Craft Beer Brewery Tours in New England

Over the years, the US culture about beer has been changing. More and more people are starting to judge craft beers, critique it’s quality, learn about the variety and diversity of styles, and learning to pair with it food, much like wine. As with wine, when pairing beer with food, they need to compliment and enhance each others flavors or in some cases, contrast the flavors.

Taking a tour of a brewery allows you to sample the different beers they offer to determine if you will like any of them. New England has many microbreweries to offer. We have not taken all of these tours but we have tried several of the craft beers from many of the breweries and liked most of them.

Another idea behind the beer list should be showing you all the information you need to know about the beer you’re looking at. The name of the beer, brewery, location, style of beer, abv, size of beer, and price should be apparent. You should know what you are purchasing, who makes it, where it’s from, what style of beer it is, how large is the bottle, and how much is it going to run you. Sounds like a lot of information but without having everything available, you won’t understand what your about to taste. Here is a buy the best beers from Belgium at The Belgian Beer Company.

There has never been a better time for the world of beer than today. The choices you have when it comes to what you want to drink is limitless. This is a renaissance for the beer industry and one where craft beer drinkers help sway what breweries produce. Since the movement of craft beer is grassroots, it’s taken nearly 30 years for beer drinkers to have a choice in what they choose to drink. While choice remains mainly in liquor, wine, and spirit stores, many establishments are opening up that allow beer drinkers to continue to enjoy their craft beer in a public setting.

Below is a list of small to mid size breweries in Connecticut that offer full tours of their brewery. Some brewers only offer tastings so we have not included those in our list.  Going on a tour of a brewery is a fun thing to do, especially during the Fall in New England and it makes for a cheap day trip.

Over the last few years many new breweries have opened in the state of Connecticut. Below is a compiled list of some of the breweries in Connecticut. We have sampled several of them and were not disappointed. If you’re free this weekend, visit one of the breweries and take a tour. If you’re traveling out of state check out some of the other breweries we mention below.

As always, please drink responsibly.

Connecticut Breweries

Thimble Island Brewery

16 Business Park Drive
Branford, CT 06405
(203) 208-2827

Guided Tours:
Saturdays at 12, 2 and 4pm
Sundays at 1, 3 and 5pm

Fox Farm Brewery

80 Music Vale Road
Salem, CT 06420

Our brewery tasting room is open for on-site pours, growler fills, bottle and cans sales (when available)
Thursday and Friday (2pm – 7pm) and Saturday and Sunday (11am – 5pm)

Kent Falls Brewing

33 Camps Road
Kent, CT 06757

They offer a free guided tour of their farm and brewery every Saturday at 2pm

Olde Burnside Brewing Co.

776 Tolland Street
East Hartford, CT 06108
(860) 528-2200

Two Roads Brewing Company

1700 Stratford Avenue
Stratford, CT 06615
(203) 335-2010

Thomas Hooker Brewing Co LLC

16 Tobey Road
Bloomfield, CT 06002
(860) 242-3111

Cottrell Brewing Co

100 Mechanic St
Pawcatuck, CT 06379
(860) 599-8213

Broad Brook Brewing Company

2 North Rd
East Windsor, CT 06088
(860) 623-1000

We have also compiled a list of other New England state craft breweries who offer tours.

Maine Breweries

Allagash Brewing Co

50 Industrial Way
Portland, ME 04103
Phone: 207-878-5385

Atlantic Brewing Co

15 Knox Rd
Bar Harbor, ME 04609

Phone: 207-288-2337

They have free tours daily at 2:00, 3:00 and 4:00 throughout the summer season (Memorial Day to Columbus Day). They also have free tastings of all their beers and soda in the gift shop.

Bar Harbor Brewing Co

8 Mount Desert Street
Bar Harbor, ME 04609

Phone: 207-288-4592

They have tasting room available to try their beer. They also have their pilot brewery with their original equipment available to see.

Black Bear Brewery

19 Mill St #4
Orono, ME 04473

Phone: 207-949-2880

D.L. Geary Brewing Co Inc.

