The Essential Guide to Maine Brewery Tasting Rooms maps out where to grab a fresh draft straight from the source at dozens of Maine breweries. Let's not forget the brew pubs, though. These places offer a full food menu to accompany their house-brewed pours. From Eliot to The Forks, Sugarloaf Mountain to Belfast Bay, some focus on burgers and pale ales, while others venture toward Belgian tripels and entrees that would be right at home on a fine dining menu. Many also offer growler fills or bottles to take home.
This list omits brewery tasting rooms, which are featured in a separate map. Please note: State law stipulates that a brewery can only fill its own branded growlers, which require a fee but can be refilled on subsequent visits. Also, brew pub hours and beer availability are subject to change, so it's wise to click through to a brewery's website or call before visiting. If we screwed up the details of a venue featured here, or missed a valid location, please let us know and we'll do our best to update.
This is where Shipyard got its start back in 1992, as a brand brewed by Federal Jack's. While that brand soon expanded to Portland and became the state's biggest brewing operation, Federal Jack's still brews its Shipyard Export, Fuggles IPA, Old Thumper, and other offerings on its own seven-barrel system. There's something for everyone on the large menu, from salads to burgers to fried clams to paella.
Though Sebago now has a full production brewery in Gorham, the original restaurants are still considered brew pubs, serving fresh beer from holding tanks. Here, at one of Sebago's four brew pub locations in southern Maine, find year-round beers like Frye's Leap IPA, Saddleback Ale, and Runabout Red, along with a wide selection of seasonal and limited-edition brews. The food menu goes a step beyond standard pub grub, with any array of apps, salads, burgers, and entrees.
Located on the Saco River, Run of the Mill is larger than The Liberal Cup, its sister brewery, but it features the same beer choices, like Bug Lager and Smelt Camp Strong Ale. The upscale pub menu has loads of options, from "mac and beer cheese" to seafood scampi. Check out the ever-changing specials board, too.
Though Sebago now has a full production brewery in Gorham, the original restaurants are still considered brew pubs, serving fresh beer from holding tanks. Here, at one of Sebago's four brew pub locations in southern Maine, find year-round beers like Frye's Leap IPA, Saddleback Ale, and Runabout Red, along with a wide selection of seasonal and limited-edition brews. The food menu goes a step beyond standard pub grub, with any array of apps, salads, burgers, and entrees.
Though Sebago now has a full production brewery in Gorham, the original restaurants are still considered brew pubs, serving fresh beer from holding tanks. Here, at one of Sebago's four brew pub locations in southern Maine, find year-round beers like Frye's Leap IPA, Saddleback Ale, and Runabout Red, along with a wide selection of seasonal and limited-edition brews. The food menu goes a step beyond standard pub grub, with any array of apps, salads, burgers, and entrees.
Though Sebago now has a full production brewery in Gorham, the original restaurants are still considered brew pubs, serving fresh beer from holding tanks. Here, at one of Sebago's four brew pub locations in southern Maine, find year-round beers like Frye's Leap IPA, Saddleback Ale, and Runabout Red, along with a wide selection of seasonal and limited-edition brews. The food menu goes a step beyond standard pub grub, with any array of apps, salads, burgers, and entrees.
The waterfront location, the salvaged wood and metal finishes, the bar stool views of the brewing and distilling equipment...this is an impressive spot even without the beer menu, which features a slew of styles, from hoppy American IPAs to German lagers to Belgian quads. Recently renamed, this spot — from the owners of nearby renowned beer bar Novare Res — makes its own vodka, "bierschnapps," and whiskey, too. The food menu isn't huge, but features locally sourced ingredients and dishes that are a notch or two above regular brew pub fare. Think green curry mussels or Vietnamese chicken salad.
Gritty's, Maine's first brew pub, dates back to 1988. It now has three locations pouring its classic English-style ales: Original Pub Style, Black Fly Stout, and Maine's Best IPA, to name a few. Food options include a wide selection of appetizers, salads, sandwiches, and burgers, as well as some British pub favorites like fish and chips and shepherd's pie.
