You could spend years exploring the 听craft and microbreweries that听New England听has to offer and still never taste all the incredible beer from the region.听Luckily,听a number of听our editors and contributors have spent decades听living, adventuring, and drinking in the Northeast.听Here are their picks for the breweries and beers you have听to experience the next time you鈥檙e in the area, from the in an unsuspecting corner of Vermont to a little-known gem on the New Hampshire coast. Consider this your pocket guide to hoppy euphoria.听
Lawson鈥檚 Finest Liquids
Waitsfield, Vermont
Although I鈥檓 partial to my hometown of Stowe鈥檚听brewery, the听, and its听classic Heady Topper IPA,听I鈥檇 be remiss if I didn鈥檛 point brew lovers听to Lawson鈥檚. This taproom has tons of indoor and outdoor seating in an idyllic small-town setting,听and听, a cult-favorite fruity听 and my brew of choice, is always flowing. Farm-to-table appetizers, pinball machines, and lawn games will keep you here awhile, because听what鈥檚 better than a lazy day of听drinking with friends? When you鈥檙e ready to leave, walk less than half a mile south听to 听for the best maple 鈥渃reemee鈥濃攖hat鈥檚 Vermonter for soft-serve ice cream鈥攐f your life. 鈥擜bbey Gingras,听associate audience editor
Maine Beer听Company
Freeport, Maine
I first tasted听听during dinner at a New York City restaurant听last spring, a far cry from the charming coastal vibes of its home.听The brew鈥檚 name created a great deal of confusion later on when I asked听around about the听perfect beer I鈥檇 been drinking. But it鈥檚 cool鈥擫unch, after all, is an apt moniker for the Maine-based craft brewery鈥檚 imminently drinkable IPA. As someone鈥檚 day might hinge on their midday meal, this bold but balanced brew听immediately became the cornerstone of my beer-ordering habits. It鈥檚 frothy, malty, hoppy, and shot through with citrus and pine.听At 7 percent听ABV, I听recommend pairing it听with a sandwich if you鈥檙e drinking it at its designated hour, but you鈥檒l be able to find it in stores and restaurants all over the Northeast no matter the time听of day. 鈥擷ian Chiang-Waren, associate culture editor听
Narragansett Beer
Providence, Rhode Island
When I lived in Boston, I spent the summers with my girlfriend and her family at a small lake house in听central Massachusetts. On a typical day, we鈥檇 go for a morning swim and then read by the dock, and when the afternoon rolled along, someone would head to the 鈥減ackie,鈥 Massachusetts slang for liquor store,听and bring back an assortment of beer to have with dinner that night. My favorite pick听of the bunch听would听always听be听Narragansett, which is opening a new brewery and headquarters in Providence .听I remember one day when听we took a trip down to Narragansett Beach in Rhode Island听and听sipped on the namesake听 and in between sunbathing and dips in the ocean. Can you get more picturesque than that? 鈥擩eremy Rellosa, affiliate reviews editor
Trillium Brewing Company
Boston, Massachusetts
The people of Massachusetts truly hate to be outdone, and so when Vermont started getting all the craft-brewing attention, my beautiful Baked Bean State quite literally said, 鈥淗old my beer.鈥澨齏hile tons of breweries have popped up all over the state in recent years,听none can outshine the beloved听. Currently listed听as the third-best brewery in the world, according to , it听has been concocting all sorts of amazing combinations for seven years now. Grab a cannoli at in the North End, then walk a mile to the newly developed Seaport, where Trillium has set up a large but cozy taproom. After a beer and some poutine (or if you want to dive deep into the state鈥檚 coastal spirit, I suggest the lobster toast), head to the nearby听听to see one of the city鈥檚 best art听collections.听鈥擪yra Kennedy, photo editor
Throwback Brewery
North Hampton, New Hampshire
Like the New Hampshire coast itself, 听is tiny and not very听well-known, but it鈥檚 a heavenly place to visit in the summer or early fall. The brewery sources more than 70 percent听of its beer听ingredients,听like fruit and hops, locally, including from the听farm on which it鈥檚 located. Batches听are small in quantity, seasonal in availability, and experimental in flavor, and although you can find them in some stores around the region or buy them to go from the brewery, they鈥檙e best enjoyed on the farm itself. I鈥檝e spent several late afternoons in bliss on Throwback鈥檚 dog-friendly patio in scenic North Hampton, taking in a view听of goats, chickens, and donkeys (the brewery鈥檚 mascot), and relishing听the scent of听salt in the air from the nearby Atlantic. Start drinking with the听Spicy Bohemian, a pilsner dry-hopped with jalape帽os. It鈥檚 crisp, light, peppery, and spicy鈥攂ut not in an overwhelming way鈥攁nd it happens to be one of the most popular beers on tap every听year.听鈥擲vati Kirsten Narula, contributor听
Hill Farmstead
Greensboro Bend, Vermont
Since my colleague beat me to the punch in praise of Lawson鈥檚 Sip of Sunshine (which is really only to be enjoyed after you鈥檝e cooled the can in the cold water of Warren Falls听in Warren, Vermont),听I鈥檓 now听free to lavish attention on my other steadfast Vermont companion: Edward. Edward is about as perfect as a beer can be: a crisp but smooth American pale ale with just the right amount of hops and citrus. It pairs well with absolutely everything, complimenting light summer fare as well as听brightening hearty winter meals after a long day of skiing. You鈥檒l want to drink it year-round, but since it鈥檚 only available for purchase at the Northeast Kingdom brewery in northern Vermont and select restaurants in the area, you鈥檒l just have to make a trip there. Trust听us, it鈥檚 worth it. 鈥擷.颁-奥.
Tree House Brewing Company
Charlton, Massachusetts
If you find yourself in central Massachusetts,听you have to stop by Tree House Brewing鈥檚听听and experience what can only be described as听the Disneyland of beer.听Get there via mountain bike, and ride the singletrack that connects the brewery听to the abutting 86-acre听, then cool off by听sipping听the听ever popular 听IPA听on the听patio. Those听looking for a more leisurely experience can听try one of Tree House鈥檚 stouts and take a stroll through the on-site orchards, dotted with听beehives. I recommend following this pilgrimage听by driving 30 minutes northeast to Worcester and grabbing听a bite to eat at .听鈥擪.碍.
Rising Tide Brewing
Portland, Maine
This brewery holds a special place in my heart for many reasons. Not only has its听 been my companion听on numerous paddling excursions in nearby听,听but my sister is on most of the company鈥檚听wedding marketing materials. In the summer, it听opens the garage doors to a patio听with gas fireplaces and a rotating selection of food trucks. My go-to听brew听is the Ishmael鈥攁听copper ale听that听provides just enough flavor without punching you with bitterness, and at just 4.9 percent听ABV,听I can afford to have a few. If you鈥檙e looking for听an IPA, the Zephyr is an easy choice. A听fun听bonus: many of Rising Tide鈥檚听beers are named after Maine鈥檚 favorite outdoor hubs, and the brewery is a meeting ground for ski films, climate talks, and local activism.听鈥擬itch Breton,听video curator
This story was produced in partnership with 听magazine. Check out more of their Maine beer recommendations .听