#Harrison & The Globes looking fine at 81

[deckardsdwelling]

Harrison Ford on the red carpet of the "81st Annual Golden Globe Awards" ~ 01/07/24 ~ CBS/Paramount+

81 never looked so good (pun intended).

- WDD

[tonyduncanbb73]

Portsmouth Beer Celebrates the ‘Libeeration’ of Menopause

And other beer news

The brewing scene in the Greater Boston area continues to grow rapidly.

We’re tracking local beer-related news bites right here, including openings, closures, features, and more; this piece will be updated on a rolling basis, and the most recent additions will always be at the top.

October 12, 2017

MALDEN — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Idle Hands Craft Ales(89 Commercial St.), which moved from Everett to Malden a year ago and is better than ever. Read it here.

PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Experiencing menopause? Portsmouth Brewery (56 Market St.) apparently has the beer for you, dubbed Libeeration. The brewery doesn’t make any “medicinal claims” about the beer, reports the Globe, but the gruit-style ale contains ingredients that herbalists recommend for mood shifts, including chamomile, mugwort, stinging nettle, and more. The Globe notes that it has “fruit, spicy notes.” Get it by the bottle at Portsmouth Brewery while supplies last.

SALEM — Founded in 2014 under the name Massachusetts Bay Colony Brewers, a brewery now called East Regiment Beer Co. is finally putting down roots with a tasting room and brewing facility at 30 Church St., sharing a building with a coffee shop.

SCITUATE —Tomorrow is opening day for Scituate’s Untold Brewing(6 Old Country Way), with full pours available in the taproom, beer for purchase to take home, free snacks, and “good times all around.” Learn all about the brewery in this previous Beer & Mortar feature.

October 5, 2017

Facebook

Custom tap handles at Percival Brewing Company, now open in Norwood

BRAINTREE — Widowmaker Brewing(220 Wood Rd.) is now open with a 70-seat taproom and an opening beer lineup that includes a double IPA, two stouts, a blonde ale, and more.

EVERETT — In a saga that has been going on since 2015, a judge has now upheld a state ban on “pay-to-play” practices in the beer industry, thus eliminating a potential chance for Everett-based distributor Craft Brewers Guild to get out of a record $2.6 million fine.

NORWOOD — Percival Brewing Company (83 Morse St.) is now open in its own home in Norwood, having spent the last few years contract brewing after debuting in Dorchester in 2011. The taproom’s opening lineup includes an oatmeal stout, a pale ale, and more.

SOMERVILLE — A brief reprieve for the Somerville Brewing Company beer garden at Assembly Row: Thanks to nice weather, it’ll stay open through this Thursday, September 7, instead of closing last week. Next up, the company will open American Fresh Brewhousesoon at Assembly Row (490 Foley St.)

WATERTOWN — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Branch Line (321 Arsenal St.), a restaurant that features great hospitality, rotisserie chicken, bocce, and a killer beer list. Read it here.

September 21, 2017

Facebook

Wachusett Brewing Company’s Airstream

FENWAY — The beer is “fine” at the recently opened Cheeky Monkey(3 Lansdowne St., Fenway, Boston), reports Gary Dzen for Boston.com, who notes that there’s no traditional brewer in-house. Instead, Cheeky Monkey’s recipes come from “celebrity BrewMaster” Brian Watson, who is based in New Zealand and sells brewing equipment that allows restaurant owners to brew “fresh, world-class beers onsite with very little effort.” Try the East Coast IPA, which has aromatics that “distinctly recall tangerine” and has “a pleasant toasty finish.”

GOVERNMENT CENTER — A Wachusett Brewing Company beer garden dubbed the Brew Yard is popping up at Boston’s City Hall Plaza on several Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. (September 21 and 28, as well as October 5), reports Boston Magazine. Look for the Airstream trailer serving up eight beers by the pint, including Green Monsta IPA, Bella Czech Pils, Belgian White Mamba, and more. Plus, between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., there will be food trucks and live music onsite.

September 14, 2017

Facebook

The future home of Backlash Beer Co.

AMESBURY — BothBareWolf Brewing(12 Oakland St.) and Brewery Silvaticus(9 Water St.) are now open; more details here.

BRAINTREE — An opening timeline update from the forthcoming Widowmaker Brewing(220 Wood Rd.), via Facebook: “This week we finally received our approved variance from the state for the use of our brew house. We can now move forward with the town and work on getting our doors open ASAP. Thank you for your patience, no one wants us to be open more than we do.”

FRAMINGHAM — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Exhibit ‘A’ Brewing Company (81 Morton St.), which is expanding production and staying creative on the horizon of year two. Read it here.

NATICK — Beer is now available at Belkin Family Lookout Farm(89 Pleasant St.), not just cider. As previously reported, the farm has added a brewery next to its existing hard cider operations. The beer is only available at Lookout Farm’s taproom (no distribution is planned), and it features some fruit from the farm. The taproom is currently open Wednesday through Sunday.

ROXBURY — Backlash Beer Co.is getting closer to finally opening its own space, starting with the retail portion, at 152 Hampden St. in Roxbury. There are still permitting and construction hurdles to overcome to open it as a taproom, as Boston Magazine reports, but retail could begin by the end of this month. This is the first permanent home for Backlash, which has been contract brewing since 2011, most recently out of Dorchester Brewing Company.

SCITUATE — Untold Brewing(6 Old Country Way) kicked off brewing today; the opening timeline is still TBD, but the brewery was originally aiming for an October debut for its family-friendly taproom, which is located in a revamped old schoolhouse.

SOMERVILLE — Somerville Brewing Company’s Assembly Row beer garden will have its last day in business on Sunday, October 1. At some point in October, the company’s new American Fresh Brewhouse is expected to open at Assembly Row (490 Foley St.) with 126 seats, brewing on-site, a full kitchen, and 24 draft lines of Somerville Brewing Company beers. The space will be family-friendly and will have a seasonal dog-friendly outdoor beer garden.

September 7, 2017

SoWa Boston

SoWa Power Station

AMESBURY —BareWolf Brewing(12 Oakland St.)celebrates its grand opening this Saturday, September 9, from noon to 8 p.m. As previously reported, the brewery was founded by a father-and-son duo, and the opening beer lineup includes a Belgian ale, brown ale, pale ale, and more.

BRIGHTON — Brato Brewhouse & Kitchen may have a location: It could open near the Boston Landing development in Brighton. While the owners have a letter of intent in place, they’re still exploring other possibilities. Co-owner Jonathan Gilman had previously told Eater that Somerville and East Boston were at the top of the list for potential locations. Wherever Brato does end up, expect lots of session beers and plenty of complementary food. “The main crux of it is grilled cheese and sausage,” Gilman said previously.

EVERETT — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Bone Up Brewing Company (38 Norman St.), which recently celebrated its first anniversary. The owners are looking forward to “more of everything” in year two. Read it here.

IPSWICH — True North Ale Company(116 County Rd.) is getting closer to opening; check out these snazzy light fixtures. The brewery is heading towards a fall 2017 opening, but an exact date will be announced later.

SOUTH END — The upcoming Copenhagen Beer & Music Festival, taking place on September 22 and 23, has moved from City Hall Plaza to the SoWa Power Station (540 Harrison Ave.) Tickets start at $65 and include admission and unlimited two-ounce samples of beers from roughly a bajillion breweries. There will also be food available for purchase from Tasty Burger, Roxy’s Grilled Cheese, and more.

August 25, 2017

Facebook

Walden Woods Brewing hops

MARLBOROUGH — Marlborough is getting its first brewpub: Walden Woods Brewingis slated to open in late fall 2017 at 277 Main St., courtesy of “two beer geek brewers who also love history, particularly when it comes to this fella named Henry David Thoreau, and his unusual, yet compelling example of living deliberately.” Owners Alida Orzechowski and Chris Brown of Acton are longtime home brewers who were drawn to Marlborough because the city was specifically looking to bring in a brewery and offered some financial incentives to help out, as the Metrowest Daily News reported. Walden Woods Brewing will debut around November or December with six beers but will eventually serve up to a dozen “traditional European and American-style” beers with “a regional or historic twist.” Expect an American Pale Ale, India Pale Ale, and “New England style juice bomb” in the opening lineup, per the MDN.

WORCESTER / KEENE, NH — Wormtown Brewery in Worcester (72 Shrewsbury St.) has some new owners: Co-founder Tom Oliveri has left the brewery, selling his stake to former beer distributors Richard Clarke, Jay Clarke, and Kary Shumway, who are longtime friends of Wormtown’s other owner, David Fields, who bought a majority interest from Oliveri and master brewer Ben Roesch three years ago. Alongside the ownership change comes expansion on two fronts. Wormtown will expand to Keene, NH (472 Winchester St.) in early or mid-2018 with a 10-barrel brewhouse focused on barrel-aged beers, sours, and more. Plus, the existing Worcester space is getting a $2 million renovation that will allow for increased production, up to 37,000 barrels per year.

SALEM AND BEYOND — Beer overload? The Boston Globe’s Gary Dzen has you covered with some recommendations for six Massachusetts beers to try right now, including Notch Brewing Co.’sZwickel, an unfiltered German pale lager that “is anything but a juice bomb” and has a “nice balance of malt sweetness and hop bite.” Get it at the Salem taproom (283 Derby St.) and look for 16-ounce cans in the fall.

August 15, 2017

Dana Hatic for Eater

Idle Hands

MALDEN — The ghost of Enlightment Ales lives on. WBUR featured Idle Hands Craft Alesthis week, highlighting the brewery’s “Funky Town” experimental saison program, which originated from the dregs of past Brettanomyces beers created by former head brewer Ben Howe, who left in 2015 to be head brewer at a farmhouse brewery in Denmark. Howe’s previous project, Enlightenment Ales, had become a sub-brand of Idle Hands when Howe took the position of head brewer, becoming Idle Hands’ first full-time employee in late 2013. Current head brewer Brett Bauer “can still taste the bright lemon notes from previous Enlightenment brews in new batches” from the Funky Town tank, writes WBUR. But after the current batch is complete, the tank will be sterilized; Funky Town will start with a clean slate for 2018.

SCITUATE — Untold Brewing is heading for an October opening in an old schoolhouse at 6 Old Country Way in Scituate, on Massachusetts’ South Shore. Read the full Eater Boston Brick & Mortar feature on the forthcoming brewery, published today.

SOMERVILLE — Somerville Brewing Company (the brewery behind Slumbrew beers) will close down its Assembly Row beer garden after a farewell party on September 30 after having been open for nearly three years. Around the same time, its new Assembly Row project will open: American Fresh Brewhouse, right by the Assembly T stop. This one will be permanent and indoors (plus some seasonal outdoor seating), featuring a full kitchen and beers brewed in-house. The company’s main brewery and taproom in Somerville’s Boynton Yards neighborhood (just outside Union Square) will remain open as well.

August 7, 2017

Facebook

Brewery Silvaticus

AMESBURY — Brewery Silvaticusis heading towards a September 2017 opening at 9 Water St. in the Carriage Mills complex in downtown Amesbury, reports the Globe, and while several local restaurants will carry Silvaticus beer on draft, the team “expect[s] to sell most of their product under their own roof.” The taproom will serve full pints, plus crowlers to go, and there will be an outdoor beer garden on the Powwow River. Per the Silvaticus website, the team “share[s] a deep respect for the traditional beers of Europe and our goal is to pay homage while innovating and adapting our craft to push it forward.” The focus will be on Belgian farmhouse ales and German-style lagers. Two of the brewery’s four founders, Mark Zappasodi and Caroline Becker Zappasodi, own Tamarack Farmstead in Merrimacport, where they’ll grow their own hops for some Silvaticus beers, according to The Improper Bostonian.

In other Amesbury beer news, BareWolf Brewing will open a tasting room at 12 Oakland St. in late August and also expects to begin distributing around the Boston area this month, reports the Globe. Founded by father-and-son duo Paul and Stevie Bareford, BareWolf will likely do 80% of initial business via retail sales but ultimately expects more of an even split between retail and in-house sales. The opening lineup of beers will include a Belgian ale, brown ale, pale ale, and more, per the website.

HUDSON — Medusa Brewing Company is reportedly looking to expand into a vacant lot at 1 Houghton St. in downtown Hudson, thanks to a $5.5 million investment, reports The Metrowest Daily News. Currently located at 111 Main St., the brewery has a taproom that serves full pours and has seating for over 100.

NATICK — Belkin Family Lookout Farm is already home to Lookout Farm Hard Cider Company, and now it’ll brew beer too: Lookout Farm Brewing Company is slated to debut on September 8 at the Lookout taproom, reports The Metrowest Daily News. Head cider maker Aaron Mateychuk already has beer experience; he was previously head brewer at Waltham’s now-closed Watch City Brewing Company. Plus, Lookout’s bringing on an assistant brewer, Will Morris, who previously worked at Barleycorn’s Craft Brew in Natick. The brewery will be located in the same building as the cidery, and the beers will feature the farm’s fruits. One of the debut brews, for example, is Natick Nectar, a Belgian-style witbier made with Lookout peaches. The beer will only be available at Lookout.

[tonyduncanbb73]

Portsmouth Beer Celebrates the ‘Libeeration’ of Menopause

And other beer news

The brewing scene in the Greater Boston area continues to grow rapidly.

We’re tracking local beer-related news bites right here, including openings, closures, features, and more; this piece will be updated on a rolling basis, and the most recent additions will always be at the top.

October 12, 2017

MALDEN — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Idle Hands Craft Ales(89 Commercial St.), which moved from Everett to Malden a year ago and is better than ever. Read it here.

PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Experiencing menopause? Portsmouth Brewery (56 Market St.) apparently has the beer for you, dubbed Libeeration. The brewery doesn’t make any “medicinal claims” about the beer, reports the Globe, but the gruit-style ale contains ingredients that herbalists recommend for mood shifts, including chamomile, mugwort, stinging nettle, and more. The Globe notes that it has “fruit, spicy notes.” Get it by the bottle at Portsmouth Brewery while supplies last.

SALEM — Founded in 2014 under the name Massachusetts Bay Colony Brewers, a brewery now called East Regiment Beer Co. is finally putting down roots with a tasting room and brewing facility at 30 Church St., sharing a building with a coffee shop.

SCITUATE —Tomorrow is opening day for Scituate’s Untold Brewing(6 Old Country Way), with full pours available in the taproom, beer for purchase to take home, free snacks, and “good times all around.” Learn all about the brewery in this previous Beer & Mortar feature.

October 5, 2017

Facebook

Custom tap handles at Percival Brewing Company, now open in Norwood

BRAINTREE — Widowmaker Brewing(220 Wood Rd.) is now open with a 70-seat taproom and an opening beer lineup that includes a double IPA, two stouts, a blonde ale, and more.

EVERETT — In a saga that has been going on since 2015, a judge has now upheld a state ban on “pay-to-play” practices in the beer industry, thus eliminating a potential chance for Everett-based distributor Craft Brewers Guild to get out of a record $2.6 million fine.

NORWOOD — Percival Brewing Company (83 Morse St.) is now open in its own home in Norwood, having spent the last few years contract brewing after debuting in Dorchester in 2011. The taproom’s opening lineup includes an oatmeal stout, a pale ale, and more.

SOMERVILLE — A brief reprieve for the Somerville Brewing Company beer garden at Assembly Row: Thanks to nice weather, it’ll stay open through this Thursday, September 7, instead of closing last week. Next up, the company will open American Fresh Brewhousesoon at Assembly Row (490 Foley St.)

WATERTOWN — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Branch Line (321 Arsenal St.), a restaurant that features great hospitality, rotisserie chicken, bocce, and a killer beer list. Read it here.

September 21, 2017

Facebook

Wachusett Brewing Company’s Airstream

FENWAY — The beer is “fine” at the recently opened Cheeky Monkey(3 Lansdowne St., Fenway, Boston), reports Gary Dzen for Boston.com, who notes that there’s no traditional brewer in-house. Instead, Cheeky Monkey’s recipes come from “celebrity BrewMaster” Brian Watson, who is based in New Zealand and sells brewing equipment that allows restaurant owners to brew “fresh, world-class beers onsite with very little effort.” Try the East Coast IPA, which has aromatics that “distinctly recall tangerine” and has “a pleasant toasty finish.”

GOVERNMENT CENTER — A Wachusett Brewing Company beer garden dubbed the Brew Yard is popping up at Boston’s City Hall Plaza on several Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. (September 21 and 28, as well as October 5), reports Boston Magazine. Look for the Airstream trailer serving up eight beers by the pint, including Green Monsta IPA, Bella Czech Pils, Belgian White Mamba, and more. Plus, between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., there will be food trucks and live music onsite.

September 14, 2017

Facebook

The future home of Backlash Beer Co.

AMESBURY — BothBareWolf Brewing(12 Oakland St.) and Brewery Silvaticus(9 Water St.) are now open; more details here.

BRAINTREE — An opening timeline update from the forthcoming Widowmaker Brewing(220 Wood Rd.), via Facebook: “This week we finally received our approved variance from the state for the use of our brew house. We can now move forward with the town and work on getting our doors open ASAP. Thank you for your patience, no one wants us to be open more than we do.”

FRAMINGHAM — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Exhibit ‘A’ Brewing Company (81 Morton St.), which is expanding production and staying creative on the horizon of year two. Read it here.

NATICK — Beer is now available at Belkin Family Lookout Farm(89 Pleasant St.), not just cider. As previously reported, the farm has added a brewery next to its existing hard cider operations. The beer is only available at Lookout Farm’s taproom (no distribution is planned), and it features some fruit from the farm. The taproom is currently open Wednesday through Sunday.

ROXBURY — Backlash Beer Co.is getting closer to finally opening its own space, starting with the retail portion, at 152 Hampden St. in Roxbury. There are still permitting and construction hurdles to overcome to open it as a taproom, as Boston Magazine reports, but retail could begin by the end of this month. This is the first permanent home for Backlash, which has been contract brewing since 2011, most recently out of Dorchester Brewing Company.

SCITUATE — Untold Brewing(6 Old Country Way) kicked off brewing today; the opening timeline is still TBD, but the brewery was originally aiming for an October debut for its family-friendly taproom, which is located in a revamped old schoolhouse.

SOMERVILLE — Somerville Brewing Company’s Assembly Row beer garden will have its last day in business on Sunday, October 1. At some point in October, the company’s new American Fresh Brewhouse is expected to open at Assembly Row (490 Foley St.) with 126 seats, brewing on-site, a full kitchen, and 24 draft lines of Somerville Brewing Company beers. The space will be family-friendly and will have a seasonal dog-friendly outdoor beer garden.

September 7, 2017

SoWa Boston

SoWa Power Station

AMESBURY —BareWolf Brewing(12 Oakland St.)celebrates its grand opening this Saturday, September 9, from noon to 8 p.m. As previously reported, the brewery was founded by a father-and-son duo, and the opening beer lineup includes a Belgian ale, brown ale, pale ale, and more.

BRIGHTON — Brato Brewhouse & Kitchen may have a location: It could open near the Boston Landing development in Brighton. While the owners have a letter of intent in place, they’re still exploring other possibilities. Co-owner Jonathan Gilman had previously told Eater that Somerville and East Boston were at the top of the list for potential locations. Wherever Brato does end up, expect lots of session beers and plenty of complementary food. “The main crux of it is grilled cheese and sausage,” Gilman said previously.

EVERETT — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Bone Up Brewing Company (38 Norman St.), which recently celebrated its first anniversary. The owners are looking forward to “more of everything” in year two. Read it here.

IPSWICH — True North Ale Company(116 County Rd.) is getting closer to opening; check out these snazzy light fixtures. The brewery is heading towards a fall 2017 opening, but an exact date will be announced later.

SOUTH END — The upcoming Copenhagen Beer & Music Festival, taking place on September 22 and 23, has moved from City Hall Plaza to the SoWa Power Station (540 Harrison Ave.) Tickets start at $65 and include admission and unlimited two-ounce samples of beers from roughly a bajillion breweries. There will also be food available for purchase from Tasty Burger, Roxy’s Grilled Cheese, and more.

August 25, 2017

Facebook

Walden Woods Brewing hops

MARLBOROUGH — Marlborough is getting its first brewpub: Walden Woods Brewingis slated to open in late fall 2017 at 277 Main St., courtesy of “two beer geek brewers who also love history, particularly when it comes to this fella named Henry David Thoreau, and his unusual, yet compelling example of living deliberately.” Owners Alida Orzechowski and Chris Brown of Acton are longtime home brewers who were drawn to Marlborough because the city was specifically looking to bring in a brewery and offered some financial incentives to help out, as the Metrowest Daily News reported. Walden Woods Brewing will debut around November or December with six beers but will eventually serve up to a dozen “traditional European and American-style” beers with “a regional or historic twist.” Expect an American Pale Ale, India Pale Ale, and “New England style juice bomb” in the opening lineup, per the MDN.

WORCESTER / KEENE, NH — Wormtown Brewery in Worcester (72 Shrewsbury St.) has some new owners: Co-founder Tom Oliveri has left the brewery, selling his stake to former beer distributors Richard Clarke, Jay Clarke, and Kary Shumway, who are longtime friends of Wormtown’s other owner, David Fields, who bought a majority interest from Oliveri and master brewer Ben Roesch three years ago. Alongside the ownership change comes expansion on two fronts. Wormtown will expand to Keene, NH (472 Winchester St.) in early or mid-2018 with a 10-barrel brewhouse focused on barrel-aged beers, sours, and more. Plus, the existing Worcester space is getting a $2 million renovation that will allow for increased production, up to 37,000 barrels per year.

SALEM AND BEYOND — Beer overload? The Boston Globe’s Gary Dzen has you covered with some recommendations for six Massachusetts beers to try right now, including Notch Brewing Co.’sZwickel, an unfiltered German pale lager that “is anything but a juice bomb” and has a “nice balance of malt sweetness and hop bite.” Get it at the Salem taproom (283 Derby St.) and look for 16-ounce cans in the fall.

August 15, 2017

Dana Hatic for Eater

Idle Hands

MALDEN — The ghost of Enlightment Ales lives on. WBUR featured Idle Hands Craft Alesthis week, highlighting the brewery’s “Funky Town” experimental saison program, which originated from the dregs of past Brettanomyces beers created by former head brewer Ben Howe, who left in 2015 to be head brewer at a farmhouse brewery in Denmark. Howe’s previous project, Enlightenment Ales, had become a sub-brand of Idle Hands when Howe took the position of head brewer, becoming Idle Hands’ first full-time employee in late 2013. Current head brewer Brett Bauer “can still taste the bright lemon notes from previous Enlightenment brews in new batches” from the Funky Town tank, writes WBUR. But after the current batch is complete, the tank will be sterilized; Funky Town will start with a clean slate for 2018.

SCITUATE — Untold Brewing is heading for an October opening in an old schoolhouse at 6 Old Country Way in Scituate, on Massachusetts’ South Shore. Read the full Eater Boston Brick & Mortar feature on the forthcoming brewery, published today.

SOMERVILLE — Somerville Brewing Company (the brewery behind Slumbrew beers) will close down its Assembly Row beer garden after a farewell party on September 30 after having been open for nearly three years. Around the same time, its new Assembly Row project will open: American Fresh Brewhouse, right by the Assembly T stop. This one will be permanent and indoors (plus some seasonal outdoor seating), featuring a full kitchen and beers brewed in-house. The company’s main brewery and taproom in Somerville’s Boynton Yards neighborhood (just outside Union Square) will remain open as well.

August 7, 2017

Facebook

Brewery Silvaticus

AMESBURY — Brewery Silvaticusis heading towards a September 2017 opening at 9 Water St. in the Carriage Mills complex in downtown Amesbury, reports the Globe, and while several local restaurants will carry Silvaticus beer on draft, the team “expect[s] to sell most of their product under their own roof.” The taproom will serve full pints, plus crowlers to go, and there will be an outdoor beer garden on the Powwow River. Per the Silvaticus website, the team “share[s] a deep respect for the traditional beers of Europe and our goal is to pay homage while innovating and adapting our craft to push it forward.” The focus will be on Belgian farmhouse ales and German-style lagers. Two of the brewery’s four founders, Mark Zappasodi and Caroline Becker Zappasodi, own Tamarack Farmstead in Merrimacport, where they’ll grow their own hops for some Silvaticus beers, according to The Improper Bostonian.

