Beers/Breweries of Maine

[CervezaMaLa]

I'm heading to Maine at the end of June/start of July...

- What breweries should I visit? Allagash is high on the list, but I care more about good tours/unique breweries than I do about the brewery with the best beer (assuming I can just buy the beer eslewhere in the area).

- What beers do I need to have (stuff I likely can't get outside of the region)?

I'm game for anything, but mostly an IPA fan...

Thanks!

 

[jdauria]

Well, Portland ME is a treasure trove of breweries.
Maine Beer Company -
Allagash Brewing Company -
Rising Tide Brewing Company -
Sebago Brewing Company -
D.L. Geary Brewing Company -
Peak Organic Brewing Company
In'Finiti Fermentation & Distillation
Casco Bay Brewing Co.
Shipyard Brewing Co.
Bunker Brewing Co. -
Gritty McDuff's Brewing Company -
Bissell Brothers Brewing Co.

I recommend Maine Brewing, Allagash, Rising Tide, DL Geary's, Gritty's and Peak.

In other parts of Maine, you have Baxter and Atlantic that I am familiar with .

You need to try to get Lunch from Maine Brewing, and pretty much all their other beers are good too. Rising Tide is a favorite of mine, small brewery.

 

[broadbill]

I would try for an Allagash tour, as they are unique among the other breweries for brewing Belgian-style. Most everyone else is more/less "traditional" and lets face it, you see one mash tun you seen 'em all...

That is not to say they aren't making good beer. You can enjoy them at The Great Lost Bear, Novare Res, and Ebenezer's/Lion's Pride. You can buy bottles at RSVP and Down East Beverage.

Where exactly will you be?

 

[CervezaMaLa]

Thanks for the responses...

I'm staying in a cabin on a lake near Camden. The girlfriend has already agreed to at least two brewery tours, so I'm hoping for three. I'll be driving up so can hit something on the way.

Allagash and Maine seem the tops - then maybe one of the others you've listed.

Any specific beers you think I need to try (doesn't have to be at the brewery) that I likely can't get outside the region?

 

[CervezaMaLa]

You need to try to get Lunch from Maine Brewing, and pretty much all their other beers are good too. Rising Tide is a favorite of mine, small brewery.

HA! Definitely misread that...'yeah, I guess I could time it during my drive to stop there for lunch...'

Thanks!

 

[adamelb]

If your an IPA fan I'd say Fryes Leap from Sebago is a must try while you're out there. I also enjoyed Sebago's DIPA as well as Baxter's Stowaway IPA which had a very smooth caramel malt character. As already mentioned Lunch is my favorite ME IPA.

Geary's, Shipyard and Gritty Mcduffs are all english style breweries set up by New England beer legend Alan Pugsley. They all use the Peter Austin brick kettle system and open ferment with Ringwood yeast. Not my favorite beers (light diacetyl) but definitely a cool brew system that has its place in Maine brewing history.

I had good luck finding Sebago, Baxter, Shipyard and many other local offerings at a Hannaford near Portland on my last trip. Sebago brew pub was in the same plaza, so it was a nice stop. Good luck on your trip, cheers

 

[broadbill]

HA! Definitely misread that...'yeah, I guess I could time it during my drive to stop there for lunch...'

Thanks!

Have a MBC Lunch, while you are eating lunch at the Great Lost Bear!

 

[beekeeperman]

This might be fitting to try for a beer while you are in Maine. Very good

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/74/1149/

 

[philw86]

If you're going up Route 1 to Camden and need a decent lunch stop in Brunswick...house beers are great, and the other taps have a lot of weird/funky selections.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ebenezers-Brewpub/211281985715280