I-93 NH brewery/beer stops

Recently went up that way to try a few new spots. Rockingham, Kelsen, and 603 were all pretty much right off 93 and solid. 603 and Kelsen you can pretty much find on the shelves if you want, but Kelsen definitely makes tasty brews and would be worth a stop. I also really enjoyed Rockingham and would definitely like to go back...good news is they are right next to Kelsen so you could easily hit up both. We got food at Backyard up closer to Manch-vegas...highly recommend eating there (minus the tacos those were pretty blah), and the beer was good too.

 

I think this is the complete list of breweries along I-93 from entering NH to Concord (where you'd get 89 to go to Sunapee).

My personal order of preference to visit (incorporating beer quality, availability of beer outside brewery, vibe, service, amenities and food options)

Lithermans Limited
From the Barrel
Backyard Brewery & Kitchen
Pipe Dream Brewing
Rockingham Brewing
Long Blue Cat
Kelsen Brewing
Great North Aleworks
603 Brewery
Candia Road Brewing

Concord Craft Brewing*
Oddball Brewery*
Border Brewery*
*Have had the beer but not visited the brewery, ordered only on beer prefence.

Along 293 when it converges with 93:
Stark Brewing
Aigean Ales~
~Have not had the beer.

Moonlight Meadery is also in the area.

There's also Flying Goose near Sunapee which is a brewpub with pretty good beer.

 

Once you get onto I-89 you'll be entering the Great New England Beer Desert and the oases will be far flung.

The Flying Goose is the only mandatory stop in this region, for both beer and food. Although Henniker Brewing isn't terrible.

BUT, if you just continue on less than a half hour beyond Sunapee into White River Junction, you can go to River Roost and Big Fatty's BBQ - that's what I'd do and, in fact, that's what I do do.

 

I would second the flying goose. Pretty solid. Their new lemondrop ipa wasnt half bad. Thier double ipa was pretty good as well. Food is excellent as well.

 

To eat and drink I wood say yes Flying Goose is good but New England Tap House and grill in Hooksett is much better IMO. Backyard is also good in Manchester but it is much better in the summer because they have a huge outside seating area.

People listed a bunch of good ones above I would add in Kettlehead Brewing in Franklin. It's a new joint with solid beer and a very solid lunch menu. (Get the fried pretzel app). Was just there last Wednesday. Garrison City also brews some great stuff.

I would also severely urge the 1/2 trip to White River Junction. Eat at Big Fatty's good BBQ but great tap list. There is a beer store/crowler store attached with 20 more taps and good bottle cans selection. Right across the road is River Roost which is worth a 2 hour drive let alone 1/2 hour drive. In my opinion better beer than any brewery listed in the entire thread.

Hell keep going and go to Waterbury Vermont if you aren't afraid of the drive, LOL.

 

That's a good one, too. I haven't been there but I've had their beer and it's mighty tasty. I didn't include it because I figured it was too far out of the way but, really, it's probably less than a half hour north of the junction with 89 and then you can cut cross-country on Route 11 to get to Sunapee.

 

I don't think it's event that long. Definitely a lunch menu more than dinner which is great because I would get there right at opening. I've heard they have been pretty slammed later in the day. We were the 4th people through the door 5 minutes after they opened. When we left pretty much every seat was full and that was on a Wednesday.

 

Kettlehead in Tilton is about 30 miles from Sunapee. A good spot for food and beers. Tilton has an outlet mall if that is something your group is interested in.

 

I live in the area and it's unreal about the beer wasteland in this area. I plan a large annual Brewfest and it is heavily attended. If someone opened a good brewery they would absolutely kill it.

 

Website is www.claremontbrewfest.com I don't think our social media lady has updated yet but it has last years' info on there. She should be scrubbing the page soon so we can start getting accurate 2018 info in there.

Also we have a good following on Facebook at Claremont Brewfest & 5K

 

Our brew fest in Keene was way lamer than yours.

 

Well I guess that's good for us, lol

 

+1 for Kettlehead. 100% worth a stop for lunch/dinner

 

I came here to say this. In as much Sunapee’s apres scene is probably the worst in New England, we always stop@ Flying Goose. Great food, friendly service & tasty beer.

 

Stopped @ Kettlehead on Friday on my way for a ski weekend .

Man these guys have the hazy IPA thing figured out despite only being open since August last year.

Aside from their disastrous lactose IPA the 3 other cloudy/hoppy/juice beers hit the current standard. Nice space & food was pretty good too. If you’re into Trill/TH type beers you should consider this place just off 93.

Side note - heard this place was always jammed, but at least last Friday evening it was 3/4 full.

 

I was in Concord Friday so I detoured up to Kettlehead to check it out. I got there about 5 minutes after opening and there were just a couple of other people there when I got there and still when I left.

There weren't any cans, which was a bummer - and, apparently, no way to know if there will be, short of calling them on the telephone and asking - but I did haul away seven crowlers which kept me happy for a few days.

I did try the lactose IPA, the name of which escapes me at the moment, and, while it wasn't utterly nasty, I surely didn't bother to bring any home with me.