Hey guys,
HOLY CRAFT! I just had one of the COOLEST brewery experiences! Drinking with monks in a field! Yes, you read that correctly. And no, it wasn’t with the wine from the alter, but with some solid brews.
Did you know that there is only ONE Trappist Brewery in the United States? What’s a Trappist brewery you ask? A brewery which is operated within the confines of a monastery of course. Spencer Brewery, which is rightfully named after the Massachusetts town within which it resides, doesn’t provide any regularly scheduled tours. In fact, there’s only one weekend during the year that you can tour the brewery itself, which is during their Open House every June. You know what that means…. ROAD TRIP!
The pleasant drive along the monastery grounds may have been the longest line we waited in all day, but the backdrop was quite serene, so we weren’t complaining. We eventually parked in the nearby field and made our way to the entrance upon which you could purchase tickets for tastings and beer-to-go sales. There were tents which housed all ten types of beers they had on draft scattered about the property and plenty of room to move (SO MUCH ROOM FOR ACTIVITIES). My favorite of the pickins’ was the Spencer Vienna Lager, a light, yet refreshing lager with malty notes and crisp finish. Bartending were the Monks of St. Joseph’s Abbey, the very own hands that created the beers, which provided great conversations around the background of the brewery and the grounds surrounding it. I mean, they say bartenders have great listening ears, but a bartending monk, well those chats might even as count as Confession!
The brewery was immaculately clean, and they run quite the operation, complete with a full bottling line. The tour was self-guided and provided a great history to an unfamiliar practice here in the US. If you get the chance, I highly recommend attending this unique beer event. Spencer Brewery only distributes in a few New England states, but their original Spencer Ale is available for shipping in the US. So if you’re from afar and want to get your praying hands on these beers, your best bet is to attend the Open House. TIP: Get there early to beat the line and purchase beers-to-go… the Vienna Lager sold out within the first 30 minutes of opening! Best part of the event? The brewery supports the monastery and their charitable outreach. Whenever I have an opportunity to enjoy a solid craft brew in the name of aiding others, that’s something I can get on board with! And remember, in the wise words of this guy…:
