Portsmouth Breweries: A Walking Guide

Portsmouth is a small city with a long drinking history and a short walking distance between almost everything. Early June is the right moment to plan a brewery walk here: the evenings are long, patios are open again, and the brick sidewalks downtown are pleasant rather than crowded. This guide to Portsmouth NH breweries is built around a route you can do on foot, starting in the historic downtown and heading west along Islington Street, with two worthwhile stops a short drive away for when you want to make a day of it.

We have kept this guide evergreen. Taproom schedules, food menus and seasonal releases change often, so check each brewery's own website before you set out. What does not change is the shape of the city, and that shape is what makes Portsmouth such an easy place to explore one glass at a time.

Why Portsmouth works for a brewery walk

Portsmouth is a seaport on the Piscataqua River, the tidal river that forms the border with Maine. The 2020 census counted 21,956 residents, which makes it compact by any measure. Europeans settled here in 1630 under the name Strawbery Banke, and the town took the name Portsmouth in 1653.

The look of downtown has a specific origin. After a fire in 1813 destroyed 244 buildings, the town created a fire district that required new construction to be brick. That rule is why the center of the city reads as one coherent run of Federal-style brick facades, and why Market Square and the streets that radiate from it feel so walkable. You can leave the car in one place and cover the downtown on foot without trouble.

For a brewery walk, that compactness matters. The best cluster of taprooms in the city is not right in Market Square but out in the West End, along Islington Street, which runs west from downtown. It is a straight, easy walk, and it passes through a neighborhood of older commercial buildings that have been turned into restaurants, shops and breweries.

A few ground rules make the day better. Pace yourself, drink water between stops, eat something at each taproom that serves food, and plan your ride home before your first pour. Portsmouth is a walking city, and it is at its best when you treat it that way.

Start downtown: history before hops

Before you head west, spend an hour in the old part of the city. Strawbery Banke Museum, a short walk from Market Square, has more than 37 restored buildings on the site of the original settlement. It opened as a museum in 1965, and in 2024 it became a Smithsonian Affiliate. Across the street is Prescott Park, a waterfront green space with gardens along the Piscataqua that is a natural place to sit before or after a walk.

This part of town gives the brewery walk some context. Portsmouth grew rich on the sea, and the brick streets, the wharves and the old houses are all part of that story. Walking from the waterfront to the West End takes you from the oldest part of the city into its working neighborhoods, which is a good arc for an afternoon.

A downtown stop: books and beer

Before you leave the center of the city, there is one pour to be had right downtown. Reedmor Books & Brews at 67 State Street describes itself as a general interest bookstore for adults, a beer and wine bar, and a cafe. It is an unusual stop for a brewery walk, and a good one: browse the shelves, have one glass, and set off for the West End with a book under your arm.

The West End: Islington Street taprooms

Islington Street is the spine of the walk. Two of the city's best-known breweries sit along it, and they make a natural pair.

Liars Bench Beer Co. is at 459 Islington Street, in an old plumbing supply warehouse in the West End. It describes itself as an independently owned brewery, restaurant and biergarten, and it has been part of the neighborhood since 2016. The warehouse setting gives it plenty of room, and the biergarten is the reason to come on a warm early summer evening. Because it also runs as a restaurant, it is a smart place to stop for a real meal partway through the walk rather than relying on snacks.

Keep walking west and you reach Loaded Question Brewing Co. at 909 Islington Street. The brewery's own philosophy is that every beer has its place, and it notes that its beer of choice changes with the season. That approach suits a brewery walk well: rather than chasing one style, you can ask what is pouring and let the season decide. In early June that often means something lighter and more refreshing than the heavier pours of winter, but the board is the brewery's call, so ask at the bar.

The distance between these two stops is the longest stretch of the walk, and it is a pleasant one. Islington Street is a real neighborhood street, with houses, small businesses and side streets, and it gives you a look at Portsmouth beyond the postcard downtown.

Great Rhythm: the hazy IPA stop

Great Rhythm Brewing Company is an independent brewery at 235 West Road, Unit 8, on the west side of Portsmouth. It is a bit farther from downtown than the Islington Street taprooms, so most visitors will want a short ride rather than a long walk to reach it.

It is worth the trip if you like hazy beer. The brewery's signature beers are its hazy New England IPAs, Squeeze and Tropical Haze, and it also brews lagers, sours and stouts. That range makes it a good stop for a group with mixed tastes: the IPA fans get the house style, and everyone else has options. If you are building your day around one style, Great Rhythm is the place to taste what Seacoast brewers mean by a New England IPA.

