I’m a firm believer in micro-brews. If you have read some of my previous blogs, you have probably caught onto this by now. Pubs and breweries are pretty prominent in New England and it’s one of the reasons why I love the place. Each brewery and even each beer is diverse in its own right and provides a great opportunity to try something different. So, I did what I think every New Englander would want to do when heading back up to the great Northeast after being away for a bit – they’re wanting to go to a pub!

I happened to check out the Portsmouth Brewery.

Located in the heart of Portsmouth, it is surrounded by historical buildings and small shops. It’s a really interesting area to check out. Walking into the pub, your attention is grabbed and you soon find yourself pondering what to try first.

I seriously cannot remember which beer I tried so I’m going to be honest – it could be the Winter Ale. I’m 90% sure. I’ll be honest and say I wasn’t overly impressed – it was a little bitter for my taste. One thing I do wish is that I had tried the sampler so I could get a bigger variety. Mental note for future visits.

Char-grilled half pound cheese burger with a side of fries, obviously.

I opted to try the crab cake sandwich with bacon and avocado with a side of macaroni salad. The tomato didn’t last long and lets be honest here – neither did the lettuce. The sandwich (minus the tomato and lettuce) and the salad was tasty and filling!

What’s a brew pub without a window to the world of how beer is made!

If you happen to be in the area, there are many pubs to check out – this being one of them and I believe one of the only ones directly in the historical downtown. I would definitely suggest getting (or sharing) a sampler and while enjoying the pub fare. As always, if you happen to check it out – let me know what you thought!