New Hampshire has a rich history of breweries and distilleries. Among the 500 breweries in New England, New Hampshire has at least 78. Set amid spectacular natural beauty, the North Conway NH area has a fair share. Many tourists are attracted to the White Mountains for the scenery and leave with a deeper appreciation for these local craft brewers and distillers.
Tuckerman Brewing Co, Moat Mountain Brewing Co, Cathedral Ledge Distillery are some of the most renowned breweries in this area. North Conway NH real estate is also flourishing because of these local industries.
Everything has a backstory. These craft beer breweries have some inspiring ones as well. In this article, I am going to talk about some popular breweries in North Conway, New Hampshire. I will briefly discuss their history, their business, and commitment to this area and their industry.
Tuckerman Brewing Company
In 1998, Kirsten Neves and Nik Stanciu decided to do something that will rewrite the history of craft beers in North Conway. They were in their mid-20’s and it was the time to pursue their life goals. But none of them was sure what it was. Then, they moved near Mount Washington and took jobs nearby.
They loved beers, and had always brewed some of their own. Then the put 2 and 2 together and started a brewery to go into the craft beer business. What catalyzed their entrepreneurship is the inspirational feel of the area and it is reflected in the name they gave to their company. What name could be better than the name of the Mt Washington hiking and spring skiing epicenter itself?
Tuckerman brewing has gone a long way since the beginning. They scaled up twice in 2004 and 2014. No matter the facility or the area; their love, and dedication for craft beers remain the same. That’s why they have been successful to this date since they began their journey. Tuckerman brewing is a name of passion to beer lovers.
They included a tasting room in 2014 equipped with modern pieces of machinery. They also offer a taproom to their guests. Anyone can take a tour exploring the brewing process and even have a sample. This culture of tasting rooms and taprooms is one of the many attractive aspects that set craft beers apart from commercial beers.
They also have live music with local artists to entertain their customers both outside the brewery as well as in the tasting room. They call it the Tuckerman Brewing Music Series. Nothing beats the combination of some great music with a pint glass full of chilled beer.
Tuckerman brewing also has operations in Massachusetts and Maine where they produce beers at an industrial scale. They produce about one and a half million cans each year. That’s a lot! You will be surprised what this once small brewery has become. Tuckermans adores their home, nature, their awesome customers, and most importantly, their beer!
Tuckerman Brewing Co is located at 66 Hobbs St in Conway NH, about 3 miles south of the Rt 16 and 302 intersection in North Conway NH.
Moat Mountain Smokehouse and Brewing Co
“The Moat”, one of the finest craft beer producers in North Conway, started their business in 2000. They offer excellent dining facilities to their guests as well. Moat Mountain is kind of a brew pub, inn, and restaurant all at the same time. They have a very popular smokehouse food utopia. Hence, they have added ‘smokehouse’ to their name.
With growing popularity, The Moat felt the urge to scale up its business. With that in mind, they started renovating the historic Limmer barn in 2013 and finished by December. The first brewing took place on 31st December of the same year. This exceptional feat was achieved due to the efforts of local manpower and also, Moat Mountain’s dedication.
The first canned beer operation also started in this building. That’s why they call it the ”cannery”. However, the canning operation took a bit longer to begin. The required machineries were installed in February. And their fan-favorite 16-ounce cans hit the market only a month later.
They have cold storage and raw material storage in the Limmer barn. But the factory does not offer any tasting room and the factoryis not publicly accessible. However, they have continued their brewing process in the smokehouse which so customers still catch glimpses of the process. Moat Mountain produces 7 signature flavors throughout the year.
Among them, English brown ale, Rye Whiskey Barrel-Aged Stout, and New England pale ale are worth mentioning. They also take pride in their Indian Pale Ale (IPA) varieties along with tons of seasonal offerings. Any beer lover, be that an enthusiast or just a beginner, is sure to fall in love with crafted perfections by Moat Mountain Brewery.
Not talking about their smokehouse would be a crime. They offer excellent local and regional cuisines. They have sandwiches, burgers, pizzas, steaks along with plenty of mouthwatering side options. Whether you are a vegetarian or on a diet, or maybe a meat lover; Moat Mountains Smokehouse has great food for you.
Moat Mountain Smokehouse and Brewing Co is located at 3378 White Mountain Hwy in North Conway NH, just about a mile north of North Conway Village.
