Driving up from Georgia this week.

Not sure if it's still like this, but you used to be able to call OEC on days they weren't officially open and if they were around and said ok, you could stop to buy bottles. no pours or growler fills though.

 

Looks like a great trip.

A few potential things.

Bone Up is across the street from Night Shift. Worth a quick pop in. You can get a flight or small pour.

Check out the tap list at City Tap House as a potential sub for Ginger Man. I hit both last weekend and both are great. We walked from one to the other.

Excellent brunch at Five Horses Tavern on Sundays. Pretty good tap list as well. (great bloody marys, etc. also)

Also, show NH a bit of love and stop by Stoneface. You also would be driving by Great Rhythm and a few other Portsmouth locations (great rhythm closed Mondays though).

As someone else suggested, Austin St. and Foundation are like 100 yards from Allagash and well worth your time. Both open 12-7 on Mondays.

 

Foundation in Portland. They're open Mondays. I can't speak to any of the beers that you'll be able to walk out of there with, but it looks like they have Epiphany on tap. It's fantastic.

 

I've said it in other threads, but really no need to hit Maine Beer Co. It's another 20 minutes past Portland and they sell the same bottles you can get in most good bottle shops. Might be difficult to track down Lunch (I'd pass on that anyway) or Another One (which is excellent), but all the same, you're going to already have many many four packs of excellent IPAs already, so I'd cut my losses and drop MBC.

Unless you really love MBC, then go nuts.

 

Bier Cellar in Portland is a nice shop. You can plan your directions to drive by it on the way too or from Allagash area.

 

Just a heads up, you can prepay for beer on our website and we will hold it for you. Or just shoot us an email at [email protected] and we can talk availability on any styles you are looking for.

 

Skip MBC and hit Stoneface or Great Rhythm instead. You'll be driving right through Portsmouth to get to Maine, and Great Rhythm is right there. Also, don't sleep on the food in Portsmouth either.

 

Great Rhythm has been making some tasty brews, but I think he is heading past on Monday and they'll be closed.

 

Bravo. Someone who did their homework before just posting "I'm coming to New England-what should I do?" The initial itinerary sound like what I would have planned. It all depends on when you have extra time in the schedule and your preference of beer styles, but personally I'd skip the extra proposed stops in MA and NH (and MBC) and add Barrelled Souls and/or Tributary in ME (short detours off I-95) and the OEC detour is minimal if you're coming down I-84 through CT (Ben's a sweetheart and will open up for bottle sales if at all possible). In Portland, check RSVP before hitting Bier Cellar- on the route from Allagash to central Portland, better prices and most of the same stock except certain exceptional releases. Similarly, if you're hitting bottle shops on the way North out of Boston, people will recommend Redstone but check out Rapid down the road first. If you have an evening in Portland, Novare Res for drinks. Lots of recommendations on food.
Oh, and we're getting a foot of snow on Thursday. (For people from Georgia, snow is cold white stuff that makes your car misbehave.) Travel on Friday onward should be ok, but drive safe.

 

Absolutely stop at Redstone when heading north out of Boston. Id recommend checking out their twitter and/or facebook to see what was recently dropped. Rapid is also very solid and only 1/4 mile down the road.

 

Stoneface is definitely worth a stop on your way from Boston to Portland, or vice versa. Five minutes off I-95. Have a sample or two, grab a few of the new 4-pack cans, and back on the road in less than 30 minutes. Easy replacement for MBC in my opinion.

Sounds like a great trip. Enjoy!