It must be hard to be sandwiched between two brewing titans like Vermont and Maine. New Hampshire is as tried and true, dyed-in-the-wool New England as it gets (the state’s motto is Live Free Or Die after all), but the Granite State’s brewing industry has miles to go before it sleeps. New Hampshire may be late in the brewing game, but its will is strong, and breweries are opening across the region. The road is long and winding and not without its missteps and sprained ankles, but the horizon looks promising with what’s bubbling in the 603.

NOTE: There are more than 30 breweries in NH, and more to come. How many can you hit in one day and still see straight? These are a few that welcome visitors over the weekend.

603 Brewery – Founded in Campton, NH (yes that’s a real place) in 2012, this brewery has come a long way, as they now serve customers with kegs and bottles. And with the help of a local mobile canning operation, their beer can be found with a pop-top. There’s a lot of real estate in New Hampshire during this beer gold rush, and 603 knows it. Visit for a flight of their tapped offerings, and snack on some popcorn while chewing the fat with the staff. There’s bound to be a brewer checking temperatures or cleaning something.

Drink: White Peaks White IPA. It tastes good and New Hampshire is awesome…don’t dispute me.

Kelsen Brewing – Blink while you’re driving and you might pass this brewery. If the tasting room were any smaller, you’d think you were at someone’s apartment in an industrial park. Already boasting some awards from the US Open Beer Championship, Kelsen offers draught and bombers with artwork that looks like it’s straight off the newest World of Warcraft expansion set…It’s places like this that make me excited for the growing beer scene in New Hampshire. It’s local and new, and willing to take risks to turn some people on to a different drinking experience. New Hampshire needs to get on board with welcoming young businesses into the fold.

Drink: Paradigm Brown Ale, a hoppy brown ale that will hopefully partake in the charge against this overlooked style in America. 

From The Barrel – Brand spanking new, From The Barrel isn’t much past its 90-day warranty. FTB drinks incredibly fresh, and is in the same parking lot as Moonlight Meadery (which is always a welcome break from hops and barley, and offers a slew of different meads, but I digress). FTB offers more than just IPAs, yet remains distinctly American in style, and there ain’t nothing wrong with that, is there you beastly throng of lupulin addicts?

Drink: Nautical Mile Pale Ale. Mild mineral flavors that mesh with a touch of Nelson Sauvin hops. Stands out against the other hoppy treats.

Able Ebenezer – I immediately have a soft spot for this brewery, simply because of the aesthetic of the physical space and the story behind the name; I want to drink here. It’s branded after a New Hampshire colonist who blasted the finger to the British in 1772 over logging rights, subsequently leading to the creation of one badass lumberjack and a gnarly flag. With only a few styles to choose from, Able Ebenezer is playing in Budweiser’s back yard, and they’re not scared. Offering a very drinkable amber, a smoked IPA, and a Belgian ale, the boys behind AE are waving the banner; they’re ready for battle.

Drink: Auburn American Red Ale. Despite early grumblings in the community against the overuse of hops, this hoppy red ale is extremely drinkable and breathes new life into the beaten style. Want a beer you can drink out of a tankard? Get this.

Despite the entire goings on with the beer community in New Hampshire, including the arrival of sorely needed bottle shops with people who know something about beer, there’s still a long way to go. For example, would it kill breweries to purge their growlers with CO2 before they fill them, or use swing top growlers instead of screw caps? Yes, beer is meant to be enjoyed fresh from a growler, and screw tops are assuredly less expensive, but look at the competition. Swing tops, counter pressure fills, and gas purging are de rigueur (or should be) before the beer even gets poured into a bottle. Craft beer drinkers have beaten the drum of quality control before, and these steps are essential to ensuring a quality experience every time, let alone the quality of the liquid. The contested return of a “craft beer bubble” will be sure to mow down exposed imperfections in the industry, but businesses get to work these kinks out, and nothing is more exciting than seeing our brothers and sisters in suds rise to the top. Let’s set the standard for success now.