Spencer Archives - Rapscallion

Rapscallion HOPS Foundation Takes First Place in the Spencer Christmas Parade of Lights

Rapscallion and its Mug Club members have always taken great joy in taking part in philanthropic efforts. Now formally known as The Rapscallion HOPS Foundation (HOPS), these charitable endeavors continue to flourish as our official nonprofit. This past December, The HOPS Foundation board, Mug Club members and other devoted volunteers won first place in Spencer’s Christmas Parade of Lights!

The team started the process back in October to plan their winning Polar Express float. They reviewed the film to get an accurate depiction of the movie, capturing all of its intricate details. HOPS Board members Michelle Lariviere, Sierra Tucker, and Chris Lindquist worked together to make this a success.

Their “building team”, led by Chris Lindquist with the help of Steve Moorhouse, Russ Snow, Ron Scheyd, and Mike Poulin, performed the build out of the train. While Jim Lambert, expert metal engineer, built the train engine. From there this core group continued to work on the bulk of the float right up until the week of the big day. Tate Ostiguy and his students at BayPath Vocational Technical High School constructed the train wheels used on the train cart.

The group of volunteers met every Monday to pick away at all the intricate details that were seen as the Polar Express went rolled down Main Street. Ronda LaRiviere and Sierra Tucker jumped in to help with the painting.

Nothing was forgotten – Kris Scheyd built a hot chocolate cart that she filled with candy to hand out to the kids. Our walkers handed out bells in town just as the kids received in the North Pole in the movie. There was a giant golden “BELIEVE” ticket strung between the train cart and engine, a hobo and “fire” on the roof, a train horn, an overflowing Santa sack, a cotter pin, a train bell, and perfect costuming. Kids filling the cart including the little boy in the blue robe, the two train engineers, elves, hot chocolate waiters and waitresses, and of course, the conductor.

As has been done for the last three years now, the team meets at the Spencer brewery the night before parade day to add all the finishing touches. Everything is looked over to make sure no detail and no string of lights was missed. The after party at the brewery always makes for the perfect celebration right at the end of the parade route.

The main purpose of all this fun was the fundraising that was done in support of the float. The HOPS Foundation sold “Believe” raffle tickets for $10 each that went towards funding the float. Mug member Yvette Oliviero also made HOPS Foundation ornaments being sold at $10 each as well. Most of the float props and build out was done through donations so that monies raised went can go the Foundation to be dispersed back into the community. A large sum of this total came from Mile Marker 63 Disc Golf Course’s generous donation as they purchased the float after the parade to now display at the course. Additionally, $300 was given to HOPS by the Spencer Police Association for the first-place win.

This crew worked extremely hard, and it paid off! Their time and dedication show, and we are so proud that this is our Rapscallion community. Ideas for next year are already in the works. Kudos to Raps Mug Club members and the entire HOPS Foundation and its volunteers for your tireless efforts in helping those less fortunate!

The ideation, buildout, and entrance of the float into the parade was a tremendously fun endeavor for all involved, while the best part is the that HOPS raised over $2,500 for charitable local endeavors!

A special thank you to these amazing volunteers:
Michelle Lariviere, Sierra Tucker, Chris Lindquist, Steve Moorhouse, Russ Snow, Mike Poulin, Jim Lambert, Ron Scheyd, Kris Scheyd, Tate Ostiguy, Tom Lowkes, Karlene Lowkes, Tim McNeaney, Jenn McNeaney, Bill Delude, Christine Delude, Michelle Buzzell, Denis Tucker, Ronda Lariviere, Lisa Silverio, Jeff Huston, Yvette Oliviero, Norman Letendre, Terry Letendre, John Holbrook, Ray St. Peter, Jesse St. Peter, Jason MacGillivray, Jeff White, and the kiddos that came along for the ride!

It’s (Finally) Patio Season!