Saco River Brewing
House of another wonderful craft beer, Saco River Brewing, is located in scenic Fryeburg Maine, just east of Conway NH on Rt 302. It was established in 2015 with dedication and commitment to craft beers. They now produce 16oz cans and distribute throughout Maine, and other states.
When talking about Saco River Brewing, you must talk about their wide range of flavors, both bottled and on tap. They specialize in double IPA or more commonly known as DIPA beers. This particular type of pale ale is pretty strong and hoppy. The absence of complex malts and other residues is what makes it different.
They have different types of DIPA beers like Ancient Galaxies DIPA, Hop Seduction DIPA, Hornets’ Nest DIPA, etc. They also have other pale ale flavors like Clearwater Pale Ale, Lazy River IPA, etc. These carefully crafted beers are extremely popular among beer lovers. Besides their expertise in crafting, their passion for the culture also plays a big role.
They have a tasting location in Fryeburg and can be found in pubs outside of Fryeburg as well. Some places worth mentioning are Bridgton, Brownfield, Naples, Cornish, Bethel, etc. They sell cans in 4-unit cases. You can also avail of growlers and refill packs. Doesn’t matter which pack you take; their taste remains exceptional.
You can also try out Saco River’s merch shop on their website. They have some beautifully designed t-shirts, caps, hats, hoodies, etc. They also have Pilsner glasses, IPA glass, tulip glass, etc.
Saco River Brewing Co. is located in Fryeburg Maine at 10 Jockey Cap Lane, about 10 miles east of North Conway on Rt 302.
Sea Dog Brewing Company
Sea Dog brewing is one of the most widely operated breweries from New Hampshire. They have brew pubs across multiple locations in Maine, New Hampshire, and… Florida. It was founded in 1993. Initially, they were only a 240-seat brewpub in Camden. Two years later they moved to a bigger, 540 seat restaurant on the banks of the Penobscot River in the same city.
Sea Dog emphasizes their flavors more than anything else. They import two-row malted barley from England and hops and grains from Germany. They also use a special type of British yeast to create a perfect flavor with a top-notch finish. Their picky nature when selecting ingredients is what sets their place among legendary craft beers.
They have some flavors that go all year long along with a seasonal flavor or two. Flavors like IPA, Hazelnut Porter, Apricot and Raspberry go all through the year. They are manufactured carefully by expert craftsmen and available in 12 oz. Bottles. Seasonal flavors like Pumpkin Ale is everything you can desire during the pumpkin everything season. Its crisp flavor and delightful aroma will leave you licking your lips.
All of their 10 restaurants in 3 different states offer a variety of cuisines. The restaurant in North Conway offers pretty much everything. From steaks to seafood, burgers to salads, pizzas to sandwiches; they’ve got it all to fill your tummy. And of course, they have beers, wine, exotic cocktails, and everything from a full bar. You won’t leave there thirsty!
If you are not into alcoholic drinks, Sea Dog won’t disappoint you. It IS a family restaurants. Besides beers, they also have handcrafted seltzers. Seltzers are sparkling waters with the only ingredients being water, dissolved carbon dioxide, and flavors. Sea Dog has 3 delectable flavors for seltzers. They are wild blueberry, black cherry, and juicy raspberry.
They claim the seltzer to be an excellent craft alternative to beers. Sea Dog also produces seltzers in small batches to ensure quality. The use of natural flavors makes these drinks extremely flavorful. They are sugar-free and low in calorie, so you can drink all you want regardless of your weight.
Sea Dog Brewing Co is located at 1976 White Mountain Hwy in North Conway NH.
Cathedral Ledge Distillery
A wide range of spirits are produced by the new kid in town, Cathedral Ledge Distillery. They call their spirits ‘grain to glass’ because that is exactly what it is. The grains are hand-picked and ground carefully. All of their spirits are produced at their new North Conway distillery and are approved by USDA. They have specially crafted spirits.
Distilling requires a lot of energy but Cathedral Ledge has opted to mitigate usage of energy as much as possible. They have installed LED lights instead of other energy-intensive lights. Plus, their outdoor lights are dark sky compliant and automatically dim themselves depending on the intensity of the environmental light.
Their new-creation spirits are really remarkable. The organic new-make whisky is like traditional whisky, but it isn’t. They are produced from regular whiskey grain with a hint of wheat to dial down the strong flavors. These whiskeys aren’t aged in barrels more than a day. That’s why you will experience the full, unparalleled flavors of the grains.
