Marching Orders: Go to Portland…Try to Drink All the Craft Beer
I first visited Maine in high school. It was only a short layover for refueling, but that stop in Bangor, with snowdrifts towering over my head, was memorable enough to keep my mind on Maine for years to come.
This time in Maine as an adult, I set my sights on Portland to sample the food, see the coastline, eat a ton of lobster, and I wanted to visit lots of craft breweries! I wasn’t allowed to drink beer when I was 14. I am now!
I can only tell you that one week in Portland is not enough time to see and do all there is to do. If you want to immerse yourself in the craft brewery scene, Portland, Maine, is a good place to be.
It’s difficult to imagine that Portland was the birthplace of Prohibition or that Maine was the first dry state in the U.S.
Today about 17 breweries call Portland home, according to the Maine Brewers’ Guild, and that number is growing.
Old Port
Maine’s largest city is one of the few remaining working waterfronts in the U.S. But the city is also the economic capital of Maine. Financial institutions and bougie up-starts blend with dock work creating a unique New England feeling.
If you’re looking for upscale dining, shopping, and accommodations, Portland has it.
If you want to visit Portland on a budget, you can do that, too.
Portland is a small city with an estimated 66,000 full-time residents and the population expands to almost two million when vacationers head to Maine in the summer. Foodie experiences, lighthouse tours, beer-drinking excursions, and great escapes are some of the things that draw people to Portland.
I split my time between two hotels at different price levels. Once at the Holiday Inn by the Bay (my first home base), I walked toward Old Port to see what was available.
I stopped at RíRá’s Irish Pub and Restaurant for lunch and drinks. The small door off the busy waterfront street opens into a place that feels like you’ve stepped back in time. Irish fiddle music fills the air. The smell of food and time is tantalizing. The interior, salvaged from pubs in Ireland and restored, was shipped to Portland to provide a realistic feel for this traditional waterfront setting.
The two-story business offers two distinct experiences. Warm, welcoming woods and a rich interior on the first floor, and light, coastal furnishings upstairs in the private event space that is broken into sections known as the Harbor Room, the Upstairs Bar, the Parlor, The Bay View Room, and Upstairs at Rí Rá’s.
I think in warmer weather, I might grab a beer and sit outside to watch boats in the harbor, but today I find a cozy corner and shake off the chill.
In the pub, you’ll find locally sourced ingredients with traditional bar fare, a blend of Irish treats, and a taste of New England all mashed together. The food is great, but I think this establishment is better known for its drinks – just the way a good Irish bar should be. I ordered a Rí Rá Irish Coffee to take the chill off.
Pull up a stool at the long, wooden bar and choose your poison. Have a Guinness pint poured properly like they do in Dublin, or order a dram, wine, or local craft brew. You’ll feel right at home like I did. No room at the bar this time for me.
After lunch, I took a stroll and found Sea Bags on Commercial Street, where sails are turned into nautically inspired beach totes and accessories by Maine craftsmen. The sewing room sits upstairs above the retail store on the busy waterfront. Seagull’s squawk boat horns blow, and the smell of salt water is in the air.
Sea Bags offers everything from wine totes to lounge chairs and bar accessories, all crafted from sails that are recycled and repurposed to create one-of-a-kind treasures. I bought a beach tote since I live at the beach. I know it will get a lot of use.
Heading out and back toward downtown, I stopped in shops along the way or window shopped until I found what I was searching for. I like to let a new city show me where it wants me to go.
Gritty Brews
Walking with snow falling all day, I ended up at Gritty McDuff’s (Gritty’s) Portland Brew Pub. Opened in 1988, Gritty’s started as a small brewpub in Old Port and claims to be the first brewery to open in Portland since the days of Prohibition. With three locations in Maine, Gritty’s has been voted Best Bar, Best Beer, and Best Brewpub in Maine.
A quote from owner Ed Stebbins on the brewery’s website says, “There are very few 30-year-old brewpubs in America; I’m pretty sure you can count them on one hand…Gritty’s will always be first.”
Grab a seat at the copper-covered bar and order a Black Fly Stout (ABV: 5%), a Maine Maple Porter (ABV: 5.2%), or a Special Oatmeal Stout (ABV: 7.6%) and order a meal or an appetizer. They also sell other beer varieties and guest brews.
