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Boston is one of the most beer-centric cities in the United States and Bostonians have a long history of beer appreciation that continues to this day. As a result, many of the best brewers in the world have set up shop in the Boston area, and the number of breweries serving the craft beer market is growing.
You’ll be able to find whatever type of beer you like, from Belgian-style brews to hazy IPAs. A beer tour is, thus, an essential activity for everyone visiting Boston. We made this guide starting from one of the most popular breweries in the city. So come on, let’s explore the best breweries in Boston, Massachusetts!
1. Trillium Brewing Company
Founded in 2013 by JC and Esther, Trillium is a top Massachusetts brewery with a solid fanbase of both locals and national fans. Trillium focuses on making artisanal beers and never stops experimenting with new flavors to deliver unique, top-notch brews.
Today, you can grab a snack or a cold beer from Trillium Fort Point, which features a full menu and draft pours. Its taproom is cozy, the patio is spacious, and the rooftop deck makes for unforgettable evenings.
- Crowd Favorite: Congress Street. A piney, aromatic, and citrusy American IPA with 7.2% ABV.
- Highly Recommended: Vicinity
- Hop-py note: Indoor and outdoor seating. Beer to go. Public garage and street parking.
- Fun Fact: Trillium has four active locations, with Canton as its headquarters and the main production facility.
Hours: Open Mon–Thur 12pm–10pm, Fri & Sat 12pm–11pm, Sun 12pm–8pm.
Address: 50 Thomson Pl, Boston, MA 02210
Contact: (857) 449-0083 | Facebook | Instagram | Website
2. Tree House Brewing Company
Tree House Brewing Company is a regional brewery that brews various ales. It sells exclusive and premium quality beers in its locations. Due to its popularity, the wait times in line can sometimes exceed an hour – that’s how famous the brewery is.
Tree House has multiple locations in Massachusetts, and it will be opening its newest taproom in Greater Boston this autumn of 2022. Although the complete details aren’t disclosed yet, we can expect that the opening is getting near, so make sure you check out Tree House Greater Boston once it officially opens!
- Crowd Favorite: Julius. A bright, juicy, and citrusy American IPA with 6.8% ABV.
- Highly Recommended: Haze
- Fun Fact: Tree House has a Coffee Roatesery where they freshly process and ground coffee beans to craft premium quality coffee.
Hours: Open Mon–Thur 11am–8pm, Fri & Sat 11am–9pm, Sun 12pm–6pm.
Address: 129 Sturbridge Rd, Charlton, MA 01507
Contact: (413) 523-2367 | Facebook | Instagram | Website
3. Night Shift Brewing
Night Shift Brewing, founded by a trio of friends, is a regional brewery in Everett and Boston, Massachusetts, known for its IPAs, ciders, and hard seltzer. Besides tasty beers, the brewery also serves delicious food straight from its scratch kitchen.
Night Shift Brewing has multiple locations throughout Boston; however, some sites are only open at certain times of the year. Thus, if you’re looking for a Night Shift branch near you, better check its availability before paying a visit.
- Crowd Favorite: Whirlpool. A vibrant and citrusy with minimal hazy Pale Ale
- Highly Recommended: Santilli
- Hop-py note: Kid-friendly.
- Fun Fact: Night Shift’s Lovejoy Wharf location has a coffee bar serving hot coffee and cold brews.
Hours: Open Mon–Thur 4pm–9pm, Fri & Sat 11:30am–10pm, Sun 11:30m–8pm.
Address: 1 Lovejoy Wharf #101, Boston, MA 02114
Contact: (617) 456-7687 | Facebook | Instagram | Website
4. Harpoon Brewery
Harpoon is a historic brewery with many accolades and achievements. Established in 1986, Harpoon is the very first brewery to be issued a permit by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, allowing them to brew and package beers.
Today, Harpoon has three active locations, Boston being its first and original brewery location. Its beer hall serves its flagship and year-round brews and delicious food items. Additionally, the brewery offers guided tastings and tours where you can learn about its beers, brewing process, and history.
- Crowd Favorite: Harpoon IPA. A well-balanced, dry-hopped American IPA with 6% ABV.
- Highly Recommended: Harpoon Winter Warmer
- Hop-py note: Bike parking. Accepts event bookings. Indoor and outdoor seating.
- Fun Fact: Harpoon Brewery became a 100% employee-owned establishment in 2014.
Hours: Open Sun–Tue 12pm–8pm, Wed 12pm-8:30pm, Thur 12pm-9pm, Fri & Sat 12pm–10pm.
