The Moan And Dove

gentlebubbles

Massachusetts

5/5  rDev +8.9%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5

From the outside, the dull, dark grey concrete brick walls are just begging for a row of Harleys to brighten them up. Inside is nothing less than a temple of beerdom.

This is what a bar should be like. The tap list is easily visible on the chalkboard. The small space flows, the booths and bars guiding people to stand around and sit and get up and drink and talk and generally mingle. I can't begin to describe the selection, except to say it's incredibly well-informed and downright educational. It's not fair to say this after only one visit, but I fear the lone cask is so totally overshadowed by the tap selection it doesn't get the attention it needs.

The ladies' room certainly has some *ahem* interesting artwork, though I didn't hear any men admit to anything "interesting" in the gents'. I think they're shy.

Everyone loves the peanuts, but I like even better the jugs of water on offer when you're ready for a breather.

Mecca.

08-23-2004 19:26:49 | More by gentlebubbles

bigbeerdrinka

Germany

4.94/5  rDev +7.6%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5

Finally visited this great establishment after heading on the 8/21 8th BeerAdvocate Anniversary Bus. All I can say is that this joint is top notch. Bartenders were super friendly and were clearly enjoying what they do. They also have a great deal of knowledge on the topic of beer. The beer list is extensive, having plenty of outstanding Belgians (including about every Cantillon), great American microbrews, and basically every other hard to find imported beer. As for draft beer, there isn't enough I can say about the selection and quality of them. From Stone Ruination, Cantillon Lou Pepe, Spezial Rauchbier, two Barleywines (DFH Old School and Brooklyn Millenium), and just everything else under the son. There is no food directly available at the Moan except for some quality salty peanuts, but when they allow delivery to the bar who can complain. Truly this place is an outstanding bar and now one of my favorites by far. It's only a shame I live in Boston because I'd have a permanent seat at the Dove if I lived closer

08-23-2004 03:40:48 | More by bigbeerdrinka

edchicma

Massachusetts

5/5  rDev +8.9%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5

What can I say! I finally made it to this famous local spot on 8/21 and lo and behold, the 8th Anniversary BA Bus Tour was still there. The place was packed, but that only helped the atmosphere. I can imagine this is probably what a pub in England must be like. Bar staff were friendly, helpful and genuinely interested in serving fine brews. The bowls of salted peanuts were an excellent addition, and you can bring your own food if you wish. Several pizza boxes were evident. The BA Tour obviously was savoring pizza with the fine brews. The selection of beers in simply outstanding! This includes an extensive bottle list ranging from Belgians to Double IPAs. A nice touch to the evening included the owner giving out his favorite brew a Cantillon 1996 to a BA who answered a trivia question: "What was Jason's first review as the founder of BA? (answer: Berkshire Brewing's Steel Rail Pale Ale).

The brews on draft that evening were extensive and included Arrogant Bastard, Young's Double Chocolate, Rogue I2PA, Ruination, etc.

An excellent establishment which I will absolutely put on my must stop list.

08-22-2004 13:56:45 | More by edchicma

milagro

Maine

5/5  rDev +8.9%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5

My uncle told me about his Local right around the corner that had recently changed hands. He said if I liked beer I'd love this place. A few weeks before arriving to Amherst for Christmas with the family, my wife asked my favorite beer. I listed three that I hold in very high standings but told her we'd have to go to Belgium to get them and even there they'd be hard to find. Westvleteren 12, DeKonnick Cuvee, and Rochfort 10. On Christmas night we walked over to the Dove, stepped in, took a look at the draught board and smiled. Then I looked at the bottle list and literally laughed out loud with joy. A kid in a candy store. My wife read throught the list and pointed out one, two, and finally all three beers I had mentioned. What a treat.

The place was rocking, the music was great, the owner was pumping out brews, but still took a minute to talk nerdy beer talk with me. The ambiance was perfect; low, cozy lighting, nicely painted walls, none of the typical beer parafanalia crap, but enough well placed, nice items to give credit to certain beers.

