Bissell Brothers Brewing Co.

GuyFawkes from Illinois

3.82/5  rDev -13.4%
vibe: 3.75 | quality: 3.75 | service: 4 | selection: 3.75

800 IPA's that taste very similar and aren't that great. However, the staff was nice enough.

The vibe on a Friday night was a bit all over the place. Can't say I really felt that comfortable.

Dec 27, 2019

Gatch from Rhode Island

4.75/5  rDev +7.7%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.75 | selection: 4.75

Upscale industrial setting just outside of downtown. Great selection of cans and even better draft options. Outdoor patio was nice as was the loft inside. Located next to a winery and a distillery so something for everyone during a visit.

Nov 03, 2019

rudzud from Massachusetts

4.22/5  rDev -4.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.25

This review is for the new location. Been here a few times on can release days, line can be a little aggressive at times depending on what is being released. Decent amount of parking but I seem to recall there being various spots that would result in a ticket or tow if you parked there. Plenty of space inside for tables, rather industrial feel with large open spaces. Plenty of good quality beers on tap but things can at times be a bit flustered when it's busy. Typically try to hit them up when in the area but also stay mindful of the can release and types.

Sep 01, 2019

SierraNevallagash from Maine

4.33/5  rDev -1.8%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4

Rather small taproom, and expect a crowd. The taco shop next door contributes to many patrons. However small, the facility seems to hold enough, with some adequate patio sitting/standing space. Went in on a Sunday afternoon, and was able to leave with a 4pk of Reciprocal. In and out in three minutes. Staff was friendly, and very prompt, and a few specific questions were well-answered. Prices are fair, and much cheaper than buying singles at the fee local shops that have them. Definitely worth the visit. I imagine Swish days get pretty crazy though.

Jun 23, 2019

Naughead from Massachusetts

4.9/5  rDev +11.1%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.75

Bissell Brothers Portland is a great brewery. The best of their selections rival Trillium and Treehouse, no doubt. The vibe is family fun, and their symbiote business-neighbor (Locally Sauced ME) serves the best tacos you can find. Together, they make a tremendous in-house experience. The quality of BBB beers is top notch, survives well over time when kept cold, and has excellent nuance among the different recipes. The stars are the NEIPAs, in my opinion, and they are worth traveling for. Swish is amazing, but you can't go wrong with Here's to Feeling Good All the Time (great reference!), Preserve and Protect, Nuclear Whim, Big Small World, or Reciprocal. And their pilsner (Precept) is a simple, excellent, totally refreshing and satisfying take on a classic. I love this place and travel from Massachusetts to get their beer.

Apr 30, 2019

egrandfield from Massachusetts

4.77/5  rDev +8.2%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.75

Super fun, lively place. Great place to go as a group or by yourself. Generally very happy vibe and the beer is hard to beat. It kind of reminds of a 90s bar scene...I really liked it.

Apr 28, 2019

npolachek from New York

4/5  rDev -9.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4

Decent vibe in an industrial area with a good selection of beers on tap. Its in an industrial zone, and you can sit outside during the summer and listen to music and rest your beers on the barrel drums. Overall a solid vibe.

Feb 25, 2019

DaMacAndCheese from Massachusetts

4.32/5  rDev -2%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.25

Went later on in the day, was able to get some baby G. Good stuff. Grabbed a small and enjoyed the outdoor patio.

There was a concert happening at the point that evening, but I left before it all got started. Probably would be able to listen while you enjoy some great beers.

Aug 20, 2018

trapp2424 from Massachusetts

4.56/5  rDev +3.4%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5

Located very conveniently in Portland near the train station and the beers are among the best of the best IMO. Good sized place with ample space on the main level and also a second level with tables. Swish is my favorite but I have yet to try others due to its perfection.

Aug 12, 2018

DoctorZombies from Florida

4.07/5  rDev -7.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4

Good indoor space with seating outside too. Two lines, one for draught beer, the second for cans/merchandise. Super friendly people in line and working. Huge public parking lot. Easy to get in and out, even on a Friday afternoon.

Jul 16, 2018

PhineasMcClintock from Massachusetts

4.28/5  rDev -2.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4

Awesome place. I would hesitate to use the term "overwhelming", but wow. They have reached an awesome level, and they do it right. I often visit taprooms that need to make money from the gumball machine to keep going, but Bissell is a few leaps above.
Air conditioning for one (If it wasn't 95 degrees and super-humid, I may not have included this in my review).
Most beers are super solid, but they do certain styles better than others. Most IPA's are ripping. Other styles can be hit or miss.
I left with a t-shirt and a few taster glasses, but afterwards, I wondered why. Overall, a super Disney experience that I would highly recommend for those seeking a touristy spot with bells and whistles.
But if you are at a heightened level of beer geekdom as some of us are, this may not be your cup of kombucha.

