Bad Martha Brewing Company

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Bad Martha Farmer’s Brewery is a small American microbrewery on Martha’s Vineyard, with its main taproom in Edgartown and a larger second location in Falmouth, Massachusetts. It was founded in 2013 by Jonathan Blum, who remains the owner. The first beers, Vineyard Summer Ale and Martha’s Vineyard Ale, were released in June 2013. A unique feature is that all Bad Martha beers are brewed with hand-picked wild grape leaves from Martha’s Vineyard.

Each year Bad Martha creates about 50 different craft beers using local ingredients from nearby farms and makers, including fruits, berries, honey, and more. In 2014 they opened a tasting barn in Edgartown, and the original brewery operates a 7-barrel system with up to 10 beers on tap.

In September 2019 they opened a larger Falmouth brewery with a 15-barrel system (expandable to 30) and a modern canning line, which allows wider distribution. All cans are produced in Falmouth, while beer is still brewed on-site in Edgartown for the taproom.

The beer garden–style locations offer indoor and outdoor seating, parking, bike racks, and accessibility. The Edgartown location is seasonal, while Falmouth is open year-round. Visitors can sample for free, order flights, and buy growlers, crowlers, 4-packs, and 16 oz cans. Food to-go is available as well.

Bad Martha’s beer is known for its mermaid logo. A legend on the site tells of a mermaid who guided explorer Bartholomew Gosnold to a grape field on MV, where he used the grapes in his ale. The motto is Get Bad. Do Good. The company donates part of its profits to hunger-relief charities where its beer is sold, buys many ingredients locally, and gives spent grain to local farmers.

Awards and recognition: since 2014 they have won 13 international beer awards, and in 2018 Boston Magazine named them one of Massachusetts’ top two brewers. Notable gold medals include Martha’s Vineyard Ale (2019), Martha’s Vineyard Export Lager, and Martha’s Vineyard Pumpkin Pie Bock; silver and bronze medals were awarded to several beers in different categories.