Gritty's, Maine's first brew pub, dates back to 1988. It now has three locations pouring its classic English-style ales: Original Pub Style, Black Fly Stout, and Maine's Best IPA, to name a few. Food options include a wide selection of appetizers, salads, sandwiches, and burgers, as well as some British pub favorites like fish and chips and shepherd's pie.
Gritty's, Maine's first brew pub, dates back to 1988. It now has three locations pouring its classic English-style ales: Original Pub Style, Black Fly Stout, and Maine's Best IPA, to name a few. Food options include a wide selection of appetizers, salads, sandwiches, and burgers, as well as some British pub favorites like fish and chips and shepherd's pie.
This English-style ale purveyor (purchased by Shipyard some years back) has expanded beyond Maine's borders in recent years, but this is one of three locations in the Pine Tree State. From a blueberry wheat ale to a hazelnut porter, Sea Dog's beers cover the full spectrum. There's always a dozen or so on tap to chose from. The food menu is big and includes breakfast. There are all the regular bar food choices, plus some more refined seafood options like cedar plank salmon and pan-seared cod with risotto.
This English-style ale purveyor (purchased by Shipyard some years back) has expanded beyond Maine's borders in recent years, but this is one of three locations in the Pine Tree State. From a blueberry wheat ale to a hazelnut porter, Sea Dog's beers cover the full spectrum. There's always a dozen or so on tap to chose from. The food menu is big and includes breakfast. There are all the regular bar food choices, plus some more refined seafood options like cedar plank salmon and pan-seared cod with risotto.
This English-style ale purveyor (purchased by Shipyard some years back) has expanded beyond Maine's borders in recent years, but this is one of three locations in the Pine Tree State. From a blueberry wheat ale to a hazelnut porter, Sea Dog's beers cover the full spectrum. There's always a dozen or so on tap to chose from. The food menu is big and includes breakfast. There are all the regular bar food choices, plus some more refined seafood options like cedar plank salmon and pan-seared cod with risotto.
In a converted old farmhouse, Bray's offers several of its own beers on tap, along with a hearty selection of draft beers brewed elsewhere and dozens of bottled choices. The food choices are diverse, from chicken fingers to Veal Oscar.
This English-style pub, sister to Saco's Run of the Mill, offers up seven of its handcrafted brews at any of time, like the top-selling Bug Lager (a Bohemian pilsner) and Smelt Camp Strong Ale. The upscale pub menu includes choices like "drunken pot roast" and "bangers and smash."
Formerly Lion's Pride Pub, this brew pub from Chris Lively, proprietor of renowned Ebenezer's Pub in Lovell, pours beers made at his attached Lively Brewing Company. Selections change often and feature a wide variety of styles, like Mary Jane, a dank IPA, and Holy Candy, a Belgian tripel. Look for these brews to feature prominently in the food items, as well, especially when special beer dinners roll around.
The pub has been in the family for decades, with the brewery (recently expanded) added just a few years ago. The American-style ales include Bangor Tiger IPA, Smiling Irish Bastard Pale Ale, and Presque Isle Honey Blonde Ale. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served, and the menu is extensive, with plenty of American and Irish pub classics to choose from, as well as solid steak and seafood offerings.
Located on the grounds of the Northern Outdoors "rafting and adventure resort," offerings from this brew pub include Bear Naked Black Lager, Deer-in-the-Head Lite, and Magic Hole IPA.
On the mountain at Sugarloaf, The Bag has been sating skiers with beers and burgers for some 40 years. The vibe is English pub and the beers echo that, with choices like Bag Brown Ale and Pick Pole Pale Ale. The Bag's Potato Ale gets a distinctive Maine spin by incorporating locally grown spuds. There are lots of choices on the menu, but the Bag Burger is the only world famous one.
The 16 taps feature a rotating handful of house beers, like Twin Screw Pale Ale and Spruce Head Stout, as well as a medley of micros and macros brewed in other places. The food trends toward gourmet-pub-grub, with items like house-roasted fried tomatoes and Haddock Rockefeller to go along with wings, burgers, soups, salads, etc.
