i HIGHLY recommend the Lefty's Barrel Aged Imperial Chocolate Stout. It was absolutely delicious. The bourbon wasn't overpowering, and there was still a slight hint of chocolate behind it. Available only at Ryan And Casey's (only a couple hundred feet from Lefty's)
I went to Element a year ago as I was passing through from MASS MOCA because I was thinking "I think there's a brewery out here?" and then as I drove down into Millers Falls, I remember thinking "there's a brewery here?". Cool little spot though. Weird depressed old paper mill town. Great dudes who work there and really interesting brews. That part of Mass is beautiful too. Makes for a great drive.
I hit all three of those last June while camping in the area, and all the info is correct, but Element does growler fills too (at least they did last year). Cool people/places, all. Lefty's was still in the process of putting their tasting room together so we kind of stood in a hallway and they kept opening bombers of whatever we wanted to try. It was a friday afternoon and they took the time to take care of us. Element guy was awesome too. Had a good late lunch at People's Pint, but didn't leave with any of their beers. We were well stocked by then.
All three do growler fills. Check out Ryan and Casey's liquors in Greenfield for growlers of Lefty's and Pint. Better yet fill a Pint growler straight from the taps at The Pint. Element does growlers, but only at the brewery. I don't think Leftys does growlers at the brewery but I could be wrong. Great people at three spots!
Also, the best local draft lineup in the area (and great dinner spot if looking for that) can be found at Great Falls Harvest in Turners Falls. They typically have Lefty's, Pint, Element, BBC, and Brewmaster Jack all on tap for $5-6/pint.
what was that place over that way that had so much potential and burned down? The Bucket of Bread or something like that.
That was Bottle of Bread, in Shelburne Falls. Same owners opened up Hope&Oilve in Greeenfield, which is around the block from Magpie, Seymour, The Pint.
Oddly there is no great local/regional-selection beer bar in the Greenfield area. Seymour has a great atmosphere but is based on the Moan & Dirty Truth formula of a hefty $8 per pint for imports and west coast stuff you can easily get at a good craft beer store, with maybe one local on tap at any given time, usually Brewmaster Jack. A rare thing to find is Element on tap - besides the Millers Pub and Rt 63 Roadhouse in Millers, it's strangely hard to find on draft at all, and especially for a reasonable price. The two places with anything resembling a comprehensive tap list of local beers are Great Falls Harvest in Turners which I already mentioned, and, oddly, Mesa Verde the burrito place in downtown Greenfield. Both places have a sampling from all the locals on tap for excellent prices, including Element for ~$5ish/pint, two of the only places you'll find Element on tap in the area A) at all, and B) for under $7/pint. Mesa also has a dedicated Ginger Libation line (by Green River Ambrosia meadery). Great Falls is semi-upscale with fantastic food, Mesa is a casual burrito joint. Hope and Olive has great food too, and a very good but perhaps not special beer list, often with a couple of the locals, a west coaster or three, and maybe some Pretty Things on tap. And yes they are the resurrected Bottle of Bread, in the sense of same proprietors ! Enjoy your visit!
