Phantom Gourmet: Great 8 Spots For Beer

Lager, Stout, Pilsners and Pale Ales, everyone has a favorite type of beer. These are Phantom's 8 Greatest spots for some serious suds.

Hopsters
Newton

Kicking off the Great 8 is Hopsters in Newton. This is a beer lover's paradise because at Hopsters, you can brew beer, sip beer and learn a little bit about it too. This do-it-yourself brew house teaches customers how to make own craft beer one step at a time. While you're brewing, you can nosh on sandwiches, charcuterie and pretzels served with bacon jam.

Cape Ann Brewing Company
Gloucester

The Cape Ann Brewing Company on Gloucester Harbor is part restaurant, part brewery, and part German-style beer hall. All of the beer is brewed on site and infused throughout the entire menu. The Fisherman's brew is used in the beer batter for the Fish and Chips. The Honey Pilsner is used in the barbecue sauce, and the mussels are swimming in a broth spiked with Bavarian Wheat.

Munich Haus
Chicopee

Another Great 8 winner is the Munich Haus in Chicopee. It doesn't have to be Oktoberfest to get festive here, because this massive beer hall boasts cuckoo clocks on the wall, servers clad in traditional lederhosen, and a lively Oompah band that encourages audience participation. The sprawling space is packed with plenty of picnic tables and of course, lots and lots of beer that work with the authentic German menu.

Julio's
Westborough

Located on Route 9 in Westborough, Julio's is way more than a liquor store. It's an entertaining super-store, a cigar shop, a snack shack, a hot sauce lover's dream, and most importantly, they have the biggest beer selection on the East Coast. You can buy absolutely any style of brew you wish, and even customize your own 6-pack so you can find some new favorites.

Watch: Great 8 Beer Spots, Part 2

The Grill Next Door
Haverhill

The Grill Next Door in Haverhill is a cozy neighborhood restaurant full of smiling faces, made-from-scratch comfort food, and lots and lots of beer. With 36 brews on draft from all over the world, beer lovers are obviously attracted to the Grill Next Door. But back in the kitchen, they have a soft spot for suds as well, from the famous chili that's cooked in beer, to the crispy beer-battered onion rings.

Yard House
Boston, Lynnfield, Dedham

Another Great 8 winner is the Yard House. This national chain has locations locally in Boston, Lynnfield and one in Dedham that offers a staggering 130 beers on draft. The centerpiece of the Yard House is the bar and it's never ending lineup of taps. From microbrews to the big boys, just about every beer you could want is just a pull away. The restaurant actually gets its name from the giant yard glasses they use to serve the beer.

Horseshoe Pub
Hudson

The Horseshoe Pub in Hudson, Mass. sports over eighty taps, and two cask ales. But just as important, they offer all the food you love to eat with beer: like housemade potato chips with Cajun seasoning, Irish Nachos topped with melted cheese and chopped bacon, and the ridiculously indulgent five-cheese Mac and Cheese served right in the skillet.

Sunset Grill
Allston

Rounding out the Great 8 is the Sunset Grill in Allston. This neighborhood favorite boasts a nationally-acclaimed beer list, including 112 taps and 380 micro brews and bottles. Nothing pairs better with some beer than the South of the Border nachos, overloaded with cheese and guacamole.

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