Perhaps stretching the definition of a brew pub, this is the best place to find a large selection of Marshall Wharf beers on tap, with 20 or so to choose from. The bar, which has a large outdoor beer garden open in the warmer months, is steps away from the brewery and tasting room, all of which sits right on Belfast Bay. There's a plentiful tapas list, with everything from Swedish meatballs to Pemaquid oysters.
Offering a lineup of Shipyard brews like Export Ale, Monkey Fist IPA, and the "-head" line of seasonals, the pub also has a sizable menu with soups, salads, burgers and entrees.
This is the tavern arm of Boothbay Craft Brewery, which brews beers like 633 American Pale Ale, Ken Brown Ale, and Black Rocks Stout. Food is no afterthought here, with wood-fired pizzas, an impressive specials board and numerous seafood options, along with soups, salads, burgers, and paninis.
A small, family-run operation, this brewery converted to a brew pub early on. There's a rustic feel to the secluded, scenic spot, where you can order a burger or bratwurst with your St. George Golden Pilsner or Chupacabra XXX IPA. Stop in for tastings, growler fills, and even some 12-ounce bottles to go.
Founded in 1992, Andrew's Brewing Company is one of Maine's oldest, hence its focus on classic British styles like an English pale ale or a Black and Tan blend of pale and porter. When the company teamed with The Lobster Pound, a six-decade institution, it gave fans an easy way to track down all of its beers in one place. An extensive menu of pub fare includes a couple of surprises like Irish nachos (with potato wedges in place of corn chips).
Out-of-towners clamor for the blueberry beer at this steakhouse, a fixture for visitors to Mount Desert Island and Acadia National Park. Don't miss the burgers and Maine potato fries, either.
Perfectly placed to take advantage of Maine's long ski season at Sunday River, this brew pub is a solid burgers-and-pizza kind of eatery with a beer for nearly every taste.: wheat, raspberry wheat, brown, porter, and more. Join the Mug Club and become a regular, or take home a growler of your favorite pour.
This is where Shipyard got its start back in 1992, as a brand brewed by Federal Jack's. While that brand soon expanded to Portland and became the state's biggest brewing operation, Federal Jack's still brews its Shipyard Export, Fuggles IPA, Old Thumper, and other offerings on its own seven-barrel system. There's something for everyone on the large menu, from salads to burgers to fried clams to paella.
Though Sebago now has a full production brewery in Gorham, the original restaurants are still considered brew pubs, serving fresh beer from holding tanks. Here, at one of Sebago's four brew pub locations in southern Maine, find year-round beers like Frye's Leap IPA, Saddleback Ale, and Runabout Red, along with a wide selection of seasonal and limited-edition brews. The food menu goes a step beyond standard pub grub, with any array of apps, salads, burgers, and entrees.
Located on the Saco River, Run of the Mill is larger than The Liberal Cup, its sister brewery, but it features the same beer choices, like Bug Lager and Smelt Camp Strong Ale. The upscale pub menu has loads of options, from "mac and beer cheese" to seafood scampi. Check out the ever-changing specials board, too.
Though Sebago now has a full production brewery in Gorham, the original restaurants are still considered brew pubs, serving fresh beer from holding tanks. Here, at one of Sebago's four brew pub locations in southern Maine, find year-round beers like Frye's Leap IPA, Saddleback Ale, and Runabout Red, along with a wide selection of seasonal and limited-edition brews. The food menu goes a step beyond standard pub grub, with any array of apps, salads, burgers, and entrees.
Though Sebago now has a full production brewery in Gorham, the original restaurants are still considered brew pubs, serving fresh beer from holding tanks. Here, at one of Sebago's four brew pub locations in southern Maine, find year-round beers like Frye's Leap IPA, Saddleback Ale, and Runabout Red, along with a wide selection of seasonal and limited-edition brews. The food menu goes a step beyond standard pub grub, with any array of apps, salads, burgers, and entrees.
