Stopped by for a drink after an afternoon at Mass Moca. Staff was friendly as always. Bar and washroom tidy and clean. Decor bright and plenty of seating. The bar was very full of guests playing board games reading and socializing. I ordered an Athletic NA and my friend a Red Rooster on Nitro. I had to try the Rooster and it was very appealing with light hops, my kind of style. There were 12 beers on rotation so you will find a beer to suit you. read more

Bright Ideas Brewing - Red rooster on nitro - Breweries Near Me - North Adams, Massachusetts

I have absolutely no issue with a bartender making the decision to refuse alcohol service when they believe it's necessary. That responsibility is important, and I respect anyone who takes it seriously. What I cannot overlook is the complete lack of professionalism with which the situation was handled. Before I even had the opportunity to place an order, I was immediately judged and spoken to in a condescending and dismissive manner, despite simply waiting my turn and allowing other patrons to order before me as a courtesy. There was no respectful conversation, no attempt to handle the situation tactfully, and no basic level of customer service. Regardless of the decision that was made, every customer deserves to be treated with respect. Unfortunately, that was not the case here. I left feeling embarrassed by the unnecessary attitude and the way the interaction was handled in front of others. There is a significant difference between responsible alcohol service and treating patrons with courtesy. This establishment failed to demonstrate the latter. Based on my experience, I cannot recommend a business that chooses to address customers with disrespect rather than professionalism. read more

If you love beer, you have to check out Bright Ideas Brewing in North Adams, especially if you're visiting Mass MoCA. It's an easy spot to make part of your day and a great place to grab a couple of pints or enjoy a flight. We loved it so much we stopped in twice, two days in a row. A great brewery with a strong tap list and friendly bartenders. Highly recommend! read more

Bright Ideas Brewing - Breweries Near Me - North Adams, Massachusetts

We arrived early for dinner at casita so decided to pop in here since intake in the same "plaza" (it's maybe 500' away). Super chill atmosphere, nice bartender, and pretty good beer! They have lots of games to play and plenty of space for your group. Other parties had brought their own food - I don't believe there is any on site. If I was in the area I would pop in again for a beer! read more

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Really nice brewery right next to MASS MoCA, and definitely worth your time post-museum visit, or any other time to grab a drink. Large industrial space so you don't feel claustrophobic, with plenty of seating around the periphery. Very dog friendly and kid friendly (both indoors and outdoors), so lots of young families and parents last time I was there. The people behind the counter are so incredibly nice and accommodating. They don't sell food from the brewery itself, but sometimes they'll have vendors and food trucks coming in to satisfy your munchies. I don't live close by, but if I am ever visiting the area will be making plans to drop in again! read more

Bright Ideas Brewing - Breweries Near Me - North Adams, Massachusetts

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Cool brewery with great service and nice atmosphere. We saw food pictured on their Yelp page, but it appears they no longer serve food. However, on the Monday night when we visited, they had a special deal with the Philly Cheesesteak place across the way that allowed us to receive a discount on burgers with the purchase of our beers. Nice indoor seating and some outdoor patio style seating as well. Right in the same complex as Mass Moca (lots of parking), so this is a great place to grab a drink after visiting the museum. Our bartender was awesome, allowing us to sample several of their various IPAs before we decided on our pints. Highly recommend and would definitely return here next time I am in the area. read more

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Located behind the museum in a cool courtyard, this brewery was tucked in the corner.. a hidden gem for sure! Our bartender was very cool, suggesting beers and giving us the background on each. We only popped in for a flight but it was worth it! Cute spot and great merch! Definitely worth the stop! read more

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A great spot for a beer or two before or after visiting Mass MoCA. We sampled the Triumph of Dionysus, Lark & Lion and Volksbier and enjoyed them quite a bit. read more

Bright Ideas Brewing - Triumph of Dionysus, Lark & Lion and Volksbier at Bright Ideas Brewing - Breweries Near Me - North Adams, Massachusetts

Great beer and dog friendly. What else could we ask for ?! My husband, two dogs, and I stopped in on a cold snowy day and were able to great so great beer after a hike at Mt. Greylock! read more

