The idea of having a Beer Showcase stems from the culmination of the emergence of the craft brewing movement and Smiths being known as the place to get great beer in Springfield/Western Mass. We combined some of our favorite features from all of the great events that we have attended to create this event. The Worthy Craft Beer Showcase will be an ultimate showcase of Smiths beer offerings and all that is wonderful in this amazing industry!
We have asked each brewery to bring one of their great “everyday beers” and one of their “specialty beers”. We did this to attract the novice beer drinkers as well as the “beer geek”! The response from the breweries on this request has been met with open arms and some of the specialty beers will blow people away. We are looking forward to an amazing day with some amazing beers, featuring an ultimate collection of bands to celebrate in this joyous festivity!
The following breweries are confirmed as of now and we may be adding on another few more. We’ll be adding the specific beers that each brewery will be bringing to the event in the near future as well. Stay tuned in!
Allagash Brewing Company
Allagash Brewing Company started in 1995, as a one-man operation in a small space on the outskirts of Portland, Maine. Founder Rob Tod had worked in a brewery setting before and recognized a void within the craft brewing movement. While both German and British styles had become prevalent throughout the U.S., the ever-creative Belgian-styles were very difficult to find. Through his travels, Tod had sampled many of these unique beers and felt that the flavors and traditions of Belgium needed to be shared with the American drinking public. He designed a small 15-barrel brewhouse, gathered the finest array of authentic raw materials and began his quest towards the production of traditional Belgian style ales. Rob sold his first batch of beer in the summer of 1995.
The first release from Allagash was Allagash White, modeled after the traditional “White” beers of Belgium. Also referred to as “wit” beers, they get their unique flavor from the use of wheat in place of barley, and the use of Curacao orange peel, coriander and other spices. Allagash combined these ingredients with their very own proprietary Belgian yeast strain to create the remarkably unique and refreshing beer that is today their flagship brand.
With the success of the first brand, Rob decided to venture further into the Belgian beer genre. He hired his first employee and soon released a second brew, Allagash Double Ale. Using the philosophy and techniques created by the Trappist Monks of Belgium centuries ago, they created this beer using seven different malts, a traditional sugar, and their own Belgian yeast strain. The result was another unique yet balanced beer crafted in the classic Belgian style.
In 2001, Rob and the Allagash crew wanted to continue to pay tribute to Belgian brewing traditions by delving into the world of cork and cage finished beers and bottle conditioning. At the time, almost no one was doing this here in the states, but Allagash knew the process was more than just a new look. Bottle conditioning is the process of adding sugar and yeast, just prior to bottling, to allow for natural carbonation of the beer. The resulting beer is softer and more complex than traditionally carbonated beers. This “live” beer also continues to develop flavors over time, enhancing the beer drinker’s experience.
Today, Allagash has six year round beers in its portfolio, seven yearly releases and numerous one-offs and keg only releases. We continue to be successful by pushing the limits of beer and themselves. We have always strived to produce the finest Belgian inspired and experimental ales this side of the Atlantic. Allagash began as New England’s original Belgian-Style brewery and have grown into one of the industry’s most distinguished and well-respected brands.
