#11 Winter Hill Brewing Company – Somerville, MA

Location: Somerville, MA
Brewery Type: Brew Pub
Opening Date: 2016
Website: https://winterhillbrewing.com/
Features: Outdoor Seating, Full Kitchen, Coffee Service

Brewed in Mass, Not Massed Brew

If you’ve been following this blog since the beginning, you’re probably wondering to yourself: “Brew England? More like Brew Hampshire!” Well, for those of you outside of the Granite State you might be excited to see the first Massachusetts brewery make the map – sorry Connecticut, Rhode Island and Vermont, you’ll just have to wait your turn.

Yakking the Mystic

With the Charles getting all the attention in Boston, not a lot of people give the Mystic River much thought. But with cities and towns like Somerville, Medford, Malden, Everett and Arlington along its shores, it is a dominating feature of the Northshore.

Lucky for me, as a Somerville resident, the Mystic River is just a ten minute walk away. Everyone knows about the glitz of Assembly Row – outlet shopping, pricey condos, Legoland and Slumbrew’s defunct restaurant (RIP) – but did you know if you followed the trail along the Mystic on the opposite side of McGrath Highway there’s Kayak Rentals!?

Ran by Paddleboston, Blessing of the Bay is a gem hidden away in the Ten Hills neighborhood. Here you can rent your typical personal watercraft for the day including single and tandem kayaks as well as canoes. I arrived for my booked reservation at 10 am, was outfitted and was quickly on my way to exploring this mystical river.

The Waters of the Mystic

For those of you wondering, the Mystic River comes from the Algonquan word missi-tuk or “large estuary” which is a lot less exciting story than its name might suggest. What is exciting is that after decades of being polluted by adjacent industrial sites the river is being cleaned up and habitats restored.

Being my third time on the Mystic, I opted to head upstream after already exploring the Everette and Malden sections. While there are plenty of parks and wetlands on the banks, there’s also some remnants of the river’s industrial past.

Nevertheless, the water fowl were out in droves enjoying the water. I spotted several species of ducks, herons, swans and warblers. I even thought to myself that maybe I should take up the hobby of bird watching while on my trip – FlewEngland.Flight anyone?

While there was plenty of nature to experience, this was very much an urban kayaking adventure. Not only doe the river past by Assembly Row, but many of the offshoots are lined with condos. Most striking is the river as it flows through downtown Medford, with the tightly-knit historic buildings hug the banks.

After about an hour of kayaking, it was time to head back and not a moment too soon. While the morning was gorgeous without nearly a cloud in the sky, by the time I made it within sight of port, it started all out down-pouring. I quickly paddle to shore and sought shelter under a tree until the rain subsided to a few drips.

Winter Hill in Somerville

As a local Somervillain, the best part about living in the city is my proximity to all the awesome breweries. The Winter Hill neighborhood is the last bastionion against complete gentrification of Somerville. Here you’ll find many small local restaurants and businesses that have been around for decades. You’ll find old Italian takeout joints next to Brazilian eateries and is a great place to explore for just the food scene alone. Next time you visit Assembly, I recommend exploring the surrounding neighborhood for something more unique. Don’t take my word for it, Barack Obama lived in the neighborhood while he attended law school at Harvard.

Winter Hill brewery is a 10 minute walk from Assembly, or you can take a bus from Sullivan Station on the Orange Line or Davis on the Red and be there within 20 minutes. By 2022, you’ll also have an option to take the Green Line to the new Gilman Square stop, just down the street from the brewery. And yes, while it is a running joke that the line will perpetually be under construction, I can confirm firsthand that they’re working on it at a furious pace 24/7.

Being my neighborhood brewery, I’ve must have been to Winter Hill more than a dozen times. This trip however, marks my first visit since the pandemic started (at least sit down visit, I have ordered takeout on several occasions).

I arrived just as they opened, provided my email for COVID-19 contact tracing purposes and was seated on their patio. Winter Hill is that rare brewery where the food is just as good as the beer. It is a place I would recommend even if you’re not particularly a beer lover (though I’m not sure why you’re reading this blog). However, with the pandemic, times have changed. Instead of their normal eclectic menu of New American eats, Scott Brothers have taken over their kitchen. Serving up some tasty BBQ, sourced with local ingredients, they are a welcomed addition to the Winter Hill experience.

As a sign of the times, I had to place a food order before ordering beer as part of Massachssett’s pandemic regulations. After a few minutes I’ve settled on the BBQ Brisket plate and ordered the Chad Pop Golden Ale. The weather had since cleared up in the meantime and the sun shined once again. As I enjoyed the beer, I looked out at the parking lot which has been converted into a beer garden. This is one aspect that I hope persists even after the pandemic is over – such a cool space. After devouring the delicious BBQ plate and sipping Winter Hill’s New England IPA – Hesher – it was time to leave.

I picked up some cans to go and paid through my phone via the QR code on my bill – technology nowadays is amazing!

What’s On Tap at Winter Hill Brewing

• Chad Pop – Golden Ale – This refreshing light ale is brewed with the flavors of summer – lime and lemon peel.
• Hesher – NE IPA – This hoppy New England IPA is brewed with citra hops giving the brew a tropical and floral taste.
• Frequency – Kolsche – Light and refreshing, this kolsche is the beer you can drink all afternoon. Brewed with Noble Hops, expect a subtle floral character and clean finish.
• Broth – Double IPA – Produced with a bevy of hop varieties, this brew doesn’t play around. Subtly sweet with a hoppy finish.

Final Verdict

Winter Hill is a neighborhood brewpub off the beaten path. It is worth the visit not just for the great beer, but also the well prepared food.

Information
Winter Hill Brewing Company
https://winterhillbrewing.com/
328 Broadway
Somerville, MA 02145