Western Massachusetts is blessed with craft beers. We’ve got micro brewers, brew pubs, brewing supply stores, regional breweries and countless talented amateurs brewing in their basements. But the Berkshire Brewing Company stands head and shoulders above them all.
Founded in 1994, Berkshire Brewing Company was the dream of Chris Lalli and Gary Bogoff. After three years of test brews, they selected an old factory in South Deerfield to be the home of the region’s newest brewery. In the last seventeen years, their little microbrewery has grown exponentially. BBC beer is available in every New England state except Maine, in a wide range of restaurants, bars and liquor stores.
Their first beer is still one of their best, Steel Rail Pale Ale. Steel Rail is a medium-bodied ale, light in color and flavor, with a hint of citrus. It’s a perfect beer for warm weather, and pairs excellently with wings and spicy bar food. Steel Rail is definitely best on tap, but it doesn’t lose much in the bottle. BBC wisely makes this beer available in 22 ounce bottles and 64 ounce growlers.
My personal favorite Berkshire Brewing Company beer is Drayman’s Porter. It’s a classic porter, with a full-bodied taste with chocolate and coffee undertones. This beer has a wonderful roasted malt flavor that pairs well with hearty food. While this beer is also available on tap and in 22 and 64 ounce bottles, I can count on two hands the number of places I’ve been to that offer it draft.
Like many small breweries, Berkshire Brewing Company offers a nice array of seasonal beers. The almost obligatory Oktoberfest Lager is a nice brew, with a subtle hop flavor and a sweet malty finish typical of Octoberfest-style beers. Like it’s brethren, BBC’s Oktoberfest is only available in September and October. But if you really want something special, pick up some of the Maibock Lager. This traditional spring beer is pale in color but rich in flavor, full of malted goodness and Noble hops. There are a lot of flavors going on in this beer, and every mouthful will reveal another side of this complicated beer. It’s only available from March to May every year. Neither of these specialty brews are available in the big growlers, but if you’re lucky, you can find them on tap in select bars at the right time of year.
One of the best ways to get a taste of Berkshire Brewing Company is to go on a tour. Every Saturday at 1pm, the doors are thrown open to the public. The tour is interesting, but the real reason to go is for the samples. Before, during and after the tour, samples of the best-selling beers are available on tap, as well as the seasonal specials. During my tour, the guide encouraged us to refill our cups whenever they ran dry. And since our guide was one of the co-founders of the company, I felt absolutely no guilt trying all four of the beers on tap that day. Some more than once.
But don’t take my word for it. If you live in New England, or are just here visiting, the next time you go out for dinner, or to the bar for the game, ask if they have a Berkshire Brewing Company beer on tap or in the bottle. You won’t be disappointed.