Background
Janet Egelston opened Northampton Brewery in August 1987 with her brother, Peter. Egelston and her co-founders were able to get a loan from a bank, which allowed the business to open. At that time, Northampton Brewery was one of about only 150 brewpubs in the country. Northampton Brewery is currently the oldest operating brewpub in the Northeast.
Janet and her brother Peter later opened Portsmouth Brewery and Smuttynose Brewery in Portsmouth, N.H. In 2000, they changed ownership structure. Janet retained the Northampton Brewery. Peter took sole possession of the other two. Head Brewer Boog Pacher started working at Northampton Brewery around 2006. He proved so adept within 18 months he was given the position of head brewer.
In 2011 the brewery started Joe’s Farm in Williamsburg. As a result the farm provides its own locally-grown food on the menu. Egelston decided on a major renovation of the pub and brew room in 2014.
Experience
We visited the quaint and trendy village of Northhampton on a blustery, cold Sunday afternoon. The place was bustling and we were ready for refreshment. The converted 1800’s carriage house was full of cozy charm. In warmer weather the patios also looked inviting. Because of the cold day we were happy to nab a booth adjacent to a blazing fire in the bar area. Our server proved to be friendly and tended to our needs. We shared a flight and picked our favorites. The experimental IPA and the Pumpkin Ale were delicious. A full and diverse menu had tempting food, but we just shared a couple of appetizers.
No nearby lodging noted. When visiting Northampton Brewery check out http://abandonedbuildingbrewery.com/ in Easthampton!
http://northamptonbrewery.com/