http://www.allagash.com
Amherst Brewing Company
Our 10-Barrel brewery is visible from the bar and produces some of the finest award winning ales and lagers for serving in our 180-seat restaurant and 100-seat lounge and game room. For a listing of our current regulars, seasonal brews and cask offerings on tap, check the side bar to the right. Brewery tours can be made by appointment. Over the course of the year, ABC hosts beer dinners and tastings monthly. See the events section for upcoming dates or join our fan page on Facebook to get daily updates on events, upcoming brews and promotions. Our giant, brass-top bar seats 30 people and is fully stocked, including a selection of scotches and bourbons, select wines and unusual guest draft beers. An additional 40 seats are available on our seasonal patio; the best place in town to relax and enjoy an ABC draft or specialty brew while watching passersby. For over 10 years we have hosted the Amherst Jazz Orchestra on the first and third Mondays of every month. To keep up with our wide variety of special events and music dates, check the schedule to the left. Our menu ranges from traditional pub fare; fish & chips, burgers, homemade soups and entrees to the unusual; fried pickles, monster pretzels and fried oreo sundaes. We have plenty for vegetarians, too. A lot of our menu items are homemade. We also have daily specials featuring creations from our kitchen. Feel free to call our main number and hit extention #308 for today’s selections. We support local butchers, bakeries and farmers. Most of our meats are supplied by Arnold’s Meats in Chicopee; our breads are baked fresh daily at East Baking Company in Ludlow. The pumpkins and squash used in our fall seasonal Pumpkin Ale are grown on the Smiarowski Farm in Sunderland. Check out our entire menu by clicking on the “our menus” icon on the left of this page. |
Backlash Beer Company
Stand up. Join the Backlash. |
Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits
Homebrew Mart thrived and soon Jack was joined by Yuseff—a fellow Homebrewer with a similar dream—and Homebrewing awards, to boot. Together, they moved the brewery from Jack’s yard to the back room of Homebrew Mart, and opened Ballast Point Brewing. In 1996, Ballast Point Brewing was born.Naming the beers was easy—Yuseff loves fishing, and he and Jack both love beer. So they brought the two together and started naming their beers after fish. After all, regular guys doing what they love—that’s what this was all about. Today, the beer labels still have fish on them as an homage to the brewery’s origins and as a reminder to always do what you love. As customers began tasting Jack and Yuseff’s back room brews, they wanted more. So they bought the beer. A lot of it. By 2004, Ballast Point had outgrown its back room location and was going to have to move to keep up with demand. Demand increased, so Ballast Point continued to grow!Homebrew Mart remained in its original location, serving Homebrewers and their beer dreams, alike. It turned out that Homebrew Mart was not only the perfect grounds for cultivating new beers, but also relationships with beer lovers who would eventually become employees, each one crucial to the brewing process and end product.Today, we are still real beer lovers making real good beer.Almost 15 years after its inception, Ballast Point Brewing’s dedicated team of craftsmen (and women) is still innovating, trying new methods and ingredients, and working constantly to increase capacity to try to meet demand. More than anything, they are staying true to Jack’s dream, and their own: Real beer lovers making real good beer. |
Baxter Brewing Company
We Do What We Can. We Can What We Do. Founded by company President & CEO Luke Livingston, Baxter Brewing Co., LLC is the first craft brewery in New England to can its entire line of beers. Located in the historic Bates Mill in Lewiston, Maine, Baxter Brewing Company currently distributes its quality, flavorful, and unique craft beers statewide in Maine and Massachusetts–with more areas coming soon–in both six-packs and on draft. |
Berkshire Brewing Company
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Blatant Brewery
Blatant beers are exceptional. That much is clear from the taste alone. Here’s what makes us world class: Blatant is new. We aren’t. We have been in the brewing business for many years—this experience, time and energy spent has earned us a reputation as talented brewers and true artisans. Yes, our beers are handcrafted. Yes, we are brew artisans. And yes, we’ve got well over 20 years experience in every keg, bottle, and can. But let’s face it: In the end, all that matters is the taste. Be Blatant! The first batch of Blatant IPA was brewed on September 20, 2011. Our beers are all brewed by Matthew Steinberg, the Founder and Brewer at our Host Brewery, Buzzards Bay Brewing Company. The brewery offers the freedom for Matthew to have his hands and heart in every aspect of these beers. This amazing facility is located on a lovely farm on Horseneck Road in Westport, MA and boasts a 50BBL Newlands 3-Vessel Brewhouse and several 100BBL and 200BBL fermentors. Blatant Brewery is also very excited to be partnering with Atlantic Importing and Distributing as our Master Distributor so all the excellent beer retailers and establishments in Massachusetts and beyond will have access to our beers. |
