In its mere eighteen miles, Seacoast New Hampshire has something for everyone, from the arcades and honkytonks of Seabrook and Hampton Beach, to the stately homes of Exeter and Rye. Clamshacks and four-star restaurants seem to co-exist in perfect harmony here. The heart of the Seacoast is Portsmouth.

Portsmouth is well known today for its well-preserved historic streets and picturesque seaport. Yet from its early days as a colonial settlement, it been a vibrant commercial and cultural center. Up until a generation ago, it was a favorite Navy liberty port, due to its abundance of brothels and bars. Today the rough edges are largely gone, though it is still an active commercial port. In addition, it is home to a strong and varied economy and is a prime tourist destination whose narrow streets are lined with shops and restaurants.

A hundred years ago Portsmouth was one of the great brewing centers of this country, home to three large commerical breweries, including the Frank Jones Brewing Company, the country's largest single producer of ales at the time.

Today, Portsmouth is home to three brewing companies: the Portsmouth Brewery, a brewpub founded in 1991 (see our Sister Companies page) - Smuttynose Brewing Company, founded in 1994 - and Red Hook Ale Brewery, the Seattle-based craft brewer which opened a large brewery here in 1996.

Click on the Isles of Shoals to visit Smuttynose Island.

Click on Smuttynose Brewing to visit our brewery.