In other Amesbury beer news, BareWolf Brewing will open a tasting room at 12 Oakland St. in late August and also expects to begin distributing around the Boston area this month, reports the Globe. Founded by father-and-son duo Paul and Stevie Bareford, BareWolf will likely do 80% of initial business via retail sales but ultimately expects more of an even split between retail and in-house sales. The opening lineup of beers will include a Belgian ale, brown ale, pale ale, and more, per the website.

HUDSON — Medusa Brewing Company is reportedly looking to expand into a vacant lot at 1 Houghton St. in downtown Hudson, thanks to a $5.5 million investment, reports The Metrowest Daily News. Currently located at 111 Main St., the brewery has a taproom that serves full pours and has seating for over 100.

NATICK — Belkin Family Lookout Farm is already home to Lookout Farm Hard Cider Company, and now it’ll brew beer too: Lookout Farm Brewing Company is slated to debut on September 8 at the Lookout taproom, reports The Metrowest Daily News. Head cider maker Aaron Mateychuk already has beer experience; he was previously head brewer at Waltham’s now-closed Watch City Brewing Company. Plus, Lookout’s bringing on an assistant brewer, Will Morris, who previously worked at Barleycorn’s Craft Brew in Natick. The brewery will be located in the same building as the cidery, and the beers will feature the farm’s fruits. One of the debut brews, for example, is Natick Nectar, a Belgian-style witbier made with Lookout peaches. The beer will only be available at Lookout.

[tonyduncanbb73]

Portsmouth Beer Celebrates the ‘Libeeration’ of Menopause

And other beer news

The brewing scene in the Greater Boston area continues to grow rapidly.

We’re tracking local beer-related news bites right here, including openings, closures, features, and more; this piece will be updated on a rolling basis, and the most recent additions will always be at the top.

October 12, 2017

MALDEN — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Idle Hands Craft Ales(89 Commercial St.), which moved from Everett to Malden a year ago and is better than ever. Read it here.

PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Experiencing menopause? Portsmouth Brewery (56 Market St.) apparently has the beer for you, dubbed Libeeration. The brewery doesn’t make any “medicinal claims” about the beer, reports the Globe, but the gruit-style ale contains ingredients that herbalists recommend for mood shifts, including chamomile, mugwort, stinging nettle, and more. The Globe notes that it has “fruit, spicy notes.” Get it by the bottle at Portsmouth Brewery while supplies last.

SALEM — Founded in 2014 under the name Massachusetts Bay Colony Brewers, a brewery now called East Regiment Beer Co. is finally putting down roots with a tasting room and brewing facility at 30 Church St., sharing a building with a coffee shop.

SCITUATE —Tomorrow is opening day for Scituate’s Untold Brewing(6 Old Country Way), with full pours available in the taproom, beer for purchase to take home, free snacks, and “good times all around.” Learn all about the brewery in this previous Beer & Mortar feature.

October 5, 2017

Facebook

Custom tap handles at Percival Brewing Company, now open in Norwood

BRAINTREE — Widowmaker Brewing(220 Wood Rd.) is now open with a 70-seat taproom and an opening beer lineup that includes a double IPA, two stouts, a blonde ale, and more.

EVERETT — In a saga that has been going on since 2015, a judge has now upheld a state ban on “pay-to-play” practices in the beer industry, thus eliminating a potential chance for Everett-based distributor Craft Brewers Guild to get out of a record $2.6 million fine.

NORWOOD — Percival Brewing Company (83 Morse St.) is now open in its own home in Norwood, having spent the last few years contract brewing after debuting in Dorchester in 2011. The taproom’s opening lineup includes an oatmeal stout, a pale ale, and more.

SOMERVILLE — A brief reprieve for the Somerville Brewing Company beer garden at Assembly Row: Thanks to nice weather, it’ll stay open through this Thursday, September 7, instead of closing last week. Next up, the company will open American Fresh Brewhousesoon at Assembly Row (490 Foley St.)

WATERTOWN — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Branch Line (321 Arsenal St.), a restaurant that features great hospitality, rotisserie chicken, bocce, and a killer beer list. Read it here.

September 21, 2017

Facebook

Wachusett Brewing Company’s Airstream

FENWAY — The beer is “fine” at the recently opened Cheeky Monkey(3 Lansdowne St., Fenway, Boston), reports Gary Dzen for Boston.com, who notes that there’s no traditional brewer in-house. Instead, Cheeky Monkey’s recipes come from “celebrity BrewMaster” Brian Watson, who is based in New Zealand and sells brewing equipment that allows restaurant owners to brew “fresh, world-class beers onsite with very little effort.” Try the East Coast IPA, which has aromatics that “distinctly recall tangerine” and has “a pleasant toasty finish.”

GOVERNMENT CENTER — A Wachusett Brewing Company beer garden dubbed the Brew Yard is popping up at Boston’s City Hall Plaza on several Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. (September 21 and 28, as well as October 5), reports Boston Magazine. Look for the Airstream trailer serving up eight beers by the pint, including Green Monsta IPA, Bella Czech Pils, Belgian White Mamba, and more. Plus, between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., there will be food trucks and live music onsite.

September 14, 2017

Facebook

The future home of Backlash Beer Co.

AMESBURY — BothBareWolf Brewing(12 Oakland St.) and Brewery Silvaticus(9 Water St.) are now open; more details here.

BRAINTREE — An opening timeline update from the forthcoming Widowmaker Brewing(220 Wood Rd.), via Facebook: “This week we finally received our approved variance from the state for the use of our brew house. We can now move forward with the town and work on getting our doors open ASAP. Thank you for your patience, no one wants us to be open more than we do.”

FRAMINGHAM — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Exhibit ‘A’ Brewing Company (81 Morton St.), which is expanding production and staying creative on the horizon of year two. Read it here.

NATICK — Beer is now available at Belkin Family Lookout Farm(89 Pleasant St.), not just cider. As previously reported, the farm has added a brewery next to its existing hard cider operations. The beer is only available at Lookout Farm’s taproom (no distribution is planned), and it features some fruit from the farm. The taproom is currently open Wednesday through Sunday.

ROXBURY — Backlash Beer Co.is getting closer to finally opening its own space, starting with the retail portion, at 152 Hampden St. in Roxbury. There are still permitting and construction hurdles to overcome to open it as a taproom, as Boston Magazine reports, but retail could begin by the end of this month. This is the first permanent home for Backlash, which has been contract brewing since 2011, most recently out of Dorchester Brewing Company.

SCITUATE — Untold Brewing(6 Old Country Way) kicked off brewing today; the opening timeline is still TBD, but the brewery was originally aiming for an October debut for its family-friendly taproom, which is located in a revamped old schoolhouse.

SOMERVILLE — Somerville Brewing Company’s Assembly Row beer garden will have its last day in business on Sunday, October 1. At some point in October, the company’s new American Fresh Brewhouse is expected to open at Assembly Row (490 Foley St.) with 126 seats, brewing on-site, a full kitchen, and 24 draft lines of Somerville Brewing Company beers. The space will be family-friendly and will have a seasonal dog-friendly outdoor beer garden.

September 7, 2017

SoWa Boston

SoWa Power Station

AMESBURY —BareWolf Brewing(12 Oakland St.)celebrates its grand opening this Saturday, September 9, from noon to 8 p.m. As previously reported, the brewery was founded by a father-and-son duo, and the opening beer lineup includes a Belgian ale, brown ale, pale ale, and more.

BRIGHTON — Brato Brewhouse & Kitchen may have a location: It could open near the Boston Landing development in Brighton. While the owners have a letter of intent in place, they’re still exploring other possibilities. Co-owner Jonathan Gilman had previously told Eater that Somerville and East Boston were at the top of the list for potential locations. Wherever Brato does end up, expect lots of session beers and plenty of complementary food. “The main crux of it is grilled cheese and sausage,” Gilman said previously.

EVERETT — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Bone Up Brewing Company (38 Norman St.), which recently celebrated its first anniversary. The owners are looking forward to “more of everything” in year two. Read it here.

IPSWICH — True North Ale Company(116 County Rd.) is getting closer to opening; check out these snazzy light fixtures. The brewery is heading towards a fall 2017 opening, but an exact date will be announced later.

SOUTH END — The upcoming Copenhagen Beer & Music Festival, taking place on September 22 and 23, has moved from City Hall Plaza to the SoWa Power Station (540 Harrison Ave.) Tickets start at $65 and include admission and unlimited two-ounce samples of beers from roughly a bajillion breweries. There will also be food available for purchase from Tasty Burger, Roxy’s Grilled Cheese, and more.

August 25, 2017

Facebook

Walden Woods Brewing hops

MARLBOROUGH — Marlborough is getting its first brewpub: Walden Woods Brewingis slated to open in late fall 2017 at 277 Main St., courtesy of “two beer geek brewers who also love history, particularly when it comes to this fella named Henry David Thoreau, and his unusual, yet compelling example of living deliberately.” Owners Alida Orzechowski and Chris Brown of Acton are longtime home brewers who were drawn to Marlborough because the city was specifically looking to bring in a brewery and offered some financial incentives to help out, as the Metrowest Daily News reported. Walden Woods Brewing will debut around November or December with six beers but will eventually serve up to a dozen “traditional European and American-style” beers with “a regional or historic twist.” Expect an American Pale Ale, India Pale Ale, and “New England style juice bomb” in the opening lineup, per the MDN.

WORCESTER / KEENE, NH — Wormtown Brewery in Worcester (72 Shrewsbury St.) has some new owners: Co-founder Tom Oliveri has left the brewery, selling his stake to former beer distributors Richard Clarke, Jay Clarke, and Kary Shumway, who are longtime friends of Wormtown’s other owner, David Fields, who bought a majority interest from Oliveri and master brewer Ben Roesch three years ago. Alongside the ownership change comes expansion on two fronts. Wormtown will expand to Keene, NH (472 Winchester St.) in early or mid-2018 with a 10-barrel brewhouse focused on barrel-aged beers, sours, and more. Plus, the existing Worcester space is getting a $2 million renovation that will allow for increased production, up to 37,000 barrels per year.

SALEM AND BEYOND — Beer overload? The Boston Globe’s Gary Dzen has you covered with some recommendations for six Massachusetts beers to try right now, including Notch Brewing Co.’sZwickel, an unfiltered German pale lager that “is anything but a juice bomb” and has a “nice balance of malt sweetness and hop bite.” Get it at the Salem taproom (283 Derby St.) and look for 16-ounce cans in the fall.

August 15, 2017

Dana Hatic for Eater

Idle Hands

MALDEN — The ghost of Enlightment Ales lives on. WBUR featured Idle Hands Craft Alesthis week, highlighting the brewery’s “Funky Town” experimental saison program, which originated from the dregs of past Brettanomyces beers created by former head brewer Ben Howe, who left in 2015 to be head brewer at a farmhouse brewery in Denmark. Howe’s previous project, Enlightenment Ales, had become a sub-brand of Idle Hands when Howe took the position of head brewer, becoming Idle Hands’ first full-time employee in late 2013. Current head brewer Brett Bauer “can still taste the bright lemon notes from previous Enlightenment brews in new batches” from the Funky Town tank, writes WBUR. But after the current batch is complete, the tank will be sterilized; Funky Town will start with a clean slate for 2018.

SCITUATE — Untold Brewing is heading for an October opening in an old schoolhouse at 6 Old Country Way in Scituate, on Massachusetts’ South Shore. Read the full Eater Boston Brick & Mortar feature on the forthcoming brewery, published today.

SOMERVILLE — Somerville Brewing Company (the brewery behind Slumbrew beers) will close down its Assembly Row beer garden after a farewell party on September 30 after having been open for nearly three years. Around the same time, its new Assembly Row project will open: American Fresh Brewhouse, right by the Assembly T stop. This one will be permanent and indoors (plus some seasonal outdoor seating), featuring a full kitchen and beers brewed in-house. The company’s main brewery and taproom in Somerville’s Boynton Yards neighborhood (just outside Union Square) will remain open as well.

August 7, 2017

Facebook

Brewery Silvaticus

AMESBURY — Brewery Silvaticusis heading towards a September 2017 opening at 9 Water St. in the Carriage Mills complex in downtown Amesbury, reports the Globe, and while several local restaurants will carry Silvaticus beer on draft, the team “expect[s] to sell most of their product under their own roof.” The taproom will serve full pints, plus crowlers to go, and there will be an outdoor beer garden on the Powwow River. Per the Silvaticus website, the team “share[s] a deep respect for the traditional beers of Europe and our goal is to pay homage while innovating and adapting our craft to push it forward.” The focus will be on Belgian farmhouse ales and German-style lagers. Two of the brewery’s four founders, Mark Zappasodi and Caroline Becker Zappasodi, own Tamarack Farmstead in Merrimacport, where they’ll grow their own hops for some Silvaticus beers, according to The Improper Bostonian.

In other Amesbury beer news, BareWolf Brewing will open a tasting room at 12 Oakland St. in late August and also expects to begin distributing around the Boston area this month, reports the Globe. Founded by father-and-son duo Paul and Stevie Bareford, BareWolf will likely do 80% of initial business via retail sales but ultimately expects more of an even split between retail and in-house sales. The opening lineup of beers will include a Belgian ale, brown ale, pale ale, and more, per the website.

HUDSON — Medusa Brewing Company is reportedly looking to expand into a vacant lot at 1 Houghton St. in downtown Hudson, thanks to a $5.5 million investment, reports The Metrowest Daily News. Currently located at 111 Main St., the brewery has a taproom that serves full pours and has seating for over 100.

NATICK — Belkin Family Lookout Farm is already home to Lookout Farm Hard Cider Company, and now it’ll brew beer too: Lookout Farm Brewing Company is slated to debut on September 8 at the Lookout taproom, reports The Metrowest Daily News. Head cider maker Aaron Mateychuk already has beer experience; he was previously head brewer at Waltham’s now-closed Watch City Brewing Company. Plus, Lookout’s bringing on an assistant brewer, Will Morris, who previously worked at Barleycorn’s Craft Brew in Natick. The brewery will be located in the same building as the cidery, and the beers will feature the farm’s fruits. One of the debut brews, for example, is Natick Nectar, a Belgian-style witbier made with Lookout peaches. The beer will only be available at Lookout.

[tonyduncanbb73]

Portsmouth Beer Celebrates the ‘Libeeration’ of Menopause

And other beer news

The brewing scene in the Greater Boston area continues to grow rapidly.

We’re tracking local beer-related news bites right here, including openings, closures, features, and more; this piece will be updated on a rolling basis, and the most recent additions will always be at the top.

October 12, 2017

MALDEN — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Idle Hands Craft Ales(89 Commercial St.), which moved from Everett to Malden a year ago and is better than ever. Read it here.

PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Experiencing menopause? Portsmouth Brewery (56 Market St.) apparently has the beer for you, dubbed Libeeration. The brewery doesn’t make any “medicinal claims” about the beer, reports the Globe, but the gruit-style ale contains ingredients that herbalists recommend for mood shifts, including chamomile, mugwort, stinging nettle, and more. The Globe notes that it has “fruit, spicy notes.” Get it by the bottle at Portsmouth Brewery while supplies last.

SALEM — Founded in 2014 under the name Massachusetts Bay Colony Brewers, a brewery now called East Regiment Beer Co. is finally putting down roots with a tasting room and brewing facility at 30 Church St., sharing a building with a coffee shop.

SCITUATE —Tomorrow is opening day for Scituate’s Untold Brewing(6 Old Country Way), with full pours available in the taproom, beer for purchase to take home, free snacks, and “good times all around.” Learn all about the brewery in this previous Beer & Mortar feature.

October 5, 2017

Facebook

Custom tap handles at Percival Brewing Company, now open in Norwood

BRAINTREE — Widowmaker Brewing(220 Wood Rd.) is now open with a 70-seat taproom and an opening beer lineup that includes a double IPA, two stouts, a blonde ale, and more.

EVERETT — In a saga that has been going on since 2015, a judge has now upheld a state ban on “pay-to-play” practices in the beer industry, thus eliminating a potential chance for Everett-based distributor Craft Brewers Guild to get out of a record $2.6 million fine.

NORWOOD — Percival Brewing Company (83 Morse St.) is now open in its own home in Norwood, having spent the last few years contract brewing after debuting in Dorchester in 2011. The taproom’s opening lineup includes an oatmeal stout, a pale ale, and more.

SOMERVILLE — A brief reprieve for the Somerville Brewing Company beer garden at Assembly Row: Thanks to nice weather, it’ll stay open through this Thursday, September 7, instead of closing last week. Next up, the company will open American Fresh Brewhousesoon at Assembly Row (490 Foley St.)

WATERTOWN — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Branch Line (321 Arsenal St.), a restaurant that features great hospitality, rotisserie chicken, bocce, and a killer beer list. Read it here.

September 21, 2017

Facebook

Wachusett Brewing Company’s Airstream

FENWAY — The beer is “fine” at the recently opened Cheeky Monkey(3 Lansdowne St., Fenway, Boston), reports Gary Dzen for Boston.com, who notes that there’s no traditional brewer in-house. Instead, Cheeky Monkey’s recipes come from “celebrity BrewMaster” Brian Watson, who is based in New Zealand and sells brewing equipment that allows restaurant owners to brew “fresh, world-class beers onsite with very little effort.” Try the East Coast IPA, which has aromatics that “distinctly recall tangerine” and has “a pleasant toasty finish.”

GOVERNMENT CENTER — A Wachusett Brewing Company beer garden dubbed the Brew Yard is popping up at Boston’s City Hall Plaza on several Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. (September 21 and 28, as well as October 5), reports Boston Magazine. Look for the Airstream trailer serving up eight beers by the pint, including Green Monsta IPA, Bella Czech Pils, Belgian White Mamba, and more. Plus, between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., there will be food trucks and live music onsite.

September 14, 2017

Facebook

The future home of Backlash Beer Co.

AMESBURY — BothBareWolf Brewing(12 Oakland St.) and Brewery Silvaticus(9 Water St.) are now open; more details here.

BRAINTREE — An opening timeline update from the forthcoming Widowmaker Brewing(220 Wood Rd.), via Facebook: “This week we finally received our approved variance from the state for the use of our brew house. We can now move forward with the town and work on getting our doors open ASAP. Thank you for your patience, no one wants us to be open more than we do.”

FRAMINGHAM — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Exhibit ‘A’ Brewing Company (81 Morton St.), which is expanding production and staying creative on the horizon of year two. Read it here.

NATICK — Beer is now available at Belkin Family Lookout Farm(89 Pleasant St.), not just cider. As previously reported, the farm has added a brewery next to its existing hard cider operations. The beer is only available at Lookout Farm’s taproom (no distribution is planned), and it features some fruit from the farm. The taproom is currently open Wednesday through Sunday.

ROXBURY — Backlash Beer Co.is getting closer to finally opening its own space, starting with the retail portion, at 152 Hampden St. in Roxbury. There are still permitting and construction hurdles to overcome to open it as a taproom, as Boston Magazine reports, but retail could begin by the end of this month. This is the first permanent home for Backlash, which has been contract brewing since 2011, most recently out of Dorchester Brewing Company.

SCITUATE — Untold Brewing(6 Old Country Way) kicked off brewing today; the opening timeline is still TBD, but the brewery was originally aiming for an October debut for its family-friendly taproom, which is located in a revamped old schoolhouse.

SOMERVILLE — Somerville Brewing Company’s Assembly Row beer garden will have its last day in business on Sunday, October 1. At some point in October, the company’s new American Fresh Brewhouse is expected to open at Assembly Row (490 Foley St.) with 126 seats, brewing on-site, a full kitchen, and 24 draft lines of Somerville Brewing Company beers. The space will be family-friendly and will have a seasonal dog-friendly outdoor beer garden.

September 7, 2017

SoWa Boston

SoWa Power Station

AMESBURY —BareWolf Brewing(12 Oakland St.)celebrates its grand opening this Saturday, September 9, from noon to 8 p.m. As previously reported, the brewery was founded by a father-and-son duo, and the opening beer lineup includes a Belgian ale, brown ale, pale ale, and more.

BRIGHTON — Brato Brewhouse & Kitchen may have a location: It could open near the Boston Landing development in Brighton. While the owners have a letter of intent in place, they’re still exploring other possibilities. Co-owner Jonathan Gilman had previously told Eater that Somerville and East Boston were at the top of the list for potential locations. Wherever Brato does end up, expect lots of session beers and plenty of complementary food. “The main crux of it is grilled cheese and sausage,” Gilman said previously.

EVERETT — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Bone Up Brewing Company (38 Norman St.), which recently celebrated its first anniversary. The owners are looking forward to “more of everything” in year two. Read it here.

IPSWICH — True North Ale Company(116 County Rd.) is getting closer to opening; check out these snazzy light fixtures. The brewery is heading towards a fall 2017 opening, but an exact date will be announced later.

SOUTH END — The upcoming Copenhagen Beer & Music Festival, taking place on September 22 and 23, has moved from City Hall Plaza to the SoWa Power Station (540 Harrison Ave.) Tickets start at $65 and include admission and unlimited two-ounce samples of beers from roughly a bajillion breweries. There will also be food available for purchase from Tasty Burger, Roxy’s Grilled Cheese, and more.

August 25, 2017

Facebook

Walden Woods Brewing hops

MARLBOROUGH — Marlborough is getting its first brewpub: Walden Woods Brewingis slated to open in late fall 2017 at 277 Main St., courtesy of “two beer geek brewers who also love history, particularly when it comes to this fella named Henry David Thoreau, and his unusual, yet compelling example of living deliberately.” Owners Alida Orzechowski and Chris Brown of Acton are longtime home brewers who were drawn to Marlborough because the city was specifically looking to bring in a brewery and offered some financial incentives to help out, as the Metrowest Daily News reported. Walden Woods Brewing will debut around November or December with six beers but will eventually serve up to a dozen “traditional European and American-style” beers with “a regional or historic twist.” Expect an American Pale Ale, India Pale Ale, and “New England style juice bomb” in the opening lineup, per the MDN.

WORCESTER / KEENE, NH — Wormtown Brewery in Worcester (72 Shrewsbury St.) has some new owners: Co-founder Tom Oliveri has left the brewery, selling his stake to former beer distributors Richard Clarke, Jay Clarke, and Kary Shumway, who are longtime friends of Wormtown’s other owner, David Fields, who bought a majority interest from Oliveri and master brewer Ben Roesch three years ago. Alongside the ownership change comes expansion on two fronts. Wormtown will expand to Keene, NH (472 Winchester St.) in early or mid-2018 with a 10-barrel brewhouse focused on barrel-aged beers, sours, and more. Plus, the existing Worcester space is getting a $2 million renovation that will allow for increased production, up to 37,000 barrels per year.

SALEM AND BEYOND — Beer overload? The Boston Globe’s Gary Dzen has you covered with some recommendations for six Massachusetts beers to try right now, including Notch Brewing Co.’sZwickel, an unfiltered German pale lager that “is anything but a juice bomb” and has a “nice balance of malt sweetness and hop bite.” Get it at the Salem taproom (283 Derby St.) and look for 16-ounce cans in the fall.

August 15, 2017

Dana Hatic for Eater

Idle Hands

MALDEN — The ghost of Enlightment Ales lives on. WBUR featured Idle Hands Craft Alesthis week, highlighting the brewery’s “Funky Town” experimental saison program, which originated from the dregs of past Brettanomyces beers created by former head brewer Ben Howe, who left in 2015 to be head brewer at a farmhouse brewery in Denmark. Howe’s previous project, Enlightenment Ales, had become a sub-brand of Idle Hands when Howe took the position of head brewer, becoming Idle Hands’ first full-time employee in late 2013. Current head brewer Brett Bauer “can still taste the bright lemon notes from previous Enlightenment brews in new batches” from the Funky Town tank, writes WBUR. But after the current batch is complete, the tank will be sterilized; Funky Town will start with a clean slate for 2018.