38 Evergreen Dr
Portland, ME 04103-1066

Phone: 207-878-2337

Shipyard Brewing Co

86 Newbury St
Portland, ME 04101-4219

Phone: 207-761-0807

They offer full brewery tours on Tuesday nights from 5:30 to 7:00 pm. You need to fill out the brewery tour form on their website and then their tour guide will contact you.

Oak Pond Brewing Co

PO Box 1208/Oak Pond Rd
Skowhegan, ME 04976

Phone: 207-474-3233

They offer tours during regular business store hours, Monday through Friday 3:00 to 5:30 PM, Saturday 12:30 to 5:30 PM. They have no predetermined tour times and tours occur upon request as business allows. The tour ends at the six OPB beer taps where tour participants can sample their beers.

Sheepscot Valley Brewing Co

74 Hollywood Boulevard
Whitefield, ME 04353

Phone: 207-549-5530

Call them regarding tours.

Massachusetts Breweries

Nashoba Valley Winery and Brewery

100 Wattaquadoc Hill Rd
Bolton, MA 01740

Phone: 978-779-5521

Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)

30 Germania Street
Boston, MA 02130

Phone: 617-368-5080

Listed as the number 2 best brewery tour in the United States by TripAdvisor.

Tour Hours: Monday – Thursday: 10am – 3pm last tour starts at 3:00
Fridays: 10am – 5:30pm last tour starts at 5:30
Saturdays: 10am – 3pm last tour starts at 3:00

The tours are free, but they ask for a voluntary $2 donation per person and the donations go to local charities.

Harpoon Brewery

306 Northern Ave
Boston, MA 02181

Phone: 617-574-9551

Listed as the number 8 best brewery tour in the United States by TripAdvisor.

WEEKDAY TASTINGS: A narrated sampling of Harpoon and UFO Beers in their Tasting Room. Tasting is free.

  • Monday 4:00 PM
  • Tuesday 4:00 PM
  • Wednesday 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM
  • Thursday 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM
  • Friday 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM

WEEKEND TOURS: A guided tour of the Brewery followed by a Harpoon and UFO beer tasting. Note that their tour size is limited and do sell out. It is probably best to arrive early and buy tickets for a later tour.

Saturday 11:30 AM to 5:00 PM (Starting every half hour)

Sunday 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM (Starting every hour)

Cost for the tour is $5, but for your $5, you get a souvenir tasting glass, beer tasting, and give a donation to Harpoon Helps.

Blue Hills Brewery

1020 Turnpike Street #3B
Canton, MA 02021

Phone: (781) 821-2337

They have weekly tasting on Friday 3:30 – 6:30 and Saturday from 2:00 – 6:00.

Cape Ann Brewing Co.

27 Commercial Street
Gloucester, MA 01930

Phone: 978-281-4782

They offer free tours.

Paper City Brewery Co Inc

108 Cabot St
Holyoke, MA 01040

Phone: 413-535-1588

Tours available: Mon – Fri, 9 AM to 5 PM or by appointment.

Cape Cod Beer

1336 Phinney’s Lane
Hyannis, MA 02601

Phone: 508-790-4200

Guided tours are offered every Tuesday at 11 am and every Saturday at 1 pm. These are free.

On days when they are open and not giving a guided tour, you can enjoy a self guided tour consisting of a tasting session and reading a guide that they provide.

Cisco Brewers

PO Box 2928/5 Bartlett Farm Rd
Nantucket, MA 02584

Phone: 508-325-5929

Stop by their brewery to sample their ales. Brewery is open daily 10-6

Berkshire Brewing Co Inc

PO Box 251/12 Railroad St
South Deerfield, MA 01373

Phone: 413-665-6600

Tours only available Saturday afternoon at 1:00pm.

Pioneer Brewing

195 Arnold Rd
Fiskdale, MA 01518

Phone: 508-347-7500

Tours available only on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. followed by a tasting in their Stein Hall.

Wachusett Brewing Co

175 State Rd E
Westminster, MA 01473

Phone: 978-874-9965

They have tours from 12 pm. to 4 pm. (last tour starts at 3pm.) on Wednesday and Thursday and tours from 12 pm. to 5 pm. (last tour starts at 4 pm.) on Friday and Saturday.