Boulevard Brewing Company
The Boulevard story begins in 1988, when founder John McDonald started construction of the brewery in a turn-of-the-century brick building on Kansas City’s historic Southwest Boulevard. A vintage Bavarian brewhouse was installed, and the first batches of beer were produced in the fall of 1989. That November, the first keg of Boulevard Pale Ale was delivered—in the back of John’s pickup truck—to a restaurant just a few blocks away. Boulevard beers, known for their full flavor, distinctive character, and unsurpassed quality, are currently available throughout Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Oklahoma, Arkansas, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and Massachusetts with partial distribution in Alabama, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Texas, and Utah. The GABF® Gold Medal-winning Unfiltered Wheat Beer remains our most popular offering. An easy-drinking American-style wheat beer, Boulevard Unfiltered Wheat is the best-selling craft beer in the Midwest. In 2006, a major expansion adjacent to the original brewery raised Boulevard’s brewing capacity to approximately 600,000 barrels per year—a sizable increase from the 6,000 barrels contemplated in John’s original business plan. The new brewing and packaging facility is a model of sustainable urban architecture and engineering; a three-story, 70,000 square foot building housing a new, state-of-the-art 150-barrel brewhouse, packaging lines, administrative offices, and hospitality rooms. The best way to soak in our culture is to join us for a tour. We invite you to make a reservation today on our website, boulevard.com. |
Chimay
Since 1862 the monks of Chimay have been brewing their first brew “Chimay Première” according to the monastic tradition of natural brewing. 1948, Father Theodore isolates the unique yeast cells that today still form the basis for brewing the Chimay beers and creates the Chimay Red in 33 cl bottle. Christmas 1948, creation of the Christmas beer that will later become Chimay Blue. 1966, creation of the white cap (now called Chimay Triple). 1982, creation of the Grande Reserve. 1986, creation of the Cinq Cents. 2001, creation of the Triple on draught.Chimay, brewed at the Notre-Dame de Scourmont Abbey, is one of the 6 Belgian beers that can carry the logo, “Authentic Trappist Product”. Chimay is an authentic Trappist beer. That means that it is brewed within the walls of a Trappist monastery under the control and responsibility of the community of monks, and whose revenue is devoted to social service. The “Authentic Trappist Product” logo is granted by the International Trappist Association. It guarantees the consumer the Trappist origin of the products according to well-established principles: They are manufactured on-site or in close proximity to the monastery. The monastic community is engaged in management and all aspects of the means necessary for their operation. This must clearly reflect both the unquestionably subordinate relationship with the beneficiary monastery and the relationship with the culture of the enterprise itself in the plan of monastic life. The income provides for the major portion of the necessities of the community and for social services. |
Cisco Brewers Nantucket
Randy tried one recipe using malt extract, then ditched the book and converted a little pasta roller machine (they never used it anyway, who does?) into a grain mill. All the time he had spent working at Something Natural, a bakery on Nantucket, had given him an intuitive feel for working with yeast and grain. He was right in his element as they say. If Wendy needed to be further impressed to stick with this guy, after trying his beer, she was! Randy and Wendy had the good fortune to meet up with Dean and Melissa. The Long’s needed helpers and Randy and Wendy needed a place to live, so they moved into the loft over the winery in May of 1992. Making wine turned out to be very interesting work and they sure didn’t mind living above thousands of gallons of the finished product! When Randy and Wendy started selling beer, the entire operation-except the cold room, which was cooled by an air conditioner-was outdoors in the Lon’s back yard. Wendy always called the original setup a “nano-brewery” because althought they dreamed about it, they certainly were not yet a “micro.” Many people thought it looked like they were making moonshine and they were right! Cisco Brewers had the distinction of being America’s Only Outdoor Brewery. Randy became quite proficient in predicting