SCITUATE — Untold Brewing is heading for an October opening in an old schoolhouse at 6 Old Country Way in Scituate, on Massachusetts’ South Shore. Read the full Eater Boston Brick & Mortar feature on the forthcoming brewery, published today.

SOMERVILLE — Somerville Brewing Company (the brewery behind Slumbrew beers) will close down its Assembly Row beer garden after a farewell party on September 30 after having been open for nearly three years. Around the same time, its new Assembly Row project will open: American Fresh Brewhouse, right by the Assembly T stop. This one will be permanent and indoors (plus some seasonal outdoor seating), featuring a full kitchen and beers brewed in-house. The company’s main brewery and taproom in Somerville’s Boynton Yards neighborhood (just outside Union Square) will remain open as well.

August 7, 2017

Facebook

Brewery Silvaticus

AMESBURY — Brewery Silvaticusis heading towards a September 2017 opening at 9 Water St. in the Carriage Mills complex in downtown Amesbury, reports the Globe, and while several local restaurants will carry Silvaticus beer on draft, the team “expect[s] to sell most of their product under their own roof.” The taproom will serve full pints, plus crowlers to go, and there will be an outdoor beer garden on the Powwow River. Per the Silvaticus website, the team “share[s] a deep respect for the traditional beers of Europe and our goal is to pay homage while innovating and adapting our craft to push it forward.” The focus will be on Belgian farmhouse ales and German-style lagers. Two of the brewery’s four founders, Mark Zappasodi and Caroline Becker Zappasodi, own Tamarack Farmstead in Merrimacport, where they’ll grow their own hops for some Silvaticus beers, according to The Improper Bostonian.

In other Amesbury beer news, BareWolf Brewing will open a tasting room at 12 Oakland St. in late August and also expects to begin distributing around the Boston area this month, reports the Globe. Founded by father-and-son duo Paul and Stevie Bareford, BareWolf will likely do 80% of initial business via retail sales but ultimately expects more of an even split between retail and in-house sales. The opening lineup of beers will include a Belgian ale, brown ale, pale ale, and more, per the website.

HUDSON — Medusa Brewing Company is reportedly looking to expand into a vacant lot at 1 Houghton St. in downtown Hudson, thanks to a $5.5 million investment, reports The Metrowest Daily News. Currently located at 111 Main St., the brewery has a taproom that serves full pours and has seating for over 100.

NATICK — Belkin Family Lookout Farm is already home to Lookout Farm Hard Cider Company, and now it’ll brew beer too: Lookout Farm Brewing Company is slated to debut on September 8 at the Lookout taproom, reports The Metrowest Daily News. Head cider maker Aaron Mateychuk already has beer experience; he was previously head brewer at Waltham’s now-closed Watch City Brewing Company. Plus, Lookout’s bringing on an assistant brewer, Will Morris, who previously worked at Barleycorn’s Craft Brew in Natick. The brewery will be located in the same building as the cidery, and the beers will feature the farm’s fruits. One of the debut brews, for example, is Natick Nectar, a Belgian-style witbier made with Lookout peaches. The beer will only be available at Lookout.

[tonyduncanbb73]

Portsmouth Beer Celebrates the ‘Libeeration’ of Menopause

And other beer news

The brewing scene in the Greater Boston area continues to grow rapidly.

We’re tracking local beer-related news bites right here, including openings, closures, features, and more; this piece will be updated on a rolling basis, and the most recent additions will always be at the top.

October 12, 2017

MALDEN — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Idle Hands Craft Ales(89 Commercial St.), which moved from Everett to Malden a year ago and is better than ever. Read it here.

PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Experiencing menopause? Portsmouth Brewery (56 Market St.) apparently has the beer for you, dubbed Libeeration. The brewery doesn’t make any “medicinal claims” about the beer, reports the Globe, but the gruit-style ale contains ingredients that herbalists recommend for mood shifts, including chamomile, mugwort, stinging nettle, and more. The Globe notes that it has “fruit, spicy notes.” Get it by the bottle at Portsmouth Brewery while supplies last.

SALEM — Founded in 2014 under the name Massachusetts Bay Colony Brewers, a brewery now called East Regiment Beer Co. is finally putting down roots with a tasting room and brewing facility at 30 Church St., sharing a building with a coffee shop.

SCITUATE —Tomorrow is opening day for Scituate’s Untold Brewing(6 Old Country Way), with full pours available in the taproom, beer for purchase to take home, free snacks, and “good times all around.” Learn all about the brewery in this previous Beer & Mortar feature.

October 5, 2017

Facebook

Custom tap handles at Percival Brewing Company, now open in Norwood

BRAINTREE — Widowmaker Brewing(220 Wood Rd.) is now open with a 70-seat taproom and an opening beer lineup that includes a double IPA, two stouts, a blonde ale, and more.

EVERETT — In a saga that has been going on since 2015, a judge has now upheld a state ban on “pay-to-play” practices in the beer industry, thus eliminating a potential chance for Everett-based distributor Craft Brewers Guild to get out of a record $2.6 million fine.

NORWOOD — Percival Brewing Company (83 Morse St.) is now open in its own home in Norwood, having spent the last few years contract brewing after debuting in Dorchester in 2011. The taproom’s opening lineup includes an oatmeal stout, a pale ale, and more.

SOMERVILLE — A brief reprieve for the Somerville Brewing Company beer garden at Assembly Row: Thanks to nice weather, it’ll stay open through this Thursday, September 7, instead of closing last week. Next up, the company will open American Fresh Brewhousesoon at Assembly Row (490 Foley St.)

WATERTOWN — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Branch Line (321 Arsenal St.), a restaurant that features great hospitality, rotisserie chicken, bocce, and a killer beer list. Read it here.

September 21, 2017

Facebook

Wachusett Brewing Company’s Airstream

FENWAY — The beer is “fine” at the recently opened Cheeky Monkey(3 Lansdowne St., Fenway, Boston), reports Gary Dzen for Boston.com, who notes that there’s no traditional brewer in-house. Instead, Cheeky Monkey’s recipes come from “celebrity BrewMaster” Brian Watson, who is based in New Zealand and sells brewing equipment that allows restaurant owners to brew “fresh, world-class beers onsite with very little effort.” Try the East Coast IPA, which has aromatics that “distinctly recall tangerine” and has “a pleasant toasty finish.”

GOVERNMENT CENTER — A Wachusett Brewing Company beer garden dubbed the Brew Yard is popping up at Boston’s City Hall Plaza on several Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. (September 21 and 28, as well as October 5), reports Boston Magazine. Look for the Airstream trailer serving up eight beers by the pint, including Green Monsta IPA, Bella Czech Pils, Belgian White Mamba, and more. Plus, between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., there will be food trucks and live music onsite.

September 14, 2017

Facebook

The future home of Backlash Beer Co.

AMESBURY — BothBareWolf Brewing(12 Oakland St.) and Brewery Silvaticus(9 Water St.) are now open; more details here.

BRAINTREE — An opening timeline update from the forthcoming Widowmaker Brewing(220 Wood Rd.), via Facebook: “This week we finally received our approved variance from the state for the use of our brew house. We can now move forward with the town and work on getting our doors open ASAP. Thank you for your patience, no one wants us to be open more than we do.”

FRAMINGHAM — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Exhibit ‘A’ Brewing Company (81 Morton St.), which is expanding production and staying creative on the horizon of year two. Read it here.

NATICK — Beer is now available at Belkin Family Lookout Farm(89 Pleasant St.), not just cider. As previously reported, the farm has added a brewery next to its existing hard cider operations. The beer is only available at Lookout Farm’s taproom (no distribution is planned), and it features some fruit from the farm. The taproom is currently open Wednesday through Sunday.

ROXBURY — Backlash Beer Co.is getting closer to finally opening its own space, starting with the retail portion, at 152 Hampden St. in Roxbury. There are still permitting and construction hurdles to overcome to open it as a taproom, as Boston Magazine reports, but retail could begin by the end of this month. This is the first permanent home for Backlash, which has been contract brewing since 2011, most recently out of Dorchester Brewing Company.

SCITUATE — Untold Brewing(6 Old Country Way) kicked off brewing today; the opening timeline is still TBD, but the brewery was originally aiming for an October debut for its family-friendly taproom, which is located in a revamped old schoolhouse.

SOMERVILLE — Somerville Brewing Company’s Assembly Row beer garden will have its last day in business on Sunday, October 1. At some point in October, the company’s new American Fresh Brewhouse is expected to open at Assembly Row (490 Foley St.) with 126 seats, brewing on-site, a full kitchen, and 24 draft lines of Somerville Brewing Company beers. The space will be family-friendly and will have a seasonal dog-friendly outdoor beer garden.

September 7, 2017

SoWa Boston

SoWa Power Station

AMESBURY —BareWolf Brewing(12 Oakland St.)celebrates its grand opening this Saturday, September 9, from noon to 8 p.m. As previously reported, the brewery was founded by a father-and-son duo, and the opening beer lineup includes a Belgian ale, brown ale, pale ale, and more.

BRIGHTON — Brato Brewhouse & Kitchen may have a location: It could open near the Boston Landing development in Brighton. While the owners have a letter of intent in place, they’re still exploring other possibilities. Co-owner Jonathan Gilman had previously told Eater that Somerville and East Boston were at the top of the list for potential locations. Wherever Brato does end up, expect lots of session beers and plenty of complementary food. “The main crux of it is grilled cheese and sausage,” Gilman said previously.

EVERETT — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Bone Up Brewing Company (38 Norman St.), which recently celebrated its first anniversary. The owners are looking forward to “more of everything” in year two. Read it here.

IPSWICH — True North Ale Company(116 County Rd.) is getting closer to opening; check out these snazzy light fixtures. The brewery is heading towards a fall 2017 opening, but an exact date will be announced later.

SOUTH END — The upcoming Copenhagen Beer & Music Festival, taking place on September 22 and 23, has moved from City Hall Plaza to the SoWa Power Station (540 Harrison Ave.) Tickets start at $65 and include admission and unlimited two-ounce samples of beers from roughly a bajillion breweries. There will also be food available for purchase from Tasty Burger, Roxy’s Grilled Cheese, and more.

August 25, 2017

Facebook

Walden Woods Brewing hops

MARLBOROUGH — Marlborough is getting its first brewpub: Walden Woods Brewingis slated to open in late fall 2017 at 277 Main St., courtesy of “two beer geek brewers who also love history, particularly when it comes to this fella named Henry David Thoreau, and his unusual, yet compelling example of living deliberately.” Owners Alida Orzechowski and Chris Brown of Acton are longtime home brewers who were drawn to Marlborough because the city was specifically looking to bring in a brewery and offered some financial incentives to help out, as the Metrowest Daily News reported. Walden Woods Brewing will debut around November or December with six beers but will eventually serve up to a dozen “traditional European and American-style” beers with “a regional or historic twist.” Expect an American Pale Ale, India Pale Ale, and “New England style juice bomb” in the opening lineup, per the MDN.

WORCESTER / KEENE, NH — Wormtown Brewery in Worcester (72 Shrewsbury St.) has some new owners: Co-founder Tom Oliveri has left the brewery, selling his stake to former beer distributors Richard Clarke, Jay Clarke, and Kary Shumway, who are longtime friends of Wormtown’s other owner, David Fields, who bought a majority interest from Oliveri and master brewer Ben Roesch three years ago. Alongside the ownership change comes expansion on two fronts. Wormtown will expand to Keene, NH (472 Winchester St.) in early or mid-2018 with a 10-barrel brewhouse focused on barrel-aged beers, sours, and more. Plus, the existing Worcester space is getting a $2 million renovation that will allow for increased production, up to 37,000 barrels per year.

SALEM AND BEYOND — Beer overload? The Boston Globe’s Gary Dzen has you covered with some recommendations for six Massachusetts beers to try right now, including Notch Brewing Co.’sZwickel, an unfiltered German pale lager that “is anything but a juice bomb” and has a “nice balance of malt sweetness and hop bite.” Get it at the Salem taproom (283 Derby St.) and look for 16-ounce cans in the fall.

August 15, 2017

Dana Hatic for Eater

Idle Hands

MALDEN — The ghost of Enlightment Ales lives on. WBUR featured Idle Hands Craft Alesthis week, highlighting the brewery’s “Funky Town” experimental saison program, which originated from the dregs of past Brettanomyces beers created by former head brewer Ben Howe, who left in 2015 to be head brewer at a farmhouse brewery in Denmark. Howe’s previous project, Enlightenment Ales, had become a sub-brand of Idle Hands when Howe took the position of head brewer, becoming Idle Hands’ first full-time employee in late 2013. Current head brewer Brett Bauer “can still taste the bright lemon notes from previous Enlightenment brews in new batches” from the Funky Town tank, writes WBUR. But after the current batch is complete, the tank will be sterilized; Funky Town will start with a clean slate for 2018.

SCITUATE — Untold Brewing is heading for an October opening in an old schoolhouse at 6 Old Country Way in Scituate, on Massachusetts’ South Shore. Read the full Eater Boston Brick & Mortar feature on the forthcoming brewery, published today.

SOMERVILLE — Somerville Brewing Company (the brewery behind Slumbrew beers) will close down its Assembly Row beer garden after a farewell party on September 30 after having been open for nearly three years. Around the same time, its new Assembly Row project will open: American Fresh Brewhouse, right by the Assembly T stop. This one will be permanent and indoors (plus some seasonal outdoor seating), featuring a full kitchen and beers brewed in-house. The company’s main brewery and taproom in Somerville’s Boynton Yards neighborhood (just outside Union Square) will remain open as well.

August 7, 2017

Facebook

Brewery Silvaticus

AMESBURY — Brewery Silvaticusis heading towards a September 2017 opening at 9 Water St. in the Carriage Mills complex in downtown Amesbury, reports the Globe, and while several local restaurants will carry Silvaticus beer on draft, the team “expect[s] to sell most of their product under their own roof.” The taproom will serve full pints, plus crowlers to go, and there will be an outdoor beer garden on the Powwow River. Per the Silvaticus website, the team “share[s] a deep respect for the traditional beers of Europe and our goal is to pay homage while innovating and adapting our craft to push it forward.” The focus will be on Belgian farmhouse ales and German-style lagers. Two of the brewery’s four founders, Mark Zappasodi and Caroline Becker Zappasodi, own Tamarack Farmstead in Merrimacport, where they’ll grow their own hops for some Silvaticus beers, according to The Improper Bostonian.

In other Amesbury beer news, BareWolf Brewing will open a tasting room at 12 Oakland St. in late August and also expects to begin distributing around the Boston area this month, reports the Globe. Founded by father-and-son duo Paul and Stevie Bareford, BareWolf will likely do 80% of initial business via retail sales but ultimately expects more of an even split between retail and in-house sales. The opening lineup of beers will include a Belgian ale, brown ale, pale ale, and more, per the website.

HUDSON — Medusa Brewing Company is reportedly looking to expand into a vacant lot at 1 Houghton St. in downtown Hudson, thanks to a $5.5 million investment, reports The Metrowest Daily News. Currently located at 111 Main St., the brewery has a taproom that serves full pours and has seating for over 100.

NATICK — Belkin Family Lookout Farm is already home to Lookout Farm Hard Cider Company, and now it’ll brew beer too: Lookout Farm Brewing Company is slated to debut on September 8 at the Lookout taproom, reports The Metrowest Daily News. Head cider maker Aaron Mateychuk already has beer experience; he was previously head brewer at Waltham’s now-closed Watch City Brewing Company. Plus, Lookout’s bringing on an assistant brewer, Will Morris, who previously worked at Barleycorn’s Craft Brew in Natick. The brewery will be located in the same building as the cidery, and the beers will feature the farm’s fruits. One of the debut brews, for example, is Natick Nectar, a Belgian-style witbier made with Lookout peaches. The beer will only be available at Lookout.

[tonyduncanbb73]

Portsmouth Beer Celebrates the ‘Libeeration’ of Menopause

And other beer news

The brewing scene in the Greater Boston area continues to grow rapidly.

We’re tracking local beer-related news bites right here, including openings, closures, features, and more; this piece will be updated on a rolling basis, and the most recent additions will always be at the top.

October 12, 2017

MALDEN — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Idle Hands Craft Ales(89 Commercial St.), which moved from Everett to Malden a year ago and is better than ever. Read it here.

PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Experiencing menopause? Portsmouth Brewery (56 Market St.) apparently has the beer for you, dubbed Libeeration. The brewery doesn’t make any “medicinal claims” about the beer, reports the Globe, but the gruit-style ale contains ingredients that herbalists recommend for mood shifts, including chamomile, mugwort, stinging nettle, and more. The Globe notes that it has “fruit, spicy notes.” Get it by the bottle at Portsmouth Brewery while supplies last.

SALEM — Founded in 2014 under the name Massachusetts Bay Colony Brewers, a brewery now called East Regiment Beer Co. is finally putting down roots with a tasting room and brewing facility at 30 Church St., sharing a building with a coffee shop.

SCITUATE —Tomorrow is opening day for Scituate’s Untold Brewing(6 Old Country Way), with full pours available in the taproom, beer for purchase to take home, free snacks, and “good times all around.” Learn all about the brewery in this previous Beer & Mortar feature.

October 5, 2017

Facebook

Custom tap handles at Percival Brewing Company, now open in Norwood

BRAINTREE — Widowmaker Brewing(220 Wood Rd.) is now open with a 70-seat taproom and an opening beer lineup that includes a double IPA, two stouts, a blonde ale, and more.

EVERETT — In a saga that has been going on since 2015, a judge has now upheld a state ban on “pay-to-play” practices in the beer industry, thus eliminating a potential chance for Everett-based distributor Craft Brewers Guild to get out of a record $2.6 million fine.

NORWOOD — Percival Brewing Company (83 Morse St.) is now open in its own home in Norwood, having spent the last few years contract brewing after debuting in Dorchester in 2011. The taproom’s opening lineup includes an oatmeal stout, a pale ale, and more.

SOMERVILLE — A brief reprieve for the Somerville Brewing Company beer garden at Assembly Row: Thanks to nice weather, it’ll stay open through this Thursday, September 7, instead of closing last week. Next up, the company will open American Fresh Brewhousesoon at Assembly Row (490 Foley St.)

WATERTOWN — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Branch Line (321 Arsenal St.), a restaurant that features great hospitality, rotisserie chicken, bocce, and a killer beer list. Read it here.

September 21, 2017

Facebook

Wachusett Brewing Company’s Airstream

FENWAY — The beer is “fine” at the recently opened Cheeky Monkey(3 Lansdowne St., Fenway, Boston), reports Gary Dzen for Boston.com, who notes that there’s no traditional brewer in-house. Instead, Cheeky Monkey’s recipes come from “celebrity BrewMaster” Brian Watson, who is based in New Zealand and sells brewing equipment that allows restaurant owners to brew “fresh, world-class beers onsite with very little effort.” Try the East Coast IPA, which has aromatics that “distinctly recall tangerine” and has “a pleasant toasty finish.”

GOVERNMENT CENTER — A Wachusett Brewing Company beer garden dubbed the Brew Yard is popping up at Boston’s City Hall Plaza on several Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. (September 21 and 28, as well as October 5), reports Boston Magazine. Look for the Airstream trailer serving up eight beers by the pint, including Green Monsta IPA, Bella Czech Pils, Belgian White Mamba, and more. Plus, between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., there will be food trucks and live music onsite.

September 14, 2017

Facebook

The future home of Backlash Beer Co.

AMESBURY — BothBareWolf Brewing(12 Oakland St.) and Brewery Silvaticus(9 Water St.) are now open; more details here.

BRAINTREE — An opening timeline update from the forthcoming Widowmaker Brewing(220 Wood Rd.), via Facebook: “This week we finally received our approved variance from the state for the use of our brew house. We can now move forward with the town and work on getting our doors open ASAP. Thank you for your patience, no one wants us to be open more than we do.”

FRAMINGHAM — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Exhibit ‘A’ Brewing Company (81 Morton St.), which is expanding production and staying creative on the horizon of year two. Read it here.

NATICK — Beer is now available at Belkin Family Lookout Farm(89 Pleasant St.), not just cider. As previously reported, the farm has added a brewery next to its existing hard cider operations. The beer is only available at Lookout Farm’s taproom (no distribution is planned), and it features some fruit from the farm. The taproom is currently open Wednesday through Sunday.

ROXBURY — Backlash Beer Co.is getting closer to finally opening its own space, starting with the retail portion, at 152 Hampden St. in Roxbury. There are still permitting and construction hurdles to overcome to open it as a taproom, as Boston Magazine reports, but retail could begin by the end of this month. This is the first permanent home for Backlash, which has been contract brewing since 2011, most recently out of Dorchester Brewing Company.

SCITUATE — Untold Brewing(6 Old Country Way) kicked off brewing today; the opening timeline is still TBD, but the brewery was originally aiming for an October debut for its family-friendly taproom, which is located in a revamped old schoolhouse.

SOMERVILLE — Somerville Brewing Company’s Assembly Row beer garden will have its last day in business on Sunday, October 1. At some point in October, the company’s new American Fresh Brewhouse is expected to open at Assembly Row (490 Foley St.) with 126 seats, brewing on-site, a full kitchen, and 24 draft lines of Somerville Brewing Company beers. The space will be family-friendly and will have a seasonal dog-friendly outdoor beer garden.

September 7, 2017

SoWa Boston

SoWa Power Station

AMESBURY —BareWolf Brewing(12 Oakland St.)celebrates its grand opening this Saturday, September 9, from noon to 8 p.m. As previously reported, the brewery was founded by a father-and-son duo, and the opening beer lineup includes a Belgian ale, brown ale, pale ale, and more.

BRIGHTON — Brato Brewhouse & Kitchen may have a location: It could open near the Boston Landing development in Brighton. While the owners have a letter of intent in place, they’re still exploring other possibilities. Co-owner Jonathan Gilman had previously told Eater that Somerville and East Boston were at the top of the list for potential locations. Wherever Brato does end up, expect lots of session beers and plenty of complementary food. “The main crux of it is grilled cheese and sausage,” Gilman said previously.

EVERETT — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Bone Up Brewing Company (38 Norman St.), which recently celebrated its first anniversary. The owners are looking forward to “more of everything” in year two. Read it here.

IPSWICH — True North Ale Company(116 County Rd.) is getting closer to opening; check out these snazzy light fixtures. The brewery is heading towards a fall 2017 opening, but an exact date will be announced later.

SOUTH END — The upcoming Copenhagen Beer & Music Festival, taking place on September 22 and 23, has moved from City Hall Plaza to the SoWa Power Station (540 Harrison Ave.) Tickets start at $65 and include admission and unlimited two-ounce samples of beers from roughly a bajillion breweries. There will also be food available for purchase from Tasty Burger, Roxy’s Grilled Cheese, and more.

August 25, 2017

Facebook

Walden Woods Brewing hops

MARLBOROUGH — Marlborough is getting its first brewpub: Walden Woods Brewingis slated to open in late fall 2017 at 277 Main St., courtesy of “two beer geek brewers who also love history, particularly when it comes to this fella named Henry David Thoreau, and his unusual, yet compelling example of living deliberately.” Owners Alida Orzechowski and Chris Brown of Acton are longtime home brewers who were drawn to Marlborough because the city was specifically looking to bring in a brewery and offered some financial incentives to help out, as the Metrowest Daily News reported. Walden Woods Brewing will debut around November or December with six beers but will eventually serve up to a dozen “traditional European and American-style” beers with “a regional or historic twist.” Expect an American Pale Ale, India Pale Ale, and “New England style juice bomb” in the opening lineup, per the MDN.

