Best beer in the Berkshires?

[amtriska]

I go to college in the Berkshires, and I'm trying to branch out from buying Magic Hat all the time. Any recommendations for good local beers in the Berkshires? I love dark beers and have a weakness for seasonal flavors like pumpkin and peach.

[r00tarded]

Perhaps without realizing it you stumbled into a mecca for beer lovers.

Berkshire Brewing Company, So. Deerfield MA
Peoples Pint Brewery, Greenfield, MA
Paper City Brewery, Holyoke MA
Pretty Things Beer Project, Holyoke MA
High and Mighty Brewing, Holyoke MA
Opa Opa, Southampton MA

Then of course you have the small brewpub breweries like Northampton Brewery and Amherst Brewery, amazing bars like Moan and Dove, Sierra Grille, the Dirty Truth... and I'm sure I'm missing quite a few others that are further west of me (I'm in the Northampton area).

Every year there is also the Conn River Brewfest held in Holyoke... you should definitely attend!

[invinotheresverde]

I could be wrong, but isn't Pretty Things based out of Boston? I met Dan and Martha over the summer and could've sworn they were 617-based. Please correct me if I'm having a moment.

[mazultav]

Dann and Martha are 617 based. They however do not brew in Cambridge/Boston. r00 is partially correct. Dann used to brew Pretty Things in Paper City's Brewery, with with his well deserved popularity he now brews out of Buzzards Bay in Natick I think.

[invinotheresverde]

Cool. Thanks.

[writergeek313]

I was drinking Opa Opa IPA when I was out there recently. It's not the best, but it's affordable and local. I also like the People's Pint, but that's a little more pricey.

[Calico Jack]

Try anything from Berkshire Brewing Company, especially coffeehouse porter. There are a lot of little brewpubs in near Amherst/Northampton. Stop in and get a growler filled.

[triggs73]

I'll second that rec. Great brewery and great people.

[invinotheresverde]

That coffee porter is really excellent!