10 Breweries New to Massachusetts in 2023-24

Tom Allen (left) and Matt Guernsey launched Arlington Brewing Co. in 2023.

Economic growth in the craft beer market slowed nationwide in 2023, but the bubble isn’t bursting, according to Brewers Association chief economist Bart Watson. Today’s educated consumer wants variety and innovation, Watson said in his keynote address at the annual Massachusetts Brewers Guild conference in November 2023, Brewbound reported, adding, “that sounds exactly like the kind of thing that craft can excel at.”

In Massachusetts, entrepreneurs prove this true every year with new breweries, taprooms and ideas — and 2023 was no exception. Despite some closures, more than a dozen taprooms opened across the Commonwealth. The list of new breweries in Massachusetts includes second locations for MBG members Mighty Squirrel, White Lion, Bright Ideas, and Untold brewing companies. Among more than a dozen novel beer businesses that opened in 2023 — and 2024 so far — are 10 new members of the Mass Brewers Guild.

Meet the MBG freshman Class

Hot Plate brewing co.

The lore of this seven-barrel brewery in Pittsfield is that owner and founder Sarah Real dialed in her beer recipes on an electric hot plate. Since February 2023, the taproom and public house she co-owns with husband Mike Dell’Aquila welcomes all with a diverse selection of beer and gluten-free beverages, while giving back to the community by using local ingredients and supporting nonprofits.

Portico Brewing in Somerville has a pop-up kitchen from Taqueria el Barrio.

Portico Brewing

A longtime contract brewery, Portico opened its first taproom in Somerville just in time for Earth Day in April 2023. Founders Alex Rabe and Alex Zielke counter the brewery’s energy and material usage with positive actions to benefit the community and the planet, like brewing Earth Hour Pale Ale with 100% local malt. The Somerville spot also features a pop-up kitchen from Taqueria el Barrio.

Outrider Ber Company 

Beer industry buds Anthony Lauring and Carl McCowen teamed up to open this community-focused brewpub in Amesbury in May 2023. Along with house beers like Joystick IPA and Medium Delight Dubbel, there’s a wide menu of comfort food like steak and cheese eggrolls, falafel-topped salads, sandwiches, burgers and more. 

Antimony Brewing

On Memorial Day, beer fans in the Berkshires welcomed a new brewpub in Lenox. Chemical engineer-turned-restaurateur Rob Trask oversees a seven-barrel brewhouse and kitchen at Antimony, dishing up brewpub fare such as fried cheese curds with IPA honey mustard, sourdough pizzas, grilled steak, and fish tacos.

Long Live Roxbury has a distinctive look.

Live Long beerworks Roxbury 

One of Rhode Island’s biggest names in beer added a Massachusetts outpost in the summer of 2023. Long Live Beerworks gives a colorful makeover to an 1850s piano factory-turned-15-barrel brewery in Roxbury, frequently hosting Boston-exclusive beer drops and events like Thursday night jazz and weekend food pop-ups.

Doctor’s Island Brewing company

Gregory Hoffmeister and his beer-loving family opened this scenic spot last summer on Nantasket Beach. Doctor’s Island returns at the end of April for its second season with small-batch beers and waterfront, sunset views of the Boston skyline from Hull. 

Epigram Brewing Co. 

Epigram Brewing Co. debuted in Tyngsboro in October. The sprawling beer hall has been a hit with Merrimack Valley locals since day one, with an ample beer selection, plenty of seats, and a full food menu, including hard-to-find in the area South Shore-style bar pizza.

Forty Second Brew Co. 

Forty Second Brewing Co. opened a comfortable taproom in Kingston in November 2023, a few years after neighbors Paul Schiele and Matt Ward began brewing together as a hobby. Now, their beers like Three Sheets to the Wind IPA, Down the Hatch Pilsner, and more are self-distributed.

Liz Nicol is the founder and head brewer at Drawdown Brewing Company in Jamaica Plain, Boston.

Drawdown Brewing 

Since opening in December 2023 with a stated mission to be an inclusive spot for viewing sports, Drawdown has drawn crowds to Jamaica Plain, particularly for women’s college basketball. Owner and head brewer Liz Nicol is offering malt-forward brews like a cream ale and porter.