WORCESTER / KEENE, NH — Wormtown Brewery in Worcester (72 Shrewsbury St.) has some new owners: Co-founder Tom Oliveri has left the brewery, selling his stake to former beer distributors Richard Clarke, Jay Clarke, and Kary Shumway, who are longtime friends of Wormtown’s other owner, David Fields, who bought a majority interest from Oliveri and master brewer Ben Roesch three years ago. Alongside the ownership change comes expansion on two fronts. Wormtown will expand to Keene, NH (472 Winchester St.) in early or mid-2018 with a 10-barrel brewhouse focused on barrel-aged beers, sours, and more. Plus, the existing Worcester space is getting a $2 million renovation that will allow for increased production, up to 37,000 barrels per year.

SALEM AND BEYOND — Beer overload? The Boston Globe’s Gary Dzen has you covered with some recommendations for six Massachusetts beers to try right now, including Notch Brewing Co.’sZwickel, an unfiltered German pale lager that “is anything but a juice bomb” and has a “nice balance of malt sweetness and hop bite.” Get it at the Salem taproom (283 Derby St.) and look for 16-ounce cans in the fall.

August 15, 2017

Dana Hatic for Eater

Idle Hands

MALDEN — The ghost of Enlightment Ales lives on. WBUR featured Idle Hands Craft Alesthis week, highlighting the brewery’s “Funky Town” experimental saison program, which originated from the dregs of past Brettanomyces beers created by former head brewer Ben Howe, who left in 2015 to be head brewer at a farmhouse brewery in Denmark. Howe’s previous project, Enlightenment Ales, had become a sub-brand of Idle Hands when Howe took the position of head brewer, becoming Idle Hands’ first full-time employee in late 2013. Current head brewer Brett Bauer “can still taste the bright lemon notes from previous Enlightenment brews in new batches” from the Funky Town tank, writes WBUR. But after the current batch is complete, the tank will be sterilized; Funky Town will start with a clean slate for 2018.

SCITUATE — Untold Brewing is heading for an October opening in an old schoolhouse at 6 Old Country Way in Scituate, on Massachusetts’ South Shore. Read the full Eater Boston Brick & Mortar feature on the forthcoming brewery, published today.

SOMERVILLE — Somerville Brewing Company (the brewery behind Slumbrew beers) will close down its Assembly Row beer garden after a farewell party on September 30 after having been open for nearly three years. Around the same time, its new Assembly Row project will open: American Fresh Brewhouse, right by the Assembly T stop. This one will be permanent and indoors (plus some seasonal outdoor seating), featuring a full kitchen and beers brewed in-house. The company’s main brewery and taproom in Somerville’s Boynton Yards neighborhood (just outside Union Square) will remain open as well.

August 7, 2017

Facebook

Brewery Silvaticus

AMESBURY — Brewery Silvaticusis heading towards a September 2017 opening at 9 Water St. in the Carriage Mills complex in downtown Amesbury, reports the Globe, and while several local restaurants will carry Silvaticus beer on draft, the team “expect[s] to sell most of their product under their own roof.” The taproom will serve full pints, plus crowlers to go, and there will be an outdoor beer garden on the Powwow River. Per the Silvaticus website, the team “share[s] a deep respect for the traditional beers of Europe and our goal is to pay homage while innovating and adapting our craft to push it forward.” The focus will be on Belgian farmhouse ales and German-style lagers. Two of the brewery’s four founders, Mark Zappasodi and Caroline Becker Zappasodi, own Tamarack Farmstead in Merrimacport, where they’ll grow their own hops for some Silvaticus beers, according to The Improper Bostonian.

In other Amesbury beer news, BareWolf Brewing will open a tasting room at 12 Oakland St. in late August and also expects to begin distributing around the Boston area this month, reports the Globe. Founded by father-and-son duo Paul and Stevie Bareford, BareWolf will likely do 80% of initial business via retail sales but ultimately expects more of an even split between retail and in-house sales. The opening lineup of beers will include a Belgian ale, brown ale, pale ale, and more, per the website.

HUDSON — Medusa Brewing Company is reportedly looking to expand into a vacant lot at 1 Houghton St. in downtown Hudson, thanks to a $5.5 million investment, reports The Metrowest Daily News. Currently located at 111 Main St., the brewery has a taproom that serves full pours and has seating for over 100.

NATICK — Belkin Family Lookout Farm is already home to Lookout Farm Hard Cider Company, and now it’ll brew beer too: Lookout Farm Brewing Company is slated to debut on September 8 at the Lookout taproom, reports The Metrowest Daily News. Head cider maker Aaron Mateychuk already has beer experience; he was previously head brewer at Waltham’s now-closed Watch City Brewing Company. Plus, Lookout’s bringing on an assistant brewer, Will Morris, who previously worked at Barleycorn’s Craft Brew in Natick. The brewery will be located in the same building as the cidery, and the beers will feature the farm’s fruits. One of the debut brews, for example, is Natick Nectar, a Belgian-style witbier made with Lookout peaches. The beer will only be available at Lookout.

[tonyduncanbb73]

Portsmouth Beer Celebrates the ‘Libeeration’ of Menopause

And other beer news

The brewing scene in the Greater Boston area continues to grow rapidly.

We’re tracking local beer-related news bites right here, including openings, closures, features, and more; this piece will be updated on a rolling basis, and the most recent additions will always be at the top.

October 12, 2017

MALDEN — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Idle Hands Craft Ales(89 Commercial St.), which moved from Everett to Malden a year ago and is better than ever. Read it here.

PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Experiencing menopause? Portsmouth Brewery (56 Market St.) apparently has the beer for you, dubbed Libeeration. The brewery doesn’t make any “medicinal claims” about the beer, reports the Globe, but the gruit-style ale contains ingredients that herbalists recommend for mood shifts, including chamomile, mugwort, stinging nettle, and more. The Globe notes that it has “fruit, spicy notes.” Get it by the bottle at Portsmouth Brewery while supplies last.

SALEM — Founded in 2014 under the name Massachusetts Bay Colony Brewers, a brewery now called East Regiment Beer Co. is finally putting down roots with a tasting room and brewing facility at 30 Church St., sharing a building with a coffee shop.

SCITUATE —Tomorrow is opening day for Scituate’s Untold Brewing(6 Old Country Way), with full pours available in the taproom, beer for purchase to take home, free snacks, and “good times all around.” Learn all about the brewery in this previous Beer & Mortar feature.

October 5, 2017

Facebook

Custom tap handles at Percival Brewing Company, now open in Norwood

BRAINTREE — Widowmaker Brewing(220 Wood Rd.) is now open with a 70-seat taproom and an opening beer lineup that includes a double IPA, two stouts, a blonde ale, and more.

EVERETT — In a saga that has been going on since 2015, a judge has now upheld a state ban on “pay-to-play” practices in the beer industry, thus eliminating a potential chance for Everett-based distributor Craft Brewers Guild to get out of a record $2.6 million fine.

NORWOOD — Percival Brewing Company (83 Morse St.) is now open in its own home in Norwood, having spent the last few years contract brewing after debuting in Dorchester in 2011. The taproom’s opening lineup includes an oatmeal stout, a pale ale, and more.

SOMERVILLE — A brief reprieve for the Somerville Brewing Company beer garden at Assembly Row: Thanks to nice weather, it’ll stay open through this Thursday, September 7, instead of closing last week. Next up, the company will open American Fresh Brewhousesoon at Assembly Row (490 Foley St.)

WATERTOWN — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Branch Line (321 Arsenal St.), a restaurant that features great hospitality, rotisserie chicken, bocce, and a killer beer list. Read it here.

September 21, 2017

Facebook

Wachusett Brewing Company’s Airstream

FENWAY — The beer is “fine” at the recently opened Cheeky Monkey(3 Lansdowne St., Fenway, Boston), reports Gary Dzen for Boston.com, who notes that there’s no traditional brewer in-house. Instead, Cheeky Monkey’s recipes come from “celebrity BrewMaster” Brian Watson, who is based in New Zealand and sells brewing equipment that allows restaurant owners to brew “fresh, world-class beers onsite with very little effort.” Try the East Coast IPA, which has aromatics that “distinctly recall tangerine” and has “a pleasant toasty finish.”

GOVERNMENT CENTER — A Wachusett Brewing Company beer garden dubbed the Brew Yard is popping up at Boston’s City Hall Plaza on several Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. (September 21 and 28, as well as October 5), reports Boston Magazine. Look for the Airstream trailer serving up eight beers by the pint, including Green Monsta IPA, Bella Czech Pils, Belgian White Mamba, and more. Plus, between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., there will be food trucks and live music onsite.

September 14, 2017

Facebook

The future home of Backlash Beer Co.

AMESBURY — BothBareWolf Brewing(12 Oakland St.) and Brewery Silvaticus(9 Water St.) are now open; more details here.

BRAINTREE — An opening timeline update from the forthcoming Widowmaker Brewing(220 Wood Rd.), via Facebook: “This week we finally received our approved variance from the state for the use of our brew house. We can now move forward with the town and work on getting our doors open ASAP. Thank you for your patience, no one wants us to be open more than we do.”

FRAMINGHAM — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Exhibit ‘A’ Brewing Company (81 Morton St.), which is expanding production and staying creative on the horizon of year two. Read it here.

NATICK — Beer is now available at Belkin Family Lookout Farm(89 Pleasant St.), not just cider. As previously reported, the farm has added a brewery next to its existing hard cider operations. The beer is only available at Lookout Farm’s taproom (no distribution is planned), and it features some fruit from the farm. The taproom is currently open Wednesday through Sunday.

ROXBURY — Backlash Beer Co.is getting closer to finally opening its own space, starting with the retail portion, at 152 Hampden St. in Roxbury. There are still permitting and construction hurdles to overcome to open it as a taproom, as Boston Magazine reports, but retail could begin by the end of this month. This is the first permanent home for Backlash, which has been contract brewing since 2011, most recently out of Dorchester Brewing Company.

SCITUATE — Untold Brewing(6 Old Country Way) kicked off brewing today; the opening timeline is still TBD, but the brewery was originally aiming for an October debut for its family-friendly taproom, which is located in a revamped old schoolhouse.

SOMERVILLE — Somerville Brewing Company’s Assembly Row beer garden will have its last day in business on Sunday, October 1. At some point in October, the company’s new American Fresh Brewhouse is expected to open at Assembly Row (490 Foley St.) with 126 seats, brewing on-site, a full kitchen, and 24 draft lines of Somerville Brewing Company beers. The space will be family-friendly and will have a seasonal dog-friendly outdoor beer garden.

September 7, 2017

SoWa Boston

SoWa Power Station

AMESBURY —BareWolf Brewing(12 Oakland St.)celebrates its grand opening this Saturday, September 9, from noon to 8 p.m. As previously reported, the brewery was founded by a father-and-son duo, and the opening beer lineup includes a Belgian ale, brown ale, pale ale, and more.

BRIGHTON — Brato Brewhouse & Kitchen may have a location: It could open near the Boston Landing development in Brighton. While the owners have a letter of intent in place, they’re still exploring other possibilities. Co-owner Jonathan Gilman had previously told Eater that Somerville and East Boston were at the top of the list for potential locations. Wherever Brato does end up, expect lots of session beers and plenty of complementary food. “The main crux of it is grilled cheese and sausage,” Gilman said previously.

EVERETT — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Bone Up Brewing Company (38 Norman St.), which recently celebrated its first anniversary. The owners are looking forward to “more of everything” in year two. Read it here.

IPSWICH — True North Ale Company(116 County Rd.) is getting closer to opening; check out these snazzy light fixtures. The brewery is heading towards a fall 2017 opening, but an exact date will be announced later.

SOUTH END — The upcoming Copenhagen Beer & Music Festival, taking place on September 22 and 23, has moved from City Hall Plaza to the SoWa Power Station (540 Harrison Ave.) Tickets start at $65 and include admission and unlimited two-ounce samples of beers from roughly a bajillion breweries. There will also be food available for purchase from Tasty Burger, Roxy’s Grilled Cheese, and more.

August 25, 2017

Facebook

Walden Woods Brewing hops

MARLBOROUGH — Marlborough is getting its first brewpub: Walden Woods Brewingis slated to open in late fall 2017 at 277 Main St., courtesy of “two beer geek brewers who also love history, particularly when it comes to this fella named Henry David Thoreau, and his unusual, yet compelling example of living deliberately.” Owners Alida Orzechowski and Chris Brown of Acton are longtime home brewers who were drawn to Marlborough because the city was specifically looking to bring in a brewery and offered some financial incentives to help out, as the Metrowest Daily News reported. Walden Woods Brewing will debut around November or December with six beers but will eventually serve up to a dozen “traditional European and American-style” beers with “a regional or historic twist.” Expect an American Pale Ale, India Pale Ale, and “New England style juice bomb” in the opening lineup, per the MDN.

WORCESTER / KEENE, NH — Wormtown Brewery in Worcester (72 Shrewsbury St.) has some new owners: Co-founder Tom Oliveri has left the brewery, selling his stake to former beer distributors Richard Clarke, Jay Clarke, and Kary Shumway, who are longtime friends of Wormtown’s other owner, David Fields, who bought a majority interest from Oliveri and master brewer Ben Roesch three years ago. Alongside the ownership change comes expansion on two fronts. Wormtown will expand to Keene, NH (472 Winchester St.) in early or mid-2018 with a 10-barrel brewhouse focused on barrel-aged beers, sours, and more. Plus, the existing Worcester space is getting a $2 million renovation that will allow for increased production, up to 37,000 barrels per year.

SALEM AND BEYOND — Beer overload? The Boston Globe’s Gary Dzen has you covered with some recommendations for six Massachusetts beers to try right now, including Notch Brewing Co.’sZwickel, an unfiltered German pale lager that “is anything but a juice bomb” and has a “nice balance of malt sweetness and hop bite.” Get it at the Salem taproom (283 Derby St.) and look for 16-ounce cans in the fall.

August 15, 2017

Dana Hatic for Eater

Idle Hands

MALDEN — The ghost of Enlightment Ales lives on. WBUR featured Idle Hands Craft Alesthis week, highlighting the brewery’s “Funky Town” experimental saison program, which originated from the dregs of past Brettanomyces beers created by former head brewer Ben Howe, who left in 2015 to be head brewer at a farmhouse brewery in Denmark. Howe’s previous project, Enlightenment Ales, had become a sub-brand of Idle Hands when Howe took the position of head brewer, becoming Idle Hands’ first full-time employee in late 2013. Current head brewer Brett Bauer “can still taste the bright lemon notes from previous Enlightenment brews in new batches” from the Funky Town tank, writes WBUR. But after the current batch is complete, the tank will be sterilized; Funky Town will start with a clean slate for 2018.

SCITUATE — Untold Brewing is heading for an October opening in an old schoolhouse at 6 Old Country Way in Scituate, on Massachusetts’ South Shore. Read the full Eater Boston Brick & Mortar feature on the forthcoming brewery, published today.

SOMERVILLE — Somerville Brewing Company (the brewery behind Slumbrew beers) will close down its Assembly Row beer garden after a farewell party on September 30 after having been open for nearly three years. Around the same time, its new Assembly Row project will open: American Fresh Brewhouse, right by the Assembly T stop. This one will be permanent and indoors (plus some seasonal outdoor seating), featuring a full kitchen and beers brewed in-house. The company’s main brewery and taproom in Somerville’s Boynton Yards neighborhood (just outside Union Square) will remain open as well.

August 7, 2017

Facebook

Brewery Silvaticus

AMESBURY — Brewery Silvaticusis heading towards a September 2017 opening at 9 Water St. in the Carriage Mills complex in downtown Amesbury, reports the Globe, and while several local restaurants will carry Silvaticus beer on draft, the team “expect[s] to sell most of their product under their own roof.” The taproom will serve full pints, plus crowlers to go, and there will be an outdoor beer garden on the Powwow River. Per the Silvaticus website, the team “share[s] a deep respect for the traditional beers of Europe and our goal is to pay homage while innovating and adapting our craft to push it forward.” The focus will be on Belgian farmhouse ales and German-style lagers. Two of the brewery’s four founders, Mark Zappasodi and Caroline Becker Zappasodi, own Tamarack Farmstead in Merrimacport, where they’ll grow their own hops for some Silvaticus beers, according to The Improper Bostonian.

In other Amesbury beer news, BareWolf Brewing will open a tasting room at 12 Oakland St. in late August and also expects to begin distributing around the Boston area this month, reports the Globe. Founded by father-and-son duo Paul and Stevie Bareford, BareWolf will likely do 80% of initial business via retail sales but ultimately expects more of an even split between retail and in-house sales. The opening lineup of beers will include a Belgian ale, brown ale, pale ale, and more, per the website.

HUDSON — Medusa Brewing Company is reportedly looking to expand into a vacant lot at 1 Houghton St. in downtown Hudson, thanks to a $5.5 million investment, reports The Metrowest Daily News. Currently located at 111 Main St., the brewery has a taproom that serves full pours and has seating for over 100.

NATICK — Belkin Family Lookout Farm is already home to Lookout Farm Hard Cider Company, and now it’ll brew beer too: Lookout Farm Brewing Company is slated to debut on September 8 at the Lookout taproom, reports The Metrowest Daily News. Head cider maker Aaron Mateychuk already has beer experience; he was previously head brewer at Waltham’s now-closed Watch City Brewing Company. Plus, Lookout’s bringing on an assistant brewer, Will Morris, who previously worked at Barleycorn’s Craft Brew in Natick. The brewery will be located in the same building as the cidery, and the beers will feature the farm’s fruits. One of the debut brews, for example, is Natick Nectar, a Belgian-style witbier made with Lookout peaches. The beer will only be available at Lookout.

[tonyduncanbb73]

Portsmouth Beer Celebrates the ‘Libeeration’ of Menopause

And other beer news

The brewing scene in the Greater Boston area continues to grow rapidly.

We’re tracking local beer-related news bites right here, including openings, closures, features, and more; this piece will be updated on a rolling basis, and the most recent additions will always be at the top.

October 12, 2017

MALDEN — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Idle Hands Craft Ales(89 Commercial St.), which moved from Everett to Malden a year ago and is better than ever. Read it here.

PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Experiencing menopause? Portsmouth Brewery (56 Market St.) apparently has the beer for you, dubbed Libeeration. The brewery doesn’t make any “medicinal claims” about the beer, reports the Globe, but the gruit-style ale contains ingredients that herbalists recommend for mood shifts, including chamomile, mugwort, stinging nettle, and more. The Globe notes that it has “fruit, spicy notes.” Get it by the bottle at Portsmouth Brewery while supplies last.

SALEM — Founded in 2014 under the name Massachusetts Bay Colony Brewers, a brewery now called East Regiment Beer Co. is finally putting down roots with a tasting room and brewing facility at 30 Church St., sharing a building with a coffee shop.

SCITUATE —Tomorrow is opening day for Scituate’s Untold Brewing(6 Old Country Way), with full pours available in the taproom, beer for purchase to take home, free snacks, and “good times all around.” Learn all about the brewery in this previous Beer & Mortar feature.

October 5, 2017

Facebook

Custom tap handles at Percival Brewing Company, now open in Norwood

BRAINTREE — Widowmaker Brewing(220 Wood Rd.) is now open with a 70-seat taproom and an opening beer lineup that includes a double IPA, two stouts, a blonde ale, and more.

EVERETT — In a saga that has been going on since 2015, a judge has now upheld a state ban on “pay-to-play” practices in the beer industry, thus eliminating a potential chance for Everett-based distributor Craft Brewers Guild to get out of a record $2.6 million fine.

NORWOOD — Percival Brewing Company (83 Morse St.) is now open in its own home in Norwood, having spent the last few years contract brewing after debuting in Dorchester in 2011. The taproom’s opening lineup includes an oatmeal stout, a pale ale, and more.

SOMERVILLE — A brief reprieve for the Somerville Brewing Company beer garden at Assembly Row: Thanks to nice weather, it’ll stay open through this Thursday, September 7, instead of closing last week. Next up, the company will open American Fresh Brewhousesoon at Assembly Row (490 Foley St.)

WATERTOWN — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Branch Line (321 Arsenal St.), a restaurant that features great hospitality, rotisserie chicken, bocce, and a killer beer list. Read it here.

September 21, 2017

Facebook

Wachusett Brewing Company’s Airstream

FENWAY — The beer is “fine” at the recently opened Cheeky Monkey(3 Lansdowne St., Fenway, Boston), reports Gary Dzen for Boston.com, who notes that there’s no traditional brewer in-house. Instead, Cheeky Monkey’s recipes come from “celebrity BrewMaster” Brian Watson, who is based in New Zealand and sells brewing equipment that allows restaurant owners to brew “fresh, world-class beers onsite with very little effort.” Try the East Coast IPA, which has aromatics that “distinctly recall tangerine” and has “a pleasant toasty finish.”

GOVERNMENT CENTER — A Wachusett Brewing Company beer garden dubbed the Brew Yard is popping up at Boston’s City Hall Plaza on several Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. (September 21 and 28, as well as October 5), reports Boston Magazine. Look for the Airstream trailer serving up eight beers by the pint, including Green Monsta IPA, Bella Czech Pils, Belgian White Mamba, and more. Plus, between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., there will be food trucks and live music onsite.

September 14, 2017

Facebook

The future home of Backlash Beer Co.

AMESBURY — BothBareWolf Brewing(12 Oakland St.) and Brewery Silvaticus(9 Water St.) are now open; more details here.

BRAINTREE — An opening timeline update from the forthcoming Widowmaker Brewing(220 Wood Rd.), via Facebook: “This week we finally received our approved variance from the state for the use of our brew house. We can now move forward with the town and work on getting our doors open ASAP. Thank you for your patience, no one wants us to be open more than we do.”

FRAMINGHAM — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Exhibit ‘A’ Brewing Company (81 Morton St.), which is expanding production and staying creative on the horizon of year two. Read it here.

NATICK — Beer is now available at Belkin Family Lookout Farm(89 Pleasant St.), not just cider. As previously reported, the farm has added a brewery next to its existing hard cider operations. The beer is only available at Lookout Farm’s taproom (no distribution is planned), and it features some fruit from the farm. The taproom is currently open Wednesday through Sunday.

ROXBURY — Backlash Beer Co.is getting closer to finally opening its own space, starting with the retail portion, at 152 Hampden St. in Roxbury. There are still permitting and construction hurdles to overcome to open it as a taproom, as Boston Magazine reports, but retail could begin by the end of this month. This is the first permanent home for Backlash, which has been contract brewing since 2011, most recently out of Dorchester Brewing Company.

SCITUATE — Untold Brewing(6 Old Country Way) kicked off brewing today; the opening timeline is still TBD, but the brewery was originally aiming for an October debut for its family-friendly taproom, which is located in a revamped old schoolhouse.

SOMERVILLE — Somerville Brewing Company’s Assembly Row beer garden will have its last day in business on Sunday, October 1. At some point in October, the company’s new American Fresh Brewhouse is expected to open at Assembly Row (490 Foley St.) with 126 seats, brewing on-site, a full kitchen, and 24 draft lines of Somerville Brewing Company beers. The space will be family-friendly and will have a seasonal dog-friendly outdoor beer garden.

September 7, 2017

SoWa Boston

SoWa Power Station

AMESBURY —BareWolf Brewing(12 Oakland St.)celebrates its grand opening this Saturday, September 9, from noon to 8 p.m. As previously reported, the brewery was founded by a father-and-son duo, and the opening beer lineup includes a Belgian ale, brown ale, pale ale, and more.

BRIGHTON — Brato Brewhouse & Kitchen may have a location: It could open near the Boston Landing development in Brighton. While the owners have a letter of intent in place, they’re still exploring other possibilities. Co-owner Jonathan Gilman had previously told Eater that Somerville and East Boston were at the top of the list for potential locations. Wherever Brato does end up, expect lots of session beers and plenty of complementary food. “The main crux of it is grilled cheese and sausage,” Gilman said previously.