Bright Ideas Brewing - Breweries Near Me - North Adams, Massachusetts

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After an afternoon of hydrating with water while hiking it was time to reward ourselves with a taste of flavor. The no brainer was to seek out the nearest brewery near me. ;) Bright Ideas Brewing is where we hiked to next. Yes this was a 'Bright Idea' as it awakened the tastebuds. This brewing location is located within the Mass Moca Museum courtyard. During COVID outdoor sitting only we were able to still catch some space and a lovely waitress to serve our selections. The only rule was to order a food option. We could go across to a food stand, ice cream stand or easily just opt to catch some of their chips and salsa. We easily did just that. For the first round we ordered their Lil Bling & Quaffable Waffle: Peanut Butter Beers with those chips and salsa. The Lil Bling had a great nose followed by a light, crispy flavor with refreshing finish. The Quaffable Waffle Peanut Butter porter style beer was super flavorful too. It's not thick or frothy like some might assume based off its look. It's s a smooth peanut butter flavor that tickles the tastebuds in a fun way without lingering or sticking to the palate like real peanut butter. ;) After the first round we totally needed a 2nd so walked cross the way and picked up some ice cream. So good...nothing like some smooth creamy ice cream: 2 scoop: Coffee Chocolate Chip & Salted Caramel to pair with my Quaffable Waffle: Peanut Butter Beer! All in all a great brewery in this area to stop and give some time and support to. So glad we did and know you will too! read more

Bright Ideas Brewing - Lil Bling & Quaffable Waffle: Peanut Butter Beers - Breweries Near Me - North Adams, Massachusetts

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Very hip near the entrance to MASS MoCA. Take a break from the museum with a beer. I had Sour Splash Pineapple/Mango, Shadow Legs (Dark Lager), and Leroy Brown (Brown Ale) - everything was excellent. Fast service and nice atmosphere inside, including a turntable with vintage vinyl. Also pet friendly, which is nice to see. Can't recommend enough! read more

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Summer time travels to New England breweries brought me here today - had to do some leisure riding after Elsa moved through. Beautiful day - sunny, but not too hot and Bright Ideas serves a heck of a beer! They had plenty of fresh beer and a lot of friendly staff. Hauled down several "Crosswalks" which were absolutely delicious . Got 2 "Crowlers" of it to go along with some supporting swag. There area has A Ok BBQ close by and - on that day - a taco food truck. A day we'll spent and I'll be back! read more

Bright Ideas Brewing - Crosswalk-Ing in the shade waiting on BBQ - Breweries Near Me - North Adams, Massachusetts

What a great brewery in a great setting. It's in the courtyard beyond Mass Moca with plenty of parking and 4 tables are outdoor seating available. The brewery also has a food service station separately where you can get pizza, breadsticks, prezels, etc. Very chilled atmosphere and the beers are pretty solid. We had the 4 flight sample of Hefeweizen, ESB, Dunkelweizen, and Stout. The ESB was delicious with a hint of sweetness. The stout is a bit too strong for my taste, but I really liked their Dairy Bar Porter. Overall, a must visit if you are around the area - really solid beer! read more

Bright Ideas Brewing - Separate station for food - Breweries Near Me - North Adams, Massachusetts

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Came during a visit to Mass Moca and A-OK BBQ which are all in the same outdoor square. Covid Times so we has to find a seat outside first before they would come over and take our order. Downloaded the QR reader/code and the menu appeared on my phone. They change beers alot it seems but luckily they had this AMAZING Guava sour that was one of the best beers I have ever tasted. Please keep that on the menu for our next trip to the area as well will make Bright Ideas one of our BEST ideas in the future. read more

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The brewery has a lot of drinks and has great root beer and chorizo hot dogs.The hot dogs have fried plantains and chorizo dogs with a choice of sautéed onions and peppers and chipotle mayonnaise sauce read more

Bright Ideas Brewing - The bar. - Breweries Near Me - North Adams, Massachusetts

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Excellent beer in a cool tap room with friendly service, that is on the campus of MassMoCA. Food is available from the place next door, that you can bring into the tap room. read more

Amazing beer!! Be sure to stop and give it a try the next time you find yourself in north Adams ... flight is a bit pricey but a good way to sample a variety .. we tried a gose, session, IPA and raspberry milkshake IPA - all amazing in their own way! We will be back read more

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Very cool brewery in North Adams Ma. Rustic ambience and good service. They don't serve food but there is a Philly cheesesteak place right across the courtyard read more

I must say we were disappointed in our visit. I was excited to visit after reading Yelp reviews and seeing the area the brewery is located. Upon entry the building is quite bare. When I walked up to the bar, the bartender was friendly enough but didn't offer any info on beers I had to ask for beer menu since handles didn't state drinks, at least not clear enough that I could read. I had the red ale and my girl had a lager. The day we visited there was a small area where Hot Tomatoes was setup for pizza. The gal prepping pizza was more concerned with whoever was live streaming on her phone than my order. The pizza was pretty good though. I don't see myself returning to western Mass any time soon but if I do I will likely seek out other breweries first. read more

Located in the factory complex abreast to MASS MOCA, this venue is the best last stop for a perfect day. What is better than having a lot of James Turrell, an adventurous walk in a renovated factory and end up with a nice beer ? Went for the flight, got the barrell-aged bourbon stout, Brown, red and Perennial. They are all good but I love Perennial the most. Definitely stop by if you are heading to North Adams / Williamstown. read more

