7 Must Visit Breweries in Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Portsmouth, New Hampshire is a seacoast town rich with history, restaurants, culture and….great Craft Beer!

Only an hour north of Boston, Portsmouth is home to 7 breweries — all with a different spin on craft beer and ALL definitely worth a visit. Lodging ranges from Motels to 5 Star Resorts — so come on up and do your own brewery tour all weekend.

Here are Portsmouth’s Breweries (listed in Alphabetical order):

1) Beara Brewing Co. (www.bearairishbrew.com)

Everytime Founder/Brewer Michael Potorti visited the Beara Penninsula in Co. Cork, Ireland he was very impressed with the quality and taste of local bread and grain products. So he had an idea a few years back to brew beer with a pure Irish Barley base.

Using imported barley from Ireland and local ingredients from New England, Beara Brewing Co. was born. Supporting local industries is important to Beara, who partners with local bee keepers, maple syrup farms, even a BBQ place up the road (Beara also infuses Buffalo Wing and Bacon Chipotle BBQ sauces into some beer).

Their brewery and taproom are located at 2800 Lafayette Rd. in Portsmouth, NH.

2) Cisco Brewers (https://ciscobrewers.com)

Cisco Brewers was founded by Randy and Wendy Hudson on Nantucket Island, MA. In 2018, the Red Hook facility (brewery and restaurant) in Portsmouth was taken over by “Cisco” and the rest is history.

Brews offered include Indie Pale Ale, Grey Lady Ale (fermented with Belgian yeast and brewed with fresh fruit and spices) and Whale’s Tale Pale Ale.

Their brewery and restaurant are located at 35 Corporate Dr, Pease International Tradeport, Portsmouth, NH

3) Earth Eagle Brewings (http://eartheaglebrewings.com)

Founded in 2012, Earth Eagle Brewings is a brewery and restaurant featuring creative hand-made ales — — hopped and otherwise, lunch, dinner, cocktails available 7 days a week.

There is also a homebrew shop on premises (A&G Homebrew Supply) in case you wanted to try your hand at creating your own masterpiece.

The brewery and restaurant is located at 165 High Street, Portsmouth, NH

4) Great Rhythm Brewing Co. (http://www.greatrhythmbrewing.com)

Founded by Scott and Kristen Thornton in February of 2012, Great Rhythm Brewing Company is the result of an unwavering pursuit to create the most flavorfully hoppy beers for every occasion.

While staying true to their active lifestyle and other passions in life, music and travel, Kristen and Scott set out to create a brewery that fosters the idea of living life to the fullest with great friends, great music and great craft beer.

Their brewery and taproom are located at 105 Bartlett Street in Portsmouth, NH.

5) Liars Bench Beer Co. (http://www.liarsbenchbeer.com)

Liars Bench first began when friends Dane and Dagan built a board & nail bar in the basement of their first apartment. Fast friends and freshman roommates, they came up together during their years at UNH.

In 2015, Dane returned to New Hampshire and on Memorial Day weekend of the following year Liars Bench Beer Company opened its doors and opened its taps. The brewery is small and housed in an old plumbing supply warehouse.

Their brewery and taproom are located at 459 Islington Street in Portsmouth, NH.

6) Loaded Question Brewing Co. (https://www.loadedquestionbrewing.com/)

Loaded Question was conceived on the idea that great beer mimics life. Their favorite beer changes with the season, the time of day, the weather, and the crew they’re hanging with. When the color, flavor, body and aroma of the beer match the moment it enriches the experience. Loaded Question is dedicated to understanding the infinite possibilities of craft beer and making memorable moments with fellow beer lovers.

Brews include “Things that Go Hop in the Dark” (Black IPA with Citra and Amarillo Hops) and Halloween Candi (Spiced Belgian Ale)

Their brewery and taproom are located at 909 Islington Street in Portsmouth, NH.

7) Portsmouth Brewery (https://portsmouthbrewery.com/)

The Portsmouth Brewery, New Hampshire’s original brewpub, has been serving great food and outstanding handcrafted beers in a friendly, lively atmosphere since 1991.

It was was voted 2017’s Best After-Work Bar (Seacoast) and Best Business Lunch (Seacoast) by NH Business Review readers.

The Brewpub is located at 56 Market Street in Portsmouth, NH.

So there you have it. All have their own style and delicious craft beer brewed on premise. Go get it!

Michael Potorti is the Host of Craft Beer Storm and Founder/Brewer at Beara Brewing Co. in Portsmouth, NH