the weather on Nantucket. Whenever he was scheduled to brew, some bizarre weather pattern developed. In addition, everything was done in the most labor-intensive fashion imaginable (actually, in that respect, little has changed…capping bottles for hours on end is still murder on the elbows). Which brings us to Jay Harman. Randy and Wendy met Jay during his senior year while working on his senior year business thesis at Fairfield University (CT). Jay joined Cisco Brewers after graduating in 1996. He had been looking to open a brewery on Nantucket until he learned that we were already doing it. Thank goodness he joined forces with Cisco. Based on how hard he works running our operation, he sure would have made a tough competitor. Not to mention, he single-handedly capped 60,000 bottles in his first year alone. Plans for expansion were ongoing. The Brew Shack, as Randy and Wendy affectionately called it, was clearly limited and Dean knew more space was needed for equipment and storage. The new building was scheduled to be ready for brewing in May of 1996. By island standards, construction was punctual, meaning we finally moved in on Labor Day Weekend. It housed both the brewery and winery and Wendy liked it because the new building was called the Mortan Building and Mortan was her maiden name. Perhaps the most impressive part of the move was transporting the big boiler from the back yard, using techniques perfected by Egyptian slaves in the building of the pyramids. As a result of the construction, there was no beer to sell from July 4th until sometime in August. Something good did come of the experience though, and that was the creation of our motto: nice beer, if you can get it. |
Dogfish Head Beer
As a brewery, we brew off-centered ales for off-centered people. Our beers push the envelope of what beer is expected to be, often using non-standard ingredients, such as raisins, chicory, maple syrup, vanilla and grapes. We’re also known for brewing beers with lots of hops or high alcohol contents. Some of our beers, including the WorldWide Stout, 120 Minute India Pale Ale, and the raspberry-flavored strong ale Fort, are highly alcoholic, reaching 15% to 20% alcohol by volume (typical beers have around 3% to 8% alcohol by volume). A handful of our beers are also aged in huge wooden tanks. Dogfish is also known for our Ancient Ales, brewed with the support of molecular archeologists from the University of Pennsylvania. These beers, with recipes based on residue discovered in ancient tombs include Midas Touch, Chateau Jiahu, and Theobroma. One of our most well-known lineup of beers is our India Pale Ales (IPAs), which are offered in a few varieties: 60 Minute, 90 Minute, and 120 Minute IPA. Their name of each of these beers refer to the length of the boil time of the wort in which the hops are continuously added. The longer hops are boiled, the more hop isomerization takes place, and the more bitterness is imparted to the beer. To further enhance the hop flavor of their 90 Minute IPA and 120 Minute IPA, we invented a filtering device called Randall the Enamel Animal, an “organoleptic hop transducer module” which “Randallizes” a beer by passing the beer through a large plastic tube filled with raw Cascade hops. The alcohol in the beer lifts oils off the raw hops and imparts even more hop flavor to beers that were already hoppy to begin with. You may also know of Dogfish Head from three Dogfish Head Alehouses in Gaithersburg, Maryland and Falls Church and Fairfax, Virginia. These alehouses are licensed to restaurant partners based in the Washington DC area. Beer-paired food and vintage bottles of Dogfish’s seasonal beers are available at their alehouses, as well as kegged offerings of their staple beers. Our beers can be found in about 30 different states, so find some and enjoy! |
Duvel / Ommegang
Duvel Moortgat USA, Ltd. imports high-quality Belgian beers including Duvel Golden Ale, Maredsous Abbey Ales and Achouffe Belgian Ales. Our reason for being is to build an understanding and appreciation for Belgium’s fine beers, and to import and distribute them for a US market that is increasingly thirsty for better drink. Our portfolio has grown to include ten imported beers that we distribute in over 45 continental US states. Duvel Moortgat USA is owned by Duvel Moortgat of Belgium, which also owns our sister company Brewery Ommegang. Duvel Moortgat USA and Brewery Ommegang are both headquartered in Cooperstown, New York. Duvel Moortgat USA is in its 5th year of operation, and Brewery Ommegang celebrated its 10th anniversary on October 13, 2007. |
Element Brewing Company
Our beers hit the “sweet spot;” that point that gives you a gentle warming sensation of alcohol without the shock value and booziness of more extreme styles. This bold percentage creates more full-bodied, multi-dimensional, and pleasant beers. |
Founders Brewing Co.
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Green Flash Brewing Co.
