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.

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7
Appearance - 7 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 7

Cask at GBBF 25. Slightly opaque copper gold. Frothy foamy translucent white head. Aroma has sugary fruity sweetness with a nettle bitterness and resin. Flavourwise it's similar. Peppery. Slightly underlying veg soup. Long dry somewhat astringent finish. Nice.

Tried on 07 Aug 2025 at 22:10


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7.1
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7.5 | Flavor - 7.5 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7.5

7/8/2025. Cask at GBBF 2025. Citrusy, grassy, herbal aroma. Moderate sweetness, medium bitterness. Decent.

Tried from Cask on 07 Aug 2025 at 12:21


8.9
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 9 | Overall - 9

Draught at McLaughlin's in Lincolnville, Maine, 7/12/25.
Clear, deep, paler brass. Firm, small, white head.
Rich, rich honey-like malt perfectly balances white grape and rich, fresh herbal notes. Clean, crisp, clear, mineral-rich yeast on the finish. Balances and immaculate.
Rich, malty, with honey and biscuit and a zesty, herbal, white grape and fresh herb and fresh cut grass character. Soft and malty at points with great depth but drying out on the finish with some cracker and grain. Just incredibly flavorful, balanced and everything a pils should be.

Tried from Draft on 14 Jul 2025 at 00:15


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8.6
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8.5 | Flavor - 8.5 | Texture - 9 | Overall - 9

500mL bottle from the brewery drunk 7/9/25.
Clear burnished brass. Big, white head, fading quickly to edges.
Beautiful, clean, polished, honey-dense malt in the nose with a spicy hop presence to balance. Mineral and crisp yeast on the end with sourdough and mild fruitiness. Very aromatic, bright and clean.
In the mouth it's soft, malty, with big honey and baked sourdough. Spicy hop to balance perfectly, with great attenuation. Soft and intensely flavorful with mineral and crisp yeast presence on the finish. Hot damn. Love this brewery. Love Tod Mott. That man still got it and then some.

Tried from Bottle at Tributary Brewing Company on 09 Jul 2025 at 19:29


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8.3
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8.5 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5

Brewery draught 6/7/25.
Clear deep mahogany-cola. Small, light tan head.
Smoke, soy, umami, lead, black pepper. Always a wild ride with this one, on account of the wacky barrel blend. Rich malt but not excessive. Some caramel and a hint of fudge but not massive, and no booze.
Lighter bodied, with caramel, smoke, ash and raisin. Just all over the place, really. But with strong barrel warming and interesting notes for days. Lingering smoke and ash, tobacco and soy. A very, very different BA imperial than what is the mainstream today, but I love it for everything it's not (and the barrel complexity is wild).

Tried from Draft at Tributary Brewing Company on 08 Jun 2025 at 20:18


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8.3
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8.5 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5

Brewery draught, 6/7/25.
Hazy lemon-golden. Small, white head.
Fruity, lightly clovey notes with rich wheat and sweet base malt. Low acidity with soft salinity.
Round and saline with mineral, coriander and chewy, nutty, creamy wheat. Excellent depth, zesty, but light acidity and chewy wheat. Clean, polished and balanced. Tributary completely nails another traditional style. Shocking...

Tried from Draft at Tributary Brewing Company on 08 Jun 2025 at 20:06


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8
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8.5 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 8

Side pour at the brewery, 6/7/25.
Rich, bright amber. Clear and with a creamy, butter-toned head.
Rich cereals and moderate caramel. Huge maltiness, clean and with low hop character and lots of delightful yeast in the finish adding earthiness and mineral.
Clean, crisp, lightly toasty and with a good breadiness. Lighter than expected based on the nose. Mild herbal notes from hop with mineral and earth from the yeast, on the finish. Restrained toast, low sweetness.

Tried from Draft at Tributary Brewing Company on 08 Jun 2025 at 19:48


7.8
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

16 oz. can. Nose is light honey-ish malt and soft floral. Flavor follows with a nice mineral balance. Very soft floral bitterness that makes it end crisp. Very clean pilsner. Perfect to pair with a burger for lunch!

Tried from Can on 15 Dec 2024 at 17:28


8.4
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 10 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5

5 oz draft. Aroma of grape, soft brandy, oak. Flavor is grape Madeira forward. A lot of rich Madeira barrel with a mild boozy finish. Body maybe a touch thin but… no matter. I love Madeira so this works for me.

Tried from Draft on 15 Dec 2024 at 17:17


8.1
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5

York River draught, 12/12/24. Clear dark auburn. Small, creamy, mocha head. Port and oak with mild roast, mild chocolate and no sign of booze. Lingering plum, prune, vanilla, juicy grape. Strong roast with light char, light vanilla, lots of bakers chocolate and plum. Juicy port with deep malts and high attenuation. Not syrupy or boozey, yet still amply malty. Doesn't kill you with port, but it's well-done and apparent.

Tried on 12 Dec 2024 at 18:32