10 Outstanding Breweries You'll Want To Visit In Boston
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Juliet White
Author
Boston will forever be associated with Samuel Adams Brewery, which makes sense as that’s a household name. However, the beer scene here extends far beyond the offerings of one company. The Boston area is peppered with enough craft breweries to keep even the most ardent beer lover busy! Here are 10 outstanding breweries to get you started:
RateBeer recently declared Trillium the third best brewery on the planet! Trillium excels at producing hop-forward ales, using local ingredients. There are two locations: one at 369 Congress Street in Boston and the other 110 Shawmut Road in Canton.
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Founded in 1986, Harpoon is a well-established Boston brewery that offers popular IPAs, a couple of golden ales, stout, and UFO beers. In the tasting room, pair your beer with the company’s scrumptious pretzels. Harpoon is located at 306 Northern Avenue in Boston.
If you’re looking for unique beer, mosey over to Lamplighter, where one-off, experimental batches are commonplace. This brewer often employs an atypical type of yeast (Brettanomyces), which sets it apart, as does the quirky location –an old car garage! Lamplighter Brewing Company is located at 284 Broadway in Cambridge.
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This brewery got its name because the company’s founders initially worked day jobs while brewing at night. Night Shift earned a Best of Boston award last year, along with recognition from the Great American Beer Festival and the World Beer Cup. Try the Santilli, a refreshing IPA with notes of pine, or the Matisse – the latter is one of the small-batch beers, so it's not always available. The taproom is located at 87 Santilli Highway in Everett.
With an appealing outdoor patio area and games, this brewery has plenty to recommend – not least of which is beer. How can you resist a brew called The Mind Flayer? From cream ales to Irish dry stouts, there’s something for everyone to drink here. Dorchester Brewing Company also carries beer from other craft breweries such as Stillwater Artisanal and Decadent Ales. You’ll find it at 1250 Massachusetts Avenue in Dorchester.
Known for producing Saison-style beer and for their square fermenters (most fermenters are cylindrical), Mystic Brewery is well worth a visit. Settle into a tasting room built using reclaimed materials and sample Saisons, Sour Lambic-type beers, and more. It is located at 174 Williams Street in Chelsea.
If you prefer to pair beer with food, then you’ll appreciate the small plates and sandwiches available at Winter Hill. Currently, the company’s small batch beers include IPAs and sours, with Belgian ale and an imperial stout soon to be added to the selection. Winter Hill Brewing is located at 328 Broadway in Somerville.
Want a great beer without having to sound educated – or interested – in the production process? Then this low-key brewery, which promotes its lack of pretension, may be a good fit for you. The beer menu includes innovative options like the Fat Elvis (a porter with peanut butter, banana, and bacon flavors) and Over the Line (a smoked beer). Visit the taproom at 31 Astor Avenue in Norwood.
This brewpub, founded in 1989, serves craft beer that is sometimes also single-batch beer. Sample the Blunderbuss Barleywine, which is aged in a whiskey barrel and has an ABV of 13%, or the ever-popular Tall Tale Pale Ale. This brewery also boasts an appealing patio area. The Cambridge Brewing Company is located at 1 Kendall Square in Cambridge.
New kid on the block alert! Democracy Brewing, a worker-owned brewery and pub, is opening in May 2018. In addition to a tasting room, the establishment will feature a full restaurant. The beer selection consists of a stout, ale, IPA, Saison, and seasonal offerings. Democracy Brewing’s décor draws inspiration from Boston’s Revolutionary history. Find it at 35 Temple Place in Boston.
What’s your favorite Boston-area brewing company? Let us know in the comments.
We haven’t included Sam Adams because everyone is already familiar with the brand. However, the Sam Adams brewery offers a free tour worth taking. You can also get the inside scoop – and often samples – on these factory tours in Boston.
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