I'll be in Great Barrington this weekend for a wedding. Anyone have recommendations for breweries, bottle shops or beer bars in the area? I'd be willing to drive up to about 30-45 min Thanks
GB itself isn't a great town for beer - certainly, you can get decent stuff at the main package stores (Domaney's and Plaza Package) as well as the better restaurants (Prairie Whale and Alium) but nothing really special. About 30 min to the north, Moe's Tavern in Lee is the place - an old-school, no frills, craft beer bar with a solid-to-great selection, depending on the night. Brewery wise, if you really don't mind a 45 minute drive, I'd head over to Suarez Family Brewing outside of Hudson, NY. Their stuff is killer. Sloop is nearby as well, and I haven't had much from them but they seem well-liked. You could also have a great meal from the other half of the Suarez Family at Gaskins in Germantown. For MA-based breweries, Big Elm in Sheffield (about 15 min south of GB) has been increasingly solid, but nothing to write home about. If anyone tells you to go to Barrington Brewery in GB, just smile and nod, and then never take that person's advice about beer or food ever again. I haven't been to the newly-opened Shire Breu-Hous in Dalton, MA, but it looks like it has serious potential. You'll have to do your own recon for that one.