EVERETT — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Bone Up Brewing Company (38 Norman St.), which recently celebrated its first anniversary. The owners are looking forward to “more of everything” in year two. Read it here.

IPSWICH — True North Ale Company(116 County Rd.) is getting closer to opening; check out these snazzy light fixtures. The brewery is heading towards a fall 2017 opening, but an exact date will be announced later.

SOUTH END — The upcoming Copenhagen Beer & Music Festival, taking place on September 22 and 23, has moved from City Hall Plaza to the SoWa Power Station (540 Harrison Ave.) Tickets start at $65 and include admission and unlimited two-ounce samples of beers from roughly a bajillion breweries. There will also be food available for purchase from Tasty Burger, Roxy’s Grilled Cheese, and more.

August 25, 2017

Facebook

Walden Woods Brewing hops

MARLBOROUGH — Marlborough is getting its first brewpub: Walden Woods Brewingis slated to open in late fall 2017 at 277 Main St., courtesy of “two beer geek brewers who also love history, particularly when it comes to this fella named Henry David Thoreau, and his unusual, yet compelling example of living deliberately.” Owners Alida Orzechowski and Chris Brown of Acton are longtime home brewers who were drawn to Marlborough because the city was specifically looking to bring in a brewery and offered some financial incentives to help out, as the Metrowest Daily News reported. Walden Woods Brewing will debut around November or December with six beers but will eventually serve up to a dozen “traditional European and American-style” beers with “a regional or historic twist.” Expect an American Pale Ale, India Pale Ale, and “New England style juice bomb” in the opening lineup, per the MDN.

WORCESTER / KEENE, NH — Wormtown Brewery in Worcester (72 Shrewsbury St.) has some new owners: Co-founder Tom Oliveri has left the brewery, selling his stake to former beer distributors Richard Clarke, Jay Clarke, and Kary Shumway, who are longtime friends of Wormtown’s other owner, David Fields, who bought a majority interest from Oliveri and master brewer Ben Roesch three years ago. Alongside the ownership change comes expansion on two fronts. Wormtown will expand to Keene, NH (472 Winchester St.) in early or mid-2018 with a 10-barrel brewhouse focused on barrel-aged beers, sours, and more. Plus, the existing Worcester space is getting a $2 million renovation that will allow for increased production, up to 37,000 barrels per year.

SALEM AND BEYOND — Beer overload? The Boston Globe’s Gary Dzen has you covered with some recommendations for six Massachusetts beers to try right now, including Notch Brewing Co.’sZwickel, an unfiltered German pale lager that “is anything but a juice bomb” and has a “nice balance of malt sweetness and hop bite.” Get it at the Salem taproom (283 Derby St.) and look for 16-ounce cans in the fall.

August 15, 2017

Dana Hatic for Eater

Idle Hands

MALDEN — The ghost of Enlightment Ales lives on. WBUR featured Idle Hands Craft Alesthis week, highlighting the brewery’s “Funky Town” experimental saison program, which originated from the dregs of past Brettanomyces beers created by former head brewer Ben Howe, who left in 2015 to be head brewer at a farmhouse brewery in Denmark. Howe’s previous project, Enlightenment Ales, had become a sub-brand of Idle Hands when Howe took the position of head brewer, becoming Idle Hands’ first full-time employee in late 2013. Current head brewer Brett Bauer “can still taste the bright lemon notes from previous Enlightenment brews in new batches” from the Funky Town tank, writes WBUR. But after the current batch is complete, the tank will be sterilized; Funky Town will start with a clean slate for 2018.

SCITUATE — Untold Brewing is heading for an October opening in an old schoolhouse at 6 Old Country Way in Scituate, on Massachusetts’ South Shore. Read the full Eater Boston Brick & Mortar feature on the forthcoming brewery, published today.

SOMERVILLE — Somerville Brewing Company (the brewery behind Slumbrew beers) will close down its Assembly Row beer garden after a farewell party on September 30 after having been open for nearly three years. Around the same time, its new Assembly Row project will open: American Fresh Brewhouse, right by the Assembly T stop. This one will be permanent and indoors (plus some seasonal outdoor seating), featuring a full kitchen and beers brewed in-house. The company’s main brewery and taproom in Somerville’s Boynton Yards neighborhood (just outside Union Square) will remain open as well.

August 7, 2017

Facebook

Brewery Silvaticus

AMESBURY — Brewery Silvaticusis heading towards a September 2017 opening at 9 Water St. in the Carriage Mills complex in downtown Amesbury, reports the Globe, and while several local restaurants will carry Silvaticus beer on draft, the team “expect[s] to sell most of their product under their own roof.” The taproom will serve full pints, plus crowlers to go, and there will be an outdoor beer garden on the Powwow River. Per the Silvaticus website, the team “share[s] a deep respect for the traditional beers of Europe and our goal is to pay homage while innovating and adapting our craft to push it forward.” The focus will be on Belgian farmhouse ales and German-style lagers. Two of the brewery’s four founders, Mark Zappasodi and Caroline Becker Zappasodi, own Tamarack Farmstead in Merrimacport, where they’ll grow their own hops for some Silvaticus beers, according to The Improper Bostonian.

In other Amesbury beer news, BareWolf Brewing will open a tasting room at 12 Oakland St. in late August and also expects to begin distributing around the Boston area this month, reports the Globe. Founded by father-and-son duo Paul and Stevie Bareford, BareWolf will likely do 80% of initial business via retail sales but ultimately expects more of an even split between retail and in-house sales. The opening lineup of beers will include a Belgian ale, brown ale, pale ale, and more, per the website.

HUDSON — Medusa Brewing Company is reportedly looking to expand into a vacant lot at 1 Houghton St. in downtown Hudson, thanks to a $5.5 million investment, reports The Metrowest Daily News. Currently located at 111 Main St., the brewery has a taproom that serves full pours and has seating for over 100.

NATICK — Belkin Family Lookout Farm is already home to Lookout Farm Hard Cider Company, and now it’ll brew beer too: Lookout Farm Brewing Company is slated to debut on September 8 at the Lookout taproom, reports The Metrowest Daily News. Head cider maker Aaron Mateychuk already has beer experience; he was previously head brewer at Waltham’s now-closed Watch City Brewing Company. Plus, Lookout’s bringing on an assistant brewer, Will Morris, who previously worked at Barleycorn’s Craft Brew in Natick. The brewery will be located in the same building as the cidery, and the beers will feature the farm’s fruits. One of the debut brews, for example, is Natick Nectar, a Belgian-style witbier made with Lookout peaches. The beer will only be available at Lookout.

[tonyduncanbb73]

Portsmouth Beer Celebrates the ‘Libeeration’ of Menopause

And other beer news

The brewing scene in the Greater Boston area continues to grow rapidly.

We’re tracking local beer-related news bites right here, including openings, closures, features, and more; this piece will be updated on a rolling basis, and the most recent additions will always be at the top.

October 12, 2017

MALDEN — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Idle Hands Craft Ales(89 Commercial St.), which moved from Everett to Malden a year ago and is better than ever. Read it here.

PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Experiencing menopause? Portsmouth Brewery (56 Market St.) apparently has the beer for you, dubbed Libeeration. The brewery doesn’t make any “medicinal claims” about the beer, reports the Globe, but the gruit-style ale contains ingredients that herbalists recommend for mood shifts, including chamomile, mugwort, stinging nettle, and more. The Globe notes that it has “fruit, spicy notes.” Get it by the bottle at Portsmouth Brewery while supplies last.

SALEM — Founded in 2014 under the name Massachusetts Bay Colony Brewers, a brewery now called East Regiment Beer Co. is finally putting down roots with a tasting room and brewing facility at 30 Church St., sharing a building with a coffee shop.

SCITUATE —Tomorrow is opening day for Scituate’s Untold Brewing(6 Old Country Way), with full pours available in the taproom, beer for purchase to take home, free snacks, and “good times all around.” Learn all about the brewery in this previous Beer & Mortar feature.

October 5, 2017

Facebook

Custom tap handles at Percival Brewing Company, now open in Norwood

BRAINTREE — Widowmaker Brewing(220 Wood Rd.) is now open with a 70-seat taproom and an opening beer lineup that includes a double IPA, two stouts, a blonde ale, and more.

EVERETT — In a saga that has been going on since 2015, a judge has now upheld a state ban on “pay-to-play” practices in the beer industry, thus eliminating a potential chance for Everett-based distributor Craft Brewers Guild to get out of a record $2.6 million fine.

NORWOOD — Percival Brewing Company (83 Morse St.) is now open in its own home in Norwood, having spent the last few years contract brewing after debuting in Dorchester in 2011. The taproom’s opening lineup includes an oatmeal stout, a pale ale, and more.

SOMERVILLE — A brief reprieve for the Somerville Brewing Company beer garden at Assembly Row: Thanks to nice weather, it’ll stay open through this Thursday, September 7, instead of closing last week. Next up, the company will open American Fresh Brewhousesoon at Assembly Row (490 Foley St.)

WATERTOWN — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Branch Line (321 Arsenal St.), a restaurant that features great hospitality, rotisserie chicken, bocce, and a killer beer list. Read it here.

September 21, 2017

Facebook

Wachusett Brewing Company’s Airstream

FENWAY — The beer is “fine” at the recently opened Cheeky Monkey(3 Lansdowne St., Fenway, Boston), reports Gary Dzen for Boston.com, who notes that there’s no traditional brewer in-house. Instead, Cheeky Monkey’s recipes come from “celebrity BrewMaster” Brian Watson, who is based in New Zealand and sells brewing equipment that allows restaurant owners to brew “fresh, world-class beers onsite with very little effort.” Try the East Coast IPA, which has aromatics that “distinctly recall tangerine” and has “a pleasant toasty finish.”

GOVERNMENT CENTER — A Wachusett Brewing Company beer garden dubbed the Brew Yard is popping up at Boston’s City Hall Plaza on several Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. (September 21 and 28, as well as October 5), reports Boston Magazine. Look for the Airstream trailer serving up eight beers by the pint, including Green Monsta IPA, Bella Czech Pils, Belgian White Mamba, and more. Plus, between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., there will be food trucks and live music onsite.

September 14, 2017

Facebook

The future home of Backlash Beer Co.

AMESBURY — BothBareWolf Brewing(12 Oakland St.) and Brewery Silvaticus(9 Water St.) are now open; more details here.

BRAINTREE — An opening timeline update from the forthcoming Widowmaker Brewing(220 Wood Rd.), via Facebook: “This week we finally received our approved variance from the state for the use of our brew house. We can now move forward with the town and work on getting our doors open ASAP. Thank you for your patience, no one wants us to be open more than we do.”

FRAMINGHAM — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Exhibit ‘A’ Brewing Company (81 Morton St.), which is expanding production and staying creative on the horizon of year two. Read it here.

NATICK — Beer is now available at Belkin Family Lookout Farm(89 Pleasant St.), not just cider. As previously reported, the farm has added a brewery next to its existing hard cider operations. The beer is only available at Lookout Farm’s taproom (no distribution is planned), and it features some fruit from the farm. The taproom is currently open Wednesday through Sunday.

ROXBURY — Backlash Beer Co.is getting closer to finally opening its own space, starting with the retail portion, at 152 Hampden St. in Roxbury. There are still permitting and construction hurdles to overcome to open it as a taproom, as Boston Magazine reports, but retail could begin by the end of this month. This is the first permanent home for Backlash, which has been contract brewing since 2011, most recently out of Dorchester Brewing Company.

SCITUATE — Untold Brewing(6 Old Country Way) kicked off brewing today; the opening timeline is still TBD, but the brewery was originally aiming for an October debut for its family-friendly taproom, which is located in a revamped old schoolhouse.

SOMERVILLE — Somerville Brewing Company’s Assembly Row beer garden will have its last day in business on Sunday, October 1. At some point in October, the company’s new American Fresh Brewhouse is expected to open at Assembly Row (490 Foley St.) with 126 seats, brewing on-site, a full kitchen, and 24 draft lines of Somerville Brewing Company beers. The space will be family-friendly and will have a seasonal dog-friendly outdoor beer garden.

September 7, 2017

SoWa Boston

SoWa Power Station

AMESBURY —BareWolf Brewing(12 Oakland St.)celebrates its grand opening this Saturday, September 9, from noon to 8 p.m. As previously reported, the brewery was founded by a father-and-son duo, and the opening beer lineup includes a Belgian ale, brown ale, pale ale, and more.

BRIGHTON — Brato Brewhouse & Kitchen may have a location: It could open near the Boston Landing development in Brighton. While the owners have a letter of intent in place, they’re still exploring other possibilities. Co-owner Jonathan Gilman had previously told Eater that Somerville and East Boston were at the top of the list for potential locations. Wherever Brato does end up, expect lots of session beers and plenty of complementary food. “The main crux of it is grilled cheese and sausage,” Gilman said previously.

EVERETT — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Bone Up Brewing Company (38 Norman St.), which recently celebrated its first anniversary. The owners are looking forward to “more of everything” in year two. Read it here.

IPSWICH — True North Ale Company(116 County Rd.) is getting closer to opening; check out these snazzy light fixtures. The brewery is heading towards a fall 2017 opening, but an exact date will be announced later.

SOUTH END — The upcoming Copenhagen Beer & Music Festival, taking place on September 22 and 23, has moved from City Hall Plaza to the SoWa Power Station (540 Harrison Ave.) Tickets start at $65 and include admission and unlimited two-ounce samples of beers from roughly a bajillion breweries. There will also be food available for purchase from Tasty Burger, Roxy’s Grilled Cheese, and more.

August 25, 2017

Facebook

Walden Woods Brewing hops

MARLBOROUGH — Marlborough is getting its first brewpub: Walden Woods Brewingis slated to open in late fall 2017 at 277 Main St., courtesy of “two beer geek brewers who also love history, particularly when it comes to this fella named Henry David Thoreau, and his unusual, yet compelling example of living deliberately.” Owners Alida Orzechowski and Chris Brown of Acton are longtime home brewers who were drawn to Marlborough because the city was specifically looking to bring in a brewery and offered some financial incentives to help out, as the Metrowest Daily News reported. Walden Woods Brewing will debut around November or December with six beers but will eventually serve up to a dozen “traditional European and American-style” beers with “a regional or historic twist.” Expect an American Pale Ale, India Pale Ale, and “New England style juice bomb” in the opening lineup, per the MDN.

WORCESTER / KEENE, NH — Wormtown Brewery in Worcester (72 Shrewsbury St.) has some new owners: Co-founder Tom Oliveri has left the brewery, selling his stake to former beer distributors Richard Clarke, Jay Clarke, and Kary Shumway, who are longtime friends of Wormtown’s other owner, David Fields, who bought a majority interest from Oliveri and master brewer Ben Roesch three years ago. Alongside the ownership change comes expansion on two fronts. Wormtown will expand to Keene, NH (472 Winchester St.) in early or mid-2018 with a 10-barrel brewhouse focused on barrel-aged beers, sours, and more. Plus, the existing Worcester space is getting a $2 million renovation that will allow for increased production, up to 37,000 barrels per year.

SALEM AND BEYOND — Beer overload? The Boston Globe’s Gary Dzen has you covered with some recommendations for six Massachusetts beers to try right now, including Notch Brewing Co.’sZwickel, an unfiltered German pale lager that “is anything but a juice bomb” and has a “nice balance of malt sweetness and hop bite.” Get it at the Salem taproom (283 Derby St.) and look for 16-ounce cans in the fall.

August 15, 2017

Dana Hatic for Eater

Idle Hands

MALDEN — The ghost of Enlightment Ales lives on. WBUR featured Idle Hands Craft Alesthis week, highlighting the brewery’s “Funky Town” experimental saison program, which originated from the dregs of past Brettanomyces beers created by former head brewer Ben Howe, who left in 2015 to be head brewer at a farmhouse brewery in Denmark. Howe’s previous project, Enlightenment Ales, had become a sub-brand of Idle Hands when Howe took the position of head brewer, becoming Idle Hands’ first full-time employee in late 2013. Current head brewer Brett Bauer “can still taste the bright lemon notes from previous Enlightenment brews in new batches” from the Funky Town tank, writes WBUR. But after the current batch is complete, the tank will be sterilized; Funky Town will start with a clean slate for 2018.

SCITUATE — Untold Brewing is heading for an October opening in an old schoolhouse at 6 Old Country Way in Scituate, on Massachusetts’ South Shore. Read the full Eater Boston Brick & Mortar feature on the forthcoming brewery, published today.

SOMERVILLE — Somerville Brewing Company (the brewery behind Slumbrew beers) will close down its Assembly Row beer garden after a farewell party on September 30 after having been open for nearly three years. Around the same time, its new Assembly Row project will open: American Fresh Brewhouse, right by the Assembly T stop. This one will be permanent and indoors (plus some seasonal outdoor seating), featuring a full kitchen and beers brewed in-house. The company’s main brewery and taproom in Somerville’s Boynton Yards neighborhood (just outside Union Square) will remain open as well.

August 7, 2017

Facebook

Brewery Silvaticus

AMESBURY — Brewery Silvaticusis heading towards a September 2017 opening at 9 Water St. in the Carriage Mills complex in downtown Amesbury, reports the Globe, and while several local restaurants will carry Silvaticus beer on draft, the team “expect[s] to sell most of their product under their own roof.” The taproom will serve full pints, plus crowlers to go, and there will be an outdoor beer garden on the Powwow River. Per the Silvaticus website, the team “share[s] a deep respect for the traditional beers of Europe and our goal is to pay homage while innovating and adapting our craft to push it forward.” The focus will be on Belgian farmhouse ales and German-style lagers. Two of the brewery’s four founders, Mark Zappasodi and Caroline Becker Zappasodi, own Tamarack Farmstead in Merrimacport, where they’ll grow their own hops for some Silvaticus beers, according to The Improper Bostonian.

In other Amesbury beer news, BareWolf Brewing will open a tasting room at 12 Oakland St. in late August and also expects to begin distributing around the Boston area this month, reports the Globe. Founded by father-and-son duo Paul and Stevie Bareford, BareWolf will likely do 80% of initial business via retail sales but ultimately expects more of an even split between retail and in-house sales. The opening lineup of beers will include a Belgian ale, brown ale, pale ale, and more, per the website.

HUDSON — Medusa Brewing Company is reportedly looking to expand into a vacant lot at 1 Houghton St. in downtown Hudson, thanks to a $5.5 million investment, reports The Metrowest Daily News. Currently located at 111 Main St., the brewery has a taproom that serves full pours and has seating for over 100.

NATICK — Belkin Family Lookout Farm is already home to Lookout Farm Hard Cider Company, and now it’ll brew beer too: Lookout Farm Brewing Company is slated to debut on September 8 at the Lookout taproom, reports The Metrowest Daily News. Head cider maker Aaron Mateychuk already has beer experience; he was previously head brewer at Waltham’s now-closed Watch City Brewing Company. Plus, Lookout’s bringing on an assistant brewer, Will Morris, who previously worked at Barleycorn’s Craft Brew in Natick. The brewery will be located in the same building as the cidery, and the beers will feature the farm’s fruits. One of the debut brews, for example, is Natick Nectar, a Belgian-style witbier made with Lookout peaches. The beer will only be available at Lookout.

[tonyduncanbb73]

Portsmouth Beer Celebrates the ‘Libeeration’ of Menopause

And other beer news

The brewing scene in the Greater Boston area continues to grow rapidly.

We’re tracking local beer-related news bites right here, including openings, closures, features, and more; this piece will be updated on a rolling basis, and the most recent additions will always be at the top.

October 12, 2017

MALDEN — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Idle Hands Craft Ales(89 Commercial St.), which moved from Everett to Malden a year ago and is better than ever. Read it here.

PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Experiencing menopause? Portsmouth Brewery (56 Market St.) apparently has the beer for you, dubbed Libeeration. The brewery doesn’t make any “medicinal claims” about the beer, reports the Globe, but the gruit-style ale contains ingredients that herbalists recommend for mood shifts, including chamomile, mugwort, stinging nettle, and more. The Globe notes that it has “fruit, spicy notes.” Get it by the bottle at Portsmouth Brewery while supplies last.

SALEM — Founded in 2014 under the name Massachusetts Bay Colony Brewers, a brewery now called East Regiment Beer Co. is finally putting down roots with a tasting room and brewing facility at 30 Church St., sharing a building with a coffee shop.

SCITUATE —Tomorrow is opening day for Scituate’s Untold Brewing(6 Old Country Way), with full pours available in the taproom, beer for purchase to take home, free snacks, and “good times all around.” Learn all about the brewery in this previous Beer & Mortar feature.

October 5, 2017

Facebook

Custom tap handles at Percival Brewing Company, now open in Norwood

BRAINTREE — Widowmaker Brewing(220 Wood Rd.) is now open with a 70-seat taproom and an opening beer lineup that includes a double IPA, two stouts, a blonde ale, and more.

EVERETT — In a saga that has been going on since 2015, a judge has now upheld a state ban on “pay-to-play” practices in the beer industry, thus eliminating a potential chance for Everett-based distributor Craft Brewers Guild to get out of a record $2.6 million fine.

NORWOOD — Percival Brewing Company (83 Morse St.) is now open in its own home in Norwood, having spent the last few years contract brewing after debuting in Dorchester in 2011. The taproom’s opening lineup includes an oatmeal stout, a pale ale, and more.

SOMERVILLE — A brief reprieve for the Somerville Brewing Company beer garden at Assembly Row: Thanks to nice weather, it’ll stay open through this Thursday, September 7, instead of closing last week. Next up, the company will open American Fresh Brewhousesoon at Assembly Row (490 Foley St.)

WATERTOWN — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Branch Line (321 Arsenal St.), a restaurant that features great hospitality, rotisserie chicken, bocce, and a killer beer list. Read it here.

September 21, 2017

Facebook

Wachusett Brewing Company’s Airstream

FENWAY — The beer is “fine” at the recently opened Cheeky Monkey(3 Lansdowne St., Fenway, Boston), reports Gary Dzen for Boston.com, who notes that there’s no traditional brewer in-house. Instead, Cheeky Monkey’s recipes come from “celebrity BrewMaster” Brian Watson, who is based in New Zealand and sells brewing equipment that allows restaurant owners to brew “fresh, world-class beers onsite with very little effort.” Try the East Coast IPA, which has aromatics that “distinctly recall tangerine” and has “a pleasant toasty finish.”

GOVERNMENT CENTER — A Wachusett Brewing Company beer garden dubbed the Brew Yard is popping up at Boston’s City Hall Plaza on several Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. (September 21 and 28, as well as October 5), reports Boston Magazine. Look for the Airstream trailer serving up eight beers by the pint, including Green Monsta IPA, Bella Czech Pils, Belgian White Mamba, and more. Plus, between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., there will be food trucks and live music onsite.

September 14, 2017

Facebook

The future home of Backlash Beer Co.

AMESBURY — BothBareWolf Brewing(12 Oakland St.) and Brewery Silvaticus(9 Water St.) are now open; more details here.

BRAINTREE — An opening timeline update from the forthcoming Widowmaker Brewing(220 Wood Rd.), via Facebook: “This week we finally received our approved variance from the state for the use of our brew house. We can now move forward with the town and work on getting our doors open ASAP. Thank you for your patience, no one wants us to be open more than we do.”

FRAMINGHAM — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Exhibit ‘A’ Brewing Company (81 Morton St.), which is expanding production and staying creative on the horizon of year two. Read it here.

NATICK — Beer is now available at Belkin Family Lookout Farm(89 Pleasant St.), not just cider. As previously reported, the farm has added a brewery next to its existing hard cider operations. The beer is only available at Lookout Farm’s taproom (no distribution is planned), and it features some fruit from the farm. The taproom is currently open Wednesday through Sunday.