There really is nothing more beautiful than spring, summer, and fall in New England. Let’s be honest: it’s what makes us put up with the winters! Here at Raps, we love nothing more than being outside in the fresh air, so we have prioritized making our patios beautiful, comfortable, and welcoming. We hope to see you soon for al fresco dining along with our famous Rapscallion hospitality, freshly cooked food, and hand-brewed beer. Everyone is family here!

Our Patios

Sturbridge:

Spencer:

Acton:

At Rapscallion, Every Day is Earth Day

At Rapscallion, we don’t just do something eco-friendly for one day a year — environmentalism is in the very fabric of who we are. We are true believers in environmentalism and making eco-conscious decisions on a daily basis, and we figured that Earth Day would be the perfect time to fill you in on our eco-friendly practices.

In our restaurants, we only use recyclable, compostable packaging for our takeout orders, and our heating and cooling systems are on timers so that we save as much energy as possible. We also only use eco-friendly cleaning supplies for all of our cleaning, and we wash our own bar linens in an on-site, water-saving washing machine using Earth Breeze detergent sheets that are purchased with extremely minimal packaging. We also use low flow toilets (that are also hands-free!)

Speaking of water, we serve filtered tap water for our patrons in glass only. How is this eco-friendly? Tap water is eons more eco-friendly than bottled water! Bottled water not only uses plastic, it is also manufactured — yes, manufactured, as it does have to be inserted into said bottles and shrink-wrapped in cases or packs after all — and shipped in gas-guzzling trucks. (As a side note: tap water is also far safer than bottled water as it is more highly regulated.)

We also Bokashi recycle all of our food and paper scrap. OK OK, what the heck is Bokashi, right? The Bokashi method is used for composting ALL organic food waste, including meat, dairy and fats. The process uses lactobacillus bacteria to predigest waste matter, which eliminates odors and decreases composting time. Bokashi is a great pre-composting method for diverting all food scraps — not just veggies — from going into the landfill, with the added bonus of accepting paper products.

Our company has also taken a decidedly purpose-driven approach to our venues in that we seek out existing buildings that are in need of repair in which to house our restaurants. Our Acton location is an antique 1700s farmhouse that we have renovated and repaired so that it is warm, inviting, and efficient while also maintaining its original beauty and roots. Our Sturbridge Pub hails back to the 1800s and we have made significant improvements there as well. Lastly, our beautiful brewery in Spencer was an early 21^st century building that used to be a garage!

We utilized the expansive space for our brewery and cooler and renovated the front office into a taproom. Very little was wasted in all these renovations as we truly believe in waste not, want not. For example, when we ripped out walls or old structures, we reused the wood for doors, trim — and even our bars. We have World War II parachute tables throughout our venues as well as loads of other antique furniture and decor. Most our light fixtures at the Sturbridge Pub are from mills in Pawtucket, RI, and we also have some old emergency room lighting from the Ukraine. We love recycling!

One of Rapscallion’s World War II parachute tables

Speaking of our bars… did you know that a tremendous amount of our liquor and wine is chosen with the environment in mind? Most of our vodkas — Prairie, Hanson, Crop, and Square One — are organic and small batch. Beyond being organic, Prairie consistently donates funds to various environmental organizations. In fact, through May 31 of this year, Prairie has committed to donating $20,000 to the Xerce Society for their Pollinator Conservation Program. For every Prairie cocktail a customer buys, Prairie donates a $1. So when you ask for Grey Goose and we ask if Prairie would be ok, this is why!

We also carry Tres Agaves organic tequila and Machtazo Mezcal tequila that is hand-made using old-fashioned Mexican techniques and organic processes. Our Koval Ginger liqueur is small batch and made with 60 pounds of hand-peeled ginger per batch. We proudly carry Tarsier gin which donates a percentage of profits to conservation efforts in Asia for habitat to protect the Tarsier, the world’s smallest primate.

Our Alverdi wines from Italy are 100% organic. In fact, Alverdi means “to the green” in Italian, and their beautiful labels are inspired by the flowers seen growing on the walls of homes and buildings in Italian towns and villages. Alverdi has a mission to create wines with a responsible approach to preserving the environment and a respect for traditional winemaking values. We are very proud to serve Alverdi wine here at Raps!