I ordered the Maine Maple Porter (ABV: 5.2%) and learned that this beer gets its unique flavor from Maine Backwoods Maple Syrup in Dixfield. Pancakes with maple syrup in a glass felt like the perfect drink on a snowy day in Portland.
From Gritty’s I walked back toward the harbor and discovered Liquid Riot Bottling Company. I ordered a flight so I could sample a few of the in-house brews. I tried Herbie (ABV: 4.3%), a dry hopped Session Ale, then Primus (ABV: 4.3%) Belgian-style beer, Fritz (ABV: 5.2%), a classic open fermented Bavarian-style Hefeweizen, and an Irish Goodbye, an Irish Stout. I like all of the beers I selected.
The menu also lists bottle and can pours, including the Liquid Riot Pace Yourself, (ABV: 6.3%) a dry-hopped ale made with Valencia oranges and tangerine puree; Liquid Riot Straight to Black Out Bourbon Barrel (ABV: 12%), an imperial stout aged in the brewery’s bourbon barrel; and a Guezerie Tilquin (ABV: 7%), a spontaneous fermentation beer obtained from blending 1, 2, and 3-year-old lambics. I’ll try these next time I get to Liquid Riot.
Liquid Riot says that it is Maine’s first Resto-Brewery & Distillery. The food smells delicious but I’m still full from lunch so I enjoy my beer and take in my surroundings. It’s a dark space with lots of locals in flannel shirts hoodies, beanies, jeans, and jackets. I’m comfortable sitting alone and the bartender is friendly. What more can you ask for?
The name is inspired by Chicago’s Beer Riot and Portland’s Rum Riot. Following on the heels of others fighting for the right to drink what they wanted, Liquid Riot says, ‘drink what you want.’
The distillery creates small batches of bourbon, whiskey, vodka, and rum.
I watched the brewery process and played a few games of pinball before heading back to the hotel to change for dinner later at Scales.
Lobster Perfection
With a name like Scales, you can bet the seafood will be amazing. I ordered the Steamed Maine Lobster with a side of fries. I also tried the Farmhouse Pale Ale (ABV: 6%) from Oxbow Brewing Company, Newcastle, Maine. Perfection!
This restaurant features tall ceilings, huge windows overlooking the harbor, and fresh seafood waiting to be cooked on display for all to see.
After a big dinner, it’s time for sleep. Portland’s sky is spitting sleet and the wind stings my face. I debate ordering Uber or Lyft and decide to walk.
Did I mention that Old Port is walkable? If you are dressed for the weather and have the stamina to climb a few inclines it’s not too bad. As a solo female traveler, I kept a watchful eye on the shadows and my only worry was whether I might trip on the snow-covered cobblestone streets.
After a good night’s sleep, I had a light breakfast while enjoying views of the shores of Casco Bay and the harbor before packing up and moving to my second destination, Portland Harbor Hotel.
The boutique hotel features a luxury nautical theme with views of downtown and a tree-covered courtyard. My junior suite with a separate sitting area offered garden views and plenty of room to rest, relax, or work.
Each guest floor features a common pantry area where you can grab seltzer water or other beverage. I particularly enjoyed the Starbucks touchscreen system to make hot tea and coffee. I was also grateful that fresh fruit and snacks were provided. I’ll stop here when I return.
After a delicious chef-made breakfast at Harbor Bistro + Terrace, I headed out to meet the Maine Brew Bus for a guided tour and lunch.
Hop on the Bus
The aptly-named Casco Fiasco tour included three brewery stops with tours and generous beer samples, in addition to a full lunch. We visited Sebago Brewing Co. and Lone Pine Brewing Co., both in Gorham, followed by Mast Landing Brewing Co., in Westbrook.
Our first stop was at Sebago, where we received a private tour of the facility and met the owners before sampling a flight of beers. I enjoyed learning about the different brews and pairings.
I sampled four beers:
• Saddleback Ale (ABV: 4%)
• Frye’s Leap IPA (ABV: 6%)
• Slick Nick (ABV: 7.2%) a seasonal brew
• Final Countdown (ABV: 9.3%) an Imperial IPA made by North High Brewing in Ohio. (Sorry Sebago.)