Address: 306 Northern Ave, Boston, MA 02210
Contact: (617) 456-2322 | Facebook | Instagram | Website
5. Cisco Brewers
Cisco Brewers is a microbrewery founded in 2015 in Nantucket, Massachusetts. Inspired by its roots, Cisco Brewers focuses on crafting New England-style IPAs and a couple of classic ales. The brewery is also trendy across the New England region because of its pop-up beer gardens in Stamford, Portsmouth, New Bedford, and Seaport.
Cisco Brewer’s beer garden in Seaport Boston is always crowded with people savoring its beers and having fun with its occasional games and live music. You will also enjoy its lively environment, and the food trucks selling delicious food items will make your experience even better!
- Crowd Favorite: Whale’s Tale Pale Ale. A fruity and hoppy English-style pale ale with 5.6% ABV.
- Highly Recommended: Grey Lady Wheat Ale
- Hop-py note: Outdoor seating. Kid-friendly. A service dog is allowed.
Hours: Open Tue-Thur 4pm–11pm, Fri 3pm-11pm, Sat & Sun 12pm–11pm, Mon Closed.
Address: 85 Northern Ave, Boston, MA 02210
Contact: (603) 380-7575 | Facebook | Instagram | Website
6. Downeast Cider House
There’s no way you should miss Downeast Cider House and its traditional New England hard ciders if cider is your ideal drink. You can enjoy breathtaking scenery while savoring sweet and refreshing beverages at this East Boston spot.
Downeast Cider House also offers affordable flights where you can get four different ciders to try. And lastly, to make the most of your time, find out whether there will be any special events, such as tours and tastings before you go.
- Crowd Favorite: Original Blend. A smooth and refreshing hard cider with 5.1% ABV.
- Highly Recommended: Pumpkin Blend
- Hop-py note: Offers delivery and takeout. Bike and private lot parking.
- Fun Fact: When they were children, the owner and brothers Ross and Matt Brockman both had the same dream of “Unfiltered Craft Cider”. That dream became their driving force in building Downeast Cider.
Hours: Open Thur & Fri 5pm–9pm, Sat 11am-8pm, Sun 12pm–7pm, Mon-Wed Closed.
Address: 256 Marginal St #32, East Boston, MA 02128
Contact: (857) 301-8881 | Facebook | Instagram | Website
7. Lord Hobo Brewing Co.
Founded in 2015 at Woburn, Massachusetts, Lord Hobo Brewing is a popular regional brewery. Though, the brewery is just the same as other breweries with humble beginnings. It started first with a small tasting room serving small batches of beer before reaching success. Lord Hobo now has two other locations in Seaport and Cambridge and distributes its beers in twelve states throughout the United States.
Lord Hobo’s Seaport taproom, has a full-size kitchen on-site making it a brewpub and restaurant in one. It also features 16 rotating beers on tap and a spacious indoor space catering to up to 160 people and a massive outdoor area that can accommodate another 380 patrons.
- Crowd Favorite: Boomsauce. A bold, complex, and earthy IPA with 7.8% ABV.
- Highly Recommended: Glorious
- Hop-py note: Garage and street parking. Wheelchair accessible.
- Fun Fact: Lord Hobo added a craft cocktail station in its Seaport location, featuring special cocktails like the “Boss Man.”
Hours: Open Mon-Wed 4pm–10pm, Thur 4pm-12am, Fri & Sat 12m-12am, Sun 12pm–10pm.
Address: 2 Drydock Ave, Boston, MA 02210
Contact: (617) 872-6224 | Facebook | Instagram | Website
8. Castle Island Brewing Company
Actively operating in Norwood and South Boston, Castle Island Brewing serves its award-winning craft beers to the locals. The brewery has been in the industry since 2015 and consistently delivered good beers.
Today, Castle Island South Boston is open seven days a week, actively serving the locals with classic signature beers, limited releases, and collabs. If you still feel hungry with all the beverages, you can get a delicious pizza and sandwiches at the brewery’s culinary partner, Bardo’s Bar Pizza.
- Crowd Favorite: Keeper. A double-hopped American IPA with 6.5% ABV.
- Highly Recommended: Candlepin
- Hop-py note: Kid-friendly. Accepts reservations. Spacious event space.
- Fun Fact: Castle Island is a part of Fiver Initiative, where they partner with five organizations and help with their charitable events.
Hours: Open Sun-Wed 11am–10pm, Thur-Sun 11am-12am.
