New England includes six states in the northeastern United States. It’s also the home of clam chowder, lobsters, maple syrup, the American Revolution, and the Freedom Trail. We can’t forget, though, the hundreds of distilleries all over the area. Get ready to tour New England’s best craft distilleries.

Fifth State Distillery in Bridgeport, Connecticut

The city meets the farm at this craft distillery. They work farm to bottle and produce their flagship gin, whiskey, vodka, and some specialty spirits. 

They believe in sharing the spirit of early Connecticut distillers, and they are the first licensed distillery in Bridgeport, Connecticut, since Prohibition. The history of the area is rich. It was once the place where smugglers, bootleggers, and moonshiners lived. 

They are dedicated to selecting ingredients from sustainable, local farmlands. They are also the 2021, 2022, and 2023 Connecticut Gin Distillery of the Year from the New York International Spirits Competition.

You’ll find:

• Fifth State Gin is their flagship spirit distilled from GMO-free Connecticut corn.
• Seville Gin is their seasonal gin that uses Spanish Seville oranges grown in the United States.
• Their Passion Gin is distilled with passion fruit and is smooth, sweet, and tangy.
• Their award-winning Madagascar Gin is made with tangerines and Madagascar green peppercorns. It’s sweetly orange with a peppery finish.
• They also have vodka, whiskey, celery vodka, limoncello, and chocolate liqueur. 

To tour this craft distillery, make reservations on their website. They do limit tasting room and distillery visits to one hour. 

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Hardshore Distilling in Portland, Maine

This craft distillery released its flagship product, Hardshore Original Gin, in 2016. It’s crafted from family-grown grain and includes fresh rosemary and mint and notes of orris root (iris), coriander, and Tuscan juniper. 

They are dedicated to making exceptional gin, but they are also committed to conserving the nature of Maine. Their water comes clean from Sebago Lake, so they use less water than other distilleries.

If you’re not into gin, this is still one distillery you want to visit, as they do gin unlike any you’ve tasted before. They pride themselves on their use of botanicals and say they create gin varieties that suit any taste.

Their tasting room is available at different times throughout the week, so check their website for more information.

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Boston Harbor Distillery in Boston, Massachusetts

This craft distillery was founded in 2012 by a woman with the purpose of making whole-grain whiskey as well as other unique spirits. Rhonda Kallman is a pioneer in the industry and has led the way for other women distillers. 

The distillery building was built in 1859 and is one of Boston’s last remaining mill buildings. It has a fantastic history – from a place that manufactured Civil War nails to winning yachts to an ice cream factory. 

They currently have hundreds of barrels of whiskey aging in their warehouse. They also have many other spirits, including small-batch gin, rum, rye whiskey decadent liqueurs, and even beer distilled from Sam Adams.

If you want to tour, they can’t wait to share their grain-to-glass process, history, story, and their spirits. You can do a VIP whiskey tour and tasting experience as well as a barrel-side tasting featuring a variety of samples. Make reservations online.

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Tamworth Distillery in Tamworth, New Hampshire

This craft distillery has a scratch-made ethos where they believe in creating each spirit using local, house-milled grain and pure White Mountain water. Additionally, they only source herbs and botanicals from the woods and their garden, and local fruits and vegetables.

Their 250-gallon copper still was custom-built in Kentucky. It has a brandy helmet, gin basket, and a whiskey column, so it can produce a wide range of products. They also distill their own neutral grain spirit base from local, organic rye, corn, and alt. Their pure water comes from Ossipee Stratified Aquifer.

They offer seasonal and specialty offerings, including whiskey, bourbon, rye, applejack, vodka, and much more. See their website for their extensive range.

Tamworth is dedicated to innovation and experimentation, and you can experience it during one of their tours and tastings. They also offer workshops and special events. Make reservations online.

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Sons of Liberty Distilling Co. in South Kingstown, Rhode Island

They founded their craft distillery to fearlessly pursue their dreams and take a stand on whiskey making (much like the real Sons of Liberty fought for the colonists’ rights in 1765).

Sons of Liberty released their first whiskey in December 2011. They set out to challenge tradition and distill single-malt whiskey from their favorite beers. 

Their flagship whiskey, Uprising, is an American Single Malt Whiskey Distilled from a stout beer. They use 100% malted barley that features the darker malts found in stout beers. They double distill it to create a complex whiskey aged in American oak barrels and complemented with toasted French oak.

For tours and tastings, check their website for days and times. 

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Caledonia Spirits in Montpelier, Vermont

They started distilling in 2011 in the rolling hills of Vermont. Not only do they have a distillery, but they also have a craft cocktail bar. They designed their building and their spirits with sustainability in mind.

Caledonia has custom-designed stills and crafts their spirits in small batches. They are also dedicated to bringing together cocktail culture and agriculture.

Their spirits are distinguished by raw honey that provides notes of wildflower nectar. Their specialties are gin and vodka. 

You can visit the craft distillery and cocktail bar in historic Montpelier for drinks, tastings, and tours, sipping your cocktails by the Winooski River. You can even tour the building, see the stills, visit the barrel room, and explore the bottling operation and their experimental lab. Furthermore, you can even taste raw honey and dip a bottle into melted beeswax.

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Frequently Asked Questions 

What states are in New England?

New England includes a region that encompasses Connecticut, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Maine, Massachusetts, and Vermont. The earliest known inhabitants were American Indians. It is also the birthplace of the American Revolutionary War.

How is New England unique?

You’ll notice distinct dialects in the people from New England. The area also has a reputation for great seafood, including clam chowder and lobster, and a booming dairy industry. 

Does New England have a history of rum?

Yes! At the peak in 1770, the colonies were known to have brought in six million gallons of Caribbean molasses to make their rum. At the time, New England had 159 distilleries. 

New England History, Beauty, and Spirits

Now that you have a short list of New England’s best craft distilleries, you’re ready to hit the road. Enjoy all the northeastern part of the country has to offer!

If you want more information about the best craft distilleries experiences in New England, please visit Distillerynearby.com. It’s your ultimate online source for whiskey, bourbon, vodka, gin, and other spirits.