Bright Ideas Brewing - Breweries Near Me - North Adams, Massachusetts

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Enjoyable brewery in a great location. We stopped here after exploring Mount Greylock. No food, but a taco truck is offered in the court yard a few days a week. We took our quesadillas inside and had a couple beers. We like NEIPA and they had four to choose from. All enjoyable. Bartender was nice. Worth a stop if you're in the area! read more

Husband stopped by for a quick visit while visiting Massachusetts. Everyone was taking precautions due to covid. Lots of social distancing outside seating. Many food and snack foods around to choose from. We enjoyed their beer. The only downside was trying to a find parking spot. At the time and day we went it was packed. Would definitely come back...hopefully after the pandemic is over. read more

Bright Ideas Brewing - Breweries Near Me - North Adams, Massachusetts

Great beers, friendly staff, great location on the Mass MoCA campus. I got a flight and enjoyed each brew. Also picked up local take out to enjoy at the brewery. read more

Nice tap room, good beer. The only bummer was that the canner was broken when I went so I couldn't take any beer to go. Try the Beans, killer IPA! read more

Great beer, especially their barrel aged items!!! and the service is great! And good food next door at bigg daddies bbq awesome!!'

Wow. This place has been on our list since seeing the truck around town over the summer and speaking with Orion, who runs it. On the first Kris and I were going to Mass MoCA and figured it was the perfect time to check it out. Parking is simple and the entrance is clearly marked. The glass doors open onto a sunny, clean space where the music is playing. We felt right at home when walking in. Orion was at the bar and served up the beers for us. Trust me: get a sampler or two so that you can try some of the awesome offerings. Trust me again: split the sampler or two with a friend or two. Big pours! I'm not complaining. Here's what I drank and what I thought of the beers: Saison -- I'm just coming around to saisons and this one is an example of saisons that make me wish I'd been open to them sooner. We spent a LOT of time talking about the aroma. It has this incredible candy-like aroma... I narrowed it down to "butterscotch...?" Let me be clear: I do not think the beer has diacetyl. It's just the aroma and it's actually kind of awesome. The beer did NOT have that telltale diacetyl flavor. Instead it was light and not overwhelming sour -- a 3.75 out of 5. IPA -- The aroma was a little hoppy, but light on the hops for an IPA. I found it underwhelming for an IPA. Disclaimer: I'm a hop head. Or a hopster. I love hops. And I love IPAs. This one was okay but not complex enough -- a 2 out of 5, but please read my whole review because I'm going to go back to this. Chocolate Porter -- Light aroma, roasty, good flavor, light and crisp -- a solid 3 out of 5. 3x IPA -- Whoah. If I were only allowed to order one beer the next time it would definitely be this one. The aroma was almost not there and definitely wasn't particularly hoppy but the flavor? Killer. Absolutely loved this one -- a 4.25 out of 5. The staff at Bright Ideas is totally cool with the fact that the IPA isn't quite there yet (their words). There was a lot of conversation around that this iteration is pretty good but they still want it hoppier. And that, to me, gives this place a 5. Usually I won't give a 5 for the first visit but not only do they know how to make beer, they are also lacking the ego that prevents other places from getting better. A friend of ours who is NOT a hop head met up with us as we were finishing and sampled some beers, too. She liked the IPA, Porter, and whatever Kris was drinking... I can't remember what it was. I'd finished the saison and she wasn't touching the triple IPA :) In addition to fresh, tasty, beer Bright Ideas offers pizza, salads, a cheese plate and a few options for breadsticks. The salads come in a few set varieties (Greek, etc) but you can also make your own. Kris got one of the set varieties. I made my own: Kale, bacon, kalamata olives, feta (clearly I was craving salt). The salads are insanely fresh. Crisp and tasty. Really, really great. Next time we'll probably try pizza -- they sound delicious! Bright Ideas is definitely worth making a regular spot in your rotation. If we lived closer we'd be regulars. They have vinyl nights and screen movies -- definitely follow them on social media. read more

Bright Ideas Brewing - Now *that's* what I call a sampler. (chocolate porter, 3x ipa, ipa, saison) - Breweries Near Me - North Adams, Massachusetts

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If you're even within 30 miles of Bright Ideas Brewing STOP what you are doing and GO. GO RIGHT NOW. This is the first brewery that I've been to that is doing so many styles of beer and doing them right. Gose beer on tap, a slightly salty, tart beer with a lemongrass finish. Brown with a hoppy ending. IPA with the bitter punch you know you love. I'm not even getting into the ESBs (cask and on draught) or the Red, or the... yea, if you think you like beer, or even if you don't, go. Get the flight, $24 gets you 8 different kinds of beer and a crowler to go. Wonderful edition to North Adams. Congratulations Team Bright Ideas! read more

Bright Ideas Brewing - Loads of different beers on tap. - Breweries Near Me - North Adams, Massachusetts

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Great service, very friendly staff and the beer was great! Some nice food options with more on the way according to the staff.