Address: 10 Old Colony Ave, Boston, MA 02127
Contact: (781) 951-2029 | Facebook | Instagram | Website
9. Aeronaut Brewing
Founded by two engineers, Dan and Ronn built Aeronaut Brewing. It is a microbrewery that combines science and different fermentation methods when brewing its fantastic beers. Additionally, the founders have shared a passion for experimenting with unique kinds of brews, so expect to find out-of-the-box beers when visiting.
Aeronaut Brewing has three locations all over Massachusetts, with its beer garden in Allston being a famous location for beer lovers in the Boston area. If you’ve come for the beer, you’ll find a diverse selection that includes several exciting specials.
- Crowd Favorite: A Year With Dr. Nandu. A hoppy and punchy West Coast-style IPA with 6.3% ABV.
- Highly Recommended: Hop Hop & Away
- Hop-py note: Food trucks on-site. Handicapped-accessible.Kid-friendly.
- Fun Fact: Aeronaut has fermentation research and quality arm facility called Aeronaut Lab.
Hours: Open Mon 5pm-11pm, Tue-Thur 5pm–12am, Fri 5pm-12:30am, Sat 12pm-12:30am, Sun 12pm-9pm.
Address: 14 Tyler St, Somerville, MA 02143
Contact: (617) 987-4236 | Facebook | Instagram | Website
10. Dorchester Brewing Company
Located in the Dorchester neighborhood, south of Downtown Boston, Dorchester Brewing Company is a spacious, welcoming brewery perfect for all beer enthusiasts. The brewery crafts quality beers, collaborate with other local and regional breweries and then promotes the collaborated beers in its taproom.
Dorchester’s taproom features twenty beers on tap and a lively game room with several pub and arcade games. The place is ideal for having fun while drinking a good glass of beer.
- Crowd Favorite: Light Year Journey. A juicy, citrusy, and hoppy hazy IPA with 6% ABV.
- Highly Recommended: Galaxy Lights
- Hop-py note: Service dogs are allowed. Monthly events. Street parking.
- Fun Fact: Dorchester Brewing has a beautiful rooftop deck called Hopservatory; it overlooks the city of Boston, giving you a nice view when drinking your beverage.
Hours: Open Sun & Mon 11:30am-9pm, Tue-Thur 11:30am–10pm, Fri & Sat 11:30am-11pm.
Address: 1250 Massachusetts Ave, Boston, MA 02125
Contact: (617) 514-0900 | Facebook | Instagram | Website
11. Samuel Adams
Going to Samuel Adams is a must for every beer connoisseur visiting Boston. The brewery can be found in Jamaica Plain, a neighborhood in Boston with a long tradition of brewing beer. Samuel Adams is the oldest brewery in Jamaica Plain and is known for its Boston Lager, which helped lead the American craft beer revolution in the late 20th century.
Samuel Adams Boston taproom features twenty rotating taps of its exclusive beers. It also provides yoga classes, comedy shows, and other fun events. Furthermore, visitors can also take a tour of the Samuel Adams and see where its great beers are made from and the history behind the brewery.
- Crowd Favorite: Boston Lager. A balanced yet complex, rich in flavor Vienna Lager with 5% ABV.
- Highly Recommended: Octoberfest
- Hop-py note: Accepts private event bookings.
- Fun Fact: Samuel Adams have signed The Business Coalition to protect its LGBTQ+ coworkers and customers.
Hours: Open Mon-Fri 12pm-9pm, Sat 11am–9pm, Sun 11am-6pm.
Address: 30 Germania St, Boston, MA 02130
Contact: (617) 368-5080 | Facebook | Instagram | Website
12. Flying Embers Brewery and Social Club Boston
The Brewery and Social Club is a Boston-based Flying Embers branch located in the heart of the Roxbury neighborhood. It is a spacious tasting room with a lovely outdoor patio. The place, just like other Flying Embers locations, also features the company’s hard kombuchas, hard seltzers, and signature craft beers.
When visiting the place, you can get a flight and choose different kombuchas or seltzers to explore multiple flavors in one sitting. And most importantly, Flying Ember’s kombuchas and seltzers are all gluten-free, vegan-friendly, and made from 100% organic ingredients.
- Crowd Favorite: Berry. A bright and fruity Hard Kombucha with 4.5% ABV.
- Highly Recommended: Pineapple Chili
- Hop-py note:
- Pet-friendly. Indoor sitting. Vegan options. Live music.
- Fun Fact: Flying Embers created a non-profit arm called Embers Foundation, which actively participates in charitable programs.
Hours: Open Wed-Fri 4pm-10pm, Sat 2pm–10pm, Sun 2pm-8pm, Mon Closed.
