Greater Portland is full of breweries ready to give you a tour & a taste

by Avery Yale Kamila, Staff Writer, The Maine Switch

The first time I went on a tour of a brewery I was probably 8. I went with my grandparents to the Anheuser-Busch brewery in Merrimack, NH, home to those famous clydesdales. To me the massive horses were the highlight and all I remember about the brewery was: A) it reeked, and B) I stepped in a beer puddle while wearing my red velvet flip-flops. (Not a winning combination for an 8-year-old.)

The next time I went on a brewery tour, I was old enough to appreciate the experience. (Translation: I could partake of the free samples). The tour of Shipyard Brewing Company opened my eyes to what a huge operation they're running over there, and also showed me that they do a brisk business in contract brewing for other local brands.

"Why we're able to contract brew is because Alan Pugsley, our brewmaster, set up most of the brew pubs in Maine," says Tami Kennedy, Shipyard's spokesperson. "So it's the same brewing system. We wouldn't be able to brew Allagash, because it's a Belgian style beer. But most of the beers in Maine are English style, which is what we do."

Shipyard brews for Atlantic, Belfast Bay, Casco Bay, Gritty's (just the bottles), Peak Organic, Rocky Bay and Sea Dog, using each brand's particular recipe. Every year, thousands of people tour this elaborate manufacturing facility. And right now is the perfect time to take a tour, because in a month or two the place will be swarming with tourists.

With this idea of beating the vacationing rush, my husband and I recently took a tour of the Allagash Brewing Company. Since we went mid-week, we scored our own private tour and tasting. This craft-brewing operation has experienced dramatic growth in recent years and, despite a move to bigger digs, they're basically selling beer as fast as they can brew it. This, of course, is no surprise to anyone familiar with the utter deliciousness of Allagash beers.

Because of my early experience with breweries, I knew enough not to wear open-toed shoes of any kind on these tours, but that's just me. (Heels also could prove problematic at Shipyard, where you have to negotiate grate-like stairs and catwalks.) And if you're a lightweight like me, it would be a good idea to eat something before the tour. Otherwise those oversized samples will have you in rare form by the time the tour is done.

Maine Breweries

Maine takes its beer seriously. Nearly two dozen breweries produce tasty ales of all sorts here. Revealing both a pride in their home state as well as a sense of humor, beer names range from geographic - "Penobscot Pilsner" - to the downright silly - "Old Baggywrinkle."

Browse all Maine breweries by region

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