North of Boston - Cape Ann Brewery

I know I have no precedent for obsessions, but my new obsession for the summer is the Cape Ann Brewery in Gloucester.  I’m already planning beach trips on rainy days, as an excuse to get to the brew pub earlier.  They specialize in brewing a wide variety of delicious and potent craft beers.  In a little over a month, I’ve tried some 15 different beers.  There is a nice balance between year round and seasonal offerings, each with its own funky little spin.

My favorite brew, the Tea Party, has sadly been taken off the menu for the summer.  The Tea Party included a combination of tea leaves, giving the beer a smoky flavor.  Apparently one of the types of tea leaves used is actually from the same strain that was thrown overboard in the Boston Tea Party, so it’s like drinking America with a hint of revolution.

One of the local favorites is a double IPA, the Greenhorn.  From the way I heard servers mention it and locals order it I knew I was in for something special.  There is such an abundance of hops used in the creation of this beer that it gives off a grapefruit like bitterness. The Greenhorn comes served in a thick goblet instead of a regular pint glass because it packs a punch at 9% ABV.

If you’re looking for something lighter you can try the Honey Pilsner, which really gets the honey flavor across, or the Pick Ale, which is a cucumber beer that I imagine will be even more refreshing if it ever gets warm out.  I also heard that there will be a strawberry rhubarb beer coming soon, so I’m looking forward to trying that after getting sun burnt.

The brewers here even like to put a spin on their established recipes.  They take their already delicious Fisherman’s IPA and run it through a “hopulator,” which is actually just a bucket of fresh hops, giving off more of that grapefruit bitterness.  Similarly, they used a bucket of fresh coffee beans and ran their Pumpkin Stout through it a few weeks ago, but now their Rockporter runs through it.  The coffee flavor really comes through and adds to the deep rich flavors in the dark Rockporter.

The atmosphere of the brew pub is well designed to augment the great beer.  There are a few large common picnic tables and the bar for seating, where conversations with other patrons constantly spring up.  When the weather is nice, you can sit out on the brand new deck on America’s oldest port, Gloucester Harbor.  The Cape Ann Brewery also offers an array of books and traditional board games, to go along with dart boards, a custom made shuffle board table, and a bean bag set on the deck.  However, you may have to wait in line to get a chance to play with the Rockem Sockem Robots.

Please welcome our latest contributor Jack Carroll! Stay tuned for more from our newest booze man. 


Cape Ann Brewery
11 Rogers Street
Gloucester, MA
(978) 282 7399