Seen at 2018 Pioneer Valley Brew Fest in Northampton

FLORENCE – Hundreds of beers and cider were tasted at the third Pioneer Valley Brew Fest on Saturday at the Pines Theater in Look Park.

Shawn Porter, executive director of Look Park, beamed in the sun-drenched Pines Theater as beer lovers came into the room. Last year 's holiday temperatures were unusually hot. The temperature was comfortable Saturday. Hundreds of people attended.

"We sold 125 tickets in advance, which is a good thing, beer drinkers do not really plan ahead," he joked.

Many of the breweries represented at the festival are small and new. The New City brewery in Easthampton, for example, was established in 2013 and is housed in a building from the late 1800s. The brewmaster and owner is Sam Dibble. One of his creations, sampled by visitors to the Oktoberfest on Saturday, was the new – Autumn Amber Ale. His wife, Haley Pierson, was flowing. As a medical assistant, she leaves the brewing to Sam. "My job is to try the beers and drink them," she said.

The Headwater Cider Company makes cider from apples grown in an orchard in Hawley. The apples are pressed, fermented and bottled in a cider house in the orchard. "We have about 2,000 apple trees," Kellogg said.

There were 20 breweries at the party, according to Porter. They included Abandoned Brewing Company, Amherst Brewing Company, Arcpoint Brewing Co., Artifact Cider Project, Artisanal Beverage Co-operative, Berkshire Brewing Company, Brew Practitioners, Brewmaster Jack, Brewing Building 8, Down The Beer Co., Element Brewing Company, Fort Hill Brewery, Head Cider, Hitchcock Brewery, Lefty Brewery, Outlook Farm Brewery and Winery, New City Brewery, Pint Popular, Vanished Valley Brewing Co. and White Lion Brewing Company.

The food was provided by Local Burgy and 413 Eats. The music was provided by Tony Bernardo.