Alex owned and operated Whym Craft Beer Cafe in Portsmouth for six years with his lovely wife and a killer team of employees turned family members.

Whym began as a place to find really awesome beer and stayed that way until the doors closed in August of 2019. A couple of years into the game, Alex knew he ultimately wanted Whym to be more than a restaurant…he wanted to create AND serve the best beer he could get his hands on.

Matt Barrett and Alex grew up together and poured sweat, blood, and tears into the corporate world together. Like Alex, Matt left that world to pursue a happier career…which lead him to his passion…brewing beer. Matt was a brewer at Moat Mountain before relocating back to the seacoast and working at Great Rhythm. When the time was right to join forces with Alex, he left brewing to become a Whymer full time. In 2020, Matt began brewing at Whym! Expansion news on our brewery coming soon.

Robert Levine (Bob) spent his adult life as a lawyer. A beer lover and brewer, Bob found his way to Whym early on. As one of our favorite regulars, Bob and Alex enjoyed chatting about beer. Bob also knew he wanted to spend his retirement years working in the best industry around. Lucky for Alex and Matt, the time was also right for Bob, and the rest is history!

Whym Craft Pub & Brewery has more transitioning to do…stay tuned for details!

Our Story
Whym Craft Beer Cafe

We love and appreciate craft beer.

Our mission is to help others explore and enjoy the diverse world of beer.

WHYM is a cafe style bar showcasing a line up of the most delicious brews available in New Hampshire.  We also feature an extensive collection of bottles (and cans) from around the world.  Our food menu is small, but well thought out and aimed to accompany the craft beer experience. With items ranging from meat and cheese plates to mouth watering entrees.

You may be asking yourself, what makes this husband and wife duo qualified to open a craft beer bar?

Well…our only qualifications are spending numerous nights and unthinkable amounts of time and money in craft beer bars and breweries tasting the finest beers the world has to offer. We both have years of experience in the restaurant industry, but Alex’s involvement and appreciation for the craft beer community is the driving force behind this establishment.

After a grueling ten years of being a manager in the corporate world, he was transferred to Maine. There, Alex was able to effortlessly feed his addiction to good beer. He met some great beer geeks who introduced him to the local beer community, reminding him of how passion creates success.

With that, he left the corporate world for good and started his journey in the world of craft beer. He contacted Chris and Jen Lively (of Ebenezer’s Pub and The Lion’s Pride) and asked for an opportunity to learn from the best.

Loving the experience of serving and teaching others about beer, Alex continued to road trip with friends to Vermont, northern Maine, and other faraway places in search of great beer. On one of those trips, it dawned on him…why couldn’t his beloved home state of New Hampshire have a place for beer lovers, too? When the time was right, he and his wife ventured back to the Granite State and the rest is empty glasses, or history…whichever you prefer.

As for me, the wife, I’m just in it for the beer.

-Gretchin Aviles (co-owner)

All photos are taken by: Melissa Koren Photography