Friendliness is on tap, too
 | ||
 More on
Massachusetts More on New
England | ||
 | ||
| Printable
version
The People's Pint | ||
GREENFIELD — During bike rides and cross-country ski outings, Alden Booth and Dan Young hatched their plan. They were working together at a fish farm, but before that Young had been a brewer working in Killington, Vt., and Booth was an avid home brewer who wanted to start a business. On Jan. 1, 1997, they opened The People's Pint, a brew pub and restaurant in downtown Greenfield that is as eclectic and down to earth as the 18,000 or so people who live in this Pioneer Valley town.
It was through the generosity of locals that I was able to have a bite to eat here and sample the home-brewed soft drinks a friend had mentioned. I stopped in early on a Sunday afternoon in February only to discover that not only would the restaurant not open until 4 p.m., but that I had just locked my keys in the car.
Lucky for me, a private party was going on, to celebrate the retirement of Bob Bellemare of Whately, who was leaving his window clerk job at the Greenfield post office after 33 years.
"His register never came up short," declared his supervisor in a farewell speech. Bellemare was kind enough to let me join in the fun. And Young treated me to a sample of housemade sodas while I waited for the guy with the Slim Jim.
I sipped on orange cream soda, root beer, cola, and ginger ale, and the latter was my favorite. One swallow is like biting into a piece of fresh ginger. Young said they use about three pounds of freshly ground ginger per gallon of ale, along with honey, water, black and red pepper, pineapple, lime, and other fresh ingredients.
The bar has nine taps, half of which rotate seasonally. Standards include a pale ale, brown ale, porter, stout, organic golden ale, and a cask conditioned ale. Half-gallon growlers to go are filled from the tap as well.
As much attention is paid to food as to the beer. Even the standard-offering black bean burrito includes organic beans, Vermont cheese, and homemade sour cream salsa.
The menu also credits several local farms. "Alden and I feel very strongly about supporting local agriculture," Young said. "He grows a lot of food himself for the People's Pint in the summertime." The restaurant recycles as much as possible, even food in the way of compost for Booth's farm.
