West County Has a Brewery
Hurricane Irene flowed down the Deerfield River and under the Bridge of Flowers that connects Shelburne Falls to Buckland in 2011. Zak Livingston bought a flooded building into which Irene had dumped silt four-feet high in the basement a few years back now. Since then, he’s been slowly working his way forward to open Floodwater Brewery.
The soft opening was last November, but one visit shows that this three-barrel nano brewery has no problem taking the slow route forward in true “Buckland Falls” (the local moniker for the town) style. On tap are three beers: Blonde, Saison and Porter (7.0% ABV).
The glory of visiting a new brewery, especially a nano, is that each visit will deliver something different, especially as the brewer begins to reach his or her stride with a new system. The Saison was outstanding. Actually, each beer had a fantastic aroma that popped out of the glass. The Tasting Room is spacious and funky and overlooks the Bridge of Flowers. There’s no doubt that this new hill town brewery is going to be the go-to spot for locals and tourists alike.
Valentine’s Date Night & the Perfect Beer
Okay, maybe you aren’t going to take your love to the newly opened Tap Room at Berkshire Brewing in South Deerfield, but you could. It’s open Thursday-Friday from 3-9 p.m. and on weekends from noon-7 p.m. For those who don’t stop in on the big love day, they can at least pick up Farmstand Raspberry Barleywine (9.0%), which is made with local raspberries from Nourse Farm right down the road from the brewery. This beer is a perfect midwinter treat, big enough to warm the cockles, and it’s an elegant late-night sipper. Pour it over vanilla ice cream and swoon your date.
Bringing Spring On
Big Elm Brewing’s (Sheffield) first ever Belgian-style tripel, Magnum Ulmus (8.5%; the name is Latin for Big Elm), is fermented with classic Belgian yeast and has copious dry hopping to make this golden ale dry.
Another popular potluck takes place in the Tasting Room on February 9 at 6 p.m. with a sing-along with two local congregations dubbed Beer & Hymns. This is a fundraiser, with proceeds going to different organizations in town. It is not your grandma’s church social.
February 16 is the third annual Cabin Fever party. there will be local sausages made from pigs that eat Big Elm’s spent grain, great beer and an excuse to leave the house. One of the beers on tap will be session IPA Sofa King, light golden in color and dry-hopped with Mosaic, Citra, Simcoe and Amarillo hops.
On March 9, brewer/owner Christine hosts the second annual Pink Boots Brew Day at the brewery. Anyone interested in brewing with a pro is welcomed at Big Elm to learn and enjoy the camaraderie that craft brewing entails. To be released that day is a new beer, Leon, a milk stout.
Gravity Cask on the Bar Every Friday Night
TGIF at The People’s Pint in Greenfield when each Friday there’s a real ale at the bar served from a firkin (a small cask, about 11 gallons). The Pint is now canning Training Wheels Session IPA, a double-dry-hopped session IPA hopped with Citra and Mosaic hops; Early Green Pale Ale, a Motueka-hopped and dry-hopped beer; Farmer Brown, Pied Piper IPA, Oatmeal Stout, Hope Street Amber and a new People’s Gold.
Current unique beers on tap are Rucksack Wanderer (6.5%), a Dortmunder-style lager brewed with all Weyermann malt from Bamberg, Germany, and a new imperial porter named Dark Meridian (8.0%).
Good Food Award to Local Brewer
Justin Korby, owner/brewer of Stoneman Brewery in Colrain, was awarded the prestigious Good Food Award for Tractor Rye IPA. Dragon Beam Double IPA (8.0%) was a finalist. This news is helping propel this enterprising brewery onto the next big project, which is to upgrade the nano to a 15-barrel system and to open a tasting room.
In the meantime, Justin is working with American Craft Brands (ACB), a new online delivery system, to help move his beers more easily to more locations. ACB is sure to change the world of craft beverage distribution. All this goes to show that moss does not grow on this Stone.
Expansion in Easthampton
Abandoned Building has taken over the giant space next door in Easthampton. Owner/brewer Matt Tarleckin recently gave a tour showing the future outdoor beer garden location along with the spacious new room. He’s looking at having the new space ready for the fifth year Anniversary Party on May 11.
“We’re really excited this year to push our experimental limits with beer,” Matt said. “We’ll be bringing back our Jubilation Fruit IPA series, but we also have a few others in mind.”
For Valentine’s Day, Matt will have Strawberry and Vanilla Milkshake IPA, and on St. Paddy’s there will be a release of Farewell Red Ale.
Beer Nuts and Tidbits
Iron Duke Brewery is moving forward with the brand spanking new brewery in Wilbraham, which is expected to open in 2020. Meanwhile, the Ludlow location right off of Interstate I-90 is still open and serving beer.
Going back to Buckland, where Floodwater is located, there’s an interesting yet little known fact about that town across from Shelburne Falls: You can walk down the street with an open container — something the patrons at Floodwater love to mention. Who needs New Orleans when you have Buckland? Shelburne Falls on the east side of the Deerfield River does not have the same open container law, so don’t cross the bridge and walk east. The novelty alone of an open container law is yet another reason to visit this hill town today.
Not Your Average Beer
Element Brewing in Millers Falls is releasing Acidum (8.0%) in late February. It’s a sour mash red ale, and the brewers aged the mash for two days before the runoff and brewing with the house yeast. Vermouthium (16%) is a limited edition cider “vermouth” made with Headwater Cider and some local botanicals, as well as those from around the globe.