Though Sebago now has a full production brewery in Gorham, the original restaurants are still considered brew pubs, serving fresh beer from holding tanks. Here, at one of Sebago's four brew pub locations in southern Maine, find year-round beers like Frye's Leap IPA, Saddleback Ale, and Runabout Red, along with a wide selection of seasonal and limited-edition brews. The food menu goes a step beyond standard pub grub, with any array of apps, salads, burgers, and entrees.
The waterfront location, the salvaged wood and metal finishes, the bar stool views of the brewing and distilling equipment...this is an impressive spot even without the beer menu, which features a slew of styles, from hoppy American IPAs to German lagers to Belgian quads. Recently renamed, this spot — from the owners of nearby renowned beer bar Novare Res — makes its own vodka, "bierschnapps," and whiskey, too. The food menu isn't huge, but features locally sourced ingredients and dishes that are a notch or two above regular brew pub fare. Think green curry mussels or Vietnamese chicken salad.
Gritty's, Maine's first brew pub, dates back to 1988. It now has three locations pouring its classic English-style ales: Original Pub Style, Black Fly Stout, and Maine's Best IPA, to name a few. Food options include a wide selection of appetizers, salads, sandwiches, and burgers, as well as some British pub favorites like fish and chips and shepherd's pie.
Gritty's, Maine's first brew pub, dates back to 1988. It now has three locations pouring its classic English-style ales: Original Pub Style, Black Fly Stout, and Maine's Best IPA, to name a few. Food options include a wide selection of appetizers, salads, sandwiches, and burgers, as well as some British pub favorites like fish and chips and shepherd's pie.
Gritty's, Maine's first brew pub, dates back to 1988. It now has three locations pouring its classic English-style ales: Original Pub Style, Black Fly Stout, and Maine's Best IPA, to name a few. Food options include a wide selection of appetizers, salads, sandwiches, and burgers, as well as some British pub favorites like fish and chips and shepherd's pie.
This English-style ale purveyor (purchased by Shipyard some years back) has expanded beyond Maine's borders in recent years, but this is one of three locations in the Pine Tree State. From a blueberry wheat ale to a hazelnut porter, Sea Dog's beers cover the full spectrum. There's always a dozen or so on tap to chose from. The food menu is big and includes breakfast. There are all the regular bar food choices, plus some more refined seafood options like cedar plank salmon and pan-seared cod with risotto.
This English-style ale purveyor (purchased by Shipyard some years back) has expanded beyond Maine's borders in recent years, but this is one of three locations in the Pine Tree State. From a blueberry wheat ale to a hazelnut porter, Sea Dog's beers cover the full spectrum. There's always a dozen or so on tap to chose from. The food menu is big and includes breakfast. There are all the regular bar food choices, plus some more refined seafood options like cedar plank salmon and pan-seared cod with risotto.
This English-style ale purveyor (purchased by Shipyard some years back) has expanded beyond Maine's borders in recent years, but this is one of three locations in the Pine Tree State. From a blueberry wheat ale to a hazelnut porter, Sea Dog's beers cover the full spectrum. There's always a dozen or so on tap to chose from. The food menu is big and includes breakfast. There are all the regular bar food choices, plus some more refined seafood options like cedar plank salmon and pan-seared cod with risotto.
In a converted old farmhouse, Bray's offers several of its own beers on tap, along with a hearty selection of draft beers brewed elsewhere and dozens of bottled choices. The food choices are diverse, from chicken fingers to Veal Oscar.
This English-style pub, sister to Saco's Run of the Mill, offers up seven of its handcrafted brews at any of time, like the top-selling Bug Lager (a Bohemian pilsner) and Smelt Camp Strong Ale. The upscale pub menu includes choices like "drunken pot roast" and "bangers and smash."
Formerly Lion's Pride Pub, this brew pub from Chris Lively, proprietor of renowned Ebenezer's Pub in Lovell, pours beers made at his attached Lively Brewing Company. Selections change often and feature a wide variety of styles, like Mary Jane, a dank IPA, and Holy Candy, a Belgian tripel. Look for these brews to feature prominently in the food items, as well, especially when special beer dinners roll around.
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