I love the new Farmer Series pouring permit that MA introduced last year, allowing full pours at brewery’s tasting rooms. I came across an article today, published last October, claiming that 20 breweries secured the permit. I can’t find a list of them online anywhere, and I only know of a handful of MA breweries selling full pours. Can you guys help me fill out the list? The ones I know do it are below and it's not even close to 20. I tried checking some brewery websites but I’m not trusting them since I’m almost positive Mayflower does this now and yet their website doesn’t say so…makes me not trust that other websites are up to date yet, which is why I’m turning to you guys. I’d also be curious to know what other breweries around N.E. (not counting brewpubs obviously) sell full pours. The ones I know of in MA are: Jack’s Abby Night Shift Mayflower Buzzards Bay Bog Iron (will be very soon once new construction is done) Medusa (though not open yet) Is Mystic doing this now? Others???
Mercury/Ipswich? Obviously they have plans for the restaurant there, not sure what the license situation is. Newburyport does pints.
Ah right, forgot about Newburyport. Probably because the one time I was there I only got a sampler. I assume Ipswich’s set up would be a brewpub, and therefore a different license? Have no idea on that. I’m forgetting Harpoon - the biggie. I guess they’d fall under this? That’s still only about half…
The city licensing commission approved our full pour permit about a month ago. Waiting for the state to stamp it. Tankards of Table Beer are nigh. Bryan Mystic
I'm not sure if it falls under the same permitting process, but Bantam Cider's tasting room in Somerville is offering full pours. Highly recommended!
I've got to check out Newburyport now that they serve pints--the beer I've had from them in cans (the IPA in particular) has been very good. Of the Mass breweries listed, I've only been to Harpoon and Jack's Abby thus far, but I'm very pleased to be able to order a pint at both. New Hampshire recently passed a similar, though unsurprisingly it has the silly caveat that hot food must be served, I believe. The only brewery that has gone this route that I know of thus far is Earth Eagle, which is serving pints, half-pints and samplers. They're also serving food from the Black Trumpet and Popper's, two very worthwhile area restaurants, so I guess the hot food stipulation isn't all bad. I believe Maine has similar legislation, and to the best of my knowledge Bunker serves pints at their brewery. I'm assuming others do as well, but I'm not sure.
Wormtown in Worcester doesn't do tasting directly, but they are adjoined to a restaurant/bar called Peppercorns, which at last check had 10 Wormtown lines on tap and also sells growlers. I'd recommend checking it out.
Yeah I enjoy Peppercorns. I just didn't think that counted since the full pours are sold in the restaurant itself...
We think we might have been the first in the state to have this new permit (which... means... absolutely nothing other than being a very mildly interesting fact). Our pourer's permit was in process with the ABCC when the law was changed so they had our application in hand at the time. The town approved it and so did the ABCC so we've been able to legally sell pints since last summer. We just don't have the damn room. Anyone who's popped by knows we have about 12 square feet for folks to come in and fill growlers (not exactly full-pint friendly). Like you mentioned above though, we're currently building out a taproom that will provide dramatically more elbow room as well as food to go along with it. We are REALLY praying that it'll be open around the end of this month but you never know how these things can end up dragging on. (Fingers crossed) All of that said... I would be shocked if "full pours" wasn't pretty much a standard across all of the FB license holders as there's really no reason NOT to do it unless you just don't have the space. For us, it was a no brainer. Brian Bog Iron
