Try?
It’s amazing the
places you can find a brewery these days. They’re in old dairies. They’re in
former train stations. They’re in restaurants, malls, and airports.
Sometimes, you’ll find a brewery located in an old brewery. To me, one of
the most interesting places to find a brewery these days is in an old mill
complex. Part of that is because an old favorite brewery of mine, the
Emerald Isle Brew Works, was located about 5 minutes from my home in the old
Agawam Mills here in West Warwick, Rhode Island.
Emerald Isle located itself in the mill because the rent was cheap, which is a common reason for many of the breweries that brew in old mills. But there are other reasons too. They are conducive to holding large brewing equipment. They’re easy to modify to the brewery’s needs. Sometimes, there are tax breaks available for new economic development in old, unused mills.
Here in New England, of course, there are lots of old textile mills available for enterprising breweries. In Willimantic, CT, the Old Wyndham brewery was located in an old mill. There’s Mill City in Lowell, Massachusetts, and one of my favorite breweries, Paper City in Holyoke. The latter is one neat brewery. To get to it, you have to go up about six floors on an old service elevator that carries the cases of beer down to the loading docks and the empty kegs up to the brewery. Breweriana decorates the place and greets you as soon as you step of the elevator. Proprietor Jay Hebert is more than happy to show you around the place, especially on Friday nights when tastings are held. This is a beer lover’s brewery, and it shows.
Paper City Goat’s Peak Bock pours to a rich mahogany color with a light head formation and a sweet, malty nose. The palate is sweet and sticky, a little nutty, very rich and malty. Bock is German for goat, and this beer definitely has a kick to it, with a slightly warming finish that is nicely balanced with hop bitterness. It’s only sold in 22 ounce bottles, but that’s ok. You’ll want more than 12 ounces of this beauty for sure.
Emerald Isle located itself in the mill because the rent was cheap, which is a common reason for many of the breweries that brew in old mills. But there are other reasons too. They are conducive to holding large brewing equipment. They’re easy to modify to the brewery’s needs. Sometimes, there are tax breaks available for new economic development in old, unused mills.
Here in New England, of course, there are lots of old textile mills available for enterprising breweries. In Willimantic, CT, the Old Wyndham brewery was located in an old mill. There’s Mill City in Lowell, Massachusetts, and one of my favorite breweries, Paper City in Holyoke. The latter is one neat brewery. To get to it, you have to go up about six floors on an old service elevator that carries the cases of beer down to the loading docks and the empty kegs up to the brewery. Breweriana decorates the place and greets you as soon as you step of the elevator. Proprietor Jay Hebert is more than happy to show you around the place, especially on Friday nights when tastings are held. This is a beer lover’s brewery, and it shows.
Paper City Goat’s Peak Bock pours to a rich mahogany color with a light head formation and a sweet, malty nose. The palate is sweet and sticky, a little nutty, very rich and malty. Bock is German for goat, and this beer definitely has a kick to it, with a slightly warming finish that is nicely balanced with hop bitterness. It’s only sold in 22 ounce bottles, but that’s ok. You’ll want more than 12 ounces of this beauty for sure.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft
(G)=Growler
