Home Brewing scene in Bangor, ME area?

I'm interviewing for a new job in Bangor, ME the week of the 30th. So, I'm curious to know if anyone else (on these boards) lives up in that area, and how are things up there for supplies and home brew clubs? Also, what are you guys doing with/to/for the brewing water up there? Filter setups? I'm used to having pretty crappy water (for brewing) where I live (but not where I brew). I plan on taking my under-sink water filter system, but I'm also thinking about buying a new one (this one is over 11 years old now).

Fingers crossed that I'll land the job in Bangor and finally get to leave MA... :rockin: :fro:

You are going to love the home brewing scene in Bangor. Great local brewing supply store call Central Street Farmhouse on Central street downtown. Great staff, great selection, great club.

Saw them listed on the AHA site for Maine (looked over the weekend). I also see a few clubs in the same area. Just need to get the job so I can move up.

What do you do for brewing water?

I don't live in Bangor but we have the best tasting tapwater in the state here in Richmond. Bangor water was fine as I remember and the Central street folks don't seem to do any special for water.

I live in the next town over... Brewer and the scene here is great. As stated in the folks at CSF are great. I have only used my tap water and it works great. Good luck on the gig... unless it's the one I am applying for for!

Job never happened up in Bangor. Plus the contract I was on ended on the 24th. Since I still need to move by the end of this month (September) I'm moving to a place in Nashua, NH. Very nice place in fact, at a decent rate, so I'm good.

I did post up in another thread about Nashua brewers, to see what people are doing for water there. Just need to know if I should plan to continue to filter the water, or if people generally don't. I'll know the instant I try to drink water from the faucet if I'll be filtering it. I've checked for places to get CO2 tanks refilled and there's one not far from where I'll be.

Where in Nashua is a good place to fill up on CO2? Sorry for the NH infiltration ;-)

TheDudeLebowski said:

Where in Nashua is a good place to fill up on CO2? Sorry for the NH infiltration ;-)

Click to expand...

There's a place in Derry...

Full listing of options: http://www.bfd.org/CO2_fill.htm

I'll be going here:
Granite Industrial Gasses
49 North High Street
Derry, NH 03038

603-537-0115 or 800-680-9232

http://www.graniteindustrialgases.com

Directions: http://www.graniteindustrialgases.com/contact-directions.html

Refills while you wait. Just $10 for a 5# tank. That's what I would expect to pay, for a fill-up...

The water in "Skowvegas" (AKA Skowhegan, 1 hours SW of Bangor) is decent. I like to use bottled personally.
...but the few brews I've done on tap alone turned out fine.
No major flaws from the H2O as I can tell...
I haven't done any testing, or got a report, because I use bottled primarily.
I also use Northern Brewer for most of my stuff, generally because I can save 10-20 bucks even with shipping costs.
...but I do visit Central Street Farmhouse often.
Great group of people!

Also, Nocturnem Drafthaus!
www.nocturnemdrafthaus.com/