Jul 09, 2018

SomethingClever from Ohio

4.81/5  rDev +9.1%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5

Huge space with an order counter and then a few picnic tables inside and high rise bar stools. Has outside seating as well and upstairs seating. Very hip vibe music is usually playing too loud. No food served but a restaurant attached to the brewery that you can bring food in from. One of the few times I've been in there and they had multiple cans for sale. Usually they only have Substance and whichever one they are releasing that day. Service is pretty good the counter is well manned.

May 25, 2018

sholland119 from Pennsylvania

4.64/5  rDev +5.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.75 | selection: 4.75

Best beer in Portland overall. Totally lived up to the hype, which is rare. Cool space with a nice vibe and great people. There is a chicken place next door (did not try) if you need food. Can releases every day which is a very cool way to go about it.

HV

Dec 14, 2017

pburland23 from Pennsylvania

4.58/5  rDev +3.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5

Stopped by on my way to Northern Maine last Friday. Arrived at 11:45 or so to a crowd of about 40-50 folks. Doors opened promptly at 12:00 and by 12:15 we had made our way to the front of the line and purchased Substance cans, a glass to take home, and four 5 oz. samples.

I was blown away by the price...$13 for a 4 pack of Substance felt like a bargain compared to what I normally pay at Tired Hands. The 5 oz. samples were $2 a piece (with the DIPA being $3). As a result, I got to drink everything they had on tap and the beer was all around fantastic. To me, Nothing Gold was the star...an amazingly smooth and drinkable DIPA (and I say this as someone who has moved on more or less from the IPA craze).

Cool industrial space with multiple levels as well as indoor and outdoor seating. Laid back vibe with a staff who clearly loves working there and the product they make.

Cheers.

Aug 31, 2017

GratefulBeerGuy from New Hampshire

4.29/5  rDev -2.7%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.25

Such a nice spot. Cryptozoology museum nextdoor. The hype surrounding and the long lines are silly. Nice building, great people. Good beer. Brought home Baby Genius and the Substance cans. My friends will be thrilled.

Aug 12, 2017

cmurphy7 from Massachusetts

4.26/5  rDev -3.4%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.25

while they don't serve food at the brewery, there is a great little pop-up food place right next door that you can bring into the bar. definitely a cool vibe inside. it is located in a weird industrial out-of-the-way part of Portland, but if you are staying in the area / live there it is an easy Uber ride.

Jun 07, 2017

John_M from Oregon

3.73/5  rDev -15.4%
vibe: 3.25 | quality: 4.5 | service: 3 | selection: 3.75

Stopped by today to visit the tap room and sample the selection. Numerically, this review probably won't come across as all that great, as there really isn't much to the tap room, and service consists of walking up to the bar, placing your order, getting your beers and walking back to a table. None of that really matters of course, as it's all about the beer when it comes to visiting BB (and in that regard, this place deservedly gets top marks).

The brewery/taproom is actually located in a small set of shops and restaurants, just a bit south of the downtown area. When you go inside, it has something of a small warehouse vibe, with high ceilings, some tables and chairs scattered around, and that's about it. I don't think they serve food here, but they have some sort of arrangement with some chicken place next door (you can order food in the taproom from them), and the menus are scattered around the taproom. There's definitely a minimalist vibe to the place, but whatever, who cares, the beer here is terrific.

On the day we stopped in (a can release day), I think there were around 8 different beers on tap. As I was unfamiliar with BB stuff, I got 5 ounce pours of the 3 IPA's currently being poured (was hoping to sample the swish, but the keg had apparently recently blown), as well as a small glass of the BA Umbra. All three IPA's were outstanding, and now I understand why there's so much hype around BB beer. The BA Umbra (an oatmeal stout) was OK, but was a complete let down in comparison to the IPA's (otherwise, I would give the quality score a 4.75, instead of the measly 4.5 I'm giving).

Shrug. The IPA's here are outstanding, and I would come by the tap room periodically just to try them. It's unfortunate that BB beers don't see wider distribution in the Portland area. A number of places had the Substance IPA on tap, but that was the only beer I saw around town (though I did finally find Swish on tap over at the King's Head). In any event, I was impressed by the beer I had at the taproom today, and would likely stop by again any time I'm in town.