In our brewery, we are exacting in our methodologies so that we never waste water. We brew only full barrels as every brew uses the same amount of cleaning water, whether half or full. We send all of our Honey spent grain to be reused in Brew Biscuits, which all Rapscallion dogs love. The rest of our spent grain is sent to local farmers for agricultural feed.

We also like to note that serving our own beer from kegs eliminates a tremendous amount of packaging and transportation, making even our beer an eco-friendly product. So let’s all raise a reusable glass of eco-friendly beer or organic wine and toast to Earth Day! May we always strive to improve our carbon footprint and leave the world a better place than we found it. Santé!

Introducing the Raps HOPS Foundation

We are so pleased to announce the formation of the Rapscallion HOPS Foundation. Spearheaded by Spencer and Sturbridge Mug Members, HOPS — which stands for Helping Others through Philanthropic Support — provides financial support to individuals and families in need living in Spencer and Sturbridge, MA and the surrounding area as well as community-centric charitable organizations.

Mug Members and Rapscallion work together to host charitable events that raise funds for these important initiatives. Working as a team, we are able to provide funds to mug members and the community at large when the need arises.

Reach out to HOPS@visitrapscallion.com with any questions or inquiries. All correspondence is completely confidential.

Mug Members Take First Place in Spencer’s Parade of Lights!

Float Participation + Charitable Initiatives = Huge Success!

We are so thrilled to announce that Rapscallion’s mug members won first place in the float portion of the 2023 Spencer Parade of Lights! This year was Rapscallion’s third year participating in this event.

The Spencer Parade of Lights is a very special annual event where vehicles from Spencer, MA and surrounding communities come together to put on a spectacular light show during a two mile car crawl parade through town. The event attracts well over 100 entrants broken into four categories: Fire Truck, Float, ATV, and Jeep. Prior to the parade itself, which ends at Rapscallion’s Spencer Brewery & Taproom, the entrants are judged and prizes awarded.

2021

In the first year, mug member Chris Lindquist generously offered his mini truck for some Christmas wrapping! We designed the wrap and had it done locally, after which our incredible mug members got to work decorating it. The mini Christmas rig looked incredible, and mug members and staff enjoyed walking in the parade and all of the amazing warm wishes and fun exchanges with the incredible amount of people camped along the route!

2022

Last year, mug members caught the competitive bug and decided to really step up their game! Deciding on a Christmas Vacation-themed float, they held numerous planning meetings and building sessions at the brewery and eventually built what would become the Parade of Lights 2nd place float! Read about last year here.

2023

This year, our fun-loving mug members were adamant that they were going to win. And they also wanted to do a little bit more. Spearheaded by mug member Michelle LaRiviere, mug members decided they wanted to start a charitable arm of their membership, which is when Giving Trees came up. But first they had to decide on a theme, which “had to be iconic, something that people really connect with,” according to Michelle — and that let them to a Charlie Brown Christmas.

For several weeks before, mug members came together on a regular basis to design and build the float. The number of mug members who contributed significantly to the project are too numerous to list here, but suffice it to say we have the BEST mug members and they know who they are!

They built Snoopy’s doghouse complete with working propellor, Lucy’s full size psychiatrist booth, Pig Pen’s bass cello, and a giant Charlie Brown Christmas tree. They also decided on who would be playing which part, and who would be walking the parade.

At the same time, the team designed and sold Raps bracelets at the Spencer Brewery and Sturbridge Pub in an effort to raise money to help with costs and raise funds for a local charity. Also, mug members Tom and Karlene Lowkes stepped up and connected the Rapscallion team with Toys for Children Spencer, organized by ERA Key Realty. Toys for Children fulfills Christmas wish lists for Spencer children and teens who would otherwise not receive Christmas gifts, and in one short week, Rapscallion collected over 100 gifts for 15 children, completing their wish lists, much of which was clothing and other basic necessities. But of course mug members went the extra mile with their generosity and there should be some big smiles Christmas morning!

