Lakes Region Brewery Tour: Tilton to Meredith Around Lake Winnipesaukee
Plan a one-day brewery loop around Lake Winnipesaukee — from Kettlehead’s I-93 pit stop in Tilton to Twin Barns’ historic barn taproom in Meredith, with Weirs Beach and Castle in the Clouds along the way.
Craftbevia Team
The Lakes Region tour loops around central New Hampshire via Route 3 and Route 11, running Tilton to Franklin to Canterbury to Meredith. It’s built around Lake Winnipesaukee, with Weirs Beach and Castle in the Clouds folded into the same day as four distinct breweries, from an I-93 pit stop to a one-man, water-powered nano-brewery running on a single barrel system.
Tilton: Kettlehead Brewing Co.
Located right off I-93 Exit 20, Kettlehead is a highly popular pit stop known for pub food and an ever-rotating IPA lineup, including the hazy double IPA Dreamstate, making it a natural starting point for a route headed north around the lake. Worth knowing before you plan the rest of the day: Kettlehead has since expanded to two more Lakes Region locations, with taprooms now open in both Franklin and Meredith — the same two towns you’ll be visiting later on this route.
Popular I-93 Exit 20 pit stop known for pub food and a rotating IPA lineup, including the hazy double IPA Dreamstate. Now also has Franklin and Meredith locations.
Franklin: Vulgar Brewing Co.
Vulgar Brewing sits at 378 Central Street in downtown Franklin, right alongside Mill City Park — New England’s first whitewater park — on the Winnipesaukee River. If you want to stretch this stop into a two-brewery detour, Kettlehead’s newer Franklin taproom (40 Canal St) is a short distance away at the Stevens Mill site.
Downtown Franklin taproom anchoring Mill City Park, New England's first whitewater park, on the Winnipesaukee River.
Canterbury: Canterbury Aleworks
A completely unique stop on the route: a one-man, water-powered, wood-fired nano-brewery run solo by owner Steve Allman out of a hand-built wood-frame structure on his farm, evoking an old-world British or Celtic wayside pub. Heads up on routing: Canterbury sits south of Franklin, back toward Concord, rather than directly between Franklin and Meredith — so this stop adds real backtracking to the loop. It’s worth the detour for the novelty, but budget extra drive time and check current tasting-room hours before you go, since they change seasonally.
One-man, water-powered, wood-fired nano-brewery on a working farm. Hours change seasonally — confirm before visiting.
Meredith: Twin Barns Brewing Co.
Twin Barns operates out of an authentic 1850s barn a short distance from the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee — and the “twin” in the name is literal: the founders discovered during renovation that the structure is actually two barns joined together, which became the brewery’s namesake. It’s a natural closing stop for the route. Kettlehead’s Meredith taproom is also nearby if you want to compare notes on both stops in town.
Two 1850s barns joined into one structure, a short distance from Lake Winnipesaukee.
Planning Your Lakes Region Tour
- The route isn’t a tight geographic loop:Tilton to Franklin is a short hop west, but Canterbury sits south of Franklin toward Concord — off the direct line to Meredith. Expect some backtracking on the Canterbury leg, and plan for a full day rather than a quick afternoon circuit.
- Weirs Beach sits between the Tilton and Meredith stops, making it an easy midday break, with Twin Barns positioned as the post-lake destination.
- Castle in the Clouds is across the lake in Moultonborough. It adds driving time around the northern tip of Winnipesaukee, but the panoramic vistas of the region are worth the detour if time allows.
- Kettlehead now has three Lakes Region locations (Tilton, Franklin, and Meredith), so if you fall for their beer at the first stop, you can revisit at two more points along this same route.
Frequently asked questions
How many breweries are on the Lakes Region tour?
Four distinct stops: Kettlehead in Tilton, Vulgar Brewing in Franklin, Canterbury Aleworks in Canterbury, and Twin Barns in Meredith. Kettlehead has since added taprooms in Franklin and Meredith too, so you can revisit its beer at two more points along the same route.
Is the Lakes Region route a tight loop around the lake?
Not quite. Tilton to Franklin is a short hop west, but Canterbury sits south of Franklin toward Concord — off the direct line to Meredith — so that leg adds real backtracking. Budget a full day rather than a quick afternoon circuit, and confirm Canterbury Aleworks’ hours before you go, since they change seasonally.
What makes Canterbury Aleworks unique?
It’s a one-man, water-powered, wood-fired nano-brewery run solo by owner Steve Allman out of a hand-built wood-frame structure on his farm, evoking an old-world British or Celtic wayside pub. It’s the most distinctive stop on the route — worth the detour for the novelty, but budget extra drive time.
What can I do besides breweries on this route?
Weirs Beach sits between the Tilton and Meredith stops as an easy midday break, and Castle in the Clouds in Moultonborough offers panoramic lake views — though it adds driving time around the northern tip of Winnipesaukee. Vulgar Brewing also sits right beside Mill City Park, New England’s first whitewater park.
Key Takeaways
- Best pit stop: Kettlehead Brewing right off I-93 Exit 20 in Tilton.
- Best outdoor pairing:Vulgar Brewing next to Mill City Park’s whitewater park in Franklin.
- Most unique stop:Canterbury Aleworks’ water-powered nano-brewery.
- Best closing stop: Twin Barns Brewing in its 1850s twin-barn taproom near Lake Winnipesaukee.
- Add-on worth the detour: Castle in the Clouds in Moultonborough for panoramic lake views.
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The Lakes Region tour loops four breweries around Lake Winnipesaukee via Route 3 and Route 11, from an I-93 pit stop in Tilton to a twin-barn taproom in Meredith, with Weirs Beach and Castle in the Clouds built into the same trip. Budget a full day: the Canterbury leg adds real backtracking, not a tight loop.