Gardner, Massachusetts, the Gardner Ale House brings a much needed eating and drinking establishment to the area.
-Located just a short distance from the Hyland/Pioneer Brewing Company, Honest Town is part of the 12 Crane Street complex and is comprised of components from breweries around New England. That’s sort of fitting as the head brewer is Ben Roesch, formerly of Cambridge Brewing Company and Nashoba. Honest Town Brewery takes its name from one of the proposed names for the town of Southbridge. Ben’s first batch was named for Saint Patrick, “Padraig’s Irish Redâ€?, and it debuted in March of 2008. Honest Town currently brews three year round beers (including a bitter and a blueberry) and several seasonal specialty beers (summer ale, Oktoberfest, Sturbridge Coffee Roasters Beer, and hefeweizen),which are currently available at the Dark Horse Tavern and the Hop Vine Café at 12 Crane Street. A recent visit to the brewery was impressibe, especially for the namesake Red, and the downstairs pub itself is quirky little affair well worth a visit.
-Opened by Drew Brosseau and Matthew Steinberg, formerly of Offshore Ales, Mayflower is located in Plymouth, Massachusetts. The brewery specializes in producing English style ales and is a much needed addition to the brewery starved South Shore region. Line up in advance for the brewery’s excellent Porter.
-Formerly a brew on premise operation, Cody now brews and serves a handful of beers at 62 Maple Street in Danvers.
-On the Commonwealth’s westernmost flank, the Pittsfield Brew Works is a strong addition to the New England brewpub scene. Opened right after the Guide went to press, the pub was originally slated to open as the Black Sheep Brewpub. Legal problems with the name led to the much simpler and to the point moniker. Run by Christine Bump and Bill Heaton, who formerly brewed for Victory Brewing in Pennsylvania. The pair brew on a five barrel Peter Austin system and produce a range of interesting beers. Located at 34 Depot Street, Pittsfield, Massachusetts, the pub is open Sunday,Tuesday,Wednesday from 4 pm to midnight, Thursday, Friday, Saturday from 11 am to midnight, and is closed on Mondays.
Chapter Four: New Hampshire
-As was reported in the Guide, Franconia Notch has stopped brewing after the plot of land it was on was sold to a developer, reportedly to build a Walgreens.
-Mike Roy has left Milly’s for Salem Beer Works in Massachusetts. His replacement is Mike Labber, former head brewer at the Concord Brewery, Pennichuck Brewing, and at The Tap in Haverhill.
-Assistant brewer Jay Thompson has moved over to the brewpub’s sister operation, the Smuttynose Brewing Company.
-The brewery has experienced several false starts, both in Portsmouth and nearby Newington, in its efforts to secure a bigger production location. Owner Peter Egelston has now finally found a new home in nearby Hampton, New Hampshire.
New in New Hampshire
-Owner Phil Jewett started the operation with substantial help from journeymen brewer, Mike Labbe. After Labbe departed Pennichuck for a stint at The Tap, Jewett replaced him with Damase Olson. Pennichuck also serves as a production brewery for other contract operations, including the recently formed Rapscallion Brewing Company.
Chapter Five: Rhode Island
Chapter Six: Vermont
-I met with Ray McNeill at the recent American Craft Beer Festival in Boston where he recounted the story of how his production brewery has come to be, including his troubles in getting the ill-sized brewery components to play nicely with one another. Brewing is under way at the production brewery. Ray plans to continue brewing operations at the pub once a week as Vermont law does not permit a production brewery to supply beer to an establishment run by a common owner.
-Despite rumors of a takeover by a major brewery, founder and president Andy Pherson simply left the company and sold his shares to other private investors.
-Brewer JT Tierney has left the brewpub.
-Brewer Shaun Hill left the Shed to come and take over the operations at Trout River. Shaun is now on his way to a year long brewing fellowship at a brewery in Denmark and founder Dan Gates has resumed brewing duties.
