Sunday, July 7, 2024

Our Spirited Tour advanced the 2024 season with a first-time trip to Vanished Valley Brewing in Ludlow, MA. - a modest drive east on the turnpike.

Bob outside Vanished Valley Brewing

Vanished Valley Brewing

782 Center St, Ludlow, MA 01056 

(413) 610-1572

vanishedvalley.com

Entrance to Vanished Valley Brewing

This was another 90+ degree day and the blast of cool air felt refreshing as we entered the taproom around 2:30 and were greeted in a welcoming manner. The dining area was busy with a couple free tables, so we chose one near a window with a view of the outside deck area which featured live music but was poorly attended due to the sweltering heat. We noticed the staircase leading to the downstairs taproom which isn't open on Sundays. We also noticed a large, tented area in the far rear of the property - perhaps this is the beer garden. Something to check out on another occasion. We identified where the brewery operation is located by the silo looking structure from the outside, but the brewing area was not visible from the dining room. 

From the Vanished Valley Brewing website -

Our Brewery was Named in Honor of the Creation of the Quabbin Reservoir, Redirection and Damming of the Swift River and the Four Towns That Were Disincorporated as a Result of the Creation of the Reservoir. Our Brewery Honors the Memory of the Work and Sacrifice That was Made to Benefit Others.

Taproom and Can Sales:

Mon – Thur 12PM – 9PM

Fri and Sat 12PM – 10PM

Sun 10AM – 7PM

Beer Garden:

Fri 5pm – Close

Sat 12pm – Close

Live music every weekend.  Check our events page for more info.

 We are Dog Friendly!

Non-service dogs are allowed in our Downstairs Taproom ONLY. Please know that, at this time, our Downstairs Taproom is only staffed on Friday and Saturday evenings. All dogs must be on leash at all times. 

View of the bar from our table.

After being comfortably seated we wasted no time perusing the beer and food menus. There was a large assortment of choices on each menu, and I have to admit, that for me, making a beer selection was not an easy decision. My eyes were darting all over the front and back of the beer menu. I had had a large and satisfying lunch with Linda, so the food menu did not really catch my attention.

Front of drinks menu

Drinks menu continued

We made our selections -

Kelley: Started with My Body My Beer Wheat Ale; followed with Orange Creamsicle Milkshake IPA- and exclaimed “it was delightful.”

Bob: Gone Fishing Kolsch; followed with Clarity Pilsner. Thoroughly enjoyed.

Lisa: Blossom Blueberry Ale; followed with Value of Music Park Ale. Another satisfied patron.

Bob and Kelley

Couple beer facts -

Kölsch (or koelsh, pronounced K'ul sh) is a German pale ale brewed in and around the city of Cologne (Köln). This top-fermented beer uses an ale yeast, noble hops, and light pilsner malt. The beer is fermented at warm temperatures to impart a fruity aspect, then spends a few weeks at colder temperatures, a method used in lagers.

Pilsner is a pale lager with a crisp, refreshing taste that's lightly hopped. It was originally brewed in the town of Pilsen (Plzeň) in what is now the Czech Republic. The brewery that would become known as Pilsner Urquell created the beer in 1842, and it was an immediate success. It did not take long for brewers throughout Bohemia to adopt the style. Today, the bottom-fermented beer with lightly kilned malted barley and moderate alcohol is easily the most popular style of beer in the world.

Kelley and Lisa's food selection - 

Fried pickles, artichoke and spinach dip, margarita pizza. The food was enjoyed with leftovers making the trip home with us. See menus below.

Impressions -

The bar and dining area were busy - mostly a mature crowd and all seemingly having a great time, the same as us. The wait staff was attentive and responsive. Classic and custom cars seen entering the parking areas. As we left later, we did not see where those autos had gone. Perhaps the property is larger than what first meets the eye.

Additional photos -

Food menu page 1

Food menu page 2

Wall art near our table depicts a few of the beer options.

Nice crowd at the bar.

Unusual tree trunk sculpture at edge of parking lot.

Cheers!

Final thoughts - The micro-brewery / brew pub scene in Western MA is quite prolific and surely competitive. It's sad in a way to report that Building 8 Brewery (Subject of a July 2022 commentary) is closing later this month. The good thing about this competition is that the quality of the product has to be superior to that offered by standard breweries. In all our outings, I have never been disappointed by the taste of the beer. Looking forward to our next stop on the Spirited Tour.