Low Bitterness NEIPA in Maine

Try anything from Bissell, Austin Street, Lone Pine, Goodfire, Battery Steele for juice and you will not be disappointed

Foundation brews a lot of great beers. I think their IPAs are a tad more bitter but not over the top. Also Allagash is next door and that’s essentially a beer Mecca.

Barreled Souls in Saco, 15 min south of Portland does some great stouts. They’re probably on tap in town too.

Search ‘Portland’ in this forum and almost every recommendation is worth a stop. Enjoy! Portland is my favorite beer city in NE

Edit... didn’t read your full post but you can find almost all of these at the Bier Cellar If you’re looking for a tour, hit Allagash then take the family to Great Lost Bear for lunch

 

As long as you're in the Portsmouth area, try to visit Deciduous Brewing in Newmarket. I think you'll find they've got what you're looking for.

 

Goodfire (easy in and out) if you go right to the brewery
Bissell (especially reciprocal)
I think the new brewery, definitive, hits those marks, as well. They've been distroing a bit.

 

You know the movie Zoolander, when Will Ferrell's character (Mugatu) is describing Zoolander's look and exclaims, "I feel like I'm taking crazy pills!"

Well, I feel that way when people suggest Bissell Bros Reciprocal, in any context. This was by the worst beer that I've ever had. It was chewy and grainy and one-noted garbage. I wouldn't even call it beer. I would call it beer for people who don't like beer. I had a couple sips at the brewery one a release day and literally gave it to a stranger (who drank it. Good on 'em).

I repeated this same story to a friend, who actually had just bought some, and said, "You just got a bad batch." I took a swig from his glass. Same. Gross. That beer is gross.

I feel like I'm taking crazy pills.

(This is not bashing Bissell Bros. I quite like Substance, Swish, and Baby Genius. Not a fan of Nothing Gold. Their darker stuff is just okay.)

 

Also in Portsmouth is Great Rhythm. Not on the level of Bissell but they make some good NE style IPAs.

 

Gotta check out Stoneface in Portsmouth. Diverse beer lineup and excellent food onsite.

 

Recip is actually not one of theirs I like so much and would somewhat agree with you. I suggested it because he said low bitterness IPAs, and that definitely describes reciprocal. OP, just grabbed some goodfire "waves," freshly canned today. Stuff is phenomenal, highly recommended. Have a great trip!

 

Waves is my stuff of the year. I’d rather have a fridge full of Waves right now than almost anything else.