-Owners Tim and Sally Wilson sold the fantastic inn and brewery they lovingly restored to Joe and Jill Lavin in 2006. The Lavins discovered the property as customers of the Inn while visiting their son, a graduate of Dartmouth College. Joe is a long time Hospitality Industry executive with such companies as Marriott, Westin and Choice Hotels. Brewer Patrick Dakin took over the beer operations from Tim. I had an opportunity to visit Jasper Murdock’s for a beer dinner a few months back and the brewing operations are in very capable hands with Patrick. While his approach differs slightly from that of Tim Wilson, he remains dedicated to producing the sessionable ales of old. Owner Joe Lavin brings a wealth of knowledge and interest to the business and is giving Patrick a pretty free hand at the beers, which have included an unusual Black Saison.
-Brewer Shaun Hill left the Shed and eventually took a job with the Trout River Brewing Company, before leaving to work for a brewery in Denmark.
-The owners never did rebrand the brewpub as the Angry Gnome. Recently sold, the brewing system has been removed and the facility is now defunct.
New in Vermont
-For a place that has been open less than a year, Stonecutters has experienced some really traumatic troubles. After brothers Bud and Jason Stevens opened their new brewpub as the Granite City Brewing Company, they received a cease-and-desist letter from attorneys representing Granite City Food and Brewery, a publicly traded company that operates a chain of brewpubs in the Midwest. After weighing their options, the brothers wisely decided to rebrand the brewery to avoid a costly lawsuit. After conducting a contest with its customers, the brothers announced the new name: Stonecutters Brewhouse. End of problems, right? Nope. After ordering a new sign, etched beer glasses, and t-shirts branded with the new name, the brothers learned that another investor group had registered the “Stonecutter’s Pub and Brewery� name with the Vermont Secretary of State. No word on whether the brothers will change the brewpub’s name again. Again, not the end of the story. The brewpub suffered a devastating kitchn fire on Veteran’s Day, which closed the restaurant until Mid-January 2008. Amazingly enough, the brothers still plan to open a production brewery as well in the future, although the designated summer 2008 timetable seems very unlikely. Stonecutter’s (or whatever it will be called) is located at 14 North Main Street, Barre, Vermont, and is open 11 am to 9 pm Monday through Thursday and 11 am until late on Friday and Saturday
-Longtime homebrewer Sean Lawson has quietly opened his own brewery in Warren, Vermont. His brands were recently served at the 2008 Great American Beer Festival. His small batch beers are available in Vermont’s Mad River Valley region.
11 Great New England Beer Bars
-After opening the Dirty Truth pub in downtown Northampton, proprietor Daniel Lanigan is always rumored to be opening a new pub in the Boston area. No specific plans have yet been made. UPDATE: Lanigan is in the process of opening a new beer bar in Cambridge, the details of which remain under wraps. The full story is available here.
-Owner Dave Ciccolo announced several months back that he and his wife/partner Ailish Gilligan would open a high-end, gourmet food and beer store a block from his popular Washington Square pub. Originally scheduled for opening on March 1, 2008, the store, at 1706 Beacon Street in Brookline, hit several unexpected bumps, including substantial licensing problems. Publick House Provisions recently opened after finally jumping over the final licensing hurdle. A few weeks later, the new beer bar, the Road House, opened next door to Publick House Provisions. The full story is available here.
3 thoughts on “The Good Beer Guide to New England Updates”
Please assist me in spreading the word that the Freeport Brewing Company is not longer located at 46 Durham Rd in Freeport. The property is now a private residence, with kids and dogs playing in the yard and driveway. Random visitors looking for the Brewery are seldom on the lookout for small obstacles, and pose a significant safety concern for the new property owner (me.)
I have no idea what had become of the brewery, with regard to its location, or whether it is still in business. I just want to have people stop intruding on my privacy and my kids safety.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this issue!
Jonas St John
Note that I have no independent corroboration of the above post but thought I would pass it along. A property records search doesn’t show that this individual is listed as the owner of the parcel in question.
Is this the latest update Andy?