Idle Hands Craft Ales

Everett, United States

4.1

20 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards

Contacts

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Telephone:
+1 617-819-4353
Website:
www.idlehandscraftales.com
Address:
3 Charlton St Bldg 3, Unit 4, Everett, MA, 02149
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
480 ftBroadway @ Langdon St
530 ftBroadway @ Bowdoin St
580 ftBroadway opp Beacham St
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Bussiness info

Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
Accepts Bitcoin
No
Parking
Street, Private Lot
Bike Parking
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible
Yes

Today

Today –
Local time (Everett) 8:09 PM Thursday, June 19, 2025

Business hours

Monday –
Tuesday –
Wednesday –
Thursday –
Friday –
Saturday –
Sunday –

Description

Specialties

Bringing award-​winning artisanal beer to the local Boston market, the Idle Hands team artfully crafts their Belgian and German inspired beers using skill and careful attention to detail. We believe that from simplicity comes complexity and that it’s not about the first pint but the second. Join us on our adventure through the world of malt, hops, yeast and water by visiting our tasting room. Yes, its hard to find and in a crappy, rundown warehouse that reminds you of a Saw movie. Yes the tasting room is small (intimate?) but once you discover us you won’t be disappointed. After all, there is great beer to be had at the end of your journey.

History

Established in 2011.

We began brewing in 2011 as the Boston area’s first nanobrewery and first brewery based in Everett brewing a mere 20 cases of beer at a time. In June 2013 we went through an expansion which increased our brewing capacity 5 fold.

Meet the Business Owner

Christopher T.

Business Owner

I was a homebrewer for 16 years prior to starting Idle Hands. I worked in software development for the better part of 12 years before leaving the corporate world behind to brew my award winning beers for everyone to enjoy.

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20 reviews of Idle Hands Craft Ales

