[blatz]

Any good tap houses?  Plan on hitting Allagash, but otherwise I don't know where else to go.  Any input appreciated.

[dmtaylor]

*Following*  I myself will be there next month on a looong 17-day roadtrip.

About 16 years ago, I stopped at Shipyard.  Took the tour, picked up a glass.  Yum.  Enjoyed 3 Dollar Deweys, went there twice.  It had the rustic Maine feel to it.  I have no idea if that one is still there.  And Gritty McDuff's, but it was indeed very gritty (I didn't care for it at the time).  Sebago was brand new at the time, I remember liking that one.

But that was all 16 years ago!    I'll be doing a lot more research in the next week or so to plan my journey.

[theDarkSide]

Near Allagash (across the street) is Foundation and around the back of that building is Austin Street Brewing.  There's another one in planning (Battery something I think, but not sure if it's open yet).

On the way downtown via Forest Ave is The Great Lost Bear (good beer annd great food - Almighty Cheesus mmm) and the Bier Cellar just down the street from there (decent beer store).

Now for the goodies.  Shipyard is in the Old Port section and honestly, could be missed.  A little hard to find is Novre Res...excellent bar with tons of Belgian choices.  $3 Dewey's is ok, but I'd skip if time is limited.  Also in Old Port is Liquid Riot, a brewery and distillery.  They do half shots there, which is nice.  Other options are Rising Tide, Oxbow Blending and Bottling Room.

Down at Thompson's Point (near the train station) you'll find Bissell Brothers (one of the best in the area) and Bunker Brewing.

Foul Mouth is across the bridge, but it's the only one out there so it really depends on time.

Here's a photo to give you an idea of the layout of Portland:

[jeffy]

We had some good beer and food at Duckfat as well as the other suggestions.  You should only go on the Shipyard tour if you're interested in seeing larger than life photos of Ron Raike, whom I'm sure you can see in person in Florida instead.
Stay away from the murky IPAs. 

[blatz]

 Thanks all - hit Allagash and was majorly disappointed.  Beautiful facility but they don't have a serving license so they give you a free flight of 4 3oz tasters but then you're done for the day.  Only liked the Hoppy Table beer and Dubbel.  The other 2 were drain pours.  Couldn't even get their awesome White (though I had many pints throughout Maine elsewhere). 

They actually told me to go to another brewery down the street so we could sit and buy as many beers as we wanted.  Was very happy with Foundation Brewing - their Epiphany IIPA was outstanding.  Venture also excellent but I was smitten on Epiphany.

Also hit $3 Deweys - epic fail, Grittys also epic fail, and Novare Res - very cool place and happened to be there on their anniversary so I got a glass of De Feuillen Tripel as part of their celebration.

All in a good time.


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[dmtaylor]

I just did a whole bunch of research in advance of my roadtrip next week.... and yeah, it looks like 3 Dollar Deweys, Gritty's, and Shipyard should be skipped!  I find it very interesting that the only ~10 breweries and dive bars that existed in Portland just ~16 years ago are now pretty much ALL rated at the VERY BOTTOM of the list ('cept for Allagash)!  Survey says I should visit the following, and in approximately this order:

Austin Street
Bissell Bros
Allagash
Foundation

And maybe the Great Lost Bear if I want to make a trek uptown.  Most everything else pretty much looks skippable.  Please correct me if I'm wrong!  I might still have to make a short stop at Dewey's, just for the nostalgia. 

Thanks for the input, blatz and all, and sorry I wasn't of more pertinent help earlier!  It pays to look these things up.  BeerAdvocate actually is a pretty good resource, not the only one but one of my primaries.  TripAdvisor too.