A full brewery tour is only given on Saturdays. A condensed tour is given on weekdays. A tasting session follows the walking tour.

The tour is free of charge. Any voluntary contributions received will be donated to the Westminster Benefit Fund, a local charity helping families in need for over 19 years.

New Hampshire Breweries

Tuckerman Brewing Co

64 Hobbs Street
Conway, NH 03818

Phone: 603-447-5400

They have guided tours and tasting every Saturday at 3 pm.

Redhook Ale Brewery

35 Corporate Dr
Portsmouth, NH 03801

Phone: 603-430-8600

Public Brewery Tours:

Mon, Tues — 2:00pm
Wed, Thurs, & Fri — 1:00, 3:00, 5:00pm
Sat — 12:00 – 4:00pm on the hour
Sun — 1:00 – 4:00pm on the hour

The cost for the tour is $1 per person. The tour includes a sampling session and a souvenir tasting glass.

They also offer private tours, check their website for details.

Smuttynose Brewing Co

225 Heritage Ave
Portsmouth, NH 03801-5610

Phone: 603-436-4026

They have tours and tastings every Fridays at 3 pm and Saturday at 11 am.

Rhode Island Breweries

Coastal Extreme Brewing Company

293 J.T. Connell Rd.
Newport, RI 02840

Phone: (401)849-5232

Visitor’s center and tasting room is open from 12pm – 5pm everyday except for Tuesdays. The cost for a tour and beer tasting is $7 and the cost for a tour and rum tasting is $9. The cost of the tasting includes a souvenir crystal tasting glass.

Mews Tavern

456 Main St.
South Kingstown, RI 02879

Phone: (401)783-9370

69 different beers on tap

200 different scotches for the scotch lover

Vermont Breweries

Long Trail Brewing Co

Box 168
Bridgewater Corners, VT 05035

Phone: 802-672-5011

They offer self-guided tours. Their Visitor’s Center is open daily from 10 am to 7 pm for sampling.

Switchback Brewing Co

160 Flynn Ave
Burlington, VT 05401

Phone: 802-651-4114

Trout River Brewing Company

PO Box 165
Lyndonville, VT 05851-0165

Phone: 802-626-9396

Otter Creek Brewing Co

793 Exchange St
Middlebury, VT 05753

Phone: 802-388-0727

The offer self-guided tours of the brewery and samples in their Visitor’s Center, daily from 11 am to 6 pm.

Rock Art Brewery

254 Wilkins St
Morrisville, VT 05661

Phone: 802-888-9400

They have tours on Friday and Saturday at 2 pm and 4 pm. They hold tastings Wednesday through Saturday from 1 pm to 5:30 pm with the purchase of a $3 souvenir glass. The tasting proceeds go to charity.

Magic Hat Brewing Co

5 Bartlett Bay Rd
South Burlington, VT 05403-7727

Phone: 802-658-2739

They offer both guided and self-guided tours for free. Samples are available as well.

Self-guided tour hours: Monday to Saturday: 10 am to 6 pm and Sunday: 12 pm to 5 pm.

Guided tour hours: Thursday and Friday: 3 pm., 4 pm., and 5 pm.; Saturday: 1 pm., 2 pm., 3 pm., 4 pm., and 5 pm.; Sunday: 1:30 pm.

Harpoon Brewery – Vermont

336 Ruth Carney Dr
Windsor, VT 05089

Phone: 802-674-5491

They offer guided tours of the brewery followed by a Harpoon and UFO beer tasting with the following days and times:

Friday: 4 pm., 5 pm., and 6 pm.

Saturday: 11 am. To 5 pm. (starting every hour)

Sunday: 11 am. To 3 pm. (starting every hour)

Cost for the tour is $5, but for your $5, you get a souvenir tasting glass, beer tasting, and give a donation to Harpoon Helps.

If you visiting during non-tour times they offer a Production Viewing Area where you can check out the Brewhouse “up close” and learn all about Harpoon. You can request a free sample from our sampling area.

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