Must Stop Breweries in Mass

Cambridge brewing, mystic, and medusa. Jacks abby for sure.

 

Save some time by making Jack's Abby one of your meals too!

 

If you're in western Mass, the Easthampton/Northampton area has a number of spots within 10-15 min radius. Then if you're heading up to VT, recommend Brick & Feather and Honest Weight. From there you could swing by Whetstone Station in Brattleboro, which has good food and HF on tap occasionally.

 

Clown Shoes is a contract brewer so don't believe you can visit them.

As for bottle shops, Craft Beer Cellar in Belmont and Redstone Liquors in Stoneham are prob the two best just outside Boston. Boston Wine Exchange in downtown Boston usually has a few unique offerings and you might as well hit Fort Point Market since it is next door to Trillium.

Jacks Abby, as others have mentioned, is an easy detour between Boston and Tree House and if you are stopping in Framingham you might want to make another stop in Westboro to check out Julios Liquors. Last bottle shop to hit would be Yankee Spirits in Sturbridge right on the way to Tree House.

 

Risking repeating, with unlimited time, liver function and magically allowing everything to be open when you are passing by, For breweries I would say Riverwalk in Newburyport is worth a stop, Mystic, NightShift, Trillium, Jack's Abby (which doubles as brewpub, with excellent food and brewery-only beers,) Medusa, Wormtown, Tree House are the way to go,. There are a bunch of newer ones out western MA that I haven't gotten to, and a couple others more easterly, Lord Hobo, Castle Island, and so on. For food, besides JA, Cambridge Brewing Co is worth the stop anytime. By later spring / early Summer there should be a few more brewers opening up, including Idle Hands / Enlightenment in their new space.

 

Tree House's lines are too long and Night Shift is overrated. Save all your money for Trillium.

 

to each his own but to offer a differing opinion, night shift has great beer, great staff, great atmosphere. their tap room is can't miss for me if someone was visiting.

have fun!

 

I'd hit Cold Harbor in Westboro if you are going to go to Julios ~ 5 minutes.

 

Add Jack's Abby to your list. Have lunch their, you will not be disappointed

 

I'd consider a meal at Armsby Abbey in Worcester with their great tap list, including Hill Farmstead. That can be done on your Treehouse/Julios day.

 

If you hit Jack's Abbey then head west I would highly recommend Medusa in Hudson, great tap room, usually 10'or so beers on tap. Then you can hop on 290 and head to Wormtown if Armsby Abbey.

 

I disagree. I went by Nightshift yesterday. Pretty good Taproom, awesome staff and beer if good. Plus you are not that far from Trillium.

 

Yeah, Night Shift has a great taproom and awesome beers. Any they always have a ton of different stuff on draft and reasonably-priced flights so you can try a bunch of different styles.

Unrelated, but every time I see the title of this thread I read it as breweries that "must be stopped" and think, gee, none are that bad!

 

I've only seen Other Half beers on tap in Boston a couple of times and that was for special occasions around EBF. I believe they only sell cans/bottles at the brewery in Brooklyn and a few select bars in NYC.

 

If you only had a Saturday afternoon to go to a brewery in Boston, which ones would you do?

And is it that hard to get any cans in Trillium? I'm scared of wasting one day in Boston just standing in a line.

 

Trillium doesn't can. The bottle line wouldn't be more than 15 min depending on a special release.

If you were looking for more to do at a brewery, Harpoon's beer hall is massive and isn't too far from Trillium.

 

So Trillium is just to go there, sample, and get some growlers filled? I'm okay with that. I just want to be able to go and experience some beers regardless of purchases or not. I was hoping to do Trillium/Night Shift since neither are available in any shape or form in NJ and Tree House is a bit out of a way for a one day stay in Boston.

 

Yes, these. Mystic and Cambridge were two of my favorites on my last MA trip. Both have great options. Was really surprised at how many great brews they had of many styles at Cambridge!