Task 5 - Pioneer Brewing Company Tour Review

(05) Visit a winery or brewery & take the tour

Activity: Pioneer Brewery
Location: 195 Arnold Rd, Fiskdale, MA 01518
When: June 30, 2013
Rating: 4-Stars

Touring the Pioneer Brewing Company located in Fiskdale, Mass was a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon.  We arrived at the brewery for our 2 o’clock tour about half an hour early.  Upon entering the brewery we were each given a glass, this glass entitled you to one free beer at the bar.  We went to the bar and placed our order, I ordered the Pioneer American Pale Ale, which was a very good IPA; while everyone else in my group ordered the rapscallion honey which was a lighter and sweeter beer.  The description of the American Pale Ale is:

PIONEER AMERICAN PALE ALE (5.3% a.b.v / 40 i.b.u.)
Our flagship brew. Brewed with 2 row malted barley, crystal 60 lovibond malt and Munich malts. Hopped with Phoenix and East Kent Golding hops. Fermented with an English ale strain. This beer was called "the benchmark of New England Pale Ales or perhaps a step or two above" by BEER ADVOCATE MAGAZINE.

When the tour began at 2, we all entered into the brewing area.  Here we learned from the master brewer, how Pioneer Brewing Company brewed their particular brew.  The master brewer went over how they take barley, yeast, and water which they heat.  These ingredients become what is known in the beer world as mash.  The mash is then cooled and piped it to the fermenting tanks which were located in the other room.  It was also here that we learned that they had a special batch brewed of Birch Beer from a tree that was recently cut down on the property.  This Birch Beer was then taken to a beer festival and wowed the crowed.  Taking note of this, we asked if we could try this special brew.  We were told we could try it at the bar at the end of the tour.

The next stop on our tour was to the fermenting tanks.  It was at this point that the glass we got at the beginning was being filled with cold fresh beer from these fermenting tanks.  The first beer we tried was a really heavy IPA which was really bitter and nobody in the group particularly enjoyed.  The second beer was a logger which was more to the groups liking.  After we finished this beer the tour concluded.

As we were leaving the tour and returning to the main building, we went back to the bar to get a sample of the Birch Beer that wowed at the beer competition.  This beer was really sweet and fresh; it had almost mead like qualities.  After the tour was over, we walked the grounds a bit because there were some goats and chickens which we wanted to see and say hi to.

All in all, the tour was really good and informative; however, the beer they brewed was a heavy beer and mostly geared to the beer connoisseur or the customer who enjoys really hoppy beer.  The tour guide was knowledgeable about their products and really enjoyed the art of beer making.  If you get a chance I would recommend a trip out to this nice brewery.

http://www.pioneerbrewingcompany.com/pioneerbeer.html