Brew England
11 DAYS / 10 NIGHTS
Quench your thirst…and your appetite on this tastings tour of New England’s micro breweries and venues featuring favorite local fare!Â
DAY 1Â Portsmouth, NH
Portsmouth is a short 50 min drive from Boston. Arrive in time to take the afternoon tour at the Redhook Ale Brewing Company. The first Redhook Ale was modeled after spicy Belgian ales and was affectionately referred to as \"banana beer\" because of its banana-like flavor.Eventually, Redhook starting making the beer that would become its flagship: ESB. Styled after the \"extra special bitters\" served in pubs throughout the U.K., After visiting the brewery, explore Portsmouth center’s many restaurants and pubs, all a short walk from the hotel. This evening, imbibe on a Smuttynose Brew, easily found as it’s also brewed in Portsmouth. You might want to try its’ Old Brown Dog, cited as a classic example of the “American Brown Ale†style of beer. Or try Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale, their homage to the craft and heritage of America’s brewers.
DAY 4 Bar Harbor – North Conway - Jackson (221 mi/ 132 km)
Depart Bar Harbor for the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Stop in North Conway this afternoon to do some shopping at the many outlet stores or take a train ride through magnificent mountain passes on the Conway Scenic Rail.Continue to the village of Jackson for the night.This charming village is complete with covered bridges, white steeple churches, high mountains and rolling farmland.
DAY 8Â North Adams - Nantucket (247 mi /398km)
Travel east along the scenic Mohawk Trail to Sturbridge and visit Old Sturbridge Village, a living history museum that recreates life in rural 19thc. New England. Then travel to Cape Cod and board the ferry to Nantucket, the popular island resort off the coast of Massachusetts.Before checking in to the hotel, visit Cisco Brewers. Not just a brewery boasting craft brews, it’s also the Triple Eight Distillery, serving up Triple Eight Vodkas, Hurricane Rum, Gale Force Gin and Notch (“not scotch†single malt whiskey) and it’s Nantucket Vineyards which offers a number of varietals. This evening, enjoy fine shopping and dining along the cobblestoned streets of Nantucket\'s 19th century downtown.
DAY 9Â Nantucket - Boston (74 mi / 44 km)
Sleep in this morning and return to the mainland early afternoon. Head north to Boston and settle into your centrally located hotel.This afternoon is good for a walk along elegant Newbury St. aligned with outdoor cafes, exclusive boutiques and avant garde shops and galleries.
DAY 11Â BostonÂ
Portsmouth is a short 50 min drive from Boston. Arrive in time to take the afternoon tour at the Redhook Ale Brewing Company. The first Redhook Ale was modeled after spicy Belgian ales and was affectionately referred to as \"banana beer\" because of its banana-like flavor.Eventually, Redhook starting making the beer that would become its flagship: ESB. Styled after the \"extra special bitters\" served in pubs throughout the U.K., After visiting the brewery, explore Portsmouth center’s many restaurants and pubs, all a short walk from the hotel. This evening, imbibe on a Smuttynose Brew, easily found as it’s also brewed in Portsmouth. You might want to try its’ Old Brown Dog, cited as a classic example of the “American Brown Ale†style of beer. Or try Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale, their homage to the craft and heritage of America’s brewers.
