09/24/2026
At the foot of the White Mountains, just steps from the S**o River and across from Jockey Cap, you’ll find S**o River Brewing— a western Maine brewery made for lovers of the slopes, woods, and pristine waters of the lakes and mountains region.
Founder Mason Irish’s path to brewing started with homebrew, a local homebrew club, adventures in cask ale, and an idea for a brewery nestled amongst the rugged, scenic, 4 season destination of Fryeburg. S**o River opened its doors in 2016 with a one-barrel system, pouring most of what it made right in the taproom. A decade later, quite a bit has changed.
The brewery has expanded production, added fermentation capacity, its own canning line, and grown distribution beyond western Maine, while keeping its original brewery and taproom at 10 Jockey Cap Lane as home base. Housed in a former sheet-metal fabrication shop, the taproom has the brewhouse just beyond the bar, plenty of nooks and crannies, live music, community BBQs, and outdoor space when the weather cooperates. It’s the kind of brewery that fits naturally into a day spent hiking, paddling, skiing, biking, or exploring Maine’s western edge.
Behind the bar, you’ll find longtime flagship Clearwater Pale Ale alongside IPAs, la**rs, dark b**rs, rotating small-batch releases, and customizable gluten-free hard seltzers.
In 2025, S**o River carried a little piece of Fryeburg across the state line with the opening of S**o River Brewing Taphaus in downtown North Conway. S**o River b**r, still Maine-brewed, now pours alongside a full kitchen and stone-oven pizza, with two floors of gathering space and an outdoor deck overlooking the Mount Washington Valley.
The age-old call to “go west” feels especially strong this time of year, so whether you’re chasing fall foliage, the coming winter snow, or your next mountain adventure, S**o River is an unmissable part of the trip.
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