Maine Road Trip Help

Hill's Farmstead is brewery only for there beers expect for the few draft outlets. And the best way for Lawson's is at the once a month release at the Waitsfield Farmers Market as list on the website.

 

The VT guys are tough (and not real close to Maine)...I had a mid week wedding in Vermont last summer, knew all the delivery times, and still came home with just one 4 pack of heady. I suggest finding them draft, and calling it a win if you do.

If you are driving, maybe check out Amherst Brewing Co in Amherst MA. Although it will be slammed on Memorial Day for UMass graduation...
Also Armsby Abbey in Worcestor Mass. Both are decent shots to have HF on draft if you can't make it to central VT.

In Maine, Bissell, Maine Beer and Allagash can be very enjoyable visits if you aren't seeking a rare release. MBC is a mile from downtown Freeport with lots of shopping and kid friendly LL bean store so dare I suggest you drop mom and kid off while you check out their tap room? (I've got a non-craft crazy wife and little ones as well...) Downtown Portland has several excellent bottle shops and bars, and lots of boats and shops for mom and kid.

The VT guys have a well earned reputation of excellence, but the entire New England craft market is kicking ass right now. You could save yourself a lot of time and trouble by not going too far out of the way for beers that aren't that much better than what you'll find in the better bottle shops.

 

Vt is so friggin far out of the way it wouldn't be worth it. I live on the Maine border(Seacoast NH) and when we drive to Heady land its still at least 3 hours. Plenty of good stuff around here!

 

I have to agree with this also. Given the amount of great beer coming from Southern NH and Maine I have all but given up my trips to Vermont. With Stoneface, Garrison City and Deciduous should be opening in the near future in NH. Then all the really good beers coming from Maine like Bissell Bros, Foundation, Banded Horn, Tributary, Austin St just to name a few plan on spending more time along the coast of NH and Maine.

 

Your mouth's drooling...

 

Oxbow.

 

I'm not sure if I'm drooling but maybe salivating a little bit. As I sat done for dinner tonight with a fresh pizza off the grill with goat cheese and fresh basil and some good Italian sausage and then cracked open my 2nd Epiphany of the evening I've come to a realization. It doesn't get much better than this!

 

Do you know what day you will be in Vermont? For hill plan on standing line at brewery for at least 2 hours during the summer. Heady and Lawsons sip cans be found.

 

IMO don't waste your time in VT. Plenty of worthy beers in ME. Just going to Allagash area of Portland is well worth it. Allagash, Bissell, Foundation, and Austin St. RSVP. Then in downtown Portland Bunker, Rising Tide, Infinity (new name now), and Oxbow. Plus Bier Cellar is an awesome store. Portland has multiple bars with great tap lists. Again ME is a better beer destination than VT. IMO!

 

Beat me to it. And if you happen to head down 95 to Boston on your way back you can hit Smuttynose and any number of Boston breweries before heading back west. Night Shift, Idle Hands and Mystic are all close to each other as our Trillium and Harpoon. Then stop in Monson near Worcester on the way west for Treehouse. Glass Bottom in Lee might be worth a stop too. And if you take 90 up through New York, Ommegang is in Cooperstown which is about 30 minutes off the highway and also home to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Infiniti is now called Liquid Riot

 

Assuming you're going to Portland, ME..you'll have a great time. I was there for a wedding Labor Day weekend. And I also had thoughts of going to Hill Farmstead but it would have burned an entire day out of a 4 day trip (3+ hrs each way) so I nixed that.

Allagash does a great tour and the tasting in the barrel room is really cool. If you're there at the right time, they might have some brewery only releases so grabbed what you can - Resurgam is great. Bissel Brothers is right across the street so go grab some substance.

Novare Res and Kings Head are two top shelf bars to go to.

Rising Tide, Maine Craft Distillery, Bunker Brewery (I dug this place..it's tiny, in an old brick car shop next to the rail line), Urban Farm(some really good ciders and kombucha). All these are all 5 minutes from each other. I used airbnb and stayed in East End so it was just a 15 min walk to these places as well as downtown.

anywho, there's plenty of suggestions..you'll have fun. i would go back in a second.

 

Grab the best thing you have out where you're from, or choose a couple bottles from your cellar and set up a trade for a growler of Hill Farmstead (or bottles or whatever you want). That's how you could get your HF fix. Then enjoy Maine beers. Seriously. You are not compromising the quality of beer you're attempting to get.

Note: Not "Maine" as in "Maine Beer Co." I meant it as in the state of Maine. See all the above posts. Not a bad list of places for all beer styles.

 

Do yourself a favor and stock-up on MITA cans: http://www.risingtidebrewing.com/maine-island-trail-ale/

I think I drank my weight in MITA when home last August.

 

I agree on the Maine sentiment mentioned a few times above..Vermont, you have that chance of coming away emptyhanded or standing at stores at 6am for a couple of 4 packs. HT has limits..Lawsons has outlets with strict limits. I have done the VT trip several times, and it's very spread out, so you'll spend hours forraging, whereas Maine you can hit a lot in a shorter amount of time and still come away stoked with your stash

Oxbow, Bunker, MBC, Bissell, Banded Horn and Allagash are all doing great stuff..MBC Dinner is htf, but available..

 

MITA has come to MA! This makes me very happy! Perfect summer beer!

 

UMass alum here so I felt the need to contribute...ABC is fine, but if your trek takes you through Amherst, the must-sees are High Horse (downtown, ironically in the building ABC used to inhabit, brewing - in my opinion - much more sophisticated brews) and the Hangar (across the street from the current ABC, best wings in the world and a strong tap list). Northampton is a quick jaunt down the road and offers plenty of shopping and fine dining, plus the Dirty Truth which has the best beer list in the state west of Worcester.

As for Portland, I think the Allagash/Bissell/Foundation/Austin cluster is a must-hit for the convenience alone.

Enjoy your stay!

 

I did a 10 brewery trip in one day through Maine/ Southern NH & it was well worth it. In fact, you could probably fit in a few more or make some swaps. MBC, Allagash, BB, Foundation, Austin St, Banded Horn, Tributary, Some, Earth Eagle, and Portsmouth Brewery. You can easily swap in Infinity, Stoneface & Garrison, so I say go for it! Have fun!

 

The 95/295 corridor from southern NH to Portland and a bit north is mighty impressive. I have inlaws in Durham to York ME and have no issues finding top notch beers every trip. From places already mentioned above. I listed a few others that are not world class but have at least 2-3 beers worth trying.

Baxter
DL Geary's
Federal Jacks
Gritty's
Sebego
Shipyard
Funky Bow


Two I have not tried but want to
Barreled Souls
Hidden Cove

Anyone know if Peak Organic haa a taproom or brewpub

Also in MA Newburyport, Rivewalk, Cape Ann, and Ipswich/The Tap/Mercury. Are generally off 95/128

 

If history repeats, HF will be hosting their Anniversary party Memorial Day weekend. Probably more reason for it to be off the itinerary.