Get Free Beer in Boston and New Hampshire: 4 Brewery Tours

If you have ever been interested in the history or brewing process of some major beer brands or you want an excuse to drink some free beer, consider taking a tour of a beer brewery. Most beer brewery tours allow you to witness the entire operation of making the beer and let those on the tour 21 or older try some samples. It can be a fun learning experience and social event for a group of friends or, even, families with kids, for the breweries tend to allow all ages to come along on the tour.

If you live in or are traveling to the Massachusetts or New Hampshire areas, here are four breweries you might want to think about factoring into your itinerary. Detailed information and tour schedules are listed for each.

Samuel Adams® Brewery
30 Germania Street
Boston (Jamaica Plain neighborhood), MA 02130
(617) 368-5080
http://www.samueladams.com/

Samuel Adams® Boston Brewery makes over 18 award winning Sam Adams beer styles, several of which you will have an opportunity to sample during your Samuel Adams® Boston Brewery Tour. You will also learn about the history of Samuel Adams® Beer Brewing Co., witness the process of brewing beer and maybe get to taste the malts and smell the Hallertau and Tettnang hops that make the beer so distinguishable in taste.

Samuel Adams® Boston Brewery Tours are open to all ages and those with proper ID may sample beers. Tickets are given on a first come first served basis and they do not take reservations so plan into your schedule the possibility of having to wait in line. It is advised to arrive as early in the day as possible to take the tour for a better chance at securing a spot. Saturdays are known to be particularly busy.

Samuel Adams® Boston Brewery Tour Schedule:
Monday-Thursday 10am-3pm
Fridays 10am-5:30pm
Saturday 10am-3pm

One hour tours depart every 45 minutes.
*Also note that a donation of $2 is suggested for the tour. Money will go toward local charities.

Anheuser-Busch Brewery Tour- Merrimack, NH
221 Daniel Webster Highway
Merrimack, NH 03054
1-800-DIAL-BUD
http://www.budweisertours.com

The Anheuser Busch Brewery in Merrimack, NH is known for its picturesque landscape and scenery as well as a great opportunity to get free beer. The Anheuser-Busch Merrimack Brewery Tour is free and will take you to various sections of the brewery's grounds and brewing factories. See the famous Budweiser Clydesdale horses at the Clydesdale Hamlet, witness the making of Budweiser Beers in the Brew Hall and adults 21+ can sample a wide variety of Budweiser products in the Hospitality Room.

*Note that the tour requires "a considerable amount" of walking, both indoors and outdoors but it is ADA accessible.

Budweiser Brewery Tour Schedule:
Jan-April >Thursday-Monday 10am-4pm
May> Daily 10am-4pm
Jun-Aug > Daily 10am-5pm
Sept-Dec > Daily 10am-4pm

Redhook Brewery
35 Corporate Drive
Pease International Tradeport
Portsmouth, NH 03801
603.430.8600
http://www.redhook.com "

Take a tour of the RedHook Ale Portsmouth Brewery to learn the history of Red Hook beer and have a chance to sample 3 or 4 of the Red Hook signature ales. Tours cost $1 per person, open to all ages and includes a souvenir tasting glass. Red Hook Ale Brewery grounds also contain the Cataqua Public House Pub and Restaurant, a seasonal outdoor beer garden and a beer themed gift shop.

Red Hook Brewery Tour Schedule:
Mon, Tues -2pm
Wed, Thurs, Fri- 1pm, 3pm, 5pm
Sat- 12pm-4pm
Sun- 1pm -4pm

Tours begin at the gift shop desk and are 45-60 minutes in duration.

Harpoon Brewery Tours
306 Northern Ave
Boston, MA 02210
1-888-HARPOON
http://www.harpoonbrewery.com

The Harpoon Brewery is only offering brewery tours on Saturdays and Sundays. Saturday tours are every half hour from 11:30am to 4:30pm and Sunday tours run every hour from Noon to 3pm. Tours are $5, about 1 hour in duration and include samples of Harpoon and UFO beers for visitors 21+. You also get a souvenir glass. Reservations are not accepted and the Harpoon Brewery suggests arriving early in the morning of the day you wish to take the tour to ensure you get tickets for later in the day.