Beantown Brews: A Boston Beer Blog

I had my first indulgence of The People’s Pint today, despite a long history of adulation by my former coworker and broadcast radio legend, Tai Irwin; It was well worth the wait.

The People’s Pint is fantastic brewery based out of Greenfield, MA. They describe themselves as -

“founded with a commitment to simplicity and a reliance on self and the local community. The Company produces and provides fresh beers, flavorful sodas, and great food in a comfortable atmosphere which encourages respect for people and our environment.”

Simplicity and self-reliance – two stalwart cornerstones of Yankee living. What could be more New England?

Serving type: bottle

Appearance: A deep reddish brown that any piece of Ethan Allan furniture would be proud of.

Smell: Sweet malt – vanilla, coffee

Taste: Smooth malt flavor. Nutty, vanilla with a touch of coffee. Just a hint of bitterness to round things out. Definitely malty, but not cloying.

Mouthfeel: Probably its most outstanding quality. Medium to full-bodied. Creamy, almost velvety.

Drinkability: A very smooth, easy to drink beer. A great stand alone beer, perfect for relaxing after a long days labour, or as part of a hearty feast.

Overall Grade: B

A solid beer. It is easy to see why this is one of their more popular beers. If you are a fan of brown ales, or just looking for a solid go-to beer in the never ending sea of macros and IPAs, then give this a whirl. You will be pleasantly surprised by the full-bodied malt experience that is the brown ale.

It’s strange; In a world increasingly dominated by increasingly over-hopped and “extreme” beers, it is the malt heavy beer that really has the opportunity to stand out as extreme…

The People's Court vs. The People's Pint

Beer Business Daily has a fantastic bit of speculation on how the recent The recent decision by the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals in the Massachusetts winery direct shipping case could end up having significant ramifications for many in the beer industry.

It seems that the MA law is “is in violation of the U.S. Constitution’s Commerce Clause ‘ because the effect of its particular gallonage cap is to change the competitive balance between in-state and out-of-state wineries in a way that benefits Massachusetts’s wineries and significantly burdens out-of-state competitors.’”

The article goes on to suggest how “volume cap legislation could come under fire from the courts on a variety of important issues facing craft brewers.”

Well worth reading for anyone interested. Check it out here.

*UPDATE* You can read the appellate court’s full decision here.