With Chuck on board we began brewing premium style beers, modern twists on traditional styles, and our beers began to develop a following. Cutting edge brews, Green Flash Brewing Company’s beers don’t fit traditional guidelines, instead we let our hybrid, benchmark beers blaze their own trail. Located in San Diego, CA, we specialize in brewing assertive and distinctive beers, such as our West Coast I.P.A.: an award-winning beer whose wide acceptance has helped define a category. We aalso brew seasonal, collaborative and barrel-aged beers. Our award-winning beers are on draft and bottled and are available throughout the United States in bars, restaurants and retail outlets. |
Harpoon Brewery
Twenty years later we still revel in making great beer and sharing that joy with our friends and neighbors. The success that we have had running Harpoon is due entirely to the wonderful employees who brew, package, warehouse, sell, deliver, and market our beer and you, the people who drink Harpoon. We hope that our sense of gratitude is reflected in both the quality of the beer and the spirit of fun and enjoyment surrounding our beer and breweries At Harpoon, we have always worked hard at two things: brewing great beer and welcoming our customers to our breweries. Our beer styles were created to provide you, our beer-drinking friends, with fresh, fun and interesting choices. We draw on numerous brewing traditions to make our beers, but we always add our own “interpretation” of how the styles can be best matched to our – and your – tastes. We invite all of you to visit our Boston brewery, where it all began, and our beautiful brewery in Windsor, Vermont. You will see a commitment to brewing excellence and receive a warm greeting. In addition, please visit us during one of our seasonal brewery festivals – which have grown very popular since we held our first Octoberfest in 1990. Directions to both breweries, schedules of tastings, and festival information can be found in other parts of this website. |
Left Hand Brewing Company
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The Olde Burnside Brewing Co.
It all actually started two generations ago, when The Burnside Ice Company was established by Bob McClellan’s grandfather just after the turn of the century. Coming from a long line of hardworking Scotsmen, Albert McClellan wasted no time in making Burnside Ice a leading supplier of ice to homes and businesses throughout the greater Hartford, Connecticut area. His tradition was carried down to Bob’s dad, Clifford and to Bob as well. As the story goes, Bob remembers his grandfather speak of the ales that were brewed locally in those days and how refreshing they were after a long day’s work. Often the cost for a pint of ale back then was a mere nickel. On special occasions, the brewers would produce an extra fine ale for which they would charge a little more; often as much as a whole dime or ten pennies! Those were the ales that Albert McClellan lamented were no longer available in later years. Bob, being a beer lover in his own right, dreamed of someday being able to savour a true “Ten Penny Ale”. He even fancied the idea of becoming a brewer someday, brewing the stuff himself. As years went by, the ice company flourished, now supplying mostly grocery stores, package stores, restaurants and caterers as well as folks planning parties and picnics. The popularity of Burnside’s product was due largely to the purity of the water emanating from the aquifer deep beneath the earth under the East Hartford neighborhood. At the urging of several local residents Bob began to offer the water through a dispenser at the front of the building on Tolland Street. Back around 1994, Bob noticed several of his water customers coming in for fairly large quantities of the water. Out of curiosity, Bob inquired as to their use of so much of the water and they heartily responded with “Brewing beer!” Apparently, Bob’s water had qualities that made an especially clean, pure and flavorful ale, without chemical or other unwanted tastes. Bob was immediately intrigued and sent off a sample of the water to a local lab for analysis. The tests revealed that the water was surprisingly similar in mineral characteristics to the famous waters of Burton-on-Trent, the source of water for many of the celebrated ales of the United Kingdom. The original recipe for Ten Penny Ale was an award-winning creation of our first head brewer, Ray Ballard, and local beer guru, Paul Zocco. A subsequent search for used brewery equipment to outfit the new brewery resulted in a trip to Sheridan, Wyoming, to the Wyoming Brewing Co., which had just recently closed. Transported by four trailer trucks, the brewery was assembled in what was a 4-bay truck garage at the ice plant, which now houses the entire Olde Burnside Brewing Co. Our current head brewer, Joe Lushing, along with his assistant brewer, strive to carry on the tradition of making world-class ales. We at the Olde Burnside Brewing Co. are very proud of the ales we produce and hope that you enjoy them as much as we enjoy bringing them to you. |
Peak Organic Brewing Co.
With roots in Homebrewing back in the 90s, brewer Jon Cadoux set about combining his love for beer with an ethic for sustainability. Whenever possible, he would go out and find ingredients from local organic farmers for his homebrews. It was a defining day when Jon discovered that you don’t need to sacrifice flavor for sustainability, but that better ingredients actually made the beer more delicious. |
The Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Located in Chico, California, Sierra Nevada Brewing is one of the top craft breweries currently operating in the United States. Sierra Nevada’s Pale Ale is the second best-selling craft beer in the United States, behind the Boston Beer Company’s Samuel Adams Boston Lager. It is currently the sixth-largest brewing company in the United States. The brewery produced 786,000 barrels of beer in 2010. The brewery was named “Green Business of the Year” by the United States Environmental Protection Agency in 2010 for its practices in sustainability. |
Sixpoint Craft Ales
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Smuttynose Brewing Co.
