Brewery suggestions welcomed - ME, NH, VT

Doing a mini tour of New England next weekend. Thursday to Friday in Freeport, ME (will definitely go to Maine Beer Co); Friday to Saturday in Portsmouth, NH (definitely visiting Stoneface Brewing in Newington); Saturday to Sunday in Waitsfield, VT (halfway point between Lawson’s in Warren and Alchemist in Waterbury). Any others that I should definitely not miss? Any dining must-do in those areas?

Maine Beer Co is awesome. If you are going 20 miles up the road to Portland, definitely Oxbow, Bissell Brothers and Nova Res (beer bar). Allagash too if you can fit it in.

Down the road you mean. :wink:

Yeah, will try to squeeze in as much as possible in Portland. Have already done Allagash a couple of times. But will def try for BB or Oxbow.

If you’re in VT, definitely have to go to the best brewery in the US: Hill Farmstead. It’s in the middle of nowhere but worth it. Note, they’re open on Saturday but not Sunday.

Negative sir. I know darned well where HF is located and I’m not going based on 3 factors:

  1. I’m over the hype
  2. The beers are available almost everywhere in the area where I’ll be staying. Hell, my local beer bar here in NY has 3 or more dedicated HF lines at any given time.
  3. I’m not standing in line for 2 hours!

Thanks but no thanks.

Fiddlehead
Burlington Beer Co.
Prohibition Pig
Frost
Foam


You should check whether Lawson’s is open to the public

Second on Bissell. Nearby is a tiny garage brewery Bunker Brewing, worth a taste if they’re open.

Probably out of your way but if you are heading through Lewiston check out Baxter Brewing.

By the way next to Bissell is Stroudwater Distilling, I liked their Bourbon although pricey if IIRC.

Thanks Mike and John.

What are you hitting on your drive up?

Lots of good suggestions above. I would definitely do Bissell Brothers, Foam, Frost and the Alchemist.

I would not bother with Fiddlehead (too small and only 2-3 beers offered at any given time) unless you are literally driving by it. Also agree with your thoughts on Hill Farmstead. Lots of those show up in NYC bars. Lawson’s is also starting to show up a bit more from what I hear.

Not sure about travel route but you should figure out a way to hit Suarez Family Brewing on the ride up or down. Legit.

Nothing really. Heading up on Thursday after work and have to be up early on Friday. Most I can shoot for is a good dinner with a good pint somewhere in the Kittery area.

Skip Maine Beer Co, not worth your time as there is nothing unique to the tasting room. Any other combination of the above that suits your fancy would work. The Oxbow tasting room in Portland is excellent. Foundation and Austin St would be definites on my list. I’d probably stop at the new Tree House location in Charlton on my way up just out of curiousity. The Bier Cellar in Portland is probably one of the best beer shops I’ve been too.

Shoot me a text if you have any questions.

Foundation is another great recommendation above.

The Black Birch in Kittery is probably your spot for good dinner with a good pint. Or Anneke Jans if you want something more upscale. Or if you love Indian food as I do and the good pint isn’t necessary (you can probably find something decent, but nothing exciting), one of the real gems of the area is Tulsi. They have some of the best Indian food I’ve had anywhere. It’s better than anything I’ve had in the Boston/Cambridge area, which is really saying something. There are plenty of options in Portsmouth, NH (right over the bridge) too, but these are all worthwhile even when considering all of those places.

I agree with the Oxbow suggestion.

Agree with above especially the TH suggestion. Soft opening yesterday but seems as though it has moved along quicker than expected and will remain open. I would just check with them first because hours are not set yet

TH starting sales of cans in Charlton tomorrow. Supposedly 1000+ cases of J , 250 cases of AE and a third TBD

Yeah, heard the same earlier today. Hope it’s not a madhouse on Thursday late afternoon when I stop by.

late afternoon crowds are gone.

GEARY BREWING out of Portland is my favorite brewery on the West Coast. Their Geary’s Ale drinks like a classic British Bitter - they are one of the pioneers of the craft beer era.

Pioneers indeed. But so many better breweries have taken their place.