No registration required
Place rating: 4
Cambridge, MA
…“Drive onto the new condo complex, take about three turns and once you start thinking you’re driving into imminent danger, keep going… when you see the broken down door and rusting hinges, stop the car, put it in park, and lock the doors. enter the garage door into the musty delivery dock and walk yourself into the least suspecting corner. That door on the end, yes, the one with barely a sign … that’s Idle Hands.”
Night Shift has since moved, but Idle Hands is still going strong. Both breweries are 5 min from each other at this point. It’s a tiny tasting space, so try not to bring 10 people and your stroller. Also, use a bathroom before you arrive… trust me
The service can be slow, but tasty beer shouldn’t be rushed! Especially when the brewers are answering all your questions, which they do so gladly. Idle Hands features Farmhouse Style Beer, Belgian Styles, and Saison. Taste them all! And take a growler to go.
Place rating: 4
Grand Ronde, OR
If there is a smaller tasting room or tap room on the East coast, I’d like to know. But Idle Hands makes no bones about the fact that they are exclusively a tasting room. Buying a pint is a challenge. As is finding the place amidst the small industrial wasteland.
As is, what they offered me was tasty. IH does not immediately have the resources, it would appear, to go crazy with innovation or offer more than half a dozen or so options. But they have found their niche.
Hope they expand, because is potential lay here. Like Mystic Brewing, don’t go there hungry. Thirsty, yes.
Place rating: 5
Troy, NY
It’s worth feeling like your going to get mugged or killed on your way to this brewery. There are like two signs, neither are comforting as you are walking down a sketchy ally way full of workers who look at you like you don’t belong there, into a building that is a mess with another sign saying «go this way»…ah.
Once you find it, it’s this cute little brewery with a cheap tasting of we had 7 beers, and got a tasting glass. Each of the beers was incredible, I really loved their IPA and their Sour beer. The guy who was pouring knew a lot about the process and was extremely helpful answering all of our questions about hops, and fermentation, etc.
It’s close quarters, be friendly. We made friends which is good because really you go up to the bar, and then have to back through the crowd so the next handful of people can go up. Super small. It’s also kind of a mess, it’s probably the most disorgnized brewery I have ever been too, moldy boxes, weird things fermenting in the upper levels… but yet the beer was fantastic so I guess they don’t need to clean up? Most breweries are spotless and have medicore beer, maybe the boxes help add flavor?.
I would absolutely recommend this place, it does have parking (even though it’s not labeled and your pretty sure your going to get hijacked). Great beers!
Place rating: 4
Cambridge, MA
Beware of the creepy warehouse! I was kind of worried when I was walking in because I’ve never been to a brewery that looked so uninviting. BUT THEN… I enjoyed all the beers!
The tasting rooms is TINY. There was barely any room to stand because it was so packed (which is a good sign). I did a quick tasting ($ 4 for 5 samples). All were good and I would definitely go back/​purchase some of these beers. Since it was so busy I’m not sure of the names of all the beers I tried. but I’ll probably come back :).
There was only one staff member giving out samples. He was friendly and able to give enough attention to all of us!
I wish they would make the place more inviting but overall the beers are good quality and the staff is very accommodating.
Place rating: 3
Somerville, MA
It would be better if you could actually find the place. It’s tucked away in the back corner of a shady warehouse. If it weren’t for the beer tour that walked in just before us, we never would have found it.
They have fun beers to try, but the space is VERY small. Not a good location if you are with more than 2 people.
Place rating: 4
Quincy, MA
As a few people have mentioned it is a bit tough to find and in an industrial building. Just follow your nose if they are brewing at the moment, you won’t be disappointed. We walked in and found two people chatting in the office to the right. We said hello and they came on out. They asked us the usual questions, first time, blah blah. Then we immediately started sampling. Turns out the guy giving us the samples was the owner and they only have 4 people staffed. The beer was great the people were super friendly. My only issue was the lack of space, maybe enough room for 10 people to taste. Can’t be mad about it because they are a small place but I saw some good potential in this place. The Belgium and Sour were great.
Place rating: 4
Whitesboro, NY
As part of the Boston Brew Tour this young brewery gave me a whole new appreciation for the art of brewing beer. The guy that gave the demonstration was obviously dedicated to his business and you could tell he took brewing beer very serious. These guys might not be 5 stars yet but they are well on their way.
Place rating: 4
Boston, MA
Don’t be put off my the exterior. It’s located in a warehouse/​storage facility, but the staff is friendly, knowledgeable and ready to serve you a lot of tastings. For $ 4 you can keep your tasting glass and have many tastings, including those that aren’t listed on their board.
Overall the beers were pretty good. The Enlightenment «Hoppy American» was my favorite as I enjoy hoppy beers. They had something for everyone and you have the option of purchasing «squeelers» instead of large growlers.
Place rating: 3
Somerville, MA
I really enjoyed the beers I sampled here. My favorite was the d’aison — a dark saison. All in all they were fairly light and easy to drink beers. For free you can get a splash of 6 beers or you can pay for a tasting glass and get larger pours. The problem with my visit there was how crowded it was. The space is tiny and everyone was packed in so tight you couldn’t move. There was only one guy doing the tastings and he was definitely taking his time. When it was our turn, he was very friendly and took time answering our questions which was nice but explains why it was such a slow process.
Place rating: 5
Cambridge, MA
Definitely in a remote area of Everett! I recommend going in a small group. At the door, there was a welcome bag of FoodShouldTasteGood multigrain chips, and there was a very packed room. I loved the beers! I had the free tasting just a splash of six of their beers. Was very tempted to take home the d’aison, which had a bit of chocolate stout, and also the Belgian White… Yummy! Clean, not too hoppy. The owner created the names with transcendentalism and philosophy in mind. I think that they could work a little harder to modernize and flesh out their branding — maybe add more space for those tasting — but it was a pleasure to try them!
Place rating: 5
Powell, OH
You’re about to be murdered!
…is how I felt walking towards Night Shift. I mean, Night Shift, Idle Hands, and creepy hallways. This is like a bad horror movie, without the nudity (maybe that’s on the weekend?)
It’s good. Really good. The tastings are free-​but as I was traveling, I nabbed a tasting glass and a shirt. I really feel Night Shift has more unique beers, but Idle Hands has a nice, well-​rounded selection.