Sebago has locations in Scarborough, Kennebunk, and Gorham where the headquarters, tasting rooms, and brewery are located. The space is large and has outdoor seating in season. I full menu is also available.
Our next stop at Lone Pine Brewery offered another informative Q&A session and tour followed by a flight. I sampled the Holy Donut Blueberry Glaze (ABV: 7.5%) sour; a Holy Donut Coffee Cake (ABV: 9%) stout – Imperial/Double Pastry; Portland Pale Ale (ABV: 5.2%); Brightside IPA (ABV: 7.1%).
Lone Pine offers its core beers, hard seltzers, limited releases, barrel-aged bottles, and collaborations such as the Go Green, a beer brewed in collaboration with the Maine Celtics basketball team.
Mast Landing was our final stop on the tour. The tasting room offers limited indoor seating and outdoor seating on the front and rear patios.
I tried a variety of brews, including A Beer Named Duck (ABV: 5.2%), a New England Pale Ale; Beachfront Property (ABV: 4.2%) a German-style Pilsner; Sanctuary (ABV 7%) IPA New England/Hazy; and Kodachrome (ABV: 7 %) IPA – New England/Hazy. Kodachrome was Mast Landing’s first collaboration with New Yorkers from Equilibrium, according to the tasting menu.
The Maine Brews Bus was a great way to safely travel to multiple breweries starting and ending at Old Port Spirits and Cigars on Commercial Street.
The company also offers biking, walking, and morning and evening tour options that include guided visits to a variety of breweries in the area.
Oysters and Locals
Back at the Portland Harbor Hotel, I took a hot bath followed by a long nap before walking to Eventide Oyster Co. I joined a line of good-natured locals anxiously waiting to get inside.
Eventide calls itself a revival of the great American oyster bar. It’s known for offering a variety of oysters from Maine and beyond in addition to fresh seafood and the famous brown butter lobster roll.
And even though Eventide calls itself an oyster bar, the restaurant owns a James Beard Award and it’s not dreary or smelly. The line behind me is growing.
High ceilings, picnic tables with views out of the floor-to-ceiling windows, and bright colors tell you this isn’t a typical oyster joint.
Select your order and tell the host. A text message lets you know when your food is ready.
I was lucky to find a single seat at the huge granite bar where staff prepared plates from the mounds of oysters and seafood displayed by name and harvest location. While you wait, do some people-watching, listen to the music, or watch the staff work at a dizzying pace to keep everyone happy.
If you don’t like crowds and loud noise, this place isn’t for you. But it’s a shame to miss Eventide and its nod to New England fare and Maine-caught seafood. Try it anyway.
I ordered a dozen oysters from the sampler menu, choosing all from Maine to taste the differences. My half-shell oysters included Love Point, John’s River, Winter Point Selects, and Norumbega.
I paired my oysters with Maine Beer Company’s Peeper (ABV 5.5%) Pale Ale.
Also on the menu are sandwiches, New England Clam Chowder, Maine Lobster Stew, burgers, Tofu sandwiches, a New England Clam Bake, and desserts.
The following morning at Portland Harbor Hotel, I decided to return to the hotel’s bistro and was happily surprised with a visit by the chef. He explained that the ingredients are sourced from local fishermen, foragers, and farmers.
My omelet included three options of local ingredients, including baby spinach, local mushrooms, Cheddar, asparagus tips, onions, bell peppers, and tomatoes, and was served with breakfast potatoes.
With the chef-recommended omelet underway, I plotted the day’s touristy options. When my food arrived, I asked for an iced tea and was surprised when the chef returned with a Tea Over Ice Pitcher Set from Tea Forté.
A Spot of Tea?
This perfectly brewed glass pot of tea, with a tea bag and tea leaf resting on top of a pitcher filled with ice, was adorable.
The chef stopped back by my table after talking to several other diners and answered a few questions. I mentioned how impressed I was that he talked with everyone in the restaurant and how he’d made me feel so comfortable. He told me that Portland and Maine are known for their food. And he added that the city and state are equally known for welcoming travelers and making them feel at home. If you ask me, that’s the kind of attention that makes a person want to return to the hotel and its dining establishment again and again.
