This next week I'm traveling from Illinois to Laconia, NH for bike week. Anyone have suggestions of brewery's or cool places to checkout on my travels?
If it is craft beer you seek find them in Smoke N Barely near Laconia (Tilton) you will. (for sounding like Yoda I have no excuse.)
Depending on your route, some of the info on this thread about the (relatively) nearby Sunapee area might help. Unfortunately, neither the Laconia or Sunapee areas offer too much in the way of craft beer, as far as I know. You won't be too far from Squam Brewing, but I'm not sure whether they offer tours. One place you should definitely visit in Laconia, though, is Burrito Me. I've never visited their restaurant, but I've had their food at a fest last summer, and it was excellent. They carry a nice, limited selection of local craft beers (all bottles, I believe) to wash down some great burritos. They might be a good place to ask about where to get beer locally and any other worthwhile bars and restaurants, as well. I'd stock up at Bert's Better Beers in Hooksett (just over the Manchester line) on your way up. You could easily stop at White Birch for a tour and tasting just up the road from Bert's, and/or get dinner and beers in Manchester on your way up, as well. Manchester's not the best beer city in the world--or even New Hampshire (Portsmouth's concentration of bars and breweries gets the nod)--but it's pretty easy to find a good (local or non-local) pint and a nice meal downtown. Enjoy your visit to a beautiful, but largely beer-deprived corner of the state!
