Who would’ve thought that a trailer would provide just what City Hall Plaza needed for a makeover? Wachusett Brewing Company’s Airstream at The Patios is outfitted with eight taps, providing pints for up to 333 visitors on the pavilion. The nine custom spaces were constructed using reclaimed wood and boast greenery, wooden benches and covered tables, bringing a breath of fresh air to an underutilized public space. 

“City Hall has long been known as the ‘ugly’ concrete building and now all of a sudden you’ve got a really cool space overlooking Faneuil Hall with a fresh breeze coming through, with a wooden bar that breaks up all the brick,” says Wachusett president Christian McMahan.“It’s really that feeling when you’ve got a cold beer in your hand at a rooftop bar, hanging with your friends. You can grab an ice cream, pet a puppy or head out to a great nearby restaurant,” he adds of the Honeycomb Creamery stand and Wag Wednesdays dog adoption meet-and-greet.

Like at the Central Mass.-based brewery, the community space has dog biscuits for the furriest of friends, and The Patios are also kid-friendly with complimentary mini-golf. McMahan says the spirit of welcoming all is largely indicative of the microbrew industry, and Wachusett is keeping one of its tap lines open as a rotating guest spot. Brand diehards can count on 16-ounce pours of Wachusett’s City of Champions line—Green Monsta IPA, Brewin’ American Pale Ale, Bella Czech Pils and Belgian White Mamba. Non-beer drinkers can try Nauti alcoholic seltzers (including a new rosé flavor), plus wine from a to-be-announced partner.

Photo credit: Marissa Angelone

“We’re going to rotate in a couple of hard-to-find beers, so you’ll definitely find something fun and interesting each time you visit us, like a new IPA or fruit beer,” McMahan says. And you can also find Blueberry Ale, one of the brews that put Wachusett on the map. “What’s more summer than blueberry, after all?”

Hours: Mon.-Wed., 4-9 pm; Thu.-Fri., 4-10 pm; Sat.-Sun., noon-10 pm

BEER GARDEN VARIETY: CASTLE ISLAND | WACHUSETT BREWING COMPANY | DOWNEAST | LAMPLIGHTER BREWING CO. | AERONAUT