After breakfast, I headed across town to Thompson’s Point to visit the International Cryptozoology Museum – The World’s Only Cryptozoology Museum – because when in Maine, you need to learn more about Bigfoot and other rare zoological specimens.
A 10-foot-tall carved wooden Bigfoot greets visitors outside the two-story museum. Here you’ll find oddities, information, artifacts, and souvenirs of your visit. There are living fossil models, information, and hair samples about rare finds such as the Abominable Snowmen, the Pangboche Yeti, and others.
The curator offers a wealth of knowledge and mentions that exhibits are constantly changing to include new information and evidence. The museum accepts donations and is always looking for volunteers.
Nearby, Bissell Brothers Brewing has opened for the day. This brewery is in a 100-year-old railway building and is a key driver of the craft brewing business in this area, so I make my way there to see what everyone is talking about.
The brewery was started by a couple of brothers – one with a passion for brewing and the other with an entrepreneurial and marketing spirit.
I ordered The Substance Ale (ABV: 6.6%) because it is the beer that got the Bissell Brothers on the map. They describe this brew as “brightly dank and designed to be just mysterious enough.”
They are known to team up with the Highroller Lobster Company and they have a running club where runners start and finish with discounted beers on Monday evenings
More than 120 beers of all types are listed on the Bissell Brothers Website. It will take some time for drinkers to try them all.
And with my time in Portland running out, I headed back downtown to have lunch at The Union in The Press Hotel.
I ordered the lobster roll, which the menu described as being made with chopped lobster, spring lettuce, aioli, chives, and Aleppo on a toasted brioche bun with a side of house-cut fries. This may very well be the best sandwich I’ve ever had.
After lunch, I walked through the hotel, which I heard was in an old newspaper building – hence the name The Press – I assume.
Decorated with typewriters, desks with inkwells and writing tablets, and guest rooms inspired by a 1920s journalists’ desk, this hotel had me feeling right at home. Maybe I’ll book a room here on my next visit for inspiration.
With a behind-the-scenes tour, I visited the penthouse and some other spaces.
The rest of the afternoon featured a trip to Maine Mead Works, Hardshore Distilling Company, and a final brewery stop at Rising Tide Brewing Company.
Mead, Gin, and Beer
At Maine Mead Works, I ordered a flight of four dry meads, including the Honeymaker Apple Cyser (my favorite), Lavender (everyone else’s favorite), Blueberry (2nd favorite), and iced tea (also very good).
Founded in 2007, the owners hoped to reintroduce the oldest of all fermented beverages to Portland.
Next up was Hardshore Distilling Company where I got a look at the distilling process and then sampled some of the company’s Hardshore Original Gin (ABV: 46% / 92 proof). I also tried several gin-inspired cocktails while the team explained how to mix combinations such as fresh lime juice and grapefruit to make a Rosemary Paloma, or blueberries and fresh lemon juice for a blueberry jalapeño fizz. You can find recipes on Hardshore’s website.
And then on to Rising Tide in the East Bayside neighborhood. Opened in 2010 by a husband-and-wife team. As they were learning the business from other local brewers, the phrase “A rising tide lifts all boats,” became the company’s name.
Rising Tide brews almost 5,000 barrels of beer each year. Each batch of beer uses grains grown by Maine farmers and the brews are designed to pair with a meal. I tried the Pisces, a Gose /Kettle Sour (ABV: 3.6%). Pisces has a tart, salty taste in a German-style beer.
I followed that with Ishmael, (ABV: 4.9%) American Copper Ale. It’s a fun place with seating indoors and out. With a basket of seasoned Aroostook County potatoes and some blueberry BBQ sauce, this was a perfect way finish a day of exploring.
It’s hard to believe a town with less than 100,000 full-time residents can be so dedicated to their crafts of brewing. Get me back to Portland – there are many more breweries and food options to explore.
Check in often to see where we go next.
Cheers!
Editor’s Note: We write our opinions of craft breweries, dining establishments, attractions, and destinations. If we accept payments, gifts, or compensation, we’ll provide full disclosure before the blog.