[theDarkSide]

I just did a whole bunch of research in advance of my roadtrip next week.... and yeah, it looks like 3 Dollar Deweys, Gritty's, and Shipyard should be skipped!  I find it very interesting that the only ~10 breweries and dive bars that existed in Portland just ~16 years ago are now pretty much ALL rated at the VERY BOTTOM of the list ('cept for Allagash)!  Survey says I should visit the following, and in approximately this order:

Austin Street
Bissell Bros
Allagash
Foundation

And maybe the Great Lost Bear if I want to make a trek uptown.  Most everything else pretty much looks skippable.  Please correct me if I'm wrong!  I might still have to make a short stop at Dewey's, just for the nostalgia. 

Thanks for the input, blatz and all, and sorry I wasn't of more pertinent help earlier!  It pays to look these things up.  BeerAdvocate actually is a pretty good resource, not the only one but one of my primaries.  TripAdvisor too.

If you are coming on a Saturday, move Allagash to the top of the list since they open at 11am and Austin and Foundation open at 12.  Also, keep an eye on what Bissell is releasing for cans that day...sometimes they open at 11am for cans and expect a line.  Bissell is now downtown-ish too at Thompsons Point.

The Great Lost Bear isn't too far down Forest Ave from Allagash/Foundation area, and there's a couple good bottles shops near there.  You won't be in the Old Port area if that's what you're looking to avoid.

If you feel adventurous, there are a few great breweries outside of Portland.  Maine Brewing about 45 minutes north and Banded Horn, SoMe, Woodland Farms and Tributary to the south along the coast.  Woodland Farms, Kittery outlets area across from Kittery Trading Post and Tributary (Tod Mott's brewery) are the furthest but definitely worth the trip.

[blatz]

Why bother going to Allagash?  I was really disappointed that you could only get 4 - 3oz tasters and you couldn't even decide which ones - was really looking forward to fresh White on tap.

I'd stick with Foundation or there is another new brewery on the other side of them in the same plaza that had good beers.

Or go to Freeport for Maine Brewing.


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[Big Monk]

Why bother going to Allagash?  I was really disappointed that you could only get 4 - 3oz tasters and you couldn't even decide which ones - was really looking forward to fresh White on tap.

I'd stick with Foundation or there is another new brewery on the other side of them in the same plaza that had good beers.

Or go to Freeport for Maine Brewing.


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Why bother? It's one of the best breweries in the NE! Also, the tasting is free!

I loved visiting Allagash and knew by looking at their tasting list for the day what they were going to have. Wasn't everything I wanted but then again I didn't have to pay and I got to gawk at their brewing system. Seems like a win win to me...

[blatz]

Yes I know it's one of the best, I love Allagash.  But only one of the 4 pours was decent.  I would rather have paid for what I wanted than to be given 3 free drain pours.

One benefit though, the food truck there was absolute money - best lobster roll we had in Maine by a mile.

To me it was the equivalent of "sorry folks, closed for repairs, see ya in two weeks ahyuk"


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[dmtaylor]

Maine Beer Co in Freeport is on the list!  Not sure if I'll get time to go up there.  Not sure I'll have much time at all actually, as my family will be trekking along with me most of the time (kids are aged 14, 12, & 10).  IF I can steal away for a quick 90 minutes, I might just do the Foundation/Austin Street/Allagash thing, they're all in kind of the same place.  Doubting that will happen though with their bad hours of closing at 5-7pm.  I also figured the Great Lost Bear will be a place we can all go to eat and I'll see if they can provide a flight, and if not, I'll at least get a pint or two of Maine beer from them.  We're only staying one night.  Kinda sucks, but we can't afford to stay 3 nights in every town on our very long route, otherwise this 17-day road trip turns into a month or 2 months!  I have a lot of vacation days but not quite that much!

Cheers and thanks all for the help.

[theDarkSide]

When we go up to Portland, we don't normally stop at Allagash unless we are also hitting the ones across the street.  Like I said, it's open an hour early, free samples and they usually have bottles of releases no generally available in stores.  They also have a generous AHA discount, 20% and even though they say on the site not including beer, sometimes they will ring it through (sshhh...don't tell anyone )