Berkshire brewing was founded in 1994 with one goal in mind, good beer, good people. Located in Deerfield, MA, the brewery is tucked away in a quiet cul-de-sac and a stone’s throw away from the Yankee Candle store. As in their mecca store. For anyone with a candle addiction or affinity for Christmas villages and ornaments, best give your wallet to a trusted friend or relative. It’s dangerous headed out to Berkshire if you have either of those conditions.

The brewing facility used to only be open on Saturdays for their free one o’clock tour that included a tasting. They put on a comprehensive tour. Having the Brewer on duty be the tour guide has a lot to do with that. It doesn’t sound like something that would be a difference, but it absolutely is. Seriously, the best tour I’ve ever been on. There were three samples offered and an opportunity to purchase merchandise or admire their taproom. Simple and to the point. The taproom is definitely a sight to be seen. Dedicated to Dick Schatz’s memory, the small space is decorated from floor to ceiling in Schatz’s beer memorabilia collection. Chandeliers, clocks, signs, and much, much more.

Fast forward to 2019, and a lot has changed. They’ve opened their doors and are open Thursday through Sunday. Their tasting room has been transformed into a true taproom, although the decor hasn’t changed a bit, still dedicated to beer swag history. Say all you like about Schlitz, Miller, Coors, and like beers, their swag game was high, very high. To suit the more modern beer drinker, they’ve opened a beer garden equipped with its own bar, as well as large format Jenga and Cornhole.

The free tour on Saturdays still goes off at one o’clock. We missed it in the name of rollercoasters. We’ll have to make a separate trek to validate the continuance of Brewer led tours being superior to all others. I don’t know that they still give the responsibility to the Brewer working on Saturday, but I am guessing they do.

So on a crisp (read chilly) October afternoon, Adam and I saddled up to a table for the Berkshire offerings. And it was a relaxing, fun time. Mind you, I did have to have a knit poncho on hand to wear. That said, we still stayed inside. Baby, it’s cold outside.

The tap lists inside and out were not identical. Choice, choice, choice. Whatever is a beer drinker to do? Order flights, of course! Their Life on Marzen was on and as delightful as I remember. Bready and a little on the sweet side, it was a perfect choice for the day. Well, ok, I would have said that if their Farmstand Raspberry barleywine wasn’t on. But it was. This is one of the best barleywines you can get. So, naturally, I had to order it. The Easy Like Mosaic is what its name suggests, an IPA that is easy to like.

Berkshire is very much an organization that sticks to its motto. All of the staff are incredibly friendly and helpful. If you are in the area or if you are looking for a drive, this is a place not to be missed.

Cheers Nerd Girls!