Maine is much more than “vacationland” and the home of Stephen King, it’s also a beer-lover’s paradise. According to the Maine Brewer’s Guild, the state is currently home to more than 165 breweries and brew pubs. This means it’s a great place to take an early winter road trip to sip IPAs, lagers, stouts, pilsners, and all kinds of innovative, exciting beers.
Portland, Maine on its own rivals Portland, Oregon, in terms of great breweries per capita. If you simply visited that coastal city alone, you’d get to enjoy the likes of Allagash, Shipyard, Bissell Brothers, and more. But if you spend some time traveling around the state, you’ll do more than visit some of the cities mentioned in classic horror novels, you’ll enjoy award-winning beers from breweries like Baxter Brewing, Tributary Brewing, and the iconic Maine Beer Company.
The best part? If you live in the northeast (or you don’t mind a flight or two), Maine is easy to get to and even more fun to drink your way through. Keep scrolling to learn a little more about eight of our favorites.
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Baxter Brewing Company – Lewiston
Baxter Brewing Company opened in 2011 to craft well-made Maine-made IPAs while still paying tribute to the West Coast IPAs (and their hop varieties). They’ve branched out to other styles since then, but the IPA is still the top dog. Visit The Pub at Baxter — located at the historic Lewiston Bates Mill right next to the brewery — for a large tap list of rotating beers and great food like poutine, burgers, chicken sandwiches, and banh mi.
What To Drink:
While Baxter makes many noteworthy beers, it would behoove you to try its flagship Stowaway IPA. Brewed with almost 500 pounds of hops, it’s known for its balanced flavor profile featuring a ton of piney, floral hops as well as a healthy malt backbone.
Lone Pine Brewing Company – Portland
This Portland-area brewery first opened its doors in 2016. In the years since it’s gained a major following in the New England (and beyond) beer community and is now one of the largest craft breweries in Maine. Like many breweries, it started when high school friends Tom Madden and John Paul began home brewing and eventually decided to open a brewery. While there are various offshoots, the main facility is in Portland. This is where you’ll find their small batch pilot system, an outdoor beer garden, and 24 taps featuring a rotation of IPAs, stout, lagers, and other beers.
What To Drink:
While you can’t go wrong with any of the beers from this renowned brewery, if you want to get the most out of your experience, you’ll try Oh-J. This New England-style double IPA is known for its juicy hazy body and massive kick of citrus and pine.
Bissell Brothers – Portland
Bissell Brothers is a big name in the Maine beer world. Known for their innovative and envelope-pushing brews, Bissell Brothers Portland taproom is a great place to grab a bottle, cans, a growler, or relax with a pint from one of the 20 taps.
What To Drink:
Bissell Brothers is well-known for its Swish, a hazy juicy New England-style IPA. But after you try that one, we suggest grabbing a pint of its Lux Pale Rye Ale. This Mosaic pale ale is known for its tropical fruit flavor and gentle rye spice.
Maine Beer Company – Freeport
If you did a poll to find the most well-known Maine-based breweries, it would likely be a toss-up between Allagash and Maine Beer Company. The latter — located in Freeport — has been brewing award-winning beer since 2013. As with many breweries, its story begins with two brothers who had a passion for brewing and decided to open a brewery. Take a trip to the sprawling tasting room to try some of its more iconic brews like Dinner IPA and Peeper (its first-ever beer) and enjoy a mouth-watering pizza.
What To Drink:
No trip to Maine Beer Company is complete without trying its most famous beer: Lunch. This New England-style IPA is named for a well-known Finback whale. This balanced IPA is known for its mix of sweet caramel malts as well as candied orange peels, grapefruit, and floral piney hops.
Tributary Brewing – Kittery
Tributary Brewing, which opened in 2014, got its name from the tributaries, saltwater marshes, and tidal rivers scattered throughout Southern Maine. The brewery was founded by husband-and-wife duo Tod and Galen Mott. Tod is best known for creating the recipe for the wildly popular Harpoon IPA — one of the most successful craft beers of the last generation. Visit the Kittery tasting room for a flight or a few pints of its rotating list of seasonal and year-round beers.
What To Drink:
If you’re going to be in Maine, you might as well enjoy something from the ocean, right? Tributary’s Oyster Stout is a can’t-miss beer with its flaked and malted oats as well as Heron Island Oysters added to the boil. It’s loaded with roasted malt, chocolate, and a lightly briny flavor.
Allagash Brewing Company – Portland
There aren’t many Maine breweries more well-known than Allagash Brewing Company. This Portland staple was opened in 1995, at the height of the first real national “craft” beer boom. It’s well-known for its award-winning Belgian-inspired beers. Visit its flagship tasting room for a rotating list of taps as well as lobster rolls, beer brats, burgers, grilled cheese, and even whoopie pies featuring Allagash North Sky Stout cakes with Irish cream filling.
What To Drink:
You’re going to want to enjoy a fresh pint of its iconic Allagash White. We’d also suggest a pint of Allagash Tripel. This 9% ABV golden ale, made to taste like traditional Belgian abbey ales, is known for its mix of dried fruits, honey, and a crisp, dry finish.
Oxbow Brewing Company – Newcastle
Opened in 2011, Oxbow Brewing Company is a small farmhouse brewery situated in Newcastle. While many of the big names can be found in urban Portland, Oxbow opted for a more rural vibe. That hasn’t stopped it from becoming one of the most popular breweries in the state. While it has several offshoot sites, visit the original location and take a walk around the farm before stopping into the taproom or beer garden while enjoying rotating drafts and seasonal brews as well as Belgian-style frites (fried in duck fat!).
What To Drink:
If you’re going to visit a rural farmhouse brewery like Oxbow, you need to sip a farmhouse ale, right? Well, Oxbow’s Farmhouse Pale Ale is worth the trip alone. This hoppy, fruity, and crisp farmhouse ale is like a mix of a Saison and a pale ale in all the best ways.
Fogtown Brewing Company – Ellsworth
If you’re already planning to go to Maine to visit the popular Acadia National Park, you’d be remiss if you didn’t stop at the nearby Fogtown Brewing Company in Ellsworth. Opened in 2017, the brewery is known for its high-quality beers, a mission of sustainability, and mouth-watering farm-to-table menu. Visit the tap room and bar garden to imbibe a rotating list of brews while enjoying wood-fired pizza and other fare.
What To Drink:
Fogtown Night Nurse is an award-winning 7.1% ABV American stout that definitely should be on your “must-try” list if you find yourself at Fogtown. Brewed with organic oats and dark chocolate malts, it’s known for its palate of roasted malts, chocolate, and coffee, as well as its creamy mouthfeel.
