Craft Breweries on Cape Cod

Right now, if you are on the Cape, you are within just a few miles of a world-class craft brewery. In the past few years, there has been an explosion in craft brewery on Cape Cod with many establishments opening up to serve the discerning drinkers living in or visiting the region. People on the Cape have fully embraced the craft brewery culture and the scene is only going to get better.

With craft breweries offering lively communal spaces where families, friends, and strangers can come together to have fun, you should definitely consider exploring what the Cape Cod scene has to offer. You will definitely find distinct interesting styles that are far more fascinating to your taste buds than what you have sampled out of the Cape. In no particular order, here are some craft breweries on Cape Cod that everyone should visit… 

Please visit each brewery's website to see what's currently on tap, taproom hours and special events.  

Cape Cod Beer

Cape Cod Beer is arguably one of the best and most popular breweries on the Cape. The brewery was founded in 2004 and has grown steadily to become a notable Cape Cod success story. It is located at 1336 Phinney’s Lane in Hyannis. With an annual capacity of about 12,000 barrels, they brew about 8 to 10 times a week during the high season and about 5 times a week during the offseason.

Cape Cod Beer has tens of regular and seasonal brands. Popular brands include Cape Cod IPA (their flagship IPA), Cape Cod Red (their flagship Ale), Cape Cod Harvest (a German-style ale), Cape Cod Summer (has flavors of clove and banana), Cape Cod Porter, and Bitter End Imperial IPA.

You can visit Cape Cod Beer on any day of the week except for Sunday when they are closed.  Check Cape Cod Beer's website for daily hours and brewery tour info.   You won’t need any reservation to attend a tour – just show up. Beer tastings are offered during retail hours and you get to sample 5 different beers. They also sell snacks and chips throughout the year. On some evenings, you will be lucky and land some pizza. Even better, they allow patrons to order food from outside.

If you are hosting a party or event, Cape Cod Beer has you covered with kegs, growlers, and cans.

Devil’s Purse Brewing Company

Devil’s Purse is located at 120 Great Western Road, South Dennis, MA. They offer standing room only and are open throughout the week. Their hours are 12-6 Daily.  

The brewery keeps their website updated with the beer brands that are available on tap. They also sell 4-packs, bottles, and kegs. They have over 10 beer brands with the Handline Kölsch, Pollock Rip IPA, and the Surfman Check ESB being their core beers. The Handline Kölsch is their interpretation of a German-style Kölsch with zest and cut grass aromas. The Pollock Rip IPA which is their flagship IPA features Chinook and Apollo hops with a dry finish. It has an interesting balance of sweetness and bitterness and has a pithy citrus fruit aroma. The Surfman Check ESB is an authentic English-inspired malt that features Northdown and East Kent Goldings hops.

Devil’s Purse does not offer tours of their brewery. It is a relatively small operation and you can experience most of the brewery from the taproom. They also do not serve food but have some snacks available for purchase as well as food trucks.  You can also bring your own non-alcoholic beverages.

Naukabout Beer Company

Naukabout Beer Company is located at 13 Lake Ave., Mashpee, MA. The lakeside brewery focuses on brewing hop-forward beers in a serene environment that any Cape native or visitor would love to spend time in. On their facility is a 5000 sq feet outdoor garden where patrons can enjoy a beer or grab a bite when a local food truck turns up.

The brewery has been around for years but it was only opened to the public on March 29, 2018. It has built quite the fan base in the relatively short time period it has been selling beers to the public. The taproom is open throughout the week. Hours of operation vary daily and by season,  please check their website for current hours. When you shop up, you are guaranteed interesting options for Mashpee-brewed hop-forward beers.

Barnstable Brewing

Barnstable Brewing opened its doors in 2017 yet it has already made a big mark on the Cape Cod brewing scene. The business is operated by the Connor family and has been in the works since 2014 when they got a heads up from the zoning board to open such a facility.

Their pillar offerings include a session IPA, a Russian imperial stout, and a decent selection of drafts.   Check their website for current hours but as of the time of this writing they were open everyday from 1 -7 pm.    Visit their website for their weekly beer menu.

Hog Island Beer Company

Hog Island Beer Company is located at 28 West Road, Orleans, MA.  It is run by a group that has a lot of experience in the beer industry. Their brands Outermost IPA, White Shark Wheat, Daily Sail Session IPA, and Summer Ale have been a great success and are sold in local Cape Cod liquor stores.

Hog Island is open at 12 noon daily. You can stop by for beer or food. They offer 5-ounce tasting samples. Their grounds are family-friendly and there are picnic tables outside where you can hang out with friends and family.

Cisco Brewers

Cisco Brewers is located at 5 Bartlett Farm Road, Nantucket, MA. They have a relatively bigger operation and they offer a lot more than beer. Aside from Cisco Brewers that offers great options in beers, the company also runs the Triple Eight Distillery that produces vodkas, spirits, and various liqueurs.

One of their popular beer offerings is the Island Reserve series that has Rantum Scoot Ale, Baggywrinkle Barleywine, Russian Imperial Scout, Madaquet India Pale Ale, Rumple Drumkin, Double Indie IPA, Cisco Pedaler, Lager, and Saison. Other beers that are usually available throughout the year include Whale’s Tale Pale Ale, Sankaty Light Lager, and Shark Tracker Light Lager.

The brewery offers a free van shuttle service from the Visitor’s Center on Federal Street to their location for free every afternoon during the in-season months (May 15 to Columbus Day). You can also drive yourself or ride a bike to their grounds. Tasting flights are available daily at both the Triple Eight Distillers and at the brewery. They allow group public tours of their facility during the offseason from November 1^st to April 25^th.