The Beach Times
Exploring Cape Cod's Breweries This Summer
Posted by Kinlin Grover | Monday, August 6, 2018
As with most of the country, Cape Cod’s craft beer industry has seen rapid growth and is becoming a notable entity. If you’re a beer lover, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to try some new adult beverages during your holiday because there are independent breweries up and down the Cape, most of which have a tasting room. Remember, however, that most tasting rooms don’t offer food and aren’t full bars, so children and pets are often welcome. In addition, these tasting rooms keep limited hours and are only permitted to serve you a certain amount of beer, depending on the license they hold. Summer is the perfect time to head out and try some local flavor on for size, so make sure you get out there and experience the Cape Cod Craft Beverage Trail from your vacation rentals. It doesn't matter if you're in Harwich Port, Chatham, Provincetown, or Bourne, craft beers are never far away thanks to the following Cape Cod breweries.
Devil's Purse Brewing Company
You'll find Devil's Purse Brewing Company on Great Western Road in South Dennis. The area surrounding the brewery is mostly industrial, although there is a residential neighborhood nearby, as well. This brewery is also close to the trailhead of the Cape Cod Rail Trail, so if you're completing your ride in South Dennis, you can stop in for a pint at the end. A variety of different beer types are available at Devil's Purse, as they aim to be accessible to general beer drinkers and craft beer lovers alike. Most beers are American in style, but also influenced by their Europeans cousins. The tasting room is open from noon until 6 PM between Monday and Saturday, and no food is available. You can, however, bring your own food to enjoy with your beer.
Hog Island Beer Company
Although Hog Island is one of the newer breweries on Cape Cod, it has quickly developed a solid reputation, and its products are available not only all over the Cape but throughout Massachusetts. The tasting room is centrally located in downtown Orleans, making it easily accessible for those staying in the area. The tasting room is open from 11:30 AM until 11 PM seven days a week, so you'll have plenty of time to get down there to sample the exceptional beers they have available. Live entertainment and other events are on-site almost every night of the week, especially in July and August, allowing you to make a full evening out of your time at Hog Island.
Naukabout Beer Company
Although it sits just off Main Street in Mashpee, Naukabout Brewery and Taproom is a hidden gem that can be difficult to find. That is because it is on Lake Avenue near Attaquin Park, an area with dense tree cover and not much traffic unless, of course, you're visiting the beach. After spending a day at the beach on Mashpee Pond, it makes complete sense to hit up this beer company for a pint or two. Once you get to this Cape Cod brewery, however, you'll quickly see why it is worth seeking it out, as they specialize in hop-forward beers that craft beer drinks love. The offerings at the brewery are always changing, however, as they're continually experimenting and trying to make their beer even better. While there is no food available inside the tasting room, food trucks are present almost every day in the summer, and there is often live entertainment, as well.
Barnstable Brewing
Barnstable Brewing just opened in September 2017, and ran into some early troubles, mostly because they had a one-barrel pilot system, which limited the amount of beer they could make at one time. As a result, they would run out of beer always every week, making it difficult to build a loyal fan base. Now, however, the company has a 30-barrel steam brewhouse, so they are firing on all cylinders and shouldn't run into that problem ever again. The taphouse, which sits on West Main Street in Hyannis, is open from noon until 6 PM every day during the summer, although it occasionally has extended hours during special events or when introducing new beers to the market. There is also a patio, making it a relaxing place to enjoy a beer in the sun.
Cape Cod Beer
Cape Cod Beer has been around since 2004 and grown every year of its existence. The brewery is located on Phinneys Lane in Hyannis and is open from 10 AM until 6 PM during the week, and 11 to 4 on Saturdays. The location is child and pet-friendly, so you don't have to ditch the family to head in for a sample. The main draw at Cape Cod Beer is its outdoor beer garden. This beer garden features games and has patio furniture, and creates an all-around festive atmosphere, especially during the summer. The beer garden moves indoors in the winter, so if you choose to vacation on Cape Cod during the off-season, you don't have to miss out. The beer company also participates in countless events away from its storefront and has an on-site farmer's market on Fridays. If you visit a local music festival, beer garden, or concert, there's a good chance the event will serve Cape Cod Beer. Since its presence is everywhere, you'd have to go out of your way to not taste a Cape Cod Beer offering at least once this holiday.
Sea Dog Brew Pub
Sea Dog is the lone brewpub on this list, and it is undoubtedly worth checking out. Not only does this location brew its own beers, but Sea Dog also serves beer crafted by other local breweries, so if you don’t have time to travel the Cape visiting various taprooms, one trip to the brewpub might suffice. Of course, since this brewery doubles as a pub, you can also order a meal, which is something that you’ll find appealing if you plan to stay for more than a pint or two. Sea Dog is located in South Yarmouth just off Route 6, making it easily accessible, especially if your vacation rental is somewhere on the Mid-Cape.
Planning Ahead
Of course, any time you'll be consuming alcohol, it's necessary to plan your transportation. Make sure you have a safe ride back to your Cape Cod vacation rental. Cape Cod has numerous taxi companies, as well as Uber and Lyft, so you shouldn't have any trouble finding transportation. There's also the public bus system, which is efficient if you aren't traveling too far.
Visiting these breweries and sampling some local beers is a great way to spend a couple of days during your vacation. Get out there and see what you can find!
Barnstable Brewing Beer Cape Cod Beer Cape Cod Breweries Devils Purse Hog Island Naukabout Sea Dog Brew Pub