Where do you get your shippers?

Not sure where you can get shippers (UPS/FedEx stores maybe?), but be sure to check out Brick & Feather in Turner's Falls, Progression Brewing in downtown Northampton, and Fort Hill Brewing in Easthampton. The latter two are very close to Holyoke, assuming that's where you'll be for St. Patty's. Some of the higher end producers in the area. Also Provisions bottle shop and Cooper's Corner in Northampton for a big selection of top notch New England/Northeast beers. Table & Vine in West Springfield has top notch selection too.

Also, for beer at an establishment, The Dirty Truth in Northampton has the best selection of beer in the area on tap and in bottles, hands down. Mcladden's in Northampton has a huge menu too with more regional/national craft offerings available, but Dirty Truth has much better/higher quality food.

Lastly, haven't been yet, but a new brewery in Holyoke just opened called Holyoke Craft Beer. Looks like an interesting spot to visit.

 

Amazon mostly, I just re-use Amazon packing materials for the most part.

 

UHaul locations sell wine shippers in various sizes. You can check a location's inventory online, purchase online for pickup, or have them shipped to your house.

 

Fort Hill rightly gets a lot of love, but near them also in Easthampton is Abandoned Building Brewery. I find they make a very nice variety of beers, ranging from hazy hops to Belgian-inspired tripels and saisons (and recently added an Irish red). Their taproom is pretty cool, a bit dark, but comfortable and with a neighborhood vibe in an old industrial building. There's another brewery essentially next door called New City, but I can't vouch for quality there.

Anyway, Easthampton is a quick hop from Holyoke and you can put together a fun little brewery crawl. I second the above comments about Northampton and would only add Building 8 -- their brewery doesn't have a taproom to say but they offer free samples and cans to take away. They have a new brewer these days and he comes from your fair state. Stop in, buy a few cans, enjoy the samples and then head next door to The Office for a step back in time in "Hamp" culture.

Check opening times -- most of these breweries aren't open every day or even all day.

 

You're right to mention Abandoned Building Brewery...I subconsciously left them out because I'm not a huge fan of their beers. They're currently building a new, bigger taproom, but I think their old one is still open. New City Brewery next door to ABB is a cool spot where they often have music and such, but their beer is below par. They're open 7 days a week though and until 9-10pm usually.

Building 8 is great, but without a visit, their beer is available at most stores in the Hamp area.

 

I've been to Abandoned Building 3-4 times and I find their beer to be really, really good. And, as others have mentioned, they've got a nice variety of it. New City is skippable, but it's literally next door to AB so if you've got the time it's worth a quick dip in.

 

What is your baggage situation? It may be cheaper to throw it in a suitcase and bring it with you, depending on what airline you are flying and fees and such.