Since its inception in 1994, the Berkshire Brewing company has been turning out some of the best beer western Massachusetts has to offer. It started as a true micro-brewery, with most of the filling and bottling done by the hands of thirsty volunteers. As time passed the demand for their products surged, and much of the process has been automated to deal with the expanding volume.

Founders Gary Bogoff and Christopher Lalli founded the company with the mantra, “It’s all about the beer, but beer is nothing without the people,” and this principle has carried through to many different aspects of their business. Berkshire self-distributes their products directly to customers, which in addition to keeping costs down allows them to more readily receive feedback from their end-point consumers. Free brewery tours are also offered every Saturday afternoon, offering beer aficionados the chance to see the process from grain to glass, and sample a brew or two while they are at it.

The first part of their mantra, however, still holds true. It’s all about the beer, and BBC’s beers are all unfiltered, unpasteurized, and conditioned on site for the freshest-tasting beer possible. The brewmaster uses whole hop flowers rather than the hop pellets typical of larger brewers, and their specialty malts – barley grain which has been allowed to germinate before roasting – is shipped in from Europe.

Beer is available on tap at various locations around New England, and BBC’s business is 60 percent draft, a high percentage in the industry. The remaining 40 percent is made up by bottling, but you won’t find a six-pack of Berkshire Brewing in your local package store. Instead, they sell 22oz bottles and 64oz growler jugs. The redeemable growlers are reserved for their higher-volume beers, and they provide more fresh-from-the-tap flavor.

BBC’s beers can be broken down into two groups: the classics and the specialties. The classics are varieties which any beer drinker would be familiar with, such as pale ales and dark porters. The specialties, on the other hand, may be fringe styles such as scotch ale or entirely new creations, but they are distinct in taste from the more recognizable styles.

The most popular beer in Berkshire’s lineup is the Steel Rail Extra Pale Ale. The favorite beer of founder Gary Bogoff, the Steel rail is easy to drink even in large quantities. With dry pale character, faint malt sweetness and a light dose of floral hops, this beer is a great example of the pale style. The same applies to the Lost Sailor IPA, which is a mild beer in a style that is frequently saturated with spicy hops.

There is a thread among Berkshire’s classic beers of quiet quality. Nothing sold in growlers will be radically different from your expectations of its beer type. The porter will be dark, the pale ale will be light, and there will be no twists to mess with the formula. It will, however, be well thought-out, balanced and delicious.

The other side of the BBC product line is their specialty beers. These are unlikely to be found on tap in many locations, but can be bought in 22oz bottles at any area liquor store.

Specialties include the Coffeehouse Porter, made with Dean’s Beans fair trade coffee beans. This beer combines the rich roasted flavor of dark malt with that of coffee beans, and the pairing is as natural as chocolate and peanut butter.

Another interesting combination by Berkshire is the Shabadoo, a “black & tan” beer which is a blend of their Berkshire Traditional Pale Ale and the Drayman’s Porter. While a black & tan is typically made by floating two beers on top of one another in a glass, the Shabadoo is one of few pre-bottled versions on the market. The pale ale mellows out some of the porter’s bitter roasted quality, but leaves the subtle chocolate notes intact for an interesting flavor that packs a surprisingly big punch.

Perhaps the best beer currently in BBC’s lineup is a real specialty, a limited release known as “Gude [Good] Greg’s Wee Heavy Special Reserve Scotch Ale.” Named after the late brewmaster Greg Noonan, this 9 percent alcohol ale is aged six months in used bourbon barrels to give it a truly unique character. Smoky, peaty and sweet, this “big beer” has all the characteristics of a quality scotch whiskey with a top-shelf price tag to match.

Not every beer that Berkshire makes is a winner. The Gold Spike ale tries to come out of the gate strong, but it falls flat with a short note of sweetness and little else in the way of flavor. A better choice for first-time buyers would be the River Ale, an American wheat beer which manages a very full body without being syrupy.

All things being said, Berkshire has a beer for everyone. Whether you want a classic crisp pale ale or a strong, velvety imperial stout, BBC has a beer that will satisfy your pallet. They may not be the least expensive beers on the market, frequently cashing in at over eight dollars per growler, but the quality is undisputable. If fresh, local beer sounds like your pint of tea, pick one up at your liquor store. Your next favorite beer might be waiting.

Bottom’s up.

Andrew Sheridan can be reached at [email protected]