Throwback Brewery
With a focus on local ingredients, sustainability and community, Throwback Brewery (7 Hobbs Road, North Hampton, 379-2317, throwbackbrewery.com) has grown from a tiny warehouse operation into one of the area’s most distinctive craft beer and dining spots. Co-founded in 2010 by longtime homebrewers Nicole Carrier and Annette Lee, the brewery began as one of the state’s earliest craft operations, brewing in a modest warehouse and committed to using locally sourced ingredients. The name “Throwback” reflects the pair’s aim to revive the community-oriented, pre-Prohibition tavern ethos — where local sourcing and social connection went hand in hand — while also nodding to the fun of “throwing back” a beer with friends.
In 2015 Carrier and Lee moved the brewery onto the 12-acre Hobbs Farm, which features a picturesque 19th-century barn and a farm-to-table restaurant. Over the past decade Throwback has grown significantly, now featuring 19 taps and a seasonal scratch-made menu built around local produce and ingredients, some of which — like spent grain for burger buns and cookies — come directly from the brewing process. The kitchen is led by Chef Carrie Dahlgren, whose culinary creativity drives the rotating specials and farm-fresh offerings. The beer lineup, meanwhile, is as diverse as its food, offering everything from crisp lagers to bold sours, always brewed with local malts and produce when possible.
The Scene recently caught up with Carrier to talk about the brewery’s journey, its mission and how it continues to stand out in the ever-changing world of craft beer.
How long has Throwback Brewery been around?
We will actually be celebrating our 14th birthday in July, while also 10 years of owning the restaurant. … [It was] 2010 when we got the space, and in July of 2011 we sold our first beer. … We moved into the Hobbs farm on our fourth birthday, and went from a little three-barrel nanobrewery to a working farm with a 15-barrel system and a farm-to-table restaurant.
What makes Throwback Brewery unique?
We’re still the only 100-percent women-owned brewery in the state of New Hampshire, so that’s different … [but] also, when you think about the number of restaurants in the state that are truly working farms, where you can enjoy food and beer that was crafted using ingredients grown right there, it’s just a very unique kind of experience. … Sustainability is a huge part of who we are, in terms of our mission to source things as locally as possible.
What is your favorite thing on your own menu?
If I were to pick one thing, it would probably be our chana masala veggie burger. … It’s basically a housemade spiced chickpea burger, and we put on Pineland Farms cheese curds that are fried on the grill with turmeric. … Then it’s also got curry ketchup, hibiscus-mustard pickled carrots and some greens, all on a garlic naan bread that we also make. It’s just really delicious and packed with so many different levels of flavor.
What is something that everyone should try?
It’s between our burger and our wings. … Our Throwback burger is like a deconstructed French onion soup, really, with caramelized onions, beer honey, Gruyere cheese and garlic thyme aioli. That’s one of our most popular items by far. … The wings are just epic — they are nice and crispy on the outside but really juicy on the inside, and we have this Korean-style wing sauce which is a little bit salty and gingery. People are obsessed with them.
Name a celebrity you would like to see eating at Throwback Brewery.
I love Brandi Carlile — I’ve seen her in concert so many times. In my dream scenario, she would be singing at the brewery and having a beer with us. Why not?
What’s one essential skill needed to successfully run both a brewery and a restaurant?
I think the biggest thing is focusing on creating these shared spaces, where people are really comfortable and relaxed and you can offer a space for community connection. We do monthly book clubs and cribbage tournaments and weekly yoga. … There are people that are lifelong friends now because they met through Throwback, and I think creating that comfortable space for people is really needed nowadays. For centuries, beer has had this unique power to break down barriers if you will, and I think when you build on that you become an essential part of your community.
What is your favorite thing about being on the Seacoast?
It’s definitely the ability to be close to so many different fun things. The White Mountains aren’t that far, the ocean isn’t far and there are fantastic restaurants and all sorts of great musicians that come to town.
— Matt Ingersoll
Featured Photo: Cask ale via our beer engine. Courtesy Photo.
