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Brewery guide: Places for tasting beer and more in central Maine
Search for spots with food, outdoor seating, non-beer beverage options and more.
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With more than 100 breweries to choose from, Mainers who have a thirst for the occasional pint should count themselves pretty lucky.
Want to try a new IPA and test your skill at trivia? You can do that. Need a spot with food for the family and enough beer selections for a couple tasting flights? There are plenty of options. Looking for an outdoor spot with a great view and equally great brews? Get the camera ready.
We’ve created a handy guide of breweries in central Maine where you can do some tasting and enjoy plenty of other amenities. Use the buttons to choose the options that matter to you. And if we missed one you think should go on the list, feel free to let us know in the comments below.
Using our filters: For breweries in Oxford County with food and outdoor seating choose all three buttons.
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AMBITION BREWING
Where: 295 Main St., Wilton; ambitionbrews.com
Popular beers: Derivation White Stout (stout); Three Sheets To The Wind (India pale ale); Stop. Hammock Time (cream ale)
Amenities: Small-ish food menu with sliders, flatbread pizza, snacks and sides. Events include trivia, karaoke ladies night and visiting food trucks.
What else: Looking for something different? Try the Spicy Lemon Sour.
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BATEAU BREWING
Where: 149 Water St., Gardiner; facebook.com/bateaubrewing
Popular beers: Pucking Tart (cherry pomegranate sour); Berry Matter (blueberry gose)
Amenities: Live performances outside, a paint and ceramic night, and trivia contests including “are you smarter than a 2nd grader.”
What else: Offers curbside pickup
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BAXTER BREWING
Where: 130 Mill St., Lewiston; baxterbrewing.com
Popular beers: Stowaway (India pale ale); Staycation Land (brilliant lager); seasonal Ice Storm of ‘98 (New England India pale ale)
Amenities: The Pub at Baxter, located along with the brewery in historic Bates Mill, offers a full food menu from soft pretzels to steak tips. Expect 20-plus options on tap and plenty of options for those who don’t love beer, with a drinks menu that includes cocktails, wine and spirits. Cozy leather couches to lounge on while sharing a beverage with friends or check out the outdoor patio.
What else: Offering 2 types of flights – one pick-your-own (5 beers) and a Summer Flight that includes Baxter’s Watermelon Seltzer.
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BIGELOW BREWING COMPANY
Where: 473 Bigelow Hill Road, Skowhegan; bigelowbrewing.com
Popular beers: Avery Peak Ale (wheat ale); Bigelow Brown Ale (brown ale); Cast Iron Bitch (American pale ale)
Amenities: Local musicians, special events, Thursday trivia with Tyler, wood-fire pizzas.
What else: Striving to use locally sourced ingredients in all of their brews.
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BRYANT BREWING
Where: 1009 Great Moose Dr., Hartland; bryantbrewing.com
Popular beers: Baccalaureate Belgian Blonde (Belgian ale); College Collab (American pale ale); Schoolyard Spruce (American pale ale)
Amenities: In addition to the school-themed tap list, Bryant’s offers coffee drinks and has a small merch store.
What else: Look for the coffee trailer at 558 Main St. in Palmyra.
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CUSHNOC BREWING CO.
Where: 243 Water St., Augusta; cushnocbrewing.com
Popular beers: Gigantic Dad Pants (New England India pale ale); All Souls (American India pale ale); Lawyer Up (coffee porter)
Amenities: Snacks, salads and pizzas at the restaurant location on Water Street.
What else: Check out the Annex at 3044 North Belfast Ave. for trivia every Thursday and seasonal food trucks.
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DEFINITIVE BREWING COMPANY
Where: 8 Timberline Dr., Newry; definitivebrewing.com
Popular beers: Behind the Light (New England India pale ale); Float (double New England India pale ale); Contee (kolsch)
Amenities: Full menu featuring apps and sandwiches from Phoenix Kitchen and non-beer options like cider, seltzer and wine. Outdoor deck with mountain views and dogs welcome.
What else: No flights available but you can purchase combos of different size pours.
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EAST OUTLET BREWING
Where: 375 Ripley Road, Cambridge; facebook.com
Popular beers: Inside Out Peanut Butter Stout (stout); Blueberry Milkshake (India pale ale)
Amenities: Wood-fired oven for pizzas, plus classic pub food like nachos and wings.
What else: Offers karaoke on some Saturday nights.
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THE FURBISH BREW HOUSE & EATS
Where: 2451 Main St., Rangeley; facebook.com
Popular beers: 1540 (American style India pale ale); Davenport Blackberry Blonde (blonde ale)
Amenities: Food menu focuses on apps, handhelds and wood fired pizza but that pizza is worth the trip. Furbish’s barbecue chicken pizza made Downeast’s list of 30 Maine pies you have to try for 2022.
What else: With a location right across from Rangeley Lake, the outdoor porch is a great place to enjoy the views.
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GORDON’S GROG
Where: 330 Todd’s Corner Road, St. Albans; gordonsgrog.com
Popular beers: Red Wagon (red ale); Big DIPA (double India pale ale); Look Me In The IPA (American India pale ale)
Amenities: Twelve beers on tap, plus wine and hard cider. Food menu includes paninis and sandwiches.
What else: Friday night is Sloppy Joe night.