This place was great. You can get BBQ from across the parking lot and bring it in here to munch on. In the meantime, they have a variety of really delicious beers and a number of board games to choose from. It's a great place to spend an afternoon or an evening, especially if you're galled by the high price of museum admission next door. read more

Was super excited to try this place-boyfriend is big into IPAs. Definitely a good crowd on the weekend, very industrial place. My boyfriend has the heavenly bright IPA which he loved. I got the blonde ale which was not great and had a dead fly in it. Tl;dr come for the IPAs read more

Very interesting, cute brewery out of a building on the Mass MoCa complex. Great selection of brews of different types: IPAs, red, kolsch, porter, and other beers. I had the porter, which was very crisp and delicious. It had a hint (not overbearing) of coconut, was chocolaty, and had coffee tones to boot. An excellent brew to relax with in the late afternoon. The bartenders were courteous, and helpful. Overall, a very good experience; I will definitely visit Bright Ideas again in the future. read more

Love this local brewery. My husband and I frequent it and enjoy the variety. The staff is always phenomenal! Highly recommend!

This place has everything going for it, except for the beer. Awesome location on the Mass MoCA campus, across from some of the best BBQ I've had in some time (order at a window and delivered to you in the brewery space - A-OK BBQ), great space, ample games to play. Between four of us we had four samplers and tried most all of their available pours - the only one that particularly stuck out to me was their DIPA, the rest fell a bit flat/lacked oomph. All told, though, we spent a great couple hours here and returned the next day to eat our BBQ in the space. read more

Bright Ideas Brewing - Breweries Near Me - North Adams, Massachusetts

Right out of the gates: super rad to have a brewery right next to MASS MoCA. And I would never say that you should skip the opportunity to have a fresh beer after (or in the middle of) a day at the museum. I went in toward the middle of the day on a Saturday, and had to wait for awhile before either bartender acknowledged me. Eventually was able to order a beer (I went with the hefe.) It was good, but a bit out of character for the style--roastier than I would typically expect. Very happy I was able to take it outside, to the lovely yellow tables running alongside the building. I ordered half a Greek pizza and found it to be sub-par (think frozen pizza level here.) I suspect you'd be better off at the cafe in the museum or somewhere else in North Adams. That being said, if two people were looking for something snacky to supplement their beer(s), half a pizza could fill the gap. Would I return? Probably not... read more

This is my first time visiting this establishment and what a fun place! I tried the beer flight that comes with comes with your typical wooden paddle and 4" glasses. I believe they have daily (or maybe weekly?) brews on the draft. Interesting favors, perfect location, right next to the Tunnel City Coffee and inside the Mass MoCa, you really get to have it all! I will defiantly come back again. read more

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This is one of my new favorite spots in North Adams... and just what a brewery should be... Welcoming, Accommodating, and no extra bells and whistles just for the hell of it. This place is authentic, genuine, and so friendly. The bartenders were extremely knowledgeable about the beer and the surrounding area to boot. Loved learning about the canning process vs. the growlers and about the background of how this place came to be and the bartenders where they are. This will become a must stop on all future trips! Not to mention, as an IPA lover and craft beer fan... this beer is excellent! read more

Bright Ideas Brewing - Breweries Near Me - North Adams, Massachusetts

Great beer, great location. Food truck is excellent. All adds up to an awesome experience.

Great outdoor space with picnic tables (first come first serve). Very friendly service. Try the Oktoberfest beer & fresh pretzel! Enjoyed the stay & will visit again! read more

I had the pleasure of spending 3 weeks in North Adams and went to Bright Ideas almost everyday that I was there. I'll start off by saying that all of the bartenders and brewers who work there are incredibly friendly and accommodating. I came to know everyone who works there on a first name basis and they would start pouring my beer as I walked in the door. It's such a great atmosphere and a great way to cap off a day at MASS MoCA since it's right on the museum campus. There's also delicious pizza and salads from the little pop up pizza shop inside and you can get cans made on the spot if you really like a beer! I brought a bunch home with me. Below are my top brews: 1. B6 2. IPA 3. Mosaic Honorable Mention: Root Beer Thanks Connor, Alex, Aaron, and Kelly for hosting me so many times! read more

A wonderful brewery on the Mass MoCA campus! Loved the decor - clean, artsy, and utilitarian. They have a cool sound set up for you audiophiles, boardgames for gamers, and a window showing the brewery for any beer nerds. Overall, it's geek heaven :) The beer was really good and the bartender was super nice. A very cool way to complete a fun day at the museum! read more