Governor Maggie Hassan visited Smuttynose Brewery’s new facility in Hampton today to reveal the state’s new effort to boost culinary tourism.
The state’s Office of Travel and Tourism joined forces with a local industry group to produce a map of New Hampshire’s 33 breweries. They are hoping the map, along with the industry-sponsored website NHBEER.org, will encourage a new kind of food tourism in the state.
Over the industrial hum of the Smuttynose brewery, Governor Hassan applauded what she called a bipartisan and cross-sector effort:
It’s also bringing together our two biggest sectors in our economy, manufacturing and tourism, attracting more people to our state, more businesses to our state, and creating more jobs.
Last year, Governor Hassan signed a bill that made it easier for tiny breweries known as “nanobreweries” to open shop in New Hampshire. According to The Beer Institute, New Hampshire ranks second for per capita beer consumption – just after North Dakota.