Their fig-flavored vodka is another specimen of crafting mastery. It is made traditionally from grains and then infused organic figs imported from Turkey. They use ripe figs to give it a touch of sweetness. You can drink the vodka straight up. It also makes great cocktails like a martinis.
The blueberry flavored vodka by Cathedral Ledge is just like their fig flavor vodka, only flavored with blueberry. The blueberries are organic, collected from the wilderness of Maine. Then the vodka is infused with the succulent flavor of the blueberries. You will get a hint of tartness and sweetness with every sip.
Their organic Aquavit is loved by many, even those that aren’t Scandinavians. They make it by infusing various flavors like anise, lemon peel clove, caraway, fennel, orange peel, and angelica root to their organic vodka. They make this special spirit in small amounts. So, it’s a must-try if you are in North Conway.
Cathedral Ledge Distillery is located at 3340 White Mountain Hwy in North Conway NH, just south of “The Moat”.
Tamworth Distilling & Mercantile
Tamworth NH is located at the foot of the White Mountains. It is a place of spectacular natural beauty and serenity. Many writers, artists, and innovators have found their inspiration from this beautiful town. So, the founders of Tamworth Distillery found this place inspiring when they decided to set foot on their venture of spirit crafting.
They use local grains, mountain water, herbs from local forests, and fruits and flavors from the local garden. Just like many an artist or writer, Tamworth Distillery takes their inspiration from nature. Their work echoes their promise, “What we take, we give back. And what we have, we give to you”.
They made their copper still from a Kentucky still and have a whiskey column, brandy helmet, gin basket, etc. This is to make sure that they can produce and deliver different spirits and make changes accordingly. What makes them different from other crafters is the use of their own neutral grain spirit base and pure mountain water.
They distill their own neutral spirit base from local organic rye, local corn, and malt. They collect the grains from local farmers and avoid transporting them from other states. This is to ensure that the grains remain as fresh as possible. They do not mill all the grains at once. Tamworth distilling rather follows an on-demand process to deliver you the freshest flavor.
The water they use is collected from mountain springs and purified in Ossipee Stratified Aquifer. This purifier facility delivers total industrial pollution-free water to be used in crafting spirits. This source is considered to be one of the safest sources of water on the entire east coast.
They make excellent liquors like Old Hampshire Applejack, Corpse Flower Durian Brandy, Graverobber Unholy Rye, White Mountain Vodka, and many others. They have store pickup, curbside pickup, and shipping options. Also like many other distilleries, they have a popular local tasting room. Tamworth Distilling takes pride in their history and legacy.
Tamworth Distilling and Mercantile is located at 15 Cleveland Hill Rd in Tamworth NH, off Rt 16 about 15 miles south of Conway NH.
Ledge Brewing Co
Ledge Brewing Company in Intervale, Bartlett NH is another crafter of high-quality beers. They are located at the base of the Presidential Range. Their beers are refreshing and energetic and are highly admired by hikers and skiers in the area.
They operate food trucks in the area to stay in touch with tourists. They sell both food and drinks to satisfy the cravings of all adventurers. Ledge brewing also arranges live music shows. They have a calendar on their websites showing event dates to make it easy to follow.
Despite being a newcomer in North Conway, Ledge Brewing is going toe to toe with top dogs like Tuckerman, Moat Mountain, etc. They also have tasting room off Town Hall Rd.
They produce various flavors of beer at different alcohol levels. Mosain IPA, Brown Ale, Orange, and Hibiscus; all of these have alcohol levels between 4-6%. Belgian Stout and Coffee Stout has 5.5% and 6% respectively. They have given unique names to each of these beers. Like One Trick Pony: Mosaic IPA, Hobo Joe: Coffee Stout, Foxhound: Brown Ale, etc.
Ledge Brewing Co is located at 15 Town Hall Rd in Bartlett NH (in Intervale), just north of North Conway NH.
Conclusion
The North Conway New Hampshire area has some of the best breweries and distilleries that this state has to offer. And these breweries have enough kegs of beers and booze ready to quench your thirst, no matter how big it is.
Take a trip to the village of North Conway NH, taste some of the finest liquors and craft beers in the United States. And if you are thinking of the potentials of North Conway NH real estate, while sipping a local craft beverage, shoot me, Bill Barbin, a text or give me a call at 603-986-0385. I can assure you, this trip to North Conway will be an experience of a lifetime.