DAY 2Â Portsmouth-Bar Harbor (210 mi / 126 km)
Travel north along Maine’s beautiful Seacoast region, exploring quaint villages such as Ogunquit, Kennebunkport and Camden, where the mountains meet the sea. Arrive in Bar Harbor early evening. The village boasts fresh air and breathtaking views, and they can be enjoyed from one of the multitude of ale houses.Â
Travel north along Maine’s beautiful Seacoast region, exploring quaint villages such as Ogunquit, Kennebunkport and Camden, where the mountains meet the sea. Arrive in Bar Harbor early evening. The village boasts fresh air and breathtaking views, and they can be enjoyed from one of the multitude of ale houses.Â
DAY 3Â Bar HarborÂ
This morning, explore the jewel of the Maine Coast, Acadia National Park. This 35,000 acre park is graced with natural scenic beauty. Within its boundaries there are 120 miles of hiking trails and 27 miles of carriage trails. Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on the Eastern Seaboard is where the sun first rises in the United States. This afternoon, stop by the Atlantic Brewing Company Estate Brewery for a tour as well as Bar Harbor Brewing Company , Bar Harbor\'s first microbrewery.Visit their tasting room and be sure to taste Cadillac Mountain Stout and True Blue, a blueberry wheat beer. After the tasting, step into the pilot brewery and see the original equipment used to brew these fine ales. This evening, be sure to feast on a traditional Downeast Maine Lobsterbake dinner. There’s no better place for it!
DAY 4 Bar Harbor – North Conway - Jackson (221 mi/ 132 km)
Depart Bar Harbor for the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Stop in North Conway this afternoon to do some shopping at the many outlet stores or take a train ride through magnificent mountain passes on the Conway Scenic Rail.Continue to the village of Jackson for the night.This charming village is complete with covered bridges, white steeple churches, high mountains and rolling farmland.
DAY 5 Jackson – Montpelier – Essex Junction (139 mi/ 83km)
Travel west to Vermont, the Green Mountain state. Stop in Montpelier and visit Morse Farm for a tasting of their Vermont Fancy, Medium Amber and Dark Amber…Maple Syrup that is! No one can visit Vermont without tasting its most well known delicacy.This afternoon visit the Shelburne Museum, one of the nation’s finest, most diverse and unconventional museums of art and Americana. 150,000 works of art are housed in 39 buildings, 25 of which are historic and were relocated to the museum grounds. The Essex Culinary Resort & Spa is home for the next two nights. As the name suggest, a bad meal is not to be had at this hotel and cooking school.Â
Travel west to Vermont, the Green Mountain state. Stop in Montpelier and visit Morse Farm for a tasting of their Vermont Fancy, Medium Amber and Dark Amber…Maple Syrup that is! No one can visit Vermont without tasting its most well known delicacy.This afternoon visit the Shelburne Museum, one of the nation’s finest, most diverse and unconventional museums of art and Americana. 150,000 works of art are housed in 39 buildings, 25 of which are historic and were relocated to the museum grounds. The Essex Culinary Resort & Spa is home for the next two nights. As the name suggest, a bad meal is not to be had at this hotel and cooking school.Â
DAY 6 Essex – Stowe – Burlington – Essex (79 mi / 47 km)
Travel along winding roads today and visit some of the area highlights; Rock Art Brewery, and Magic Hat Brewing Co.
At Rock Art Brewery, they’ll suggest the perfect food accompaniments for all the beers, from their Whitetail Ale to the Double Smoked Porter and Midnight Madness. Then it’s on to the mountain village of Stowe. There’s no better place to taste Vermont’s finest product’s than in this beautiful village. Try cider at Cold Hollow Cider Mill, the coffee at Green Mountain Roasters, the chocolate at Lake Champlain Chocolates and the cheese at Cabot Creamery. En route back to the Burlington area, be sure to stop for another local delicacy…at Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Factory. Tours and tastings available! Then it’s on to the Magic Hat “Artifactory†where one can take a tour and taste some of their ever changing beers on tap, many to suit the season.Magic Hat is truly an experience!Â
Travel along winding roads today and visit some of the area highlights; Rock Art Brewery, and Magic Hat Brewing Co.