Every beer I had was served in the proper glass-ware. DeKonnick, DeKonnick glass. Rochefort, you got it. I even had a Dogfish Head out of a Dogfish Head pint glass. The way beer should be served. Every single beer my wife and I had was excellent, and the rest of my family loved it too as their eyes and palates were opened to new things.

What a treat to have all this in Western Mass. Now I've got to find a new reason to take my wife to Belgium... naw, we'll still go for the beer.

07-29-2004 16:16:31 | More by milagro

wyllder

Massachusetts

4.94/5  rDev +7.6%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5

And the beer gods cried.

I'd heard about this place from several of my friends who associated my crazy ordering of far off brews with a bar they had been to or heard about once.

All it took was one visit, and one look at their beautiful tap list: Stone, Victory, DogFish Head, Alagash, Mahr's Brau, Anderson Valley, Beer Republic, Rogue.

Check out the menu here:
http://www.themoandanddove.com/menu

I was hooked.

With 150 top-flight bottled beers, 18 lovely taps, and usually one cask beer on hand, this is beer drinker's paradise.

I've seen some comments about it's being pricey and I just have to disagree. The bulk of the tap list is $4 for a pint. And here's an idea of some of the beers that have been on that list:

Victory HopDevil
Stone IPA
Stone Arrogant Bastard
Anderson Valley IPA
Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA
Stone Smoked Porter

These aren't $4 pints of Budwieser or even Sam Adams. If there was some other place I could find this stuff on tap, I might have reason to complain. As it stands, logic tells me that if I'm paying $2-3 more for a six pack in a huge package store, it's going to cost more on the tap: and $4 isn't bad.

You won't find Sam Adams, Harpoon, or any other mass produced "micro" brews, and if you like beer at all, you won't care.

I make it a habit these days to get there at least once a week, and it's an hour drive for me!

Wyll-

06-11-2004 20:29:08 | More by wyllder

Liefman

Massachusetts

4.94/5  rDev +7.6%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5

Beer Bar, period.

Been here a few times & The Moan & Dove continues to impress with it's all out assault on the faux beer bar concept.

Bottle list is tight, (proving ownership understands that it's about quality, not quantity), w/ 150 offerings including rare Belgians, hard to find German & English beers & vintage selections from around the world. On my last visit I cherished a Westy 12, Achel Extra, Vuuve White, Synebrychoff Porter '96, & Allagash 4.

20 Draught lines mercilessly rotate a killer mix of domestic craft beers including Dogfish, Stone, Victory, Bear Republic, Berkshire, Allagash, McNeill's & Rogue to name a few. Imports I found include dedicated & rotating De Ranke & Cantillon lines, Mahr's Pils, Young's Double Chocolate Stout &Adnams cask.

Although the room is on the small side it's very welcoming & comfortable w/ miscellaneous breweriana dotting the walls. The back bar displays all of the appropriate glassware that is put to good use here as all of my beers arrived in one. The various paintings, I was told, were from a local artist & that a new artist is featured every month. Cool. No kitchen here but Daniel, the owner, offered various menus of local restaurants that would deliver to the bar. Real cool.

Laid back vibe, beautiful, well thought out beer selection & thousands of peanuts. I just wish it were closer.

Well...

05-17-2004 18:13:27 | More by Liefman

ppoitras

Massachusetts

5/5  rDev +8.9%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5

No food available here, so no rating for that, but they'll provide menus for local restaurants that will deliver to you as you sit in the M&D, so it's almost like eating food there.

Have visited many times, and The Moan & Dove is somewhat of a throwback. I remember walking in one afternoon, and having no one being in attendance. Not another custoner, not the bartender, no one. Eventually the bartender, who was restocking the fridge showed, 10 minutes after I sat at the bar and started reading a brew paper, but it was an odd feeling nonetheless.