Finally, the float was done and mug members brought it to the parade where they were rewarded with a first place win! After all category awards were announced, the parade started and it was an incredible turnout on a beautiful 50 degree night!

There was an after-party at the Brewery where mug members hung their first prize plaque in the middle of the brewery. Mug members, staff, and guests alike enjoyed the evening and take great pride in our wonderful win.

Mug members have decided that their fundraising money will be split equally between the local food pantry and Toys for Children Spencer. And yes, they are already planning for next year! See all the photos below. Thank you so much to our wonderful mug members who continue to amaze us with their generosity and community focus each and every day.

Mug Member Food Drive a Huge Success!

We always say we have the best mug members, and we can prove it!

Mug members from Sturbridge and Spencer hosted a food drive at Rapscallion Brewery and Rapscallion Pub. They decorated boxes and partnered with Raps to create signage and promote the drive. Boxes were placed at both locations and we all worked to spread the word.

The food drive only lasted for 10 days, from 11/15-11/25. In that time this is what we collected:

Above ^^ is the haul from Spencer.

And that ^^ is the haul from Sturbridge!

Sturbridge items were donated to Wales Community Food Pantry serving the tri-community area of Wales, Holland, and Brimfield. Spencer items were donated to Mary Queen of the Rosary Church Food Pantry serving Spencer and the surrounding area as needed.

Thank you to our mug members for organizing and to our patrons for donating!

Savage Wraps Food Truck at the Brewery!

We are so excited to announce that Savage Wraps Food Truck will be at the Brewery to offer amazing, fresh-cooked food for you! Check out their menu:

Snack Wraps

Pretzel-Wrapped Glizzy
A delicious frank wrapped in a warm, soft pretzel

‘Merica Fries
House seasoned fried potatoes. Served with ketchup or spicy aioli

Fried Lasagna Wrap
Mama Mia! Homemade meat sauce smothered with ricotta and mozzarella, then wrapped in lasagna noodles. Finished off by topping with panko bread crumbs and deep fried.

Chicken Fingers & Fries
Fried chicken breast tenders and ‘Merica fries all wrapped up in a flour tortilla.

Wraps

Bacon Cheeseburger Meal
Toasted Flour Tortilla stuffed with seasoned shoestring ‘Merica fries, 1/4 lb. of seasoned ground beef, bacon, American Cheese. lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles, and house special sauce. No super-sizing necessary!

Deli Crunch Wrap
Your choice of meat (Ham, Turkey, Roast Beef, Capicola, Salami) all wrapped up with American Cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pepperoni, deli mustard, mayo and smothered with crunchy potato chips.

Savage Wrap
Our Deli Crunch Wrap with all meat options included, as well as Cheddar cheese and banana peppers.

Fiesta Crunch Wrap
Best Wrap north of the border! You choose chicken or beef, then we complement it with shredded lettuce, tomato, green onion, shredded cheese, avocado cream, cilantro-ranch salsa. All rolled together with nacho cheese Doritos!

Buffalo Chicken Wrap
Probably the only good thing about Buffalo! Your choice of Grilled or Fried Chicken wrapped up with lettuce, tomato, onion, shredded cheese, blue cheese and tortilla chips. Too Hot? Try with BBQ instead.

Sweet Wraps (Dessert, yo!)

Fried Xango
A flour tortilla filled with creamy cheesecake and your choice of fruit (Apple or Strawberry), then deep fried and tossed in a bath of cinnamon sugar.

Rapscallion’s Parachute Tables Have a Rich History

Painting of a parachute factory during World War II

Originally manufactured by US factories including Wrights Mill in West Warren, MA, parachute tables were constructed of solid steel and wood specifically for sewing parachutes during World War II, a job typically held by women. Understanding that the parachutes they manufactured would eventually save the lives of the men they loved, female parachute workers worked with extremes of both gravity for the task at hand and pride for their contribution to the war effort. Parachute women were well-respected and appreciated by enlisted people as well as the general public.

