Visiting Cape Cod in July

I wouldn't count on Topper.
Visit Cape Cod Brewing in Hyannis. Great beers, great folks...

 

OK I'll start add.
Where are you staying on the cape?
Are you coming in through Boston or Providence?
When (time of day and which day) are you planning on the actual trek onto the cape of cod?
I would say that you are heading the wrong direction for Heady, but things could change(I HOPE)

 

I'd like to piggyback on this thread, but replace "week of the 4th" with "week before the 4th" and "San Francisco" with "Denver." Close enough!

I'm going from a plane at Logan directly onto a bus to Barnstable and then to my folks' house in Orleans, so I can't really get anything from Boston itself. I'm guessing Hyannis is the best bet for bottle shops? Any good seasonals available this time of year?

 

I grew up in Orleans and go back every summer. You aren't going to find anything incredibly special at Windmill Liquor but that is usually where I hit if I need something in a pinch. That said, I usually stop into Julio's on the way down from New Hampshire and stock up.

 

Grain and Vine in Hyannis and Luke's in Falmouth both have excellent selections for bottle shops. If you can get across the bridge go to the New World Tavern in Plymouth...absolutely amazing bar.

 

Chain of liquor stores kind of along rt 28 that I have had decent luck finding beer on cape:
http://www.capecodwines.com/winecellar/location.htm
Local Locals,
Mayflower Brewing, Cape Cod Brewing, Just Beer, Off Shore, Cisco, maybe Blue Hills look at the rating to decide if you think any would be worth the effort.
A list of most MA breweries: http://www.massbrewersguild.org/craft-beer/index.php/member-breweries/

 

I think you mean Kappy's in Falmouth.

Yarmouth Wine and Spirits in South Yarmouth has a nice selection as well. Grain and Vine is the best shop on the cape though. As for Heady Topper, you won't find it here.

 

Supposedly the British Beer Company in Cedarville, just north of the cape along Route 3, has some Heady Topper. No idea how often their beer lists gets changed or if they reliably have it on hand. There are also British Beer Company locations dotting the cape. Hyannis, Falmouth and Sandwich all have one, I think.

The Cape really isn't a huge beer area, IME. That being said, I'd agree on visiting Cape Cod Brewing. Nice little family-owned brewery. The tour is small but there are a lot of free samples, and the porter and red are both pretty good and easy to find. Mayflower brewing is north of the Cape and I can't speak for their tour as I've never been, but their seasonals are excellent and their regular beers are decent.

Not sure where else you're headed, but I can tell you that Governor Bradford's in Provincetown is a bit of a dive, which is fine if you're into that sort of thing. I do most of my drinking at home or at friend's houses so I'm not really up on the bar scene in the area.

If you're looking for food, Eastham has a good pizza place called The Red Barn. They also have an overpriced/hyped fried seafood restaurant by the name of Arnold's, which isn't bad but is definitely a tourist trap and not really worth the attention it gets IMO. Falmouth has an upscale (read: pricey) Italian joint by the name of La Cucina Sul Mare; a really good seafood place, the Quarterdeck (swordfish is excellent though I forget if it's in season); and a halfway decent bar in Liam Maguire's. It's been so long since I've been to the last one that I really don't recall what their beer selection is like. Food was just okay.

If you're closer to Bourne--and if you're staying only just over the bridge to the Cape, you will be--the Silver Lounge is a good restaurant with excellent salmon and a nice steak roquefort. The Corner Cafe and Holly Berry's (both near Bourne, in Pocasset and Monument Beach respectively) are both decent breakfast options, although the former isn't quite as good as it used to be since new management moved in, and the latter gets kind of cramped. The Pancake Man in South Yarmouth is tasty and worth a visit if you're in that area.

Sorry for the wall of text. Can you tell I've been to Cape Cod quite a bit?

 

I went to Grain and Vine last year in February while I was in the area. Highly recommended.

 

You are getting excellent advice so far.. except for the part where everyone calls us Cape Cod Brewing..not such place..It's Cape Cod Beer..just that.. Cape Cod Beer.
Helps to know where you will be on Cape.
Our website is always up to date..we tweet and fb lots of local events..and have a cool beer finder app..that can be found here. http://www.capecodbeer.com/brewery/index.php/find-our-beer/beer-finder/
Beer has come a long way on Cape Cod in the last few years...It's no Denver or Philly or Boston.. But we have so many other redeeming qualities.. like fabulous beaches and quaint drinking village with fishing problems. (grin) If you have cape specific questions use our contact us form.. we'd be happy to help.
Cheers
Beth Marcus
Business Manager/Co-Owner
Cape Cod Beer

 

When in Rome as the saying goes. Go with Cape Cod Beer, they are a bit pricey in the liquors stores, but re-fills are more than reasonable at the brewery (I have my four in the basement waiting for the summer). Lukes may has an interesting selection, but a ride to Julio's is not out of the picture- it wouldn't be for me.

 

Don't visit the Cape without stopping in Provincetown. Its a really fun place. There is a new spot called Nor East Beer Garden that has a solid draft and bottle list. The Squealing Pig has some good beer too but a much smaller selection.

 

I will be on the Cape around the 4th. If you'd like to setup an IP trade I can probably get some HT.

 

Bears mentioning that about 85% of what there is to do and see in Provincetown is on or around Commercial Street. Pretty much the usual touristy stuff: bars, little hole-in-the-wall cafes, saltwater taffy, transvestites, gift shops, etc.

 

This. Nor'East is terrific.

 

Yes..your friend is right about the lighthouse...good food too

 

Kappy's in Falmouth has the biggest craft beer section on Cape Cod, and offer a "mix your own six pack" for when you have a hard time just choosing one.

 

Less than a mile from the PVD airport is Track 84. It is a phenomenal bar and has the best draft selection in the state by far. I know you said you're getting in at an un-godly hour, but Track 84 is so good that it'd be worth it for you to sleep in front of their building until they open.