Ryan Cashman

In Massachusetts, we’re proud of our towns. We reflect that pride in the strength of our communities and the businesses within them, like breweries. The last few years have seen an explosion of independent brewing companies, many of whom are fully embracing the industrial heritage of the buildings which now house their barrels.

Seven Saws Brewing in Holden, however, is a little different. On their website, they quote a 1795 map which states: “There are in the Town of Holden … Seven Sawmills.” Each mill is credited with providing the lumber used to build Holden. Seven Saws honors that history.

Their taproom, at 1148 Main St., is a long and skinny alleyway, the floor packed on each side with rough sawed wood tables and industrial wrought iron chairs. The ceiling is stamped tin and the walls are littered with aged maps and black and white photos of the mills themselves. They take the saw theme even further: the wooden serving boards for a flight of four are carved into the shape of a hand saw.

On a blistering mid-winters day, Kearny (my beer buddy and soon to be father-in-law) and I took a trip to the taproom to see what was what. Kearny, having previously scouted the place, as is his prerogative, knew exactly what he wanted upon entry. He was served quickly, found us a seat by the sun filled window at the front of the taproom, and sipped on a Down Under: a hazy New England IPA loaded with Australian hops.

To provide a broader scope, I ordered a saw of four: Mill Street New England IPA, Sequoia American IPA, Prescot English Maple Porter, and Fog Buster Espresso Stout.

I sipped on the Fog Buster first, which struck with an intense hit of coffee then smoothed into subtle notes of chocolate. I went for the Sequoia next, but Kearny stopped me, recommending I try the Prescot first.

“Why?” I asked.

“Palate cleanser,” he said.

It may strike you as odd for a heavily mapled porter to work as a palate cleanser, but, ever the eager student, I gave it a shot. The Prescot is like sipping on fine bourbon, only it’s a beer. And, it did exactly what Keary said it would do. Trying the Sequoia after the Prescot brought out all of its floral and fruity notes that would have otherwise remained hidden by the hops. The Mill Street too, which is very hazy and fruity, took on a smoother, creamier texture after cleansing with Prescot. The Fog Buster even showed a new side of itself, with the maple from the porter exaggerating the chocolate in the stout.

Beer tasting oddly enough, because it wasn’t even considered cultured until 10 years ago, has become more akin to a wine tasting, with flavors hidden underneath each other in a maze of alcohol.

For being a small operation, Seven Saws has an incredibly diverse selection, showcasing a brewing talent that will hopefully build another pillar of pride for Holden.