(IMHO, the perfect score reviews on BA for the brewery are completely absurd, and remind me of fanboys back in Oregon who give the Boneyard tasting room a perfect score, just because they love their beer so much. I get it that you love the beer, and I wouldn't blame anyone for giving this place a perfect score 5 for quality, but it's ridiculous and absurd to give this place anything more than an average score for service and vibe. IMHO.).

Apr 06, 2017

Newbeergeek1 from Maine

4.32/5  rDev -2%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.5

What can I say. Glad they expanded onto Thompson's Point. Great location and a decided up grade from the original digs. Class brewery and one of the best in the state for my tastes. I don't get to Portland a lot but BisBros is a must when I do.

Jan 24, 2017

maijinservo from New Jersey

5/5  rDev +13.4%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5

Its a shame that I can only give the 'vibe' rating a 5. It deserves a 10+. You won't find a better group of people that enjoy their job more than these guys anywhere else in the industry. World class beer with even better service. Its my happy place and guaranteed to be your too.

Oct 19, 2016

stephenjmoore from Maryland

4.54/5  rDev +2.9%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.5

Really cool area with a nice open space inside. More seating than I would have expected, with the upper seating area overlooking the main floor and production area. Outdoor area as well, with 2 food trucks available. Plenty of parking and very kid friendly. Oh, and the beers are awesome.

Sep 28, 2016

eppie82 from Illinois

4.66/5  rDev +5.7%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4

Place had a friendly vibe to it at noon on a Sunday. I was surprised to see people waiting for cans prior to opening at noon, but not so much after tasting their good beer. The mix of people at the place was that of big time craft beer connoisseurs and random tourists curious about the place. Mix of young and old. Was dog friendly also.

Quality of the place is one of the best I've ever been. Very cool setup, great artwork, open space, nice seating, food place next door attached to brewery to which you can get through via interior door and a food truck outside as well. The vessels and brewing operation are easy for viewing as well. Just a really cool brewery.

Service was spot on as well. No one was busting table but I never had wait more than a few seconds to get my beer and I never had to wait in line because there were plenty of friendly people staffed.

Selection of the beers may be the only negative I have to say. There were maybe 7 beers available on draft and the beers to-go ran out within 15 minutes of opening. Granted that out of the 7 beers, the 4 that I did have very all quite good (especially Reciprocal). The merch is also very interesting and the glasses have to be some of the coolest ones out there.

Loved this place and would gladly go there again if I happen to be in Maine. I just wish for a bigger selection next time (although being there on a Sunday may have to do with why it was smaller).

Sep 28, 2016

Boto from Connecticut

4.32/5  rDev -2%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.25

Love the new brewery. A huge space for tasting and buying their beers. it was well organized and moved along quickly. Their neighbors include a winery and a distillery (buy their Rye!)..As always, great beer. It should be much easier to get their excellent offerings now!

PS: they still had a food truck and an oyster seller to keep the masses fed.

Sep 05, 2016

papposilenus from New Hampshire

3.97/5  rDev -10%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3.75

The vibe is comparable to queueing for a TSA screening with no guarantee that your airplane will not have already taken off when you finally reach the gate inasmuch as 99% +/- of the experience is spent standing in line wondering if there will be any beer left by the time you finally get to the counter. Once you finally get in the door, you have to somehow intuit that the crowd is supposed to self-organize into four separate lines and then pick the one that doesn't have a half-dozen idiots getting eight five oz tasters each and wanting to know if the t-shirt sizes run large or small and are there any other colors that aren't on display? and do you think Tiff would rather have a blue shirt or a green shirt when I'm pretty sure the poor schmuck running the taps doesn't even know Tiff. I picked the line with all the baby strollers because it LOOKED longer but actually had fewer people in it and let's not even talk about how THAT ended.

The beer was really good. Although I didn't actually manage to get very much of it. DON'T go on a rainy Saturday in the summertime.

Aug 14, 2016

TTripp725 from Pennsylvania

4.7/5  rDev +6.6%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.75 | selection: 4.75

What a great time. The crowd and the atmosphere for a limited release was so awesome. This place was packed and it was definitely worth the wait in line. The beer that we tried while was out of this world and the staff was so helpful. This is one place that I will be visiting every time i go back home to visit family

Jul 29, 2016

tkdchampxi from New Jersey

4.78/5  rDev +8.4%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.75 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5

What a great vibe here. Merchandise selection and service are great. People very friendly, cool music.

When you walk in, you are slammed with amazing hop smell. Beers are their beers - nothing to complain about.

Colorful, cool, friendly, awesome

Jul 28, 2016