Tributary Brewing Company
Microbrewery
in
Kittery,
Maine,
United States 🇺🇸
Associated Venue: Tributary Brewing Company
Established in 2014
Contact
10 Shapleigh Rd, Kittery, ME, 03904, United States
Description
One Tributary Leads to Another… that was the aha! moment when Tod Mott and his wife, Galen came upon the name of their new brewery. Tributary Brewing Company is Tod’s long-held dream of brewing his own beer and having his own place to serve it. Tod has been a master brewer for over two decades, working with some of the region’s most renowned breweries. Most fans know him as New England’s brewing legend, the creator of the original recipe of the highly acclaimed Harpoon IPA, and Portsmouth Brewery’s cult-status, Kate the Great Russian Imperial Stout.
We find the inspiration for Tributary beer in the landscape of Southern Maine, with its winding brooks, salt water marshes, and tidal rivers converging into the mighty Piscataqua River. Tod and Galen are passionate environmentalists and understand the critical importance of good, clean water.
Water is the most vital component in the brewing process; Tributary is our metaphor for the delicate brewing process. Tod’s skill, ingenuity, and creativity, combined with our mission to preserve this way of life, results in small batches of Tod’s favorite recipes for traditional, well-balanced, full-bodied beers — many of them! Tributary’s home is the coastal town of Kittery, Maine. We use only the finest malt and hops in our brews for beer lovers locally and beyond.
We find the inspiration for Tributary beer in the landscape of Southern Maine, with its winding brooks, salt water marshes, and tidal rivers converging into the mighty Piscataqua River. Tod and Galen are passionate environmentalists and understand the critical importance of good, clean water.
Water is the most vital component in the brewing process; Tributary is our metaphor for the delicate brewing process. Tod’s skill, ingenuity, and creativity, combined with our mission to preserve this way of life, results in small batches of Tod’s favorite recipes for traditional, well-balanced, full-bodied beers — many of them! Tributary’s home is the coastal town of Kittery, Maine. We use only the finest malt and hops in our brews for beer lovers locally and beyond.
7.4/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
On tap at Tributary, pours a clear golden with a small white head. Aroma has plenty of rustic saison yeast, low-level esters, and a touch of peppery spice. Flavour is well-dialled in, with rustic saison yeast, peppery spice, and very subtle residual sweetness. Not too estery—this is crafted pretty damn well. Very good, especially for an American saison. I guess these guys know what they’re doing.
Tried
from Draft
at
Tributary Brewing Company
on 10 Aug 2026
at 03:09
6.8/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
On tap at Tributary, pours a mostly clear blonde with a small white head. Aroma has plenty of coriander, light saline, soft wheatiness, and lacto. Flavour is smooth, with plenty of coriander and soft wheatiness upfront, very low-level tartness if it’s there at all, and some lacto. Really soft palate that is almost creamy, showcasing the coriander and lacto. Pretty solid.
Tried
from Draft
at
Tributary Brewing Company
on 10 Aug 2026
at 03:07
7.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
On tap at Tributary, pours a clear golden with a small white head. Aroma has plenty of woody piney hops, a touch of tropical notes, citrus peel, and biscuity malt to back. Flavour is full of bright woody piney and tropical melony hops—best of Chinook and Mosaic—with bright citrus and dry biscuity malt base. Bright, vibrant hop expression, clean construction. Excellent old school westie here in the east.
Tried
from Draft
at
Tributary Brewing Company
on 10 Aug 2026
at 03:05
6.9/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 7
Overall 7
On tap at Tributary, pours a cloudy yellow with a small white head. Aroma is full of English bready malt, soft floral hops, and a hint of citrus—very English aromatics. Flavour is much the same, with lots of floral hops, English bready malt, bitter citrus peel, finishing dry and floral. Good balance, nicely constructed.
Tried
from Draft
at
Tributary Brewing Company
on 10 Aug 2026
at 03:03
7.1/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 7.5
Flavor 7
Texture 7
Overall 7
Pours hazy gold into a tulip. White head with good retention turns soapy and recedes to mottle surface leaving spider lacing. White grape, hay and meadow aromas. Medium bodied with sweet honey, plum, apricot and dusty white grape skin front to back. Medium length earthy hot burnt caramel finish.
