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
16 Business Park Drive
Branford, CT 06405
(203) 208-2827
Guided Tours:
Saturdays at 12, 2 and 4pm
Sundays at 1, 3 and 5pm
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)
33 Camps Road
Kent, CT 06757
They offer a free guided tour of their farm and brewery every Saturday at 2pm
776 Tolland Street
East Hartford, CT 06108
(860) 528-2200
1700 Stratford Avenue
Stratford, CT 06615
(203) 335-2010
16 Tobey Road
Bloomfield, CT 06002
(860) 242-3111
100 Mechanic St
Pawcatuck, CT 06379
(860) 599-8213
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
50 Industrial Way
Portland, ME 04103
Phone: 207-878-5385
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.
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.
19 Mill St #4
Orono, ME 04473
Phone: 207-949-2880
38 Evergreen Dr
Portland, ME 04103-1066
Phone: 207-878-2337
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
27 Commercial Street
Gloucester, MA 01930
Phone: 978-281-4782
They offer free tours.
108 Cabot St
Holyoke, MA 01040
Phone: 413-535-1588
Tours available: Mon – Fri, 9 AM to 5 PM or by appointment.
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.
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
PO Box 251/12 Railroad St
South Deerfield, MA 01373
Phone: 413-665-6600
Tours only available Saturday afternoon at 1:00pm.
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.
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
64 Hobbs Street
Conway, NH 03818
Phone: 603-447-5400
They have guided tours and tasting every Saturday at 3 pm.
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.
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.
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
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
PO Box 165
Lyndonville, VT 05851-0165
Phone: 802-626-9396
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.
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.
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.
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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