A short drive out: Newington and Hampton

Two of the Seacoast's established breweries are just outside the city. Neither is a walking stop from downtown, but both pair well with a Portsmouth day if you have a driver.

Stoneface Taproom is at 436 Shattuck Way in Newington, the town just northwest of Portsmouth. The brewery was established in 2014 and is known for its IPAs. Its taproom has 20 draft lines, it welcomes all ages, and dogs are allowed on the patio, which makes it one of the more relaxed options for a mixed group on a June afternoon. Twenty lines is a lot of choice, so a flight is the easiest way to sample the range.

Smuttynose Brewing Company is the elder statesman of the group. It was founded in Portsmouth in 1994 and is named for Smuttynose Island, one of the Isles of Shoals off the coast. In 2014 the brewery moved to Towle Farm in Hampton, where its brewery building earned LEED Gold certification. It is now at 105 Towle Farm Road, Hampton, south of Portsmouth along the coast. The brewery's own site describes its Hampton campus as having a backyard area, and it lists its current lineup there. Smuttynose is a good way to end a Seacoast day if you are heading toward Hampton Beach anyway.

Putting the route together

Here is one way to shape a day, without fixed times:

• Start downtown with Strawbery Banke and a walk through Prescott Park, then a glass at Reedmor on State Street.
• Walk out Islington Street to Liars Bench for food and a first round in the biergarten.
• Continue west to Loaded Question to see what the season has put on the board.
• If you have a ride, finish at Great Rhythm for hazy IPAs, or head to Stoneface in Newington for a long draft list.
• On a beach day, swap the last stop for Smuttynose in Hampton.

Two or three stops is plenty for most people. Order small pours, share flights, and give yourself time to walk between taprooms. The walking is part of the point: it is how you see the city, and it keeps the day from blurring together.

Practical tips for early summer

June brings visitors back to the Seacoast, so weekend afternoons can be busy. A weekday visit, or an earlier start on a weekend, usually means more room at the bar and more time to talk with the staff about what is pouring.

Parking downtown can be tight in season. Park once, walk the downtown and Islington Street, and use a rideshare or a designated driver for the stops outside the walking zone. Never drive between breweries after drinking.

Bring a light layer. Seacoast evenings in early June can turn cool once the sun drops, especially near the water, and biergartens and patios are much more pleasant if you are not shivering.

Finally, check each brewery's website before you go. Hours, kitchen service, age policies and seasonal releases change, and the breweries themselves are the best source for what is current.

Frequently asked questions

Can you walk between Portsmouth breweries?

Yes, for the West End cluster. Liars Bench and Loaded Question are both on Islington Street, an easy walk west of downtown. Great Rhythm, Stoneface and Smuttynose are better reached by car or rideshare.

What is the oldest brewery on the Portsmouth Seacoast?

Of the breweries in this guide, Smuttynose is the oldest. It was founded in Portsmouth in 1994 and moved to Hampton in 2014.

Are Portsmouth breweries family friendly?

Some are. Stoneface says its taproom welcomes all ages and allows dogs on the patio. Policies vary, so check each brewery's site before bringing children or pets.

What style of beer is Portsmouth known for?

The Seacoast has many brewers of New England IPAs. Great Rhythm's signature beers are hazy IPAs, and Stoneface is known for its IPAs, but you will also find lagers, sours and stouts.

Sources

• Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Wikipedia (2020 population, 1630 settlement, 1653 name, 1813 fire and brick district): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portsmouth,_New_Hampshire
• Strawbery Banke, Wikipedia (37+ buildings, opened 1965, Smithsonian Affiliate 2024, Prescott Park): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strawbery_Banke
• Reedmor Books & Brews, Visit NH listing: https://www.visitnh.gov/business/detail/1886
• Liars Bench Beer Co.: https://www.liarsbenchbeer.com/
• Loaded Question Brewing Co.: https://www.loadedquestionbrewing.com/
• Great Rhythm Brewing Company: https://www.greatrhythmbrewing.com/
• Stoneface Brewing: https://stonefacebrewing.com
• Smuttynose Brewing Company: https://smuttynose.com/
• Smuttynose Brewing Company, Wikipedia (founding, move to Hampton, LEED Gold, name): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smuttynose_Brewing_Company