Tried
on 18 Jul 2026
at 21:28
7.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Far right draught, 7/9/26.
Hmm, that's very estery and lightly phenolic. Had to make sure this was the right beer at first. But it is warmer fermented so I guess there's your answer. And it doesn't smell problematic, just much fruitier than expected with some light banana and a touch of clove. Balanced maltiness with big bread and hints of caramel.
Less yeasty in flavor; just a fruitiness that complements the big malt and hop. Peppery and satisfyingly bitter with nicely attenuated malt. Bread, light caramel, light honey. Incredibly flavorful and drinkable.
Hmm, that's very estery and lightly phenolic. Had to make sure this was the right beer at first. But it is warmer fermented so I guess there's your answer. And it doesn't smell problematic, just much fruitier than expected with some light banana and a touch of clove. Balanced maltiness with big bread and hints of caramel.
Less yeasty in flavor; just a fruitiness that complements the big malt and hop. Peppery and satisfyingly bitter with nicely attenuated malt. Bread, light caramel, light honey. Incredibly flavorful and drinkable.
Tried
from Draft
at
Great Lost Bear
on 10 Jul 2026
at 01:45
8/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7.5
Flavor 8.5
Texture 9
Overall 8.5
500 ml bottle in a trade with Clarkvv. Thank you! Aroma is soft roast, mild Tawny port, berries. Some soft notes, chocolate, burnt toffee, roast malts, Black licorice / anise. Some soft ash. Not a thick a body but medium plus.
This certainly does resemble take the gray from all those years ago.
It was a nice trip down memory lane. To an era where imperial stouts were released for special occasions and not common place.
This certainly does resemble take the gray from all those years ago.
It was a nice trip down memory lane. To an era where imperial stouts were released for special occasions and not common place.
Tried
from Bottle
at
Tributary Brewing Company
on 09 May 2026
at 23:34
7.9/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 8
Flavor 8.5
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Bottle shared by Chris--thanks, CLW! Opaque, inky black, light viscosity, ring of head, trace lacing. Aroma is strong earthy toffee, mild anise, hint of tobacco. Taste strongly resembles aroma with late dark fruit contributions. Smooth, frothy texture, thin texture, soft carbonation and finish as taste.
Tried
from Bottle
on 09 May 2026
at 23:26
7.6/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 7.5
Texture 7
Overall 7.5
Brewery draught, 10/26/25.
As pictured.
Lightly fruity, caramel-accented bread and herb with spice lingering. Crisp, mineralic and clean.
Rich malts becoming quite bready, moderately toasty and very dry and crisp on the finish. Herbal accents throughout. Clean and easy drinking with good balance and flavor.
As pictured.
Lightly fruity, caramel-accented bread and herb with spice lingering. Crisp, mineralic and clean.
Rich malts becoming quite bready, moderately toasty and very dry and crisp on the finish. Herbal accents throughout. Clean and easy drinking with good balance and flavor.
Tried
from Draft
at
Tributary Brewing Company
on 26 Oct 2025
at 16:26
8.1/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8.5
Texture 8
Overall 8
Brewery draught, 10/26/25.
As pictured.
Leafy, floral, earthy, funky and very interesting. Not gonna lie, I'm kind of getting some weed-like terpene character. That dry, catty, mega-spicy character. Bready malts balance.
Rounder, softer and fruitier than the nose suggests, with the catty, spicy character more or less folded in to the malt nicely. Bready and rich malts linger with big pepper and moderate bitterness. Super unique and interesting stuff.
As pictured.
Leafy, floral, earthy, funky and very interesting. Not gonna lie, I'm kind of getting some weed-like terpene character. That dry, catty, mega-spicy character. Bready malts balance.
Rounder, softer and fruitier than the nose suggests, with the catty, spicy character more or less folded in to the malt nicely. Bready and rich malts linger with big pepper and moderate bitterness. Super unique and interesting stuff.
Tried
from Draft
at
Tributary Brewing Company
on 26 Oct 2025
at 16:14