New England breweries welcome beer-loving visitors for tours

New England > All New England > Food & Drink > Breweries

Culinary travel is big in New England because of the marvelous, centuries-old traditions of farming, cooking... and beer brewing! Brewery operators in New England are proud of their beers and lagers, and eager to show their hospitality to guests on a vacation or getaway in New England. (The same could be said, by the way, of the wide varieties of vineyards and wineries in all parts of New England.) Here is a list of the best brewery tours and brewers who welcome beer lovers to their unique workplaces.

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Woodstock Inn Brewery

135 Main Street North Woodstock, NH, 03262 Phone: 603-745-3951 Toll-Free: 800-321-3985

New Hampshire’s premier craft brewery a must-visit for brews, food, tours

See what the buzz is about at the Woodstock Inn Brewery, New Hampshire’s premier craft brewery, in the White Mountain region. Sample the distinctly-New Hampshire beers at one of four epic pubs, including the lively Main Bar, seasonal Dam Bar in a newly redesigned patio area, English pub-style Brew Pub and an upstairs Tap Room with a large natural stone fireplace. The food – breakfast, lunch and dinner – is as fabulous as the brews, which range from IPAs and light ales to oatmeal stout and seasonal offerings. Brewery tours are given daily at noon, finishing with a tasting of a few brews and a souvenir pint glass to take home. See how the brewery has grown from a small seven-barrel brewery to a 30-barrel production facility and lab.

Newport Vineyards

909 East Main Road (Route 138) Middletown, RI, 02842 Phone: 401-848-5161

Popular winery, brewery, restaurant features fine selection of food, beverages – and views

One of Rhode Island’s most popular beverage and culinary destinations, the Newport Vineyards combine award-winning wine, farm-to-table dining experiences, fresh craft beer and unique events on over 100 acres of preserved, picturesque farmland. The family-owned and -operated winery, renovated and expanded in 2012, offers tours and tastings of its wide variety of reds, roses, whites and specialty wines. At its Taproot Brewery, the focus is on unfiltered hop-forward beers made in small batches. You can sit and sample either, or both, indoors and out while dining on fresh farm-focused menus, artisanal cheeses and house-made pretzels. Beer tastings are available, and there’s a full slate of events, from live music to days featuring specialty menu items.

Harpoon Vermont Brewery

336 Ruth Carney Drive Windsor, VT, 05089 Phone: 802-674-5491

Brewery’s specialties: fresh lineup of beer, fabulous food and a laid-back atmosphere

Harpoon Brewery may have been founded in Boston, but they have been brewing in Vermont for more than 20 years. The Harpoon Brewery Taproom and Beer Garden in Windsor, VT features a production viewing area where guests can check out the brewhouse up close, a full-service restaurant featuring menu items made with local Vermont ingredients, and a brewery gift shop where guests can purchase merchandise and beer and food to-go.

Harpoon Boston Brewery

306 Northern Avenue Boston, MA, 02210 Phone: 617-456-2322

Fun is on tap for visitors to Boston brewery with guided tastings and tours

Looking for a fun activity that’s a little different? Harpoon Brewery in Boston has the perfect solution: a guided tasting or a full-blown brewery tour. Tastings mean you’ll learn about brands and sample different core offerings in the original tasting room. A tour includes a guided walk-through of the brewery and its operations. Tastings are available Monday-Friday, with full tours available Saturday & Sunday. Daily time slots are posted and available for purchase online by 10 a.m. each day. The brewery, in Boston’s lively Seaport District, has communal tables and bar seating for you to enjoy delightful items from the Harpoon Kitchen, including fresh pretzels and Seaport Square pizzas. Grab a pint of New England’s Original IPA or customize a flight of beers, a great way to try something new.

Long Trail Brewery

5520 US Route 4 Bridgewater Corners, VT, 05035 Phone: 802-672-5011

See what all the brew-haha is about at this riverside brewery pub and restaurant

Over at Long Trail Brewery, they have been making batches of the best beer since 1989, blazing a trail for Vermont’s craft-brewing industry. Stop in to see what the great vibes are all about. The beer (more than a dozen on tap) is plentiful, the food is delicious with a seasonal menu based on local Vermont ingredients and the atmosphere is really down-home. Bring the kids and, yes, in the outdoor beer garden, your well-behaved, leashed dog is more than welcome. The spacious riverside pub and restaurant was inspired by the Hofbrau House in Munich, Germany. But, unique to Vermont, four Sugar Sheds, seating up to eight very happy people, are heated, have bluetooth speakers and food and beverage service in the winter months. In the warmer months, there is ample outdoor seating along the Ottauquechee River.

