Maine Brewers (and the people who love them) Festival

Show up at work wearing a "Chug Life" t-shirt and you'll likely spend the afternoon in the boss's office learning about how "appropriate attire" influences the workplace and how, as a seventh grade math teacher, you might want to rethink your message.

Pick the kids up from daycare with a "Beer ME" sweatshirt and a stack of pretzels tied around your neck and you might find an AA brochure tucked into the pocket of your kid's backpack.

But there is one place where you can really let your beer pride shine: The Maine Brewers Festival.

It's a festival of local brewers and the people who love them. And I mean really love them. In a sold-out kind of way.

[Cara Slifka photos]

Or in a "I'm wearing a pair of glasses shaped like frothy beer mugs and have my chest covered with 'Have a Gritty Day' bumper stickers" kind of way.

And while the place was packed and the lines were 40-people deep all the way from Allagash to Run of the Mill, it was beer heaven and smiles as far as the eye could see. (Which, you know, wasn't all that far because there were a good deal of people there, like I said, and I'm not crazy tall and didn't have my periscope on hand, but you catch my drift).

It was a glass-2oz-full kinda crowd (which may not sound like a lot, but when you consider that a sample is 4 ounces then 2 ounces would be half and glass-half-full is good.)

See Cara Slifka's Maine Brewers Festival photos

Some Maine favorites will be tapped in New Hampshire this weekend:
Nov 13-14: New Hampshire Brewers Festival

Thanks to the folks at learnyourbeer.com for a successful 2009. Until next year!