The women who sewed and manufactured parachutes maintained a bit of celebrity during WWII

To manufacture the parachutes, sewing machines were bolted through holes in the tabletop, while the smooth, steel surface prevented tears or pulls in the parachute’s silk material, allowing it to be easily and safely manipulated during construction.

Shown are the same type of tables now at Rapscallion being used for parachute manufacture during WWII

Today, these parachute tables are used at our Acton and Sturbridge venues, although the bolt holes have been covered and the original surfaces etched with the Rapscallion R. Otherwise, they are intact. We are proud that these historically significant tables are a permanent part of our decor.

Fun History: Harvard Brewery’s Prohibition Seizure

Harvard Brewing Company in the early 1900s

In 1893, Consumers’ Brewing Company set up shop in Lowell, Massachusetts. In 1898, the decision was made to change the name to Harvard Brewing Company, and this newly branded business successfully expanded its product line, production capabilities, and market reach over the next two decades.

Prohibition went into effect in 1920 and the brewery’s plans to succeed by selling colas, ginger ale, and near-beer (<0.5% alcohol beer) weren’t working. With failure looming, Harvard executives added the beer back into their near-beer . Profits came back, and so did federal agents, culminating in August of 1925 when a truck filled with 100 barrels of illegal Harvard beer was hijacked in Lowell. As the hijackers were transferring the kegs to their cars, their movements were noticed by the neighborhood. And everyone wanted some of that!

Lowell Sun newspaper front page on August 19, 1925

As reported by the Lowell Courier-Citizen, “As soon as it became known in the locality what was going on, hundreds appeared and surrounded the truck. They all clamored for a chance to secure a barrel of the beer. Men came to blows and bedlam reigned. Besides the men involved, it is known that several women even procured barrels and rolled them along the sidewalks or in the streets to homes thereabouts.”

Due to the ruckus, police showed up to the scene and the mob scattered in all directions. When the liquor squad inspected the back of the truck, they discovered only two dozen kegs still remaining. Tracing the truck to Harvard Brewing, the police called in federal agents from Boston.

In the meantime, police picked one of the hijacker’s cars and chased it almost into neighboring Chelmsford before it crashed in a ditch. Its occupants leapt out and escaped on foot, leaving their precious cargo of two kegs of Harvard beer behind. The car had been stolen that morning by the rum-runners, who were not caught.

Harvard Brewing Company flag icon now incorporated into Rapscallion’s Harvard Lager can

Knowing agents were coming, brewery workers scrambled to ditch the beer, going so far as to dump barrels into the River Meadow Brook, which still runs along the Lowell Connector today. Arriving agents were initially refused entrance to the Brewery for lack of a search warrant. However, upon hearing workers smashing barrels inside, the officers forced the door open and five inches of beer cascaded out over the steps and onto the agents struggling to climb into the building — a veritable river of beer. The workers escaped. Nearly 500 barrels of beer didn’t. The agents had hit the motherload.

The raid was the largest in New England’s prohibition history with over 100,000
gallons of full strength brew confiscated by the government.

Circa 1916 advertisement for Harvard’s Green Label Export Beer, the 1898 recipe that is now Rapscallion’s Harvard Lager

Mug Members Win 2nd Place in Parade of Lights

Our Spencer Mug Club Members took it upon themselves to enter a Rapscallion float into the Spencer Parade of Lights. Spearheaded by Creative Director Chris Lindquist, the team of Mug Members created a “Christmas Vacation” themed float complete with camper, green-tinted smoke machine for Randy Quaid’s famous Cousin Eddie scene, and recliner for Uncle Lewis. Their talents and efforts won them Second Place overall (out of over 100 entries!).

The crew gathered at Raps Spencer after the parade and packed the house. Special thanks and shout out to our Raps family for making such an amazing creation.