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Beer can be a hiker’s best friend as the perfect celebratory post hike beverage. I recently went straight to the source for the Berkshire Brewing Company brewery tour. The BBC brewery, located in South Deerfield Massachusetts, is subtly nestled on a side street between the Yankee Candle Company and the Mount Sugarloaf Reservation. If you like beer, brewing, or supporting local business then I suggest you check it out.
Brewery tours are offered only once per week, for free on Saturday’s at 1 pm. Therefore I was not surprised to see a long line of thirsty looking folks waiting in anticipation outside the brewery. The smell of hops and barley wafted into the parking as we waited which reminded us that we were indeed in the right place. Finally the clock struck 1, our IDs were checked and the tour began. 
Most brewery tours begin with an explanation of the brewing process, or some other educational topic; the BBC tour is different. Our guide brought is unto the Dick Shatz Tap Room which is decorated with every imaginable beer sign as well as several taps featuring BBC’s tasty offerings. We started the tour by sampling 1 or 2 beers of our choice.
From there we were guided through the brewery. Our guide explained the company’s history and how BBC brews their beer the old fashioned way. We also learned where the hops come from and how long the brewing process takes. The complexity of the process gave me an even greater appreciation for beer. I got to show that appreciation right away since the tour brought us back to the Dick Shatz Tap Room where we were able to continue our sampling enjoyment. 
The Deerfield area a diverse range of attractions such as the Yankee Candle Company, Mount Sugarloaf Reservation, Old Deerfield Village and the Franklin County Scenic Bikeway.  I highly recommend combing these with a brewery tour for a day of Western Massachusetts enjoyment.