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Southern Tier Brewing Company
The Brewery began distributing regionally in February 2003. By 2005 sales covered the majority of New York State and the eastern half of Pennsylvania. Since the beginning, Southern Tier has experienced steady growth, currently distributing to over 50% of the United States. Multiple expansions have been made to keep up with demand and the brewery continues to innovate and produce new products. |
Stone Brewing Co.
Stone Brewing is known for the aggressive Arrogant Bastard Ale, although the brewery considers Stone Pale Ale and Stone IPA to be its flagship beers. Most of their beers are characteristic of west-coast craft brews; that is to say, most beers have a traditionally ‘hoppy’ flavor. Stone beers are bottled in 22 ounce bottles, 12 oz six packs, and occasionally 3 liter bottles. The beers available in six-packs are the Stone Pale Ale, Stone IPA, Stone Levitation Ale, Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale, and Stone Ruination IPA. Stone uses 22oz bottles to feature their “bigger character” beers and Stone Special Releases. Compared to most brewers, many Stone brews feature alcohol percentages that are well above average. The alcohol-by-volume content of Stone brews ranges from 4.4% to well over 11%. In 2006, Stone relocated from its original brewery in San Marcos to a new, custom-designed facility in Escondido. The new brewery currently has a capacity of 90,000 US beer barrels per year, with capacity expandable up to 250,000 barrels, and also includes an on-site bottling line. The site is also home to a restaurant, Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens, a 300+ seat restaurant which features a large outdoor patio and 1-acre (4,000 m2) of gardens. The restaurant serves a rotating menu of food—concentrating on organic, free-range and local ingredients—and beer from Stone, local San Diego and regional California craft brewers, and other specialty breweries in the United States and abroad. The brewery also houses a Stone Company Store where Stone merchandise can be purchased in addition to one and two litre growlers which can be filled with Stone’s 7 year-round beers and special releases. |
Troegs
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Victory Brewing Company
The brewery uses an automated, energy recovery, 50 BBL system made by Rolec in OberBayern, Germany. Victory also brews using traditional methods where appropriate, such as using the energy intensive decoction process for production of certain German style lager beers. Victory uses whole hops. The restaurant was completely remodeled in spring of 2008 with a new focus on smoked barbecue. A growler filler was installed during the renovation that allows any of 20 draft beers to be routed to the counter-pressure growler filler. This device includes a CO2 evacuation step, increasing the shelf life of the beer compared to direct spigot filling. The growlers are 68 oz., which is approximately.53 gallons or 2 liters. Free Brewery Tours (all brewery tours meet at the Victory Retail Store in the restaurant) Wednesday and Thursday 4pm, 5pm, 6pm, 7pm Friday 12:30pm, 4pm, 5pm, 6pm Saturday and Sunday 12pm, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm, 4pm, 5pm As a safety precaution, closed-toe shoes must be worn while on the tour. Tours meet at the host station inside of the restaurant. |
Wandering Star Craft Brewery
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Westfield River Brewing Company
Westfield River Brewing Company, located in Westfield, Mass., was officially founded by a group of long time Massachusetts’ residents in the spring of 2012. We have chosen to live, work, and raise our families here in this beautiful state. We have also built our brewery here so that we can share our passion for quality, fresh beer with the people we call our family, friends, and neighbors. Westfield River Brewing Company is committed to hand crafting unique beers using the best ingredients available. Give us a try. You won’t be disappointed. |
Wormtown Brewery
Not everyone identifies with Wormtown. Not everyone is involved with the underground music scene in the city, not everyone is a fan of punk. But the name has stuck and has been adopted by countless Worcester citizens because it symbolizes and embraces the free spirited do-it-yourself ethic that is simply Worcester. Over the years it has meant many things to many people and sometimes frowned upon as derogatory by some, when actually it helped change the culture of the city in a way where anyone could strike out on their own and create music, art or a collective of liked minded individuals. Wormtown Brewery has that same spirit – they are creating something unique to add to the mix in our city. Will it change Worcester the way music did back in the late ’70s? Who knows. But one thing is for sure, there is nothing that goes better with good music than good beer. |
