Smuttynose Brewing Co.
225 Heritage Ave
Portsmouth NH 03801
603•436•4026 

We drove the short distance to the Smuttynose Brewery.
Signs lead one to the back of the facility. Behind the green door, visitors enter what looks like a handyman's garage with tools, spare parts, a cooler, and a tap.
Tastings are distributed both before and after the tour.
This is one of the most informative and accessible tours that I have engaged in.
Guests can get “up close and personal” with the equipment, tanks, warehouse, etc., and even enter the cold room where hops are stored.
Our enthusiastic and knowledgeable guide explained all aspects of the brewing and bottling process, the history of the brewery, and even how the name was originally chosen.

The three beers I sampled were all quite good, the Old Brown Dog Ale, the Smuttynose IPA, and the Noonans Black IPA. All three are quite hoppy. The Old Brown Dog has a chocolate and caramel aroma, light carbonation, and the alcohol is not noticeable at all. The IPA tasted like a hop-bomb in comparison, with a citrus scent and aftertaste.

The bottles sold on-site truly are factory fresh. We noticed the “produced on” date of one case indicated three-day old beer!