ROXBURY — Backlash Beer Co.is getting closer to finally opening its own space, starting with the retail portion, at 152 Hampden St. in Roxbury. There are still permitting and construction hurdles to overcome to open it as a taproom, as Boston Magazine reports, but retail could begin by the end of this month. This is the first permanent home for Backlash, which has been contract brewing since 2011, most recently out of Dorchester Brewing Company.

SCITUATE — Untold Brewing(6 Old Country Way) kicked off brewing today; the opening timeline is still TBD, but the brewery was originally aiming for an October debut for its family-friendly taproom, which is located in a revamped old schoolhouse.

SOMERVILLE — Somerville Brewing Company’s Assembly Row beer garden will have its last day in business on Sunday, October 1. At some point in October, the company’s new American Fresh Brewhouse is expected to open at Assembly Row (490 Foley St.) with 126 seats, brewing on-site, a full kitchen, and 24 draft lines of Somerville Brewing Company beers. The space will be family-friendly and will have a seasonal dog-friendly outdoor beer garden.

September 7, 2017

SoWa Boston

SoWa Power Station

AMESBURY —BareWolf Brewing(12 Oakland St.)celebrates its grand opening this Saturday, September 9, from noon to 8 p.m. As previously reported, the brewery was founded by a father-and-son duo, and the opening beer lineup includes a Belgian ale, brown ale, pale ale, and more.

BRIGHTON — Brato Brewhouse & Kitchen may have a location: It could open near the Boston Landing development in Brighton. While the owners have a letter of intent in place, they’re still exploring other possibilities. Co-owner Jonathan Gilman had previously told Eater that Somerville and East Boston were at the top of the list for potential locations. Wherever Brato does end up, expect lots of session beers and plenty of complementary food. “The main crux of it is grilled cheese and sausage,” Gilman said previously.

EVERETT — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Bone Up Brewing Company (38 Norman St.), which recently celebrated its first anniversary. The owners are looking forward to “more of everything” in year two. Read it here.

IPSWICH — True North Ale Company(116 County Rd.) is getting closer to opening; check out these snazzy light fixtures. The brewery is heading towards a fall 2017 opening, but an exact date will be announced later.

SOUTH END — The upcoming Copenhagen Beer & Music Festival, taking place on September 22 and 23, has moved from City Hall Plaza to the SoWa Power Station (540 Harrison Ave.) Tickets start at $65 and include admission and unlimited two-ounce samples of beers from roughly a bajillion breweries. There will also be food available for purchase from Tasty Burger, Roxy’s Grilled Cheese, and more.

August 25, 2017

Facebook

Walden Woods Brewing hops

MARLBOROUGH — Marlborough is getting its first brewpub: Walden Woods Brewingis slated to open in late fall 2017 at 277 Main St., courtesy of “two beer geek brewers who also love history, particularly when it comes to this fella named Henry David Thoreau, and his unusual, yet compelling example of living deliberately.” Owners Alida Orzechowski and Chris Brown of Acton are longtime home brewers who were drawn to Marlborough because the city was specifically looking to bring in a brewery and offered some financial incentives to help out, as the Metrowest Daily News reported. Walden Woods Brewing will debut around November or December with six beers but will eventually serve up to a dozen “traditional European and American-style” beers with “a regional or historic twist.” Expect an American Pale Ale, India Pale Ale, and “New England style juice bomb” in the opening lineup, per the MDN.

WORCESTER / KEENE, NH — Wormtown Brewery in Worcester (72 Shrewsbury St.) has some new owners: Co-founder Tom Oliveri has left the brewery, selling his stake to former beer distributors Richard Clarke, Jay Clarke, and Kary Shumway, who are longtime friends of Wormtown’s other owner, David Fields, who bought a majority interest from Oliveri and master brewer Ben Roesch three years ago. Alongside the ownership change comes expansion on two fronts. Wormtown will expand to Keene, NH (472 Winchester St.) in early or mid-2018 with a 10-barrel brewhouse focused on barrel-aged beers, sours, and more. Plus, the existing Worcester space is getting a $2 million renovation that will allow for increased production, up to 37,000 barrels per year.

SALEM AND BEYOND — Beer overload? The Boston Globe’s Gary Dzen has you covered with some recommendations for six Massachusetts beers to try right now, including Notch Brewing Co.’sZwickel, an unfiltered German pale lager that “is anything but a juice bomb” and has a “nice balance of malt sweetness and hop bite.” Get it at the Salem taproom (283 Derby St.) and look for 16-ounce cans in the fall.

August 15, 2017

Dana Hatic for Eater

Idle Hands

MALDEN — The ghost of Enlightment Ales lives on. WBUR featured Idle Hands Craft Alesthis week, highlighting the brewery’s “Funky Town” experimental saison program, which originated from the dregs of past Brettanomyces beers created by former head brewer Ben Howe, who left in 2015 to be head brewer at a farmhouse brewery in Denmark. Howe’s previous project, Enlightenment Ales, had become a sub-brand of Idle Hands when Howe took the position of head brewer, becoming Idle Hands’ first full-time employee in late 2013. Current head brewer Brett Bauer “can still taste the bright lemon notes from previous Enlightenment brews in new batches” from the Funky Town tank, writes WBUR. But after the current batch is complete, the tank will be sterilized; Funky Town will start with a clean slate for 2018.

SCITUATE — Untold Brewing is heading for an October opening in an old schoolhouse at 6 Old Country Way in Scituate, on Massachusetts’ South Shore. Read the full Eater Boston Brick & Mortar feature on the forthcoming brewery, published today.

SOMERVILLE — Somerville Brewing Company (the brewery behind Slumbrew beers) will close down its Assembly Row beer garden after a farewell party on September 30 after having been open for nearly three years. Around the same time, its new Assembly Row project will open: American Fresh Brewhouse, right by the Assembly T stop. This one will be permanent and indoors (plus some seasonal outdoor seating), featuring a full kitchen and beers brewed in-house. The company’s main brewery and taproom in Somerville’s Boynton Yards neighborhood (just outside Union Square) will remain open as well.

August 7, 2017

Facebook

Brewery Silvaticus

AMESBURY — Brewery Silvaticusis heading towards a September 2017 opening at 9 Water St. in the Carriage Mills complex in downtown Amesbury, reports the Globe, and while several local restaurants will carry Silvaticus beer on draft, the team “expect[s] to sell most of their product under their own roof.” The taproom will serve full pints, plus crowlers to go, and there will be an outdoor beer garden on the Powwow River. Per the Silvaticus website, the team “share[s] a deep respect for the traditional beers of Europe and our goal is to pay homage while innovating and adapting our craft to push it forward.” The focus will be on Belgian farmhouse ales and German-style lagers. Two of the brewery’s four founders, Mark Zappasodi and Caroline Becker Zappasodi, own Tamarack Farmstead in Merrimacport, where they’ll grow their own hops for some Silvaticus beers, according to The Improper Bostonian.

In other Amesbury beer news, BareWolf Brewing will open a tasting room at 12 Oakland St. in late August and also expects to begin distributing around the Boston area this month, reports the Globe. Founded by father-and-son duo Paul and Stevie Bareford, BareWolf will likely do 80% of initial business via retail sales but ultimately expects more of an even split between retail and in-house sales. The opening lineup of beers will include a Belgian ale, brown ale, pale ale, and more, per the website.

HUDSON — Medusa Brewing Company is reportedly looking to expand into a vacant lot at 1 Houghton St. in downtown Hudson, thanks to a $5.5 million investment, reports The Metrowest Daily News. Currently located at 111 Main St., the brewery has a taproom that serves full pours and has seating for over 100.

NATICK — Belkin Family Lookout Farm is already home to Lookout Farm Hard Cider Company, and now it’ll brew beer too: Lookout Farm Brewing Company is slated to debut on September 8 at the Lookout taproom, reports The Metrowest Daily News. Head cider maker Aaron Mateychuk already has beer experience; he was previously head brewer at Waltham’s now-closed Watch City Brewing Company. Plus, Lookout’s bringing on an assistant brewer, Will Morris, who previously worked at Barleycorn’s Craft Brew in Natick. The brewery will be located in the same building as the cidery, and the beers will feature the farm’s fruits. One of the debut brews, for example, is Natick Nectar, a Belgian-style witbier made with Lookout peaches. The beer will only be available at Lookout.

[tonyduncanbb73]

Portsmouth Beer Celebrates the ‘Libeeration’ of Menopause

And other beer news

The brewing scene in the Greater Boston area continues to grow rapidly.

We’re tracking local beer-related news bites right here, including openings, closures, features, and more; this piece will be updated on a rolling basis, and the most recent additions will always be at the top.

October 12, 2017

MALDEN — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Idle Hands Craft Ales(89 Commercial St.), which moved from Everett to Malden a year ago and is better than ever. Read it here.

PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Experiencing menopause? Portsmouth Brewery (56 Market St.) apparently has the beer for you, dubbed Libeeration. The brewery doesn’t make any “medicinal claims” about the beer, reports the Globe, but the gruit-style ale contains ingredients that herbalists recommend for mood shifts, including chamomile, mugwort, stinging nettle, and more. The Globe notes that it has “fruit, spicy notes.” Get it by the bottle at Portsmouth Brewery while supplies last.

SALEM — Founded in 2014 under the name Massachusetts Bay Colony Brewers, a brewery now called East Regiment Beer Co. is finally putting down roots with a tasting room and brewing facility at 30 Church St., sharing a building with a coffee shop.

SCITUATE —Tomorrow is opening day for Scituate’s Untold Brewing(6 Old Country Way), with full pours available in the taproom, beer for purchase to take home, free snacks, and “good times all around.” Learn all about the brewery in this previous Beer & Mortar feature.

October 5, 2017

Facebook

Custom tap handles at Percival Brewing Company, now open in Norwood

BRAINTREE — Widowmaker Brewing(220 Wood Rd.) is now open with a 70-seat taproom and an opening beer lineup that includes a double IPA, two stouts, a blonde ale, and more.

EVERETT — In a saga that has been going on since 2015, a judge has now upheld a state ban on “pay-to-play” practices in the beer industry, thus eliminating a potential chance for Everett-based distributor Craft Brewers Guild to get out of a record $2.6 million fine.

NORWOOD — Percival Brewing Company (83 Morse St.) is now open in its own home in Norwood, having spent the last few years contract brewing after debuting in Dorchester in 2011. The taproom’s opening lineup includes an oatmeal stout, a pale ale, and more.

SOMERVILLE — A brief reprieve for the Somerville Brewing Company beer garden at Assembly Row: Thanks to nice weather, it’ll stay open through this Thursday, September 7, instead of closing last week. Next up, the company will open American Fresh Brewhousesoon at Assembly Row (490 Foley St.)

WATERTOWN — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Branch Line (321 Arsenal St.), a restaurant that features great hospitality, rotisserie chicken, bocce, and a killer beer list. Read it here.

September 21, 2017

Facebook

Wachusett Brewing Company’s Airstream

FENWAY — The beer is “fine” at the recently opened Cheeky Monkey(3 Lansdowne St., Fenway, Boston), reports Gary Dzen for Boston.com, who notes that there’s no traditional brewer in-house. Instead, Cheeky Monkey’s recipes come from “celebrity BrewMaster” Brian Watson, who is based in New Zealand and sells brewing equipment that allows restaurant owners to brew “fresh, world-class beers onsite with very little effort.” Try the East Coast IPA, which has aromatics that “distinctly recall tangerine” and has “a pleasant toasty finish.”

GOVERNMENT CENTER — A Wachusett Brewing Company beer garden dubbed the Brew Yard is popping up at Boston’s City Hall Plaza on several Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. (September 21 and 28, as well as October 5), reports Boston Magazine. Look for the Airstream trailer serving up eight beers by the pint, including Green Monsta IPA, Bella Czech Pils, Belgian White Mamba, and more. Plus, between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., there will be food trucks and live music onsite.

September 14, 2017

Facebook

The future home of Backlash Beer Co.

AMESBURY — BothBareWolf Brewing(12 Oakland St.) and Brewery Silvaticus(9 Water St.) are now open; more details here.

BRAINTREE — An opening timeline update from the forthcoming Widowmaker Brewing(220 Wood Rd.), via Facebook: “This week we finally received our approved variance from the state for the use of our brew house. We can now move forward with the town and work on getting our doors open ASAP. Thank you for your patience, no one wants us to be open more than we do.”

FRAMINGHAM — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Exhibit ‘A’ Brewing Company (81 Morton St.), which is expanding production and staying creative on the horizon of year two. Read it here.

NATICK — Beer is now available at Belkin Family Lookout Farm(89 Pleasant St.), not just cider. As previously reported, the farm has added a brewery next to its existing hard cider operations. The beer is only available at Lookout Farm’s taproom (no distribution is planned), and it features some fruit from the farm. The taproom is currently open Wednesday through Sunday.

ROXBURY — Backlash Beer Co.is getting closer to finally opening its own space, starting with the retail portion, at 152 Hampden St. in Roxbury. There are still permitting and construction hurdles to overcome to open it as a taproom, as Boston Magazine reports, but retail could begin by the end of this month. This is the first permanent home for Backlash, which has been contract brewing since 2011, most recently out of Dorchester Brewing Company.

SCITUATE — Untold Brewing(6 Old Country Way) kicked off brewing today; the opening timeline is still TBD, but the brewery was originally aiming for an October debut for its family-friendly taproom, which is located in a revamped old schoolhouse.

SOMERVILLE — Somerville Brewing Company’s Assembly Row beer garden will have its last day in business on Sunday, October 1. At some point in October, the company’s new American Fresh Brewhouse is expected to open at Assembly Row (490 Foley St.) with 126 seats, brewing on-site, a full kitchen, and 24 draft lines of Somerville Brewing Company beers. The space will be family-friendly and will have a seasonal dog-friendly outdoor beer garden.

September 7, 2017

SoWa Boston

SoWa Power Station

AMESBURY —BareWolf Brewing(12 Oakland St.)celebrates its grand opening this Saturday, September 9, from noon to 8 p.m. As previously reported, the brewery was founded by a father-and-son duo, and the opening beer lineup includes a Belgian ale, brown ale, pale ale, and more.

BRIGHTON — Brato Brewhouse & Kitchen may have a location: It could open near the Boston Landing development in Brighton. While the owners have a letter of intent in place, they’re still exploring other possibilities. Co-owner Jonathan Gilman had previously told Eater that Somerville and East Boston were at the top of the list for potential locations. Wherever Brato does end up, expect lots of session beers and plenty of complementary food. “The main crux of it is grilled cheese and sausage,” Gilman said previously.

EVERETT — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Bone Up Brewing Company (38 Norman St.), which recently celebrated its first anniversary. The owners are looking forward to “more of everything” in year two. Read it here.

IPSWICH — True North Ale Company(116 County Rd.) is getting closer to opening; check out these snazzy light fixtures. The brewery is heading towards a fall 2017 opening, but an exact date will be announced later.

SOUTH END — The upcoming Copenhagen Beer & Music Festival, taking place on September 22 and 23, has moved from City Hall Plaza to the SoWa Power Station (540 Harrison Ave.) Tickets start at $65 and include admission and unlimited two-ounce samples of beers from roughly a bajillion breweries. There will also be food available for purchase from Tasty Burger, Roxy’s Grilled Cheese, and more.

August 25, 2017

Facebook

Walden Woods Brewing hops

MARLBOROUGH — Marlborough is getting its first brewpub: Walden Woods Brewingis slated to open in late fall 2017 at 277 Main St., courtesy of “two beer geek brewers who also love history, particularly when it comes to this fella named Henry David Thoreau, and his unusual, yet compelling example of living deliberately.” Owners Alida Orzechowski and Chris Brown of Acton are longtime home brewers who were drawn to Marlborough because the city was specifically looking to bring in a brewery and offered some financial incentives to help out, as the Metrowest Daily News reported. Walden Woods Brewing will debut around November or December with six beers but will eventually serve up to a dozen “traditional European and American-style” beers with “a regional or historic twist.” Expect an American Pale Ale, India Pale Ale, and “New England style juice bomb” in the opening lineup, per the MDN.

WORCESTER / KEENE, NH — Wormtown Brewery in Worcester (72 Shrewsbury St.) has some new owners: Co-founder Tom Oliveri has left the brewery, selling his stake to former beer distributors Richard Clarke, Jay Clarke, and Kary Shumway, who are longtime friends of Wormtown’s other owner, David Fields, who bought a majority interest from Oliveri and master brewer Ben Roesch three years ago. Alongside the ownership change comes expansion on two fronts. Wormtown will expand to Keene, NH (472 Winchester St.) in early or mid-2018 with a 10-barrel brewhouse focused on barrel-aged beers, sours, and more. Plus, the existing Worcester space is getting a $2 million renovation that will allow for increased production, up to 37,000 barrels per year.

SALEM AND BEYOND — Beer overload? The Boston Globe’s Gary Dzen has you covered with some recommendations for six Massachusetts beers to try right now, including Notch Brewing Co.’sZwickel, an unfiltered German pale lager that “is anything but a juice bomb” and has a “nice balance of malt sweetness and hop bite.” Get it at the Salem taproom (283 Derby St.) and look for 16-ounce cans in the fall.

August 15, 2017

Dana Hatic for Eater

Idle Hands

MALDEN — The ghost of Enlightment Ales lives on. WBUR featured Idle Hands Craft Alesthis week, highlighting the brewery’s “Funky Town” experimental saison program, which originated from the dregs of past Brettanomyces beers created by former head brewer Ben Howe, who left in 2015 to be head brewer at a farmhouse brewery in Denmark. Howe’s previous project, Enlightenment Ales, had become a sub-brand of Idle Hands when Howe took the position of head brewer, becoming Idle Hands’ first full-time employee in late 2013. Current head brewer Brett Bauer “can still taste the bright lemon notes from previous Enlightenment brews in new batches” from the Funky Town tank, writes WBUR. But after the current batch is complete, the tank will be sterilized; Funky Town will start with a clean slate for 2018.

SCITUATE — Untold Brewing is heading for an October opening in an old schoolhouse at 6 Old Country Way in Scituate, on Massachusetts’ South Shore. Read the full Eater Boston Brick & Mortar feature on the forthcoming brewery, published today.

SOMERVILLE — Somerville Brewing Company (the brewery behind Slumbrew beers) will close down its Assembly Row beer garden after a farewell party on September 30 after having been open for nearly three years. Around the same time, its new Assembly Row project will open: American Fresh Brewhouse, right by the Assembly T stop. This one will be permanent and indoors (plus some seasonal outdoor seating), featuring a full kitchen and beers brewed in-house. The company’s main brewery and taproom in Somerville’s Boynton Yards neighborhood (just outside Union Square) will remain open as well.

August 7, 2017

Facebook

Brewery Silvaticus

AMESBURY — Brewery Silvaticusis heading towards a September 2017 opening at 9 Water St. in the Carriage Mills complex in downtown Amesbury, reports the Globe, and while several local restaurants will carry Silvaticus beer on draft, the team “expect[s] to sell most of their product under their own roof.” The taproom will serve full pints, plus crowlers to go, and there will be an outdoor beer garden on the Powwow River. Per the Silvaticus website, the team “share[s] a deep respect for the traditional beers of Europe and our goal is to pay homage while innovating and adapting our craft to push it forward.” The focus will be on Belgian farmhouse ales and German-style lagers. Two of the brewery’s four founders, Mark Zappasodi and Caroline Becker Zappasodi, own Tamarack Farmstead in Merrimacport, where they’ll grow their own hops for some Silvaticus beers, according to The Improper Bostonian.

In other Amesbury beer news, BareWolf Brewing will open a tasting room at 12 Oakland St. in late August and also expects to begin distributing around the Boston area this month, reports the Globe. Founded by father-and-son duo Paul and Stevie Bareford, BareWolf will likely do 80% of initial business via retail sales but ultimately expects more of an even split between retail and in-house sales. The opening lineup of beers will include a Belgian ale, brown ale, pale ale, and more, per the website.

HUDSON — Medusa Brewing Company is reportedly looking to expand into a vacant lot at 1 Houghton St. in downtown Hudson, thanks to a $5.5 million investment, reports The Metrowest Daily News. Currently located at 111 Main St., the brewery has a taproom that serves full pours and has seating for over 100.

NATICK — Belkin Family Lookout Farm is already home to Lookout Farm Hard Cider Company, and now it’ll brew beer too: Lookout Farm Brewing Company is slated to debut on September 8 at the Lookout taproom, reports The Metrowest Daily News. Head cider maker Aaron Mateychuk already has beer experience; he was previously head brewer at Waltham’s now-closed Watch City Brewing Company. Plus, Lookout’s bringing on an assistant brewer, Will Morris, who previously worked at Barleycorn’s Craft Brew in Natick. The brewery will be located in the same building as the cidery, and the beers will feature the farm’s fruits. One of the debut brews, for example, is Natick Nectar, a Belgian-style witbier made with Lookout peaches. The beer will only be available at Lookout.

[tonyduncanbb73]

Portsmouth Beer Celebrates the ‘Libeeration’ of Menopause

And other beer news

The brewing scene in the Greater Boston area continues to grow rapidly.

We’re tracking local beer-related news bites right here, including openings, closures, features, and more; this piece will be updated on a rolling basis, and the most recent additions will always be at the top.

October 12, 2017

MALDEN — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Idle Hands Craft Ales(89 Commercial St.), which moved from Everett to Malden a year ago and is better than ever. Read it here.

PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Experiencing menopause? Portsmouth Brewery (56 Market St.) apparently has the beer for you, dubbed Libeeration. The brewery doesn’t make any “medicinal claims” about the beer, reports the Globe, but the gruit-style ale contains ingredients that herbalists recommend for mood shifts, including chamomile, mugwort, stinging nettle, and more. The Globe notes that it has “fruit, spicy notes.” Get it by the bottle at Portsmouth Brewery while supplies last.

SALEM — Founded in 2014 under the name Massachusetts Bay Colony Brewers, a brewery now called East Regiment Beer Co. is finally putting down roots with a tasting room and brewing facility at 30 Church St., sharing a building with a coffee shop.

SCITUATE —Tomorrow is opening day for Scituate’s Untold Brewing(6 Old Country Way), with full pours available in the taproom, beer for purchase to take home, free snacks, and “good times all around.” Learn all about the brewery in this previous Beer & Mortar feature.

October 5, 2017

Facebook

Custom tap handles at Percival Brewing Company, now open in Norwood

BRAINTREE — Widowmaker Brewing(220 Wood Rd.) is now open with a 70-seat taproom and an opening beer lineup that includes a double IPA, two stouts, a blonde ale, and more.

EVERETT — In a saga that has been going on since 2015, a judge has now upheld a state ban on “pay-to-play” practices in the beer industry, thus eliminating a potential chance for Everett-based distributor Craft Brewers Guild to get out of a record $2.6 million fine.

NORWOOD — Percival Brewing Company (83 Morse St.) is now open in its own home in Norwood, having spent the last few years contract brewing after debuting in Dorchester in 2011. The taproom’s opening lineup includes an oatmeal stout, a pale ale, and more.

SOMERVILLE — A brief reprieve for the Somerville Brewing Company beer garden at Assembly Row: Thanks to nice weather, it’ll stay open through this Thursday, September 7, instead of closing last week. Next up, the company will open American Fresh Brewhousesoon at Assembly Row (490 Foley St.)

WATERTOWN — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Branch Line (321 Arsenal St.), a restaurant that features great hospitality, rotisserie chicken, bocce, and a killer beer list. Read it here.

September 21, 2017

Facebook

Wachusett Brewing Company’s Airstream

FENWAY — The beer is “fine” at the recently opened Cheeky Monkey(3 Lansdowne St., Fenway, Boston), reports Gary Dzen for Boston.com, who notes that there’s no traditional brewer in-house. Instead, Cheeky Monkey’s recipes come from “celebrity BrewMaster” Brian Watson, who is based in New Zealand and sells brewing equipment that allows restaurant owners to brew “fresh, world-class beers onsite with very little effort.” Try the East Coast IPA, which has aromatics that “distinctly recall tangerine” and has “a pleasant toasty finish.”

