Exploring the Emerging, Community-Oriented Craft Beer Scene in New Hampshire

still a sad state of affairs.

 

Really tough to beat the feeling of drinking a beer overlooking the river at Schilling.

 

I still haven’t had the chance to visit them yet, but I think they produce some of the most well made beer in the state. Clean, nuanced, and easy drinking. Unfortunately they are in the minority.

 

One word. Stoneface.

 

Deciduous needs to be on the short list of best breweries in NH.

 

Sounds like NH is a prime spot for emerging/potential brewers.

I think MA and ME are far too saturated with breweries at this point. I believe there's still projected to be over 9000 breweries in the country by 2021, but this is likely due to breweries popping up in more rural places that don't have many, if any, breweries.

This was highlighted for me in this part of the article (quoted below in bold), because I spent a week every summer for 30ish years with my family in Gilford/Laconia. As I got older, and into craft beer, I noticed that area was a craft beer wasteland.

I'm not surprised Kettlehead saw immediate success in that region.

One of the state’s most sought-after breweries is Kettlehead Brewing in Tilton, in the heart of New Hampshire’s Lakes Region.

“As soon as we opened, it just exploded,” says owner-brewer Sam Morrissette, whose outfit will be celebrating its second anniversary in November. “People were excited to have something to do. As soon as it hit, it was way more than expected.”

 

Lots of interesting options here now. Most are on the other side of the state from me, but I still get to try them from time to time.

Schilling is great all around spot. Kettlehead is excellent for food and beer.

I am really happy that a lot of the Schilling brews are available at my grocery store in cans, with excellent variety.

 

Thanks for writing this up, Matt. Lots going on in the NH beer scene.

Honorable mention goes to From the Barrel Brewery, who makes terrific hoppy beers IMO.

 

Polyculture in Croydon is an interesting one too. Pretty limited at this point, but a nice option. They show up on tap in my area fairly regularly and sell at the Lebanon Farmers Market in addition to their limited tap room hours.

 

if you think NH is bad, try Southern VT.

 

no mention of Post and Beam?

 

Post and Beam is very solid as is Branch and Blade in Keene NH. Haven't been there yet but Spyglass in Nashua is getting a lot of hype, same with Coos. Litherman's Limited beer is just OK but they have a very cool taproom.

Living in NH my tops would probably be
Kettlehead
Decidious
Backyard (as much for the food probably as the beer)

I've soured on Stone Face the last few years.

I'm just glad I live .5 miles from Vermont. I try to claim River Roost as NH because they are so damn close. lol

 

I'm also 0.5 miles from VT. Upper Valley. Where are you?

 

I live in Charelstown NH about 3 minutes from exit 7 off 91.

 

Nice, I'm north, 20 miles above Dartmouth College.

 

Oh that's Upper/Upper Valley.

 

For the NH heads...... I got the epic pass this year and Mt Sunapee is about 90 minutes from boston so had planned on heading up a few times this seasons on random days. Any breweries somebody could recommend in that area or on the way back to boston?