A Craft Beer Haven has Opened in Newton Centre

Beer lovers have a new destination in Newton, which is filled with craft brews from around the country and beers produced around the globe.

Walk into the Craft Beer Cellar at 1243 Centre St. in Newton Centre, and you will find shelf after shelf filled with beer. Owner Brian Shaw said the store has 1,000 brews to select from, as well as some wine, cider and mead - an alcohol drink made from honey. There is even a shelf of Kosher beers.

While the front of the store is dedicated to the brews, Craft Beer Cellar also created a beer classroom where classes, talks and book signings will be held, Shaw said. 

The store has already started having regular beer tastings. In January, the store's education program will begin, Shaw said. 

"There will be a lot of different things: craft brew 101, seasonal parings and brewer one-on-ones, where we bring in a brewer from the area," Shaw said. "It is different from a tasting. It is more in depth - like why we chose the ingredients and what we were thinking about when we made the beer."

If you are a novice to craft beer, have no fear, Craft Beer Cellar is ready for you, too.

"The idea of craft beer can be intimidating," Shaw said. "All our staff is really friendly and approachable. If someone comes in and the don't know what they want or are not familiar, they can talk about what they have had and what things the like." 

This is the fourth location of Craft Beer Cellar. The first opened in Belmont, followed by locations in Winchester and Westford. Others are planned for Braintree, as well as, in Vermont, Florida and St. Louis.

Craft Beer Cellar is open Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday noon to 6 p.m. more information is available on Facebook (www.facebook.com/cbcnewton) and Twitter (@cbc_newton), or by calling 617-916-0244.