GOVERNMENT CENTER — A Wachusett Brewing Company beer garden dubbed the Brew Yard is popping up at Boston’s City Hall Plaza on several Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. (September 21 and 28, as well as October 5), reports Boston Magazine. Look for the Airstream trailer serving up eight beers by the pint, including Green Monsta IPA, Bella Czech Pils, Belgian White Mamba, and more. Plus, between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., there will be food trucks and live music onsite.

September 14, 2017

Facebook

The future home of Backlash Beer Co.

AMESBURY — BothBareWolf Brewing(12 Oakland St.) and Brewery Silvaticus(9 Water St.) are now open; more details here.

BRAINTREE — An opening timeline update from the forthcoming Widowmaker Brewing(220 Wood Rd.), via Facebook: “This week we finally received our approved variance from the state for the use of our brew house. We can now move forward with the town and work on getting our doors open ASAP. Thank you for your patience, no one wants us to be open more than we do.”

FRAMINGHAM — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Exhibit ‘A’ Brewing Company (81 Morton St.), which is expanding production and staying creative on the horizon of year two. Read it here.

NATICK — Beer is now available at Belkin Family Lookout Farm(89 Pleasant St.), not just cider. As previously reported, the farm has added a brewery next to its existing hard cider operations. The beer is only available at Lookout Farm’s taproom (no distribution is planned), and it features some fruit from the farm. The taproom is currently open Wednesday through Sunday.

ROXBURY — Backlash Beer Co.is getting closer to finally opening its own space, starting with the retail portion, at 152 Hampden St. in Roxbury. There are still permitting and construction hurdles to overcome to open it as a taproom, as Boston Magazine reports, but retail could begin by the end of this month. This is the first permanent home for Backlash, which has been contract brewing since 2011, most recently out of Dorchester Brewing Company.

SCITUATE — Untold Brewing(6 Old Country Way) kicked off brewing today; the opening timeline is still TBD, but the brewery was originally aiming for an October debut for its family-friendly taproom, which is located in a revamped old schoolhouse.

SOMERVILLE — Somerville Brewing Company’s Assembly Row beer garden will have its last day in business on Sunday, October 1. At some point in October, the company’s new American Fresh Brewhouse is expected to open at Assembly Row (490 Foley St.) with 126 seats, brewing on-site, a full kitchen, and 24 draft lines of Somerville Brewing Company beers. The space will be family-friendly and will have a seasonal dog-friendly outdoor beer garden.

September 7, 2017

SoWa Boston

SoWa Power Station

AMESBURY —BareWolf Brewing(12 Oakland St.)celebrates its grand opening this Saturday, September 9, from noon to 8 p.m. As previously reported, the brewery was founded by a father-and-son duo, and the opening beer lineup includes a Belgian ale, brown ale, pale ale, and more.

BRIGHTON — Brato Brewhouse & Kitchen may have a location: It could open near the Boston Landing development in Brighton. While the owners have a letter of intent in place, they’re still exploring other possibilities. Co-owner Jonathan Gilman had previously told Eater that Somerville and East Boston were at the top of the list for potential locations. Wherever Brato does end up, expect lots of session beers and plenty of complementary food. “The main crux of it is grilled cheese and sausage,” Gilman said previously.

EVERETT — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Bone Up Brewing Company (38 Norman St.), which recently celebrated its first anniversary. The owners are looking forward to “more of everything” in year two. Read it here.

IPSWICH — True North Ale Company(116 County Rd.) is getting closer to opening; check out these snazzy light fixtures. The brewery is heading towards a fall 2017 opening, but an exact date will be announced later.

SOUTH END — The upcoming Copenhagen Beer & Music Festival, taking place on September 22 and 23, has moved from City Hall Plaza to the SoWa Power Station (540 Harrison Ave.) Tickets start at $65 and include admission and unlimited two-ounce samples of beers from roughly a bajillion breweries. There will also be food available for purchase from Tasty Burger, Roxy’s Grilled Cheese, and more.

August 25, 2017

Facebook

Walden Woods Brewing hops

MARLBOROUGH — Marlborough is getting its first brewpub: Walden Woods Brewingis slated to open in late fall 2017 at 277 Main St., courtesy of “two beer geek brewers who also love history, particularly when it comes to this fella named Henry David Thoreau, and his unusual, yet compelling example of living deliberately.” Owners Alida Orzechowski and Chris Brown of Acton are longtime home brewers who were drawn to Marlborough because the city was specifically looking to bring in a brewery and offered some financial incentives to help out, as the Metrowest Daily News reported. Walden Woods Brewing will debut around November or December with six beers but will eventually serve up to a dozen “traditional European and American-style” beers with “a regional or historic twist.” Expect an American Pale Ale, India Pale Ale, and “New England style juice bomb” in the opening lineup, per the MDN.

WORCESTER / KEENE, NH — Wormtown Brewery in Worcester (72 Shrewsbury St.) has some new owners: Co-founder Tom Oliveri has left the brewery, selling his stake to former beer distributors Richard Clarke, Jay Clarke, and Kary Shumway, who are longtime friends of Wormtown’s other owner, David Fields, who bought a majority interest from Oliveri and master brewer Ben Roesch three years ago. Alongside the ownership change comes expansion on two fronts. Wormtown will expand to Keene, NH (472 Winchester St.) in early or mid-2018 with a 10-barrel brewhouse focused on barrel-aged beers, sours, and more. Plus, the existing Worcester space is getting a $2 million renovation that will allow for increased production, up to 37,000 barrels per year.

SALEM AND BEYOND — Beer overload? The Boston Globe’s Gary Dzen has you covered with some recommendations for six Massachusetts beers to try right now, including Notch Brewing Co.’sZwickel, an unfiltered German pale lager that “is anything but a juice bomb” and has a “nice balance of malt sweetness and hop bite.” Get it at the Salem taproom (283 Derby St.) and look for 16-ounce cans in the fall.

August 15, 2017

Dana Hatic for Eater

Idle Hands

MALDEN — The ghost of Enlightment Ales lives on. WBUR featured Idle Hands Craft Alesthis week, highlighting the brewery’s “Funky Town” experimental saison program, which originated from the dregs of past Brettanomyces beers created by former head brewer Ben Howe, who left in 2015 to be head brewer at a farmhouse brewery in Denmark. Howe’s previous project, Enlightenment Ales, had become a sub-brand of Idle Hands when Howe took the position of head brewer, becoming Idle Hands’ first full-time employee in late 2013. Current head brewer Brett Bauer “can still taste the bright lemon notes from previous Enlightenment brews in new batches” from the Funky Town tank, writes WBUR. But after the current batch is complete, the tank will be sterilized; Funky Town will start with a clean slate for 2018.

SCITUATE — Untold Brewing is heading for an October opening in an old schoolhouse at 6 Old Country Way in Scituate, on Massachusetts’ South Shore. Read the full Eater Boston Brick & Mortar feature on the forthcoming brewery, published today.

SOMERVILLE — Somerville Brewing Company (the brewery behind Slumbrew beers) will close down its Assembly Row beer garden after a farewell party on September 30 after having been open for nearly three years. Around the same time, its new Assembly Row project will open: American Fresh Brewhouse, right by the Assembly T stop. This one will be permanent and indoors (plus some seasonal outdoor seating), featuring a full kitchen and beers brewed in-house. The company’s main brewery and taproom in Somerville’s Boynton Yards neighborhood (just outside Union Square) will remain open as well.

August 7, 2017

Facebook

Brewery Silvaticus

AMESBURY — Brewery Silvaticusis heading towards a September 2017 opening at 9 Water St. in the Carriage Mills complex in downtown Amesbury, reports the Globe, and while several local restaurants will carry Silvaticus beer on draft, the team “expect[s] to sell most of their product under their own roof.” The taproom will serve full pints, plus crowlers to go, and there will be an outdoor beer garden on the Powwow River. Per the Silvaticus website, the team “share[s] a deep respect for the traditional beers of Europe and our goal is to pay homage while innovating and adapting our craft to push it forward.” The focus will be on Belgian farmhouse ales and German-style lagers. Two of the brewery’s four founders, Mark Zappasodi and Caroline Becker Zappasodi, own Tamarack Farmstead in Merrimacport, where they’ll grow their own hops for some Silvaticus beers, according to The Improper Bostonian.

In other Amesbury beer news, BareWolf Brewing will open a tasting room at 12 Oakland St. in late August and also expects to begin distributing around the Boston area this month, reports the Globe. Founded by father-and-son duo Paul and Stevie Bareford, BareWolf will likely do 80% of initial business via retail sales but ultimately expects more of an even split between retail and in-house sales. The opening lineup of beers will include a Belgian ale, brown ale, pale ale, and more, per the website.

HUDSON — Medusa Brewing Company is reportedly looking to expand into a vacant lot at 1 Houghton St. in downtown Hudson, thanks to a $5.5 million investment, reports The Metrowest Daily News. Currently located at 111 Main St., the brewery has a taproom that serves full pours and has seating for over 100.

NATICK — Belkin Family Lookout Farm is already home to Lookout Farm Hard Cider Company, and now it’ll brew beer too: Lookout Farm Brewing Company is slated to debut on September 8 at the Lookout taproom, reports The Metrowest Daily News. Head cider maker Aaron Mateychuk already has beer experience; he was previously head brewer at Waltham’s now-closed Watch City Brewing Company. Plus, Lookout’s bringing on an assistant brewer, Will Morris, who previously worked at Barleycorn’s Craft Brew in Natick. The brewery will be located in the same building as the cidery, and the beers will feature the farm’s fruits. One of the debut brews, for example, is Natick Nectar, a Belgian-style witbier made with Lookout peaches. The beer will only be available at Lookout.

[tonyduncanbb73]

Portsmouth Beer Celebrates the ‘Libeeration’ of Menopause

And other beer news

The brewing scene in the Greater Boston area continues to grow rapidly.

We’re tracking local beer-related news bites right here, including openings, closures, features, and more; this piece will be updated on a rolling basis, and the most recent additions will always be at the top.

October 12, 2017

MALDEN — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Idle Hands Craft Ales(89 Commercial St.), which moved from Everett to Malden a year ago and is better than ever. Read it here.

PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Experiencing menopause? Portsmouth Brewery (56 Market St.) apparently has the beer for you, dubbed Libeeration. The brewery doesn’t make any “medicinal claims” about the beer, reports the Globe, but the gruit-style ale contains ingredients that herbalists recommend for mood shifts, including chamomile, mugwort, stinging nettle, and more. The Globe notes that it has “fruit, spicy notes.” Get it by the bottle at Portsmouth Brewery while supplies last.

SALEM — Founded in 2014 under the name Massachusetts Bay Colony Brewers, a brewery now called East Regiment Beer Co. is finally putting down roots with a tasting room and brewing facility at 30 Church St., sharing a building with a coffee shop.

SCITUATE —Tomorrow is opening day for Scituate’s Untold Brewing(6 Old Country Way), with full pours available in the taproom, beer for purchase to take home, free snacks, and “good times all around.” Learn all about the brewery in this previous Beer & Mortar feature.

October 5, 2017

Facebook

Custom tap handles at Percival Brewing Company, now open in Norwood

BRAINTREE — Widowmaker Brewing(220 Wood Rd.) is now open with a 70-seat taproom and an opening beer lineup that includes a double IPA, two stouts, a blonde ale, and more.

EVERETT — In a saga that has been going on since 2015, a judge has now upheld a state ban on “pay-to-play” practices in the beer industry, thus eliminating a potential chance for Everett-based distributor Craft Brewers Guild to get out of a record $2.6 million fine.

NORWOOD — Percival Brewing Company (83 Morse St.) is now open in its own home in Norwood, having spent the last few years contract brewing after debuting in Dorchester in 2011. The taproom’s opening lineup includes an oatmeal stout, a pale ale, and more.

SOMERVILLE — A brief reprieve for the Somerville Brewing Company beer garden at Assembly Row: Thanks to nice weather, it’ll stay open through this Thursday, September 7, instead of closing last week. Next up, the company will open American Fresh Brewhousesoon at Assembly Row (490 Foley St.)

WATERTOWN — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Branch Line (321 Arsenal St.), a restaurant that features great hospitality, rotisserie chicken, bocce, and a killer beer list. Read it here.

September 21, 2017

Facebook

Wachusett Brewing Company’s Airstream

FENWAY — The beer is “fine” at the recently opened Cheeky Monkey(3 Lansdowne St., Fenway, Boston), reports Gary Dzen for Boston.com, who notes that there’s no traditional brewer in-house. Instead, Cheeky Monkey’s recipes come from “celebrity BrewMaster” Brian Watson, who is based in New Zealand and sells brewing equipment that allows restaurant owners to brew “fresh, world-class beers onsite with very little effort.” Try the East Coast IPA, which has aromatics that “distinctly recall tangerine” and has “a pleasant toasty finish.”

GOVERNMENT CENTER — A Wachusett Brewing Company beer garden dubbed the Brew Yard is popping up at Boston’s City Hall Plaza on several Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. (September 21 and 28, as well as October 5), reports Boston Magazine. Look for the Airstream trailer serving up eight beers by the pint, including Green Monsta IPA, Bella Czech Pils, Belgian White Mamba, and more. Plus, between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., there will be food trucks and live music onsite.

September 14, 2017

Facebook

The future home of Backlash Beer Co.

AMESBURY — BothBareWolf Brewing(12 Oakland St.) and Brewery Silvaticus(9 Water St.) are now open; more details here.

BRAINTREE — An opening timeline update from the forthcoming Widowmaker Brewing(220 Wood Rd.), via Facebook: “This week we finally received our approved variance from the state for the use of our brew house. We can now move forward with the town and work on getting our doors open ASAP. Thank you for your patience, no one wants us to be open more than we do.”

FRAMINGHAM — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Exhibit ‘A’ Brewing Company (81 Morton St.), which is expanding production and staying creative on the horizon of year two. Read it here.

NATICK — Beer is now available at Belkin Family Lookout Farm(89 Pleasant St.), not just cider. As previously reported, the farm has added a brewery next to its existing hard cider operations. The beer is only available at Lookout Farm’s taproom (no distribution is planned), and it features some fruit from the farm. The taproom is currently open Wednesday through Sunday.

ROXBURY — Backlash Beer Co.is getting closer to finally opening its own space, starting with the retail portion, at 152 Hampden St. in Roxbury. There are still permitting and construction hurdles to overcome to open it as a taproom, as Boston Magazine reports, but retail could begin by the end of this month. This is the first permanent home for Backlash, which has been contract brewing since 2011, most recently out of Dorchester Brewing Company.

SCITUATE — Untold Brewing(6 Old Country Way) kicked off brewing today; the opening timeline is still TBD, but the brewery was originally aiming for an October debut for its family-friendly taproom, which is located in a revamped old schoolhouse.

SOMERVILLE — Somerville Brewing Company’s Assembly Row beer garden will have its last day in business on Sunday, October 1. At some point in October, the company’s new American Fresh Brewhouse is expected to open at Assembly Row (490 Foley St.) with 126 seats, brewing on-site, a full kitchen, and 24 draft lines of Somerville Brewing Company beers. The space will be family-friendly and will have a seasonal dog-friendly outdoor beer garden.

September 7, 2017

SoWa Boston

SoWa Power Station

AMESBURY —BareWolf Brewing(12 Oakland St.)celebrates its grand opening this Saturday, September 9, from noon to 8 p.m. As previously reported, the brewery was founded by a father-and-son duo, and the opening beer lineup includes a Belgian ale, brown ale, pale ale, and more.

BRIGHTON — Brato Brewhouse & Kitchen may have a location: It could open near the Boston Landing development in Brighton. While the owners have a letter of intent in place, they’re still exploring other possibilities. Co-owner Jonathan Gilman had previously told Eater that Somerville and East Boston were at the top of the list for potential locations. Wherever Brato does end up, expect lots of session beers and plenty of complementary food. “The main crux of it is grilled cheese and sausage,” Gilman said previously.

EVERETT — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Bone Up Brewing Company (38 Norman St.), which recently celebrated its first anniversary. The owners are looking forward to “more of everything” in year two. Read it here.

IPSWICH — True North Ale Company(116 County Rd.) is getting closer to opening; check out these snazzy light fixtures. The brewery is heading towards a fall 2017 opening, but an exact date will be announced later.

SOUTH END — The upcoming Copenhagen Beer & Music Festival, taking place on September 22 and 23, has moved from City Hall Plaza to the SoWa Power Station (540 Harrison Ave.) Tickets start at $65 and include admission and unlimited two-ounce samples of beers from roughly a bajillion breweries. There will also be food available for purchase from Tasty Burger, Roxy’s Grilled Cheese, and more.

August 25, 2017

Facebook

Walden Woods Brewing hops

MARLBOROUGH — Marlborough is getting its first brewpub: Walden Woods Brewingis slated to open in late fall 2017 at 277 Main St., courtesy of “two beer geek brewers who also love history, particularly when it comes to this fella named Henry David Thoreau, and his unusual, yet compelling example of living deliberately.” Owners Alida Orzechowski and Chris Brown of Acton are longtime home brewers who were drawn to Marlborough because the city was specifically looking to bring in a brewery and offered some financial incentives to help out, as the Metrowest Daily News reported. Walden Woods Brewing will debut around November or December with six beers but will eventually serve up to a dozen “traditional European and American-style” beers with “a regional or historic twist.” Expect an American Pale Ale, India Pale Ale, and “New England style juice bomb” in the opening lineup, per the MDN.

WORCESTER / KEENE, NH — Wormtown Brewery in Worcester (72 Shrewsbury St.) has some new owners: Co-founder Tom Oliveri has left the brewery, selling his stake to former beer distributors Richard Clarke, Jay Clarke, and Kary Shumway, who are longtime friends of Wormtown’s other owner, David Fields, who bought a majority interest from Oliveri and master brewer Ben Roesch three years ago. Alongside the ownership change comes expansion on two fronts. Wormtown will expand to Keene, NH (472 Winchester St.) in early or mid-2018 with a 10-barrel brewhouse focused on barrel-aged beers, sours, and more. Plus, the existing Worcester space is getting a $2 million renovation that will allow for increased production, up to 37,000 barrels per year.

SALEM AND BEYOND — Beer overload? The Boston Globe’s Gary Dzen has you covered with some recommendations for six Massachusetts beers to try right now, including Notch Brewing Co.’sZwickel, an unfiltered German pale lager that “is anything but a juice bomb” and has a “nice balance of malt sweetness and hop bite.” Get it at the Salem taproom (283 Derby St.) and look for 16-ounce cans in the fall.

August 15, 2017

Dana Hatic for Eater

Idle Hands

MALDEN — The ghost of Enlightment Ales lives on. WBUR featured Idle Hands Craft Alesthis week, highlighting the brewery’s “Funky Town” experimental saison program, which originated from the dregs of past Brettanomyces beers created by former head brewer Ben Howe, who left in 2015 to be head brewer at a farmhouse brewery in Denmark. Howe’s previous project, Enlightenment Ales, had become a sub-brand of Idle Hands when Howe took the position of head brewer, becoming Idle Hands’ first full-time employee in late 2013. Current head brewer Brett Bauer “can still taste the bright lemon notes from previous Enlightenment brews in new batches” from the Funky Town tank, writes WBUR. But after the current batch is complete, the tank will be sterilized; Funky Town will start with a clean slate for 2018.

SCITUATE — Untold Brewing is heading for an October opening in an old schoolhouse at 6 Old Country Way in Scituate, on Massachusetts’ South Shore. Read the full Eater Boston Brick & Mortar feature on the forthcoming brewery, published today.

SOMERVILLE — Somerville Brewing Company (the brewery behind Slumbrew beers) will close down its Assembly Row beer garden after a farewell party on September 30 after having been open for nearly three years. Around the same time, its new Assembly Row project will open: American Fresh Brewhouse, right by the Assembly T stop. This one will be permanent and indoors (plus some seasonal outdoor seating), featuring a full kitchen and beers brewed in-house. The company’s main brewery and taproom in Somerville’s Boynton Yards neighborhood (just outside Union Square) will remain open as well.

August 7, 2017

Facebook

Brewery Silvaticus

AMESBURY — Brewery Silvaticusis heading towards a September 2017 opening at 9 Water St. in the Carriage Mills complex in downtown Amesbury, reports the Globe, and while several local restaurants will carry Silvaticus beer on draft, the team “expect[s] to sell most of their product under their own roof.” The taproom will serve full pints, plus crowlers to go, and there will be an outdoor beer garden on the Powwow River. Per the Silvaticus website, the team “share[s] a deep respect for the traditional beers of Europe and our goal is to pay homage while innovating and adapting our craft to push it forward.” The focus will be on Belgian farmhouse ales and German-style lagers. Two of the brewery’s four founders, Mark Zappasodi and Caroline Becker Zappasodi, own Tamarack Farmstead in Merrimacport, where they’ll grow their own hops for some Silvaticus beers, according to The Improper Bostonian.

In other Amesbury beer news, BareWolf Brewing will open a tasting room at 12 Oakland St. in late August and also expects to begin distributing around the Boston area this month, reports the Globe. Founded by father-and-son duo Paul and Stevie Bareford, BareWolf will likely do 80% of initial business via retail sales but ultimately expects more of an even split between retail and in-house sales. The opening lineup of beers will include a Belgian ale, brown ale, pale ale, and more, per the website.

HUDSON — Medusa Brewing Company is reportedly looking to expand into a vacant lot at 1 Houghton St. in downtown Hudson, thanks to a $5.5 million investment, reports The Metrowest Daily News. Currently located at 111 Main St., the brewery has a taproom that serves full pours and has seating for over 100.

NATICK — Belkin Family Lookout Farm is already home to Lookout Farm Hard Cider Company, and now it’ll brew beer too: Lookout Farm Brewing Company is slated to debut on September 8 at the Lookout taproom, reports The Metrowest Daily News. Head cider maker Aaron Mateychuk already has beer experience; he was previously head brewer at Waltham’s now-closed Watch City Brewing Company. Plus, Lookout’s bringing on an assistant brewer, Will Morris, who previously worked at Barleycorn’s Craft Brew in Natick. The brewery will be located in the same building as the cidery, and the beers will feature the farm’s fruits. One of the debut brews, for example, is Natick Nectar, a Belgian-style witbier made with Lookout peaches. The beer will only be available at Lookout.

[tonyduncanbb73]

Portsmouth Beer Celebrates the ‘Libeeration’ of Menopause

And other beer news

The brewing scene in the Greater Boston area continues to grow rapidly.

We’re tracking local beer-related news bites right here, including openings, closures, features, and more; this piece will be updated on a rolling basis, and the most recent additions will always be at the top.

October 12, 2017

MALDEN — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Idle Hands Craft Ales(89 Commercial St.), which moved from Everett to Malden a year ago and is better than ever. Read it here.

PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Experiencing menopause? Portsmouth Brewery (56 Market St.) apparently has the beer for you, dubbed Libeeration. The brewery doesn’t make any “medicinal claims” about the beer, reports the Globe, but the gruit-style ale contains ingredients that herbalists recommend for mood shifts, including chamomile, mugwort, stinging nettle, and more. The Globe notes that it has “fruit, spicy notes.” Get it by the bottle at Portsmouth Brewery while supplies last.

SALEM — Founded in 2014 under the name Massachusetts Bay Colony Brewers, a brewery now called East Regiment Beer Co. is finally putting down roots with a tasting room and brewing facility at 30 Church St., sharing a building with a coffee shop.

SCITUATE —Tomorrow is opening day for Scituate’s Untold Brewing(6 Old Country Way), with full pours available in the taproom, beer for purchase to take home, free snacks, and “good times all around.” Learn all about the brewery in this previous Beer & Mortar feature.

October 5, 2017

Facebook

Custom tap handles at Percival Brewing Company, now open in Norwood

BRAINTREE — Widowmaker Brewing(220 Wood Rd.) is now open with a 70-seat taproom and an opening beer lineup that includes a double IPA, two stouts, a blonde ale, and more.

