Beer Trail

Western Mass is making a splash in the beer scene with craft breweries, pubs, tasting rooms and scores of beer-related events. Travel the trail and check out some spectacular scenery along the way. Plan to stay awhile or come again to visit them all!

Brew Practitioners is a craft micro-brewery located in Florence, MA. Brew Practitioners serves 6 classic beer styles that are on tap year-round as well as a rotation of 5 additional specialty and practice beers. The White (Blonde), Yellow (IPA), Orange (Pale Ale), Red (Amber), Brown (Brown) and Black (Stout) beers are aptly named as the recipes are intended to be as close to the classic beer style as is feasible. These simple concoctions are graceful, well-balanced and full of flavor.

The Brew Practitioners’ brewing philosophy is simple:   “Brew quality, balanced, drinkable beer that makes the customer want more!”

BLDG 8 Brewing is a microbrewery located within the heart of the Baystate Village in Northampton, MA. We are committed to creating a high quality, hop forward product that’s big on flavor. We’re unique in that we produce one flagship product, the IPA, while offering rotating seasonals throughout the year.

BLDG 8 has a tasting room for sampling and grabbing beer to-go, sold in 4 packs of 16 oz. cans or by the case. BLDG 8 is also available at select craft beer stores and establishments.

Abandoned Building Brewery is a traditional craft microbrewery specializing in modern hoppy ales and Belgian Abbey ales. We incorporate as much local and regionally grown hops, barley, and wheat into our beers as possible.

You can enjoy all of our beers at the brewery’s comfortable tap room while listening to live music on most nights. Tap room hours are Thursday and Friday 5-9pm, Saturday 12-9 pm, and Sunday 1-6 pm.

New City Brewery is a specialty microbrewery, producing one-of-a-kind hard ginger beers and handcrafted ales and lagers in small batches. Available region-wide and fresh at the brewery in our taproom. Open 7 days a week.

Back East Brewing Company is a Craft brewery located in Bloomfield, CT. Founded by Tony Karlowicz and Edward Fabrycki, Jr., two cousins with a passion for great-tasting, high-quality beer, Back East opened their doors in July 2012 and is now distributed throughout Connecticut and Western Massachusetts on draft and in cans. We love having people visit our tap room and hope you can stop by.

Hitchcock Brewing Company, named after ancient Glacial Lake Hitchcock, is a 10-barrel farm brewery located in Whately, MA amidst views of Sugarloaf Mountain, Hitchcock Hopyard, historic tobacco barns and acres and acres of active farmland.

Opened May 2016, the brewery focuses primarily on American Ales, seasonal beers using local ingredients and specialty beers brewed on a rotating basis. You can find our beers in numerous bars, restaurants & retail liquor stores across Western Massachusetts. You can also visit the tasting room, Saturdays from 2-7pm.

The Pioneer Valley’s original brewpub serving award-winning beer and an eclectic menu featuring a farm-to-table twist on traditional pub favorites. Monday-Saturday 11:30 a.m. – 1 a.m.; Sunday noon to 1 a.m.

Crafting fine ales and lagers since 1997. Located at the Hangar Pub and Grill in Amherst, MA. 13 of our beers can be found at the Hangar bar all the time. Our 16 tap self-service beer wall, Flight School, allows you to taste 1 oz or have a full pint of constantly rotating beers from us with many being made specifically for the beer wall. Many of our beers are available in 16oz cans and we also offer growler fills of most of our beers on tap. We also have over 30 retro arcade games available for play all day.

Iron Duke Brewing at the Historic Ludlow Mills complex in Ludlow, Massachusetts. The rustic taproom offers a New York like feel right here in Western Mass. Full pint service, beer flights, growlers-to-go and occasionally a food truck outside. Over 8 beers on tap (take a peek at www.irondukebrewing.com to see what’s on tap this weekend.) Iron Duke’s mission is to produce high quality, handcrafted beer and provide an inviting, friendly culture of hardworking individuals while maintaining an authentic and unique personality.
Open:
Thursday 3:30 – 8 p.m. – Friday 3:30- 10 p.m.
Saturday noon – 10 p.m. – Sunday noon – 4 p.m.

White Lion, the first craft brewery in Springfield, Massachusetts, embraces the consumer with a sophisticated experience while preserving a local familiarity. White Lion Brewery attracts and indulges beer connoisseurs with a memorable experience leaving them yearning to consume only White Lion products. More than a brewer, White Lion is a catalyst for Springfield’s revitalization; it is an urban revivalist.

The brewery officially opened on March 17, 2010 and we really weren’t sure what to expect. Worst case we’d have a lot of beer to share with our friends! But support came quickly with restaurants like Flatbread (Sommerville), Horseshoe Pub, Peppercorn’s and Prezo’s carrying our beers early on. Then the awards started coming in. Medals at the GABF & GIBF that first year. A World Beer Cup Silver the third year. More GIBF medals, Denver International Beer Fest gold medal and the ultimate honor to date: The Grand National Champion at the US Open Beer Championships with 3 Gold Medals and a Silver in Atlanta.

Wait the name? Well Wormtown was simply way cooler than Worcester Brewing Company. And it allows us to have a little 3 decker attitude that we can put into our beers!

Many of our Western Mass Beer Trail brews are available at