Place rating: 3
Boston, MA
You will think you’re about to be kidnapped as you travel down a dirt road through a construction site in an industrial garage, but keep going, it’s worth it. It’s really not that hard to get to; a quick 5 min bus ride from Sullivan Station on any of 3 busses will take you here (it’s just physically getting to the tasting room from the main street that’s the hard part).
You can try their beers for free, but for $ 4 (which came with a nice glass tasting glass), we got to have larger pours of 6 kinds of beer, and I really liked everything I tried (especially the bourbon barrel-​aged stout, delicious). Idle Hands excels at more traditional kinds of beer; you won’t get a ton of crazy ingredients or techniques here, just good solid stouts and IPAs and weissens.
The tasting space is really cramped and minimal/​industrial, and pretty crowded when we went (Sat afternoon), but the Idle Hands guy was really nice and knowledgeable and made sure everyone got their turn to taste and learn about each of the beers. I recommend coming here first, then Night Shift after (it’s bigger over there, with chairs to hang out in).
Try not to pee though; the bathroom (shared, down the hall) is completely rank.
Place rating: 3
Melrose, MA
Small craft brewery located in the middle of nowhere in a warehouse in Everett! They make some solid beers– my favorite being the Absence of light, their Belgian Stout. They’ve recently combined forces with Enlightenment Ales, which I totally love (try their «champagne beer»!).
Their tasting room itself is a bit out of the way and while I love the idea of small breweries that allow visitors, we went on saturday and it was hard to enjoy being there because the tiny tasting area was so cramped. Parking is also a challenge on weekends (we parked in the middle of a construction area, I’m still not sure if we were supposed to be parking there. For now, best for growler fills. Looking forward to when they get a little bigger and you can sit down and enjoy the beer there.
Place rating: 5
Tampa, FL
Idle hands for beer
dangerous traveling here
will give you nightmares
So, I’m looking down on this Unilocal page and it’s asking me what kind of parking is here at Idle Hands Craft Ales, and none of the options really work. I mean, it’s more like park along a chain linked fence amidst a crazy construction zone. That’s the parking situation. Walking here? Could be dangerous. But doable…
This beer arena warehouse place in Everett will be a true test to your alcoholic dedication. I mean, I was the navigator in my car and MY FRIEND was beginning to not trust me with directions!
«No, no, yes. Keep going around the dirt gravel bend along the fence and by the bulldozer and LOOK there is a sign! Yes, seriously, see, there is a sign for the brewery. Just park here…»
Seriously, just follow the signs. There are two breweries here: Idle Hands and Night Shift. Both take card, and both have delicious beer. I wouldn’t worry too much about a tour – just walk yourself around. Chances are that if you’ve made it here, you know about beer already, just drink and revel in your awesomeness.
Tasting is free. You can try as much as you want, but you get about a 1−2oz pour. I’m assuming this place can get busy. We went on a Saturday afternoon during a snow storm and the place was surprisingly packed. Now head to Night Shift.
Place rating: 4
Norfolk, MA
To start my review: Parking is anywhere that looks like a spot in the industrial park. Do NOT drive down the long road to the back of the building – that is wrong. Instead, just park along the fence and walk in. We got there early and drove around a bit before we figured it out and Unilocal was no help!
I liked the beers here more than nightshift. As other people noted, the staff/​guy was really friendly and gave out anything you wanted without a look. No seating which is lame and it’s not exactly nice to stand out in the hallway but the beers were great. I liked the Tripel (which I’ve had before) and the Dubbel. Would think about getting growlers if I lived a little closer.
Place rating: 5
Plainville, MA
Wicked cute microbrewery. Free samples of delicious beer too. Nightshift has a «nicer» atmosphere (ok these breweries are teeny microbreweries, i.e. one room endeavors) but Idle Hands had better beer.
Place rating: 4
Boston, MA
Nervous and alone I stupidly, like HEY SIGNS EVERYWHERE, CRISTINA?!! walked straight on in to Idle Hands thinking it was Night Shift. I deeply apologized to the brew-​master, Chris. I felt like the biggest jerk off, evah.
We chatted about this and that and I tried each of the three he was offering. I ended up with the small jug of Cotton. Delicious! I will definitely be back because I need to get that jug refilled !!!
Place rating: 3
San Francisco, CA
How could one possibly give an average rating to a brewery that hands out free samples? Maybe I’m crazy, and that’s likely true, but when almost all of the beers are standard and unexciting, and so many breweries around the country do the exact same thing, there isn’t a lot to make Idle Hands stand out.
I would suggest getting a little more creative or really going for some niche.
Place rating: 4
Waltham, MA
Nested in the same industrial complex as Night Shift Brewing, literaly right next to it is Idle Hands Brewing, the love child of wife and husband duo Grace & Chris Tkach. They specialize in Belgian-​style beers and their two staple beers, the ones that help build their brewery are Pandora (Pale Ale/​IPA) and Triplication (Tripel). They also have experimented with various other brews and have done some barrel aging as well.
They haven’t quite grown as big as their neighbor, Night Shift but still do a good job at being hospitable if you go there during their daily tasting room hours.
Most of their beers are very tasty, especially if you like Belgians and do this day, their barrel aged Triplication is one of my favorite local beers. They sell a lot of their beers there and often times bottles won’t run you more than $ 12. They also have various other schwag you can get and best of all, you can get all kinds of generous samples of their stuff.
One thing I do really like about them is their transparency. Almost all of the ingredients used to brew their beers can be found on their site including hops used, malts, etc… I love that about them! I just wish that they had more room in their tasting room — it’s tiny and if there’s more than 5 – 6 people in there, it’s cramped. I also wish that I had more reasons to visit them — they don’t have any brewery exclusives and have such few seasonals that there’s no real point in going there as often as other breweries.
Place rating: 5
San Leandro, CA
Right next door to Night Shift Brewing, Head Brewed Chris and his wife Grace are cranking out some of the best Belgian-​style beers I’ve had the pleasure of tasting thus far!
My first visit a few days ago entailed samples of the Patriarch (Patersbier), Cognition («baby dubbel»), Pandora (Belgian Pale Ale) and Absence of Light (Belgo-​Stout). The styles spanned the spectrum from delightful session ales to the heartier AoL which I absolutely loved… enough to take home a growler! These come at $ 5 for the growler itself and just another $ 12 for the fill.
Simply put, I can’t wait to return soon for more!