Arlington Brewing Company 

As engineers and Arlington residents Tom Allen and Matt Guernsey look for a permanent home for their hometown brewery, they’re producing cans like Spy-P-A and My New GF, a gluten-free saison. ABCo. has a pop-up taproom Friday nights through April 26 at the Roasted Granola Cafe in Arlington.

Mighty Squirrel, Haynes Group, Inc., and Phase Zero Design Celebrate Another Mighty Moment

The secret is out, another Mighty Squirrel location is coming, this time in the heart of Boston!

“We are thrilled to announce that we are building a brewery and taproom in the Fenway Neighborhood of Boston at 1 David Ortiz Drive, steps from Fenway Park,” said Naveen Pawar, the Co-Founder of Mighty Squirrel.

“Being situated in the heart of the Fenway neighborhood, right next to Fenway Park, gives this brewery a unique and animated location,” Olivia Harris, Senior Interior Designer at Phase Zero Design said. “It allows visitors to immerse themselves in the vibrant energy of the area and creates a sense of connection to the local community and its sporting traditions.”

Haynes Group, Inc. recently broke ground on this project and will once again be managing construction with Phase Zero Design again taking the lead on design.

“Much like the Waltham location, the design of the latest taproom is focused on the beer enthusiast experience,” said Patrick Andrews, Senior Vice President of Hospitality at Haynes Group, Inc. “The design of this location allows patrons to enjoy craft beer while viewing the entire brewing process, front and center, from almost every vantage point of the brewery.”

The new brewery and taproom will have the ability to brew over 1,000 barrels of beer with a 10-barrel brewhouse, allowing them to get creative with small scale batches of new beer styles. Also unique from their original location, this 13,000 square foot multi-level facility will offer a full food program with the addition of a kitchen.

“The main difference between both locations is the construction of a second-level taproom area,” Andrews said. “The second-level taproom will include three bars, each with different design elements creating a unique experience for the community.”

“The brewery emphasizes its commitment to artisanal craft and the art of brewing. From the focus on design details to the brewing process itself, every aspect was crafted with care and attention to quality,” Harris said. “This dedication to craftsmanship sets the brewery apart from others and creates a distinct experience for visitors. Patrons get to be a part of this experience as they enjoy their beers while watching the brewery process unfold right in front of their eyes, with the functional brew deck at the heart of the space.”

This location offers a refreshed take on their original space while remaining true to their brand. “It was important for the design to connect to their flagship location in Waltham,” said Harris. “Phase Zero maintained that connection with a similar industrial feel, avoiding any frills or fancy elements. We tied in key finishes and pops of color used in Waltham such as their signature hickory wood and Cloud Candy Blue paint placed strategically throughout the dynamic linear space.”

SIX PACK QUESTIONNAIRE SERIES: HOT PLATE BREWING CO.

Meet Sarah Real, Owner and Founder of Hot Plate Brewing Co.

Name: Sarah Real

Title: Owner/Founder/brewer

Name of Brewery: Hot Plate Brewing Co. 

Location: Coming soon to downtown Pittsfield! 

#1) What made you decide to get into the craft brewing industry?

When I was still in grad school, there was a bar that served a lot of imported beers, which first showed me that beer could be so much more than just domestic light lagers. After grad school, I took a cross-country drive and visited a lot of breweries out on the west coast and really fell in love with both the art and science of brewing, as well as how breweries like New Belgium were really focused on taking care of their people and being good stewards of the environment. I really felt like this community was something I wanted to be a part of.

#2) Which of your beers do your customers enjoy the most and why?

 Since we haven’t officially opened yet, we don’t have any “customers.” However, we’ve been giving away samples at community events and through our “growler share program.” One of the beers that people have enjoyed the most is the base saison recipe I wrote, which I make with a different locally sourced ingredient like beets, rutabaga, or other unexpected produce.

#3) What's your favorite thing about your brewery?

One of the things we love about craft beer and breweries in general is its ability to bring people together. In fact, our tagline is “Crafting Connections,” and since we recently relocated to The Berkshires, I really love how starting this brewery has allowed me to meet and collaborate with so many other brewers, non-profit organizations, craft beer fans, and even individuals who don’t see themselves in the craft beer community but have been intrigued by our story and our mission. We’re constantly working to make the industry more inclusive, and so connecting with people who previously felt like this wasn’t their thing has been so exciting to me.