EVERETT — In a saga that has been going on since 2015, a judge has now upheld a state ban on “pay-to-play” practices in the beer industry, thus eliminating a potential chance for Everett-based distributor Craft Brewers Guild to get out of a record $2.6 million fine.

NORWOOD — Percival Brewing Company (83 Morse St.) is now open in its own home in Norwood, having spent the last few years contract brewing after debuting in Dorchester in 2011. The taproom’s opening lineup includes an oatmeal stout, a pale ale, and more.

SOMERVILLE — A brief reprieve for the Somerville Brewing Company beer garden at Assembly Row: Thanks to nice weather, it’ll stay open through this Thursday, September 7, instead of closing last week. Next up, the company will open American Fresh Brewhousesoon at Assembly Row (490 Foley St.)

WATERTOWN — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Branch Line (321 Arsenal St.), a restaurant that features great hospitality, rotisserie chicken, bocce, and a killer beer list. Read it here.

September 21, 2017

Facebook

Wachusett Brewing Company’s Airstream

FENWAY — The beer is “fine” at the recently opened Cheeky Monkey(3 Lansdowne St., Fenway, Boston), reports Gary Dzen for Boston.com, who notes that there’s no traditional brewer in-house. Instead, Cheeky Monkey’s recipes come from “celebrity BrewMaster” Brian Watson, who is based in New Zealand and sells brewing equipment that allows restaurant owners to brew “fresh, world-class beers onsite with very little effort.” Try the East Coast IPA, which has aromatics that “distinctly recall tangerine” and has “a pleasant toasty finish.”

GOVERNMENT CENTER — A Wachusett Brewing Company beer garden dubbed the Brew Yard is popping up at Boston’s City Hall Plaza on several Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. (September 21 and 28, as well as October 5), reports Boston Magazine. Look for the Airstream trailer serving up eight beers by the pint, including Green Monsta IPA, Bella Czech Pils, Belgian White Mamba, and more. Plus, between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., there will be food trucks and live music onsite.

September 14, 2017

Facebook

The future home of Backlash Beer Co.

AMESBURY — BothBareWolf Brewing(12 Oakland St.) and Brewery Silvaticus(9 Water St.) are now open; more details here.

BRAINTREE — An opening timeline update from the forthcoming Widowmaker Brewing(220 Wood Rd.), via Facebook: “This week we finally received our approved variance from the state for the use of our brew house. We can now move forward with the town and work on getting our doors open ASAP. Thank you for your patience, no one wants us to be open more than we do.”

FRAMINGHAM — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Exhibit ‘A’ Brewing Company (81 Morton St.), which is expanding production and staying creative on the horizon of year two. Read it here.

NATICK — Beer is now available at Belkin Family Lookout Farm(89 Pleasant St.), not just cider. As previously reported, the farm has added a brewery next to its existing hard cider operations. The beer is only available at Lookout Farm’s taproom (no distribution is planned), and it features some fruit from the farm. The taproom is currently open Wednesday through Sunday.

ROXBURY — Backlash Beer Co.is getting closer to finally opening its own space, starting with the retail portion, at 152 Hampden St. in Roxbury. There are still permitting and construction hurdles to overcome to open it as a taproom, as Boston Magazine reports, but retail could begin by the end of this month. This is the first permanent home for Backlash, which has been contract brewing since 2011, most recently out of Dorchester Brewing Company.

SCITUATE — Untold Brewing(6 Old Country Way) kicked off brewing today; the opening timeline is still TBD, but the brewery was originally aiming for an October debut for its family-friendly taproom, which is located in a revamped old schoolhouse.

SOMERVILLE — Somerville Brewing Company’s Assembly Row beer garden will have its last day in business on Sunday, October 1. At some point in October, the company’s new American Fresh Brewhouse is expected to open at Assembly Row (490 Foley St.) with 126 seats, brewing on-site, a full kitchen, and 24 draft lines of Somerville Brewing Company beers. The space will be family-friendly and will have a seasonal dog-friendly outdoor beer garden.

September 7, 2017

SoWa Boston

SoWa Power Station

AMESBURY —BareWolf Brewing(12 Oakland St.)celebrates its grand opening this Saturday, September 9, from noon to 8 p.m. As previously reported, the brewery was founded by a father-and-son duo, and the opening beer lineup includes a Belgian ale, brown ale, pale ale, and more.

BRIGHTON — Brato Brewhouse & Kitchen may have a location: It could open near the Boston Landing development in Brighton. While the owners have a letter of intent in place, they’re still exploring other possibilities. Co-owner Jonathan Gilman had previously told Eater that Somerville and East Boston were at the top of the list for potential locations. Wherever Brato does end up, expect lots of session beers and plenty of complementary food. “The main crux of it is grilled cheese and sausage,” Gilman said previously.

EVERETT — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Bone Up Brewing Company (38 Norman St.), which recently celebrated its first anniversary. The owners are looking forward to “more of everything” in year two. Read it here.

IPSWICH — True North Ale Company(116 County Rd.) is getting closer to opening; check out these snazzy light fixtures. The brewery is heading towards a fall 2017 opening, but an exact date will be announced later.

SOUTH END — The upcoming Copenhagen Beer & Music Festival, taking place on September 22 and 23, has moved from City Hall Plaza to the SoWa Power Station (540 Harrison Ave.) Tickets start at $65 and include admission and unlimited two-ounce samples of beers from roughly a bajillion breweries. There will also be food available for purchase from Tasty Burger, Roxy’s Grilled Cheese, and more.

August 25, 2017

Facebook

Walden Woods Brewing hops

MARLBOROUGH — Marlborough is getting its first brewpub: Walden Woods Brewingis slated to open in late fall 2017 at 277 Main St., courtesy of “two beer geek brewers who also love history, particularly when it comes to this fella named Henry David Thoreau, and his unusual, yet compelling example of living deliberately.” Owners Alida Orzechowski and Chris Brown of Acton are longtime home brewers who were drawn to Marlborough because the city was specifically looking to bring in a brewery and offered some financial incentives to help out, as the Metrowest Daily News reported. Walden Woods Brewing will debut around November or December with six beers but will eventually serve up to a dozen “traditional European and American-style” beers with “a regional or historic twist.” Expect an American Pale Ale, India Pale Ale, and “New England style juice bomb” in the opening lineup, per the MDN.

WORCESTER / KEENE, NH — Wormtown Brewery in Worcester (72 Shrewsbury St.) has some new owners: Co-founder Tom Oliveri has left the brewery, selling his stake to former beer distributors Richard Clarke, Jay Clarke, and Kary Shumway, who are longtime friends of Wormtown’s other owner, David Fields, who bought a majority interest from Oliveri and master brewer Ben Roesch three years ago. Alongside the ownership change comes expansion on two fronts. Wormtown will expand to Keene, NH (472 Winchester St.) in early or mid-2018 with a 10-barrel brewhouse focused on barrel-aged beers, sours, and more. Plus, the existing Worcester space is getting a $2 million renovation that will allow for increased production, up to 37,000 barrels per year.

SALEM AND BEYOND — Beer overload? The Boston Globe’s Gary Dzen has you covered with some recommendations for six Massachusetts beers to try right now, including Notch Brewing Co.’sZwickel, an unfiltered German pale lager that “is anything but a juice bomb” and has a “nice balance of malt sweetness and hop bite.” Get it at the Salem taproom (283 Derby St.) and look for 16-ounce cans in the fall.

August 15, 2017

Dana Hatic for Eater

Idle Hands

MALDEN — The ghost of Enlightment Ales lives on. WBUR featured Idle Hands Craft Alesthis week, highlighting the brewery’s “Funky Town” experimental saison program, which originated from the dregs of past Brettanomyces beers created by former head brewer Ben Howe, who left in 2015 to be head brewer at a farmhouse brewery in Denmark. Howe’s previous project, Enlightenment Ales, had become a sub-brand of Idle Hands when Howe took the position of head brewer, becoming Idle Hands’ first full-time employee in late 2013. Current head brewer Brett Bauer “can still taste the bright lemon notes from previous Enlightenment brews in new batches” from the Funky Town tank, writes WBUR. But after the current batch is complete, the tank will be sterilized; Funky Town will start with a clean slate for 2018.

SCITUATE — Untold Brewing is heading for an October opening in an old schoolhouse at 6 Old Country Way in Scituate, on Massachusetts’ South Shore. Read the full Eater Boston Brick & Mortar feature on the forthcoming brewery, published today.

SOMERVILLE — Somerville Brewing Company (the brewery behind Slumbrew beers) will close down its Assembly Row beer garden after a farewell party on September 30 after having been open for nearly three years. Around the same time, its new Assembly Row project will open: American Fresh Brewhouse, right by the Assembly T stop. This one will be permanent and indoors (plus some seasonal outdoor seating), featuring a full kitchen and beers brewed in-house. The company’s main brewery and taproom in Somerville’s Boynton Yards neighborhood (just outside Union Square) will remain open as well.

August 7, 2017

Facebook

Brewery Silvaticus

AMESBURY — Brewery Silvaticusis heading towards a September 2017 opening at 9 Water St. in the Carriage Mills complex in downtown Amesbury, reports the Globe, and while several local restaurants will carry Silvaticus beer on draft, the team “expect[s] to sell most of their product under their own roof.” The taproom will serve full pints, plus crowlers to go, and there will be an outdoor beer garden on the Powwow River. Per the Silvaticus website, the team “share[s] a deep respect for the traditional beers of Europe and our goal is to pay homage while innovating and adapting our craft to push it forward.” The focus will be on Belgian farmhouse ales and German-style lagers. Two of the brewery’s four founders, Mark Zappasodi and Caroline Becker Zappasodi, own Tamarack Farmstead in Merrimacport, where they’ll grow their own hops for some Silvaticus beers, according to The Improper Bostonian.

In other Amesbury beer news, BareWolf Brewing will open a tasting room at 12 Oakland St. in late August and also expects to begin distributing around the Boston area this month, reports the Globe. Founded by father-and-son duo Paul and Stevie Bareford, BareWolf will likely do 80% of initial business via retail sales but ultimately expects more of an even split between retail and in-house sales. The opening lineup of beers will include a Belgian ale, brown ale, pale ale, and more, per the website.

HUDSON — Medusa Brewing Company is reportedly looking to expand into a vacant lot at 1 Houghton St. in downtown Hudson, thanks to a $5.5 million investment, reports The Metrowest Daily News. Currently located at 111 Main St., the brewery has a taproom that serves full pours and has seating for over 100.

NATICK — Belkin Family Lookout Farm is already home to Lookout Farm Hard Cider Company, and now it’ll brew beer too: Lookout Farm Brewing Company is slated to debut on September 8 at the Lookout taproom, reports The Metrowest Daily News. Head cider maker Aaron Mateychuk already has beer experience; he was previously head brewer at Waltham’s now-closed Watch City Brewing Company. Plus, Lookout’s bringing on an assistant brewer, Will Morris, who previously worked at Barleycorn’s Craft Brew in Natick. The brewery will be located in the same building as the cidery, and the beers will feature the farm’s fruits. One of the debut brews, for example, is Natick Nectar, a Belgian-style witbier made with Lookout peaches. The beer will only be available at Lookout.

[tonyduncanbb73]

Portsmouth Beer Celebrates the ‘Libeeration’ of Menopause

And other beer news

The brewing scene in the Greater Boston area continues to grow rapidly.

We’re tracking local beer-related news bites right here, including openings, closures, features, and more; this piece will be updated on a rolling basis, and the most recent additions will always be at the top.

October 12, 2017

MALDEN — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Idle Hands Craft Ales(89 Commercial St.), which moved from Everett to Malden a year ago and is better than ever. Read it here.

PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE — Experiencing menopause? Portsmouth Brewery (56 Market St.) apparently has the beer for you, dubbed Libeeration. The brewery doesn’t make any “medicinal claims” about the beer, reports the Globe, but the gruit-style ale contains ingredients that herbalists recommend for mood shifts, including chamomile, mugwort, stinging nettle, and more. The Globe notes that it has “fruit, spicy notes.” Get it by the bottle at Portsmouth Brewery while supplies last.

SALEM — Founded in 2014 under the name Massachusetts Bay Colony Brewers, a brewery now called East Regiment Beer Co. is finally putting down roots with a tasting room and brewing facility at 30 Church St., sharing a building with a coffee shop.

SCITUATE —Tomorrow is opening day for Scituate’s Untold Brewing(6 Old Country Way), with full pours available in the taproom, beer for purchase to take home, free snacks, and “good times all around.” Learn all about the brewery in this previous Beer & Mortar feature.

October 5, 2017

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Custom tap handles at Percival Brewing Company, now open in Norwood

BRAINTREE — Widowmaker Brewing(220 Wood Rd.) is now open with a 70-seat taproom and an opening beer lineup that includes a double IPA, two stouts, a blonde ale, and more.

EVERETT — In a saga that has been going on since 2015, a judge has now upheld a state ban on “pay-to-play” practices in the beer industry, thus eliminating a potential chance for Everett-based distributor Craft Brewers Guild to get out of a record $2.6 million fine.

NORWOOD — Percival Brewing Company (83 Morse St.) is now open in its own home in Norwood, having spent the last few years contract brewing after debuting in Dorchester in 2011. The taproom’s opening lineup includes an oatmeal stout, a pale ale, and more.

SOMERVILLE — A brief reprieve for the Somerville Brewing Company beer garden at Assembly Row: Thanks to nice weather, it’ll stay open through this Thursday, September 7, instead of closing last week. Next up, the company will open American Fresh Brewhousesoon at Assembly Row (490 Foley St.)

WATERTOWN — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Branch Line (321 Arsenal St.), a restaurant that features great hospitality, rotisserie chicken, bocce, and a killer beer list. Read it here.

September 21, 2017

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Wachusett Brewing Company’s Airstream

FENWAY — The beer is “fine” at the recently opened Cheeky Monkey(3 Lansdowne St., Fenway, Boston), reports Gary Dzen for Boston.com, who notes that there’s no traditional brewer in-house. Instead, Cheeky Monkey’s recipes come from “celebrity BrewMaster” Brian Watson, who is based in New Zealand and sells brewing equipment that allows restaurant owners to brew “fresh, world-class beers onsite with very little effort.” Try the East Coast IPA, which has aromatics that “distinctly recall tangerine” and has “a pleasant toasty finish.”

GOVERNMENT CENTER — A Wachusett Brewing Company beer garden dubbed the Brew Yard is popping up at Boston’s City Hall Plaza on several Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. (September 21 and 28, as well as October 5), reports Boston Magazine. Look for the Airstream trailer serving up eight beers by the pint, including Green Monsta IPA, Bella Czech Pils, Belgian White Mamba, and more. Plus, between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., there will be food trucks and live music onsite.

September 14, 2017

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The future home of Backlash Beer Co.

AMESBURY — BothBareWolf Brewing(12 Oakland St.) and Brewery Silvaticus(9 Water St.) are now open; more details here.

BRAINTREE — An opening timeline update from the forthcoming Widowmaker Brewing(220 Wood Rd.), via Facebook: “This week we finally received our approved variance from the state for the use of our brew house. We can now move forward with the town and work on getting our doors open ASAP. Thank you for your patience, no one wants us to be open more than we do.”

FRAMINGHAM — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Exhibit ‘A’ Brewing Company (81 Morton St.), which is expanding production and staying creative on the horizon of year two. Read it here.

NATICK — Beer is now available at Belkin Family Lookout Farm(89 Pleasant St.), not just cider. As previously reported, the farm has added a brewery next to its existing hard cider operations. The beer is only available at Lookout Farm’s taproom (no distribution is planned), and it features some fruit from the farm. The taproom is currently open Wednesday through Sunday.

ROXBURY — Backlash Beer Co.is getting closer to finally opening its own space, starting with the retail portion, at 152 Hampden St. in Roxbury. There are still permitting and construction hurdles to overcome to open it as a taproom, as Boston Magazine reports, but retail could begin by the end of this month. This is the first permanent home for Backlash, which has been contract brewing since 2011, most recently out of Dorchester Brewing Company.

SCITUATE — Untold Brewing(6 Old Country Way) kicked off brewing today; the opening timeline is still TBD, but the brewery was originally aiming for an October debut for its family-friendly taproom, which is located in a revamped old schoolhouse.

SOMERVILLE — Somerville Brewing Company’s Assembly Row beer garden will have its last day in business on Sunday, October 1. At some point in October, the company’s new American Fresh Brewhouse is expected to open at Assembly Row (490 Foley St.) with 126 seats, brewing on-site, a full kitchen, and 24 draft lines of Somerville Brewing Company beers. The space will be family-friendly and will have a seasonal dog-friendly outdoor beer garden.

September 7, 2017

SoWa Boston

SoWa Power Station

AMESBURY —BareWolf Brewing(12 Oakland St.)celebrates its grand opening this Saturday, September 9, from noon to 8 p.m. As previously reported, the brewery was founded by a father-and-son duo, and the opening beer lineup includes a Belgian ale, brown ale, pale ale, and more.

BRIGHTON — Brato Brewhouse & Kitchen may have a location: It could open near the Boston Landing development in Brighton. While the owners have a letter of intent in place, they’re still exploring other possibilities. Co-owner Jonathan Gilman had previously told Eater that Somerville and East Boston were at the top of the list for potential locations. Wherever Brato does end up, expect lots of session beers and plenty of complementary food. “The main crux of it is grilled cheese and sausage,” Gilman said previously.

EVERETT — Our latest installment of Beer & Mortar features Bone Up Brewing Company (38 Norman St.), which recently celebrated its first anniversary. The owners are looking forward to “more of everything” in year two. Read it here.

IPSWICH — True North Ale Company(116 County Rd.) is getting closer to opening; check out these snazzy light fixtures. The brewery is heading towards a fall 2017 opening, but an exact date will be announced later.

SOUTH END — The upcoming Copenhagen Beer & Music Festival, taking place on September 22 and 23, has moved from City Hall Plaza to the SoWa Power Station (540 Harrison Ave.) Tickets start at $65 and include admission and unlimited two-ounce samples of beers from roughly a bajillion breweries. There will also be food available for purchase from Tasty Burger, Roxy’s Grilled Cheese, and more.

August 25, 2017

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Walden Woods Brewing hops

MARLBOROUGH — Marlborough is getting its first brewpub: Walden Woods Brewingis slated to open in late fall 2017 at 277 Main St., courtesy of “two beer geek brewers who also love history, particularly when it comes to this fella named Henry David Thoreau, and his unusual, yet compelling example of living deliberately.” Owners Alida Orzechowski and Chris Brown of Acton are longtime home brewers who were drawn to Marlborough because the city was specifically looking to bring in a brewery and offered some financial incentives to help out, as the Metrowest Daily News reported. Walden Woods Brewing will debut around November or December with six beers but will eventually serve up to a dozen “traditional European and American-style” beers with “a regional or historic twist.” Expect an American Pale Ale, India Pale Ale, and “New England style juice bomb” in the opening lineup, per the MDN.

WORCESTER / KEENE, NH — Wormtown Brewery in Worcester (72 Shrewsbury St.) has some new owners: Co-founder Tom Oliveri has left the brewery, selling his stake to former beer distributors Richard Clarke, Jay Clarke, and Kary Shumway, who are longtime friends of Wormtown’s other owner, David Fields, who bought a majority interest from Oliveri and master brewer Ben Roesch three years ago. Alongside the ownership change comes expansion on two fronts. Wormtown will expand to Keene, NH (472 Winchester St.) in early or mid-2018 with a 10-barrel brewhouse focused on barrel-aged beers, sours, and more. Plus, the existing Worcester space is getting a $2 million renovation that will allow for increased production, up to 37,000 barrels per year.

SALEM AND BEYOND — Beer overload? The Boston Globe’s Gary Dzen has you covered with some recommendations for six Massachusetts beers to try right now, including Notch Brewing Co.’sZwickel, an unfiltered German pale lager that “is anything but a juice bomb” and has a “nice balance of malt sweetness and hop bite.” Get it at the Salem taproom (283 Derby St.) and look for 16-ounce cans in the fall.

August 15, 2017

Dana Hatic for Eater

Idle Hands

MALDEN — The ghost of Enlightment Ales lives on. WBUR featured Idle Hands Craft Alesthis week, highlighting the brewery’s “Funky Town” experimental saison program, which originated from the dregs of past Brettanomyces beers created by former head brewer Ben Howe, who left in 2015 to be head brewer at a farmhouse brewery in Denmark. Howe’s previous project, Enlightenment Ales, had become a sub-brand of Idle Hands when Howe took the position of head brewer, becoming Idle Hands’ first full-time employee in late 2013. Current head brewer Brett Bauer “can still taste the bright lemon notes from previous Enlightenment brews in new batches” from the Funky Town tank, writes WBUR. But after the current batch is complete, the tank will be sterilized; Funky Town will start with a clean slate for 2018.

SCITUATE — Untold Brewing is heading for an October opening in an old schoolhouse at 6 Old Country Way in Scituate, on Massachusetts’ South Shore. Read the full Eater Boston Brick & Mortar feature on the forthcoming brewery, published today.

SOMERVILLE — Somerville Brewing Company (the brewery behind Slumbrew beers) will close down its Assembly Row beer garden after a farewell party on September 30 after having been open for nearly three years. Around the same time, its new Assembly Row project will open: American Fresh Brewhouse, right by the Assembly T stop. This one will be permanent and indoors (plus some seasonal outdoor seating), featuring a full kitchen and beers brewed in-house. The company’s main brewery and taproom in Somerville’s Boynton Yards neighborhood (just outside Union Square) will remain open as well.

August 7, 2017

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Brewery Silvaticus

AMESBURY — Brewery Silvaticusis heading towards a September 2017 opening at 9 Water St. in the Carriage Mills complex in downtown Amesbury, reports the Globe, and while several local restaurants will carry Silvaticus beer on draft, the team “expect[s] to sell most of their product under their own roof.” The taproom will serve full pints, plus crowlers to go, and there will be an outdoor beer garden on the Powwow River. Per the Silvaticus website, the team “share[s] a deep respect for the traditional beers of Europe and our goal is to pay homage while innovating and adapting our craft to push it forward.” The focus will be on Belgian farmhouse ales and German-style lagers. Two of the brewery’s four founders, Mark Zappasodi and Caroline Becker Zappasodi, own Tamarack Farmstead in Merrimacport, where they’ll grow their own hops for some Silvaticus beers, according to The Improper Bostonian.

In other Amesbury beer news, BareWolf Brewing will open a tasting room at 12 Oakland St. in late August and also expects to begin distributing around the Boston area this month, reports the Globe. Founded by father-and-son duo Paul and Stevie Bareford, BareWolf will likely do 80% of initial business via retail sales but ultimately expects more of an even split between retail and in-house sales. The opening lineup of beers will include a Belgian ale, brown ale, pale ale, and more, per the website.

HUDSON — Medusa Brewing Company is reportedly looking to expand into a vacant lot at 1 Houghton St. in downtown Hudson, thanks to a $5.5 million investment, reports The Metrowest Daily News. Currently located at 111 Main St., the brewery has a taproom that serves full pours and has seating for over 100.

NATICK — Belkin Family Lookout Farm is already home to Lookout Farm Hard Cider Company, and now it’ll brew beer too: Lookout Farm Brewing Company is slated to debut on September 8 at the Lookout taproom, reports The Metrowest Daily News. Head cider maker Aaron Mateychuk already has beer experience; he was previously head brewer at Waltham’s now-closed Watch City Brewing Company. Plus, Lookout’s bringing on an assistant brewer, Will Morris, who previously worked at Barleycorn’s Craft Brew in Natick. The brewery will be located in the same building as the cidery, and the beers will feature the farm’s fruits. One of the debut brews, for example, is Natick Nectar, a Belgian-style witbier made with Lookout peaches. The beer will only be available at Lookout.