Pictured above is a fine thought that I welcome. Berkshire Brewing Company in western Massachusetts (South Deerfield specifically) has teamed up with New England supermarket chain Big Y, as well as more upscale store Table and Vine to offer for sale some brews made especially for these chains.

BBC is a fine craft brewery and I have enjoyed their brews often. Their large 22 ounce bottles of ales and porters are always a welcome sight under the Christmas tree. So when I saw these brews that were being made for and sold exclusively at a local supermarket I took advantage and grabbed a couple to try.

One of the first I tried is called Avery Point Amber. As you can tell from the picture it is a slightly cloudy light brown hue. The aroma was that of an ale but definitely muted. There were hints of malt, pine and flowers in the nose, but nothing that screamed or demanded your attention.

The same impression comes from the taste as well. It is crisp for sure and pretty well balanced. There is just a hint of bitterness. 

But as with the aroma the flavors are subtle. And they do not linger but disappear pretty much along with your swallow.

This is definitely a drinkable brew. But my overall impression was that it is an ale designed not to offend or overwhelm. My thought is this line of craft brews being offered at a supermarket are targeting those who are ready to make the leap from a mass produced beer to more complex craft brews. But they want to ease them in slowly. Nothing too heavy or strong. Build up the tolerance for the real stuff if you will. 

So for the beer drinker already into more complex ales, IPAs, etc. the brews such as Avery Point Amber Ale will seem too bland and mild, or perhaps just not very interesting. But they definitely have their place, think of them as "gateway drugs" for those just discovering good beer.

I give Avery Point Amber Ale 5 mugs out of 10.

And for those ready for the real thing may I suggest the following from Berkshire Brewery:

Lost Sailor IPA  - reviewed here in February 2014 and I gave it 8 mugs out of 10;

other notable Berkshire brews I've enjoyed are: Steel Rail Extra Pale Ale and the Dean's Beans Coffeehouse Porter. 

And both the Lost Sailor and the Steel Rail are now offered in cans as well as bottles.

Until next time, enjoy a good beer!
 

Lost Sailor IPA from Berkshire Brewing Company.
First a point of clarification. This was the last gift brew I drank this holiday season, but it was not the last holiday brew consumed. As you may recall from my previous post my holiday ritual, beer-wise, is that the first and last beer drunk every season is Sam Adams' Old Fezziwig Ale. And sure enough the last Old Fezziwig was downed shortly after the beer you see pictured at left. So the holiday season is now officially closed in our household. Until next year Old Fezzie!
But before that occasion I drank Lost Sailor IPA from Berkshire Brewing Company, which was one of several BBC beers I received as a gift this Christmas. 
The beer has a very pleasing amber color as you can see. And you've got to love that head. 
As with all BBC offerings I've ever tasted the beer is clean, crisp and fresh. You get that hoppy sensation indicative of an IPA, but the Lost Sailor version is definitely lighter than many IPA's I've sampled. The bitterness from the hops is there, but subdued. There's just enough to add character to the brew and complement the flavor. And the taste does stay with you, but in a good way, as in it's not so light that it disappears as soon as you swallow.
I could definitely see myself drinking this beer often, but also not going out of my way to get it, especially for the 22 ounce bottle. There are so many heartier brews for this time of year, especially in the IPA family.
Still Lost Sailor does advertise itself as a session beer, which would certainly explain the lighter body and taste and lower bitterness compared to many more powerful substantive IPA's. So the brewer's mission is accomplished in that sense.
I am torn as to the score, but given the intent of the brewmaster, and the good clean flavor, I will round up and award Lost Sailor IPA 8 mugs out of 10.
Until next time have a good one. Or two.

Another day, another Christmas gift goes down the old gullet.
This time around it is another offering from Berkshire Brewing Company in Massachusetts. This one is entitled, "River Ale". It is alternatively billed as a "Dark American Wheat Ale".
Hey and while we're at it, I'm taking advantage of this opportunity to show off another holiday gift. The beer glass with the Edwards crest on it came courtesy of my brother and sister-in-law. Cool if I do say so myself.
Now on to the beer.
I liked it - plain and simple, I liked it. And plain and simple is a good way to describe the beer.
First impression is that compared to many microbrews in general, and brews from Berkshire Brewing Company in particular, this beer is on the lighter side. And indeed I read later that it is only single hopped so as not to overpower the characteristics of the wheat ale. Mission accomplished.
Basically this is what you would expect from a wheat ale. There is that prickly feeling on the tip of your tongue associated with most wheat ales. It definitely gives the impression of spiciness. I detected an almost citrusy quality. The beer was light. It was smooth. You could drink it for an extended period of time quite easily if called upon to do so.
It's just that of all the microbrews and all the wheat ales available to choose from, it just wasn't that interesting. I guess you'd say it lacked in complexity.
But on the plus side, no real complaints. It was as advertised and was very drinkable. You could do worse. But you could also do better.
I give it 6 mugs out of 10.

A couple of things.
First, how do you like the holiday glassware? Yes, at the time of this tasting the Christmas decor and other accroutrements were still out. Interferes with judging the color and density of the brew, but hey it's the holidays! These glasses are only out from Thanksgiving through shortly after the New Year so I like to use them. And with normal wear and tear (and having had two sons in the house through the years) we are down to five of these glasses remaining.
Second, you'll recall from the previous post that I received some fine brews as Christmas gifts this year and promised to share them with you (vicariously only - I'm not filled with that much holiday spirit!) in the coming weeks. 
First up is one of the offerings I was given from Berkshire Brewing Company of South Deerfield, Massachusetts. As you can tell my gifts are of the 22 ounce variety. This particular brew is their Black and Tan Ale.
I liked it and enjoyed drinking it. It is heavy and as you can tell, even through the holiday glass, has the opaque, dark coloring to match. I like strong, sturdy brews, so that did not bother me. However while I enjoyed it, the Black and Tan does not end up toward the top of my list of favorites. The bitterness is a little too pronounced for my liking and is not sufficiently offset by the flavors of the beer. So the impression that strikes you first, and that you are left with, is simply that, a strong, flavorful, but ultimately overly bitter brew.
Of course I would gladly accept it again as a gift and would have no problem drinking it. Because it is well made, and certainly is not a weak concoction. It just doesn't make the top of the list.
I give it 7 mugs out of a possible 10 on my subjective scale. Enjoyable, not for those who find Bud Light a bit on the heavy side, complex and drinkable, just a tad too bitter to achieve a greater score.
Until next time have a good one, while I decide which gift to drink and write about next.