Continues to feel weird to be sitting at the bar and watch a Shelton brother walk in and order a brew, knowing that he is responsible for a number of the cool brews available.

Variety is incredible, in both tap and bottled arenas. Literally the best beer bar I've been to.

Oh, in case I need to support my position, I noted to the bartender on a recent visit that my glass should probably be replaced when I finished due to a crack, and he immediately replaced it with a full brew, which was certainly not my intention. Shoot, he dumped what I had left in my glass before I could say something, which was vexing. But he was concerned for my physical well-being, which was nice...

05-16-2004 02:45:32 | More by ppoitras

SaucyJack

New York

4.94/5  rDev +7.6%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5

The best beer bar in the northeast, bar none. Friendly, mostly knowledgeable staff, the best selection in Massachusetts, and a big bucket of damn fine peanuts.

The Moan has twenty taps -- a few more than I like to see, but they seem to turn the beer over quickly enough. I can't say I've ever had a bad pint there, and I've been in at least two or three times a month since they opened.

The knocks on this pub are the lack of food and fairly high prices, but I'm not buying either one. First off, if you want to eat, you can order in or bring your own, and the money you save on the food will help subsidize those 'inflated' prices. As for the pricing, it's high, but you certainly do get what you pay for. There's no other bar in Amherst, or anywhere nearby, with the atmosphere and selection of beers that this place has. The Moan and Dove may not be on the beaten path, but it's not to be missed on any serious brew tour.

03-14-2004 19:40:15 | More by SaucyJack

sulldaddy

Connecticut

4.58/5  rDev -0.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5

Well this place was a stop after a hiking trip today. It is a little place on route 116 in South Amherst and you may drive past it. Walked in and grabbed a table. Bottle list on the table is great! 200 choices and some hard to find stuff. Westy 6,8,and 12! , Stone VE 030303, and Victory V-12 to name a few. Prices were a little steep but you get what you pay for. best part of the bottle menu, "lawnmower beers" They dont serve bud, miller,coors but they need to have something cheap on the menu. Some good quality 70s throwback brews, PBR, Golden A, and Schlitz. Good times!
Anyway, small bar area about 12 stools, a standing table in the middle of the room and about 5 booths. 10-15 beers on tap and 2 cask ales. One cask was a 96 JW Lees Harvest and the other was Adnams Broadside. Only tried the Adnams due to the $10 for a 6oz sample for the Harvest ale. Jazzy music is on the stereo loud enough to hear but you dont have to shout to have a conversation, very nice.
Bartender was helpful and knowledgeable. Every beer on tap served in proper glassware which is also displayed behind the bar. Very cool!
Only downer is the food available,
bowls of peanuts are the only food here, but I think they let you bring in outside food to enjoy with their incredible beer selection. I will definitely go back to this place and sample a few more brews. WIsh is was closer to home.

02-15-2004 04:23:12 | More by sulldaddy

winetrdr

United Kingdom (England)

4.94/5  rDev +7.6%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5

This to me is the epitome of what a beer bar should be if only they could add a few more TV's(F you, I'm addicted to sports). It's run by true enthusiasts. Most look to have just graduated from one of the local colleges. Great music has been on everytime I've been here consisting of Jambands and classic rock like the Beatles. They don't actually cook any food here but there is a bucket of peanuts by the door, shells go on the floor.

The beer selection is as good as I've seen besides the two Ginger Mans I've been to in NYC and Dallas. The tap lines always seem to be clean and the slection changes by the hour. There is a bulletin board on one wall written in chalk with all the draft beers available along with the special deal of the day. I've gotten there at 3 pm when it opens and had a few beers. When I came back at 9 that night at least 5 beers have changed. There are 5 colleges in the area but the place fills with a mixture of old and young. I'm 33 and have felt old some nights and only sort of old others.

To sum it up, this is the best beer bar I've been to anywhere when you combine selection, atmosphere and service. One TV...weak, very weak.

12-03-2003 12:57:33 | More by winetrdr