Address: 152 Hampden St, Boston, MA 02119
Contact: (617) 708-8017 | Facebook | Instagram | Website
13. Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery
If you are a beer lover then heads up! Rock Bottom, an award-winning regional brewery in Denver, has come to Boston to share its delicious craft beers! Rock Bottom has been in the beer industry since 1991, and the company has 17 active locations all over the United States. The brewery serves all of its original and seasonal brews on its sites.
Rock Bottom’s Boston taproom features a modern, sophisticated look that perfectly complements its quality beers. The brewery also serves gourmet food dishes that are not typically served in normal brewpubs.
- Crowd Favorite: India Pale Ale. A citrusy and hoppy golden American IPA with 6.5% ABV.
- Highly Recommended: Red Rocks Red Ale
- Hop-py note: Offers takeout. Bike and street parking.
- Fun Fact: Rock Bottom has a mobile application you can download where you can earn points and unlock rewards you can use when dining or purchasing from its stores.
Hours: Open Sun-Wed 11am-12am, Tue-Sat 11am–2am.
Address: 115 Stuart St, Boston, MA 02116
Contact: (617) 742-2739 | Facebook | Instagram | Website
14. Turtle Swamp Brewing
Turtle Swamp is a hidden gem found in the heart of Jamaica Plain. This neighborhood has a rich beer history and is home to 20 breweries. However, in 1964, all breweries were gone except for Samuel Adams Brewing. But regardless of its sad history, two great friends, John and Nicholas, still founded Turtle Swamp. The two believe that Jamaica Plain is a great, livable neighborhood, perfect for their brewery.
Today, Turtle Swamp has a lovely taproom with a great outdoor area and many people visit the place for its vibrant atmosphere and quality beers made from local ingredients. Additionally, the brewery offers tours every month so check out its website for the tour schedule if you want to participate.
- Crowd Favorite: Orange Line. A tasty, citrusy New England IPA with 7.25% ABV.
- Highly Recommended: JP Porter
- Hop-py note: Kid-friendly. Live music. Food trucks on-site. Offers gift cards.
Hours: Open Mon-Tue 4pm-9pm, Fri 2pm-11pm, Sat 12pm–11pm, Sun 12pm-8pm.
Address: 3377 Washington St, Boston, MA 02130
Contact: (617) 522-0038 | Facebook | Instagram | Website
15. Democracy Brewing
Democracy Brewing, conveniently located in the heart of downtown Boston, is a laid-back spot to enjoy craft beer and excellent food. In 2018, Democracy Brewing first launched its operations in Boston with the purpose of making great beers for the locals.
Today, Democracy Brewing is one of the most visited breweries in the neighborhood. It is a beautiful brewery that serves quality craft beer and has a friendly, lively environment. Moreover, Democracy Brewing is a community-driven brewery that consistently gives back to the community through giving donations and participating in local charitable events.
- Crowd Favorite: Consummate Rioter. A citrusy, piney, and tropical American IPA with 7.2% ABV.
- Highly Recommended: Worker’s Pint
- Hop-py note: Live music. Offers takeout. Free Wi-Fi. Street parking.
- Fun Fact: Democracy Brewing is the first worker-owned brewery in Boston.
Hours: Open Tue & Wed 12pm-9pm, Thur-Sat 12pm-10pm, Sun & Mon Closed.
Address: 35 Temple Pl, Boston, MA 02111
Contact: (857) 263-8604 | Facebook | Instagram | Website
16. Cheeky Monkey Brewing
Cheeky Monkey is not an average brewery solely serving classic beers as it crafts plant-based and vegan beers that are guilt-free. Although it is not yet known nationally, Cheeky Monkey is always positive and consistently delivers premium quality crafts.
Cheeky Monkey’s tap room features a spacious indoor area with many tables and chairs and comfortable sofas for bigger groups. Its taproom also has pool tables and features a full-size bar where customers can enjoy drinks while having a nice conversation with the bartenders. Additionally, all its beers are brewed on-site, serving them fresh and ready for consumption.
- Crowd Favorite: Lansdowne #3. A bold, tropical, and hoppy American IPA with 7.2% ABV.
- Highly Recommended: Harambe’s Ghost
- Hop-py note: Pub games. Occasional events. Trivia nights. Serves food.
- Fun Fact: Cheeky Monkey’s spacious taproom can accommodate 550 customers.
Hours: Open Tue & Wed 4pm-12am, Thur 4pm-1am, Fri 5pm-2am, Sat 12pm-2am, Sun 12pm-10pm, Mon Closed.
Address: 3 Lansdowne St, Boston, MA 02215
Contact: (617) 859-0030 | Facebook | Instagram | Website