#4) Besides your own, what Massachusetts craft beers or breweries impress you the most and why? 

I’ve got to give a shout out to our friends at Big Elm. Not only do they make excellent beers, but they’re really committed to supporting their community—both in the industry, and in Berkshire County. To see an organization live its values while remaining humble and doing a lot of work behind the scenes to support other brewers, hops farms, maltsters, and other local businesses never ceases to impress me.

#5) What’s a little known fact about you or your brewery that you think customers would get a kick out of? Something unique, funny or unusual?

So while some of our friends and family know this (and are all too familiar with the insanity of it), the reason we have the name Hot Plate Brewing Co. goes back to when we were literally homebrewing on a hot plate for a number of years. Due to a code violation in the condo we were living in back in Brooklyn, the NYC DOB shut off our gas in 2017, and rather than giving up on my dream of learning how to brew beer and one day opening a brewery, I decided to buy a Cuisinart hot plate and keep brewing and writing recipes. Now it makes for a good story, but it was a huge challenge at the time.

#6) What’s a style that you think is under-appreciated that you’d encourage other craft beer drinkers to try? 

Without a doubt, I would say English Bitters. From the time I had my first beer (I was a rule-follower growing up and drank a pint of ale in England because I was 18 and legal there) to the years I’d spent traveling to London for work, English ales have always been a big part of my life, and one of my favorite styles. Because they’re more malt-forward than their hoppier American cousins, it’s sometimes a challenge to get people on board with me, but when it comes to beer styles, I am willing to die on this hill.

Naukabout Brewery Grand Opening in Mashpee, MA on Thurs. March 29th 2018.

The Newest Addition to the Cape’s Emergent Craft Beer Scene is Here.

Years in the making, the Naukabout Brewery & Taproom is finally ready to open its doors and start pouring beers. Located on an iconic property that once housed The Flume Restaurant at 13 Lake Ave in Mashpee, the brewery is just 10 miles from the Sagamore Bridge and has views of both Lake Mashpee/Wakeby and the Mashpee River.

The 7bbl brewhouse has been in full production mode for the last month getting eight brand new beers ready for the public. For the grand opening, the public will have the opportunity to try a wide-array of hop-forward beers as well as some lighter and darker fare. In addition to enjoying the beers on draft customers will have the opportunity to take cans to-go so they can enjoy their favorite styles at home. 

“We are excited to be joining the growing force of local Cape Cod artists and creators — from glass blowers, wine makers, oyster farmers, musicians…— we’re eager to give locals and visitors something special to experience on The Cape.” Cape-native and CEO Peter Murner said. “We have this picturesque location up on the hill overlooking Lake Mashpee, we’re gearing up to open the doors at the end of March. The grand opening has been scheduled for Thursday, March 29th from 4-8pm.” 

The initial planning and permitting for the Mashpee brewery started back in 2015, however, the Naukabout story began over 30 years ago with a cofounders’ father. He would come home from work, change out of his work-a-bouts, and tell his sons to “change into their nauk-a-bouts” in order to “get outside for some fun!” In 2008 the ideology of “doing what you love to do, after doing the things you have to do” came to life in the form of Naukabout Music Festival. A few years later in 2012, the group transitioned into Naukabout Beer Co. and began contract brewing while the search for a brewery site began. 

“We couldn’t be any more excited to finally be brewing at our own location. Contract brewing was a great way to get started, but now with our own facility we can focus on crafting limited-release, small-batch recipes that reflect the uniqueness of our peninsula and the people here.” 

CEO Peter Murner expressed. “We can’t wait to give folks another reason to come to Mashpee. Whether your shopping at The Commons or traveling down Route 6 you’ll only be a few minutes away from a tasty brew.” Murner’s core team is rounded out by Head Brewer, Leif Rotsaert who recently made the move cross-country to join the team and Cape-native Ryan Ellis who is the Head of Sales. 

In the past decade, the number of operating craft breweries has grown to over 5,000 nationally. In recent years Cape Cod has jumped aboard that movement and is quickly becoming a beer overs destination. The Naukabout Brewery & Taproom will mark the Cape’s fifth of its kind with more rumored to be on the way. The Naukabout team is eager and excited to be part of a regional transition that will add even more to the charm of Cape Cod.