Maine -- Allagash Brewing Company

Portland visitors who love beer should know about the Allagash Brewing Company. Founded in 1995 as a one-man shop, Allagash brews traditional and experimental Belgian beers. The beers are bottle-conditioned, meaning that a fresh dose of yeast is added just before bottling, allowing a new round of fermentation that enhances the traditional Belgian taste. Tours are offered year-round. Consult the tour calendar and plan ahead; Saturdays are busy. Tours are accessible to wheelchairs and strollers.

Massachusetts -- Cape Cod Beer

1336 Phinney’s Lane HYANNIS, MA Phone:

Cape Cod Beer started out in April of 2004, brewing at the old Hyport Brewing Company on Main Street in Hyannis. Now, the brewery, on Phinney’s Lane, is a 15 bbl direct fired brew house with 9-by-30 bbl and 3-by-15 bbl fermenters. The company brews about 10 to 12 times a week during the high season, and about half that during the off season and distribute beer from Plymouth to Provincetown. Year-round beers are Cape Cod Red, Cape Cod IPA, and Cape Cod Beach Blonde Ale. Several seasonal beers celebrate summer, fall, and winter.
Guided tours are offered Tuesdays and 11 a.m. and Saturdays, at 1 p.m. Visitors may take self-guided tours during regular retail hours, Monday-Friday, noon-6 p.m. and Saturday, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Thomas Hooker Brewing Co. tours bloomfield CT

Connecticut -- Thomas Hooker Brewing Co.

16 Tobey Road Bloomfield, CT, 06002 Phone:

Thomas Hooker Brewing Company is Connecticut's local brewery with a national reputation. Hooker offers eleven unique beers (7 ales and 4 lagers) and was ranked number 15 in the top 50 American Micro Breweries by the Beer Advocate.
Hooker is open tours and tastings every Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. For $5 you'll get a guided tour of the brewery and a full tasting of Hooker brews. If you taste a beer you like pick up a growler of brewery fresh beer. Friday open houses are held the first and third Friday of every month from 5 to 8 p.m. A happy hour with drinks, a guided tour, and a pint glass for $10.

Newport Storm Beer - Newport Craft Brewing - Newport, RI

Rhode Island - Newport Storm Beer

Newport Craft Brewing & Distilling - 293 J.T. Connell Highway Newport, RI, 02840 Phone: 401-849-5232

It isn’t surprising to hear that four guys from college came up with an idea to start a brewery. In July 1999 the brewery’s first beer, Hurricane Amber Ale, was released. Since then, the brewery has continued to slowly build itself and its reputation. In 2006 the Newport Distilling Company opened, making Thomas Tew Rum. In 2010 the brewery and distillery built a new facility in the north Newport, including a Visitors Center and tour deck.
The visitors center is open for tours and tastings daily except Tuesdays from noon to 5 p.m. During opening hours, visitors may enjoy a tasting of Newport Storm beer and Thomas Tew rum. Self-guided tours during all open hours; guided tours leave once daily at 3 p.m. Closed Tuesdays. No reservations are necessary for groups of less than ten people. The visitors center has a gift shop with glassware, apparel, and Storm and Tew gear.

Massachusetts – Wachusett Beer

175 State Road East Westminster, MA Phone:

Wachusett Brewery’s three co-founders developed an appreciation for beer while attending Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Armed with a can-do attitude, the three cast off from their careers in engineering and biology to found the Wachusett Brewing Co. in 1993. The three founders designed and built most of the equipment; did the brewing and filling, selling and delivering.
Brewery tours are offered Wednesday and Thursday, noon-4 p.m. (last tour at 3); Friday and Saturday, noon-5 p.m. (last tour at 4). Brewery store hours are Wednesday and Saturday, noon-5 p.m.; Thursday and Friday, noon-6 p.m. The company also hosts tastings, pint nights, and special events.

Atlantic Brewing Co. tours bar harbor Maine

Maine -- Atlantic Brewing Co.

15 Knox Road Bar Harbor, ME, 04609 Phone: 207-288-2337

Maine has a fine heritage of microbreweries of various styles. Atlantic Brewing Co. has been brewing Bar Harbor Real Ale and Bar Harbor Blueberry Ale for over a decade, and find loyal followers throughout Maine and the micro brewing world. The new facility was built on the site of an old farm a few miles from downtown Bar Harbor. It was designed to create a more visitor-friendly environment similar to country wineries and breweries found throughout Europe.
Free tours of the brew house are offered daily at 2, 3, and 4 p.m. from Memorial Day to Columbus Day. Free tastings of beers and sodas also can be done in the gift shop. No reservation is necessary for tours0.