Ok, I live in CT... just got a message from a fried that they will be in NH and wanted to know if I wanted him to pick me up something from there.... I have no idea what is in NH that I can't get here in CT. Any suggestions? Does Heady Topper show up there? I will try to research this myself, but was hoping for some assistance.
Also Portsmouth is only available at the brewery if I'm remembering correctly - some pretty good stuff there.
Try some stuff from Throwback Brewery if they're anywhere near the Seacoast. Here's what's in bottles: Maple Kissed Wheat Porter Campfire Smoked Porter Spicy Bohemian Pilsner Hog Happy Hefeweizen Dippity Do Brown Ale Fat Alberta Imperial Chocolate Peanut Butter Stout (if you're lucky) More is available for growler fills at the brewery in North Hampton.
He should cross the border to Lovell, ME and spend the money on himself at Ebenezer's Pub - believe their Belgian fest is going on. More seriously, Maine Beer Co recently brewed fresh batches of MO and LUNCH. They distribute to NH but not CT, so maybe he could get you one of those.
Not sure if your friend is still up there, but in North Conway, he should pick up some Moat Mountain--the Iron Mike Pale Ale and the Boneshaker Brown Ale are both very good examples of their style and easily available in 24-oz cans. They also do limited and rotating releases in bombers, which tend to be a bit more expensive than the cans. I'm not sure what they have out in bombers right now, but they're generally a very solid, true-to-style brewery making clean, crisp beers. Their Scottie's IPA is particularly good when it's available in bottles or on-tap (growler)--it's been awhile since I've had it, but I'd say it's in a vein similar to Smuttynose's Finestkind IPA. Tuckerman is also in Conway, and I particularly enjoy their Headwall Alt, as well as their ALTitude, which is a fairly limited edition, smooth, tasty stickebier. I also enjoyed their 6288 Stout, but it's a bit unusual for the style, brewed with a German yeast, and lagered and krausened. Your friend could also drive just across the border into Maine to pick up some standouts that aren't available in NH. I'd particularly recommend anything from Maine Beer Co., and easier to find and less expensive, Rising Tide. I'd especially recommend Rising Tide's limited release, Zephyr IPA, which I just had this weekend and loved, as well as Daymark, a very crisp pale ale with a subtle rye spiciness. It sounds like you get White Birch in Connecticut, but if your friend comes across a bottle of the limited release Unforgettable IPA, I'd highly recommend it--a very nice, juicy IPA. Crown of Gold is also a nice summer rye without some of the harsh dryness of some ryes. I'm not sure if Nepenthe/Candia Road makes it up to the Conway area, but they're easy to find in the Manchester area and I saw them recently in Portsmouth, so probably on the way back to CT at least. The Shire Stout and summer Solo-Springer are my two favorites from them. Throwback's Dippity Do Brown and Hog Happy Hefeweizen are also solid versions of each style, but I think their most interesting beers have been their draft/growler-only releases, like their altibier, stouts and porters. They offer 750ml mini growlers if your friend is passing through North Hampton. I'd start with the cans--both Iron Mike Pale Ale, a true-to-style American pale ale with a great hoppy nose, and Boneshaker Brown, a hoppier than usual version of the style.