At Rock Art Brewery, they’ll suggest the perfect food accompaniments for all the beers, from their Whitetail Ale to the Double Smoked Porter and Midnight Madness. Then it’s on to the mountain village of Stowe. There’s no better place to taste Vermont’s finest product’s than in this beautiful village. Try cider at Cold Hollow Cider Mill, the coffee at Green Mountain Roasters, the chocolate at Lake Champlain Chocolates and the cheese at Cabot Creamery. En route back to the Burlington area, be sure to stop for another local delicacy…at Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Factory. Tours and tastings available! Then it’s on to the Magic Hat “Artifactory†where one can take a tour and taste some of their ever changing beers on tap, many to suit the season.Magic Hat is truly an experience!Â
DAY 7 Essex – Williamstown—North Adams (141 mi/225km)
Drive through picturesque villages and into the Berkshires of Massachusetts. Visit Williamstown, a college town and cultural center where one can find the Clark Art Institute, dance performances at Jacob’s Pillow, and Summer Stock, an award winning theater festival. Overnight in neighboring North Adams.
Drive through picturesque villages and into the Berkshires of Massachusetts. Visit Williamstown, a college town and cultural center where one can find the Clark Art Institute, dance performances at Jacob’s Pillow, and Summer Stock, an award winning theater festival. Overnight in neighboring North Adams.
DAY 8Â North Adams - Nantucket (247 mi /398km)
Travel east along the scenic Mohawk Trail to Sturbridge and visit Old Sturbridge Village, a living history museum that recreates life in rural 19thc. New England. Then travel to Cape Cod and board the ferry to Nantucket, the popular island resort off the coast of Massachusetts.Before checking in to the hotel, visit Cisco Brewers. Not just a brewery boasting craft brews, it’s also the Triple Eight Distillery, serving up Triple Eight Vodkas, Hurricane Rum, Gale Force Gin and Notch (“not scotch†single malt whiskey) and it’s Nantucket Vineyards which offers a number of varietals. This evening, enjoy fine shopping and dining along the cobblestoned streets of Nantucket\'s 19th century downtown.
DAY 9Â Nantucket - Boston (74 mi / 44 km)
Sleep in this morning and return to the mainland early afternoon. Head north to Boston and settle into your centrally located hotel.This afternoon is good for a walk along elegant Newbury St. aligned with outdoor cafes, exclusive boutiques and avant garde shops and galleries.
DAY 10Â Boston
This morning walk the Freedom Trail to see historic sites from Boston’s colonial and revolutionary periods. See the Massachusetts State House, the Old North Church and the USS Constitution, the oldest commissioned warship in the world. This afternoon, venture to the neighborhood ofJamaica Plain, to tour and taste the finest beer in America, Samuel Adams.Samuel Adams Boston Lager® is an excellent example of the fundamentals of a great beer, offering
a full, rich flavor that is both balanced and complex. While visiting the brewery, one may even get the opportunity to taste some of Samuel Adams Specialty and hard to find beers such as Imperial Pilsner, Triple Bock, Millenium, and Utopias.
This morning walk the Freedom Trail to see historic sites from Boston’s colonial and revolutionary periods. See the Massachusetts State House, the Old North Church and the USS Constitution, the oldest commissioned warship in the world. This afternoon, venture to the neighborhood ofJamaica Plain, to tour and taste the finest beer in America, Samuel Adams.Samuel Adams Boston Lager® is an excellent example of the fundamentals of a great beer, offering
a full, rich flavor that is both balanced and complex. While visiting the brewery, one may even get the opportunity to taste some of Samuel Adams Specialty and hard to find beers such as Imperial Pilsner, Triple Bock, Millenium, and Utopias.
DAY 11Â BostonÂ
Take some time to do some last minute shopping at Quincy Market / Faneuil Hall Marketplace this morning. This lively and historic marketplace area  is filled souvenir shops and boutiques carrying a variety of Boston and New England themed items.
| HOTELS | Gold |
| Boston | Fairmont Copley Plaza |
| Portland/ Scarborough | Black Point Inn |
| Holderness | Manor on Golden Pond |
| Shrewsbury | Crisanver House |
| Stockbridge | Red Lion Inn |
| Cape/Sandwich | Belfry Inne |
Package includes:
- Accommodations
- Taxes
- Fly-Drive Directions
- Information Packet at Hotel upon arrival