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GRATEFUL GRAIN BREWING COMPANY
Where: 26 Route 126, Monmouth; gratefulgrainbrewing.com
Popular beers: The Experience (New England India pale ale); Dragin Magick (red ale)
Amenities: Tap list that changes weekly, visiting food trucks like Jasmine Cafe, Cruzin’ slice and Brick Oven Bakery.
What else: Tap room offers indoor and outdoor seating.
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GRITTY’S
Where: 68 Main St, Auburn; grittys.com
Popular beers: Original Pub Style (British style pale ale); Black Fly Stout (Irish dry stout); Vacationland Summer Ale (blonde ale)
Amenities: Full menu includes stone oven pizza and craft burgers. Outdoor deck overlooks the Auburn Riverwalk. Join the mug club for $10.
What else: Weekly events include cribbage on Mondays, cornhole on Tuesdays, karaoke on Wednesdays, open mic Thursdays and live music most Fridays and Saturdays.
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JOKERS & ROGUES BREWING
Where: 561 Maine Ave., Farmingdale; facebook.com
Popular beers: Lazy Dog (American India pale ale); Snoring Porcupine (porter); Bubba’s Brown (English brown ale)
Amenities: Small menu with pub food and hand-tossed pizza.
What else: Mug club, comedy nights and trivia.
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KENNEBEC RIVER PUB & BREWERY
Where: 1771 U.S. Route 201, The Forks; northernoutdoors.com/kennebec-river-brewery
Popular beers: Big Mama Blueberry Ale (fruit ale); Whitewater Wheat (wheat ale); Magic Hole IPA (American India pale ale)
Amenities: Full restaurant menu including dinner entrees, plus year-round events both inside and out. Offers cabin rentals in the woods.
What else: This is the place to go for outdoor adventure between beers.
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THE LIBERAL CUP
Where: 115 Water St., Hallowell; theliberalcup.com
Popular beers: Bug Lager (Czech pilsner); Alewife Ale (English pale ale); Old Hallow Ale (American India pale ale)
Amenities: Full menu with an Irish flair and daily specials, plus live music in the heart of downtown Hallowell.
What else: Pop-up Wednesday features an Asian-fusion menu.
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LOST VALLEY BREWING COMPANY
Where: 200 Lost Valley Road, Auburn; lostvalleyski.com
Popular beers: Double Otterslide IPA (imperial double); Happy Place (kolsch); Lost Limas (American pale ale)
Amenities: Full food menu includes flatbread pizza and Thursday are Tap Team Ups with other local breweries. Drink menu offers ciders, seltzers and non-alcoholic options. Hang on the deck on Friday’s when the Lone Pine Outdoor Concert Series jams on from 6:30-9:30 p.m. Expect food trucks when the bands are playing.
What else: Brew-Ski Flights are delivered on a custom sampler ski.
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NORWAY BREWING COMPANY
Where: 237 Main St., Norway; norwaybrewing.com
Popular beers: Mr. Grumpypants (oatmeal stout); Lust for Gold (India pale ale)
Amenities: Food menu features starters and sandwiches and brunch is offered on Sundays. Happy hour special (weekdays 3-5 p.m.) is a 16-ounce beer of the week and 4 ounces of Belgian fries for $5. Wine and non-alcoholic drinks and beer available.
What else: They host trivia and comedy nights on site.
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OAK POND BREWERY
Where: 101 Oak Pond Road, Skowhegan; oakpondbrewery.com
Popular beers: Nut Brown Ale (American brown ale); Dooryard Ale (blonde ale); White Fox Ale (American India pale ale)
Amenities: Focuses on lagers and ales. Buy beers in 22-ounce bottles, cases, kegs or refillable growlers.
What else: Tour the brewery on Fridays and Saturdays.
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OLIVE PIT BREWING
Where: 16 Main St., Lisbon Falls; olivepitbrewing.com
Popular beers: Star Carr (English brown ale); Hometown Moxie (English porter); Pink Boots Sour Cranberry (fruited sour)
Amenities: They don’t have a full kitchen (paninis, hot pretzels, packaged snacks) but you’re welcome to bring takeout. Wine is available for the non-beer drinkers. Dogs are welcome in the taproom and beer garden.
What else: Events include Musingo (music bingo), comedy open mic, trivia and live music every weekend.
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OUTLAND FARM BREWERY
Where: 113 North Lancy St., Pittsfield; outlandfarmbrewery.com
Popular beers: Hewn (porter); Silo (American pale ale)
Amenities: Summer farm-to-table menu offered. Also offers cider, mead, wine and non-alcoholic drinks. Sometimes has guest beers available.
What else: The farm includes pick-your-own apples, pears, nectarines, peaches and plums.
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OXBOW BREWING
Where: 420 Main St., Oxford; oxbowbeer.com
Popular beers: Farmhouse Pale Ale (American pale ale); Luppolo (Italian pilsner)
Amenities: The Oxford location is known as the Beer Garden and it features a restaurant and bar, a taproom and a bottle shop with 12 draft lines and an impressive selection of bottles and cans. The restaurant specializes in wood-fired pizzas.
What else: Try house-made sodas, spirits, cider and wine.
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RUSTY BUS BREWING COMPANY
Where: 120 Lisbon St., Lewiston; rustybusbrewing.com
Popular beers: Burnout Brown (brown ale); Kin’s Cream Ale (cream ale)
Amenities: Expect six beers on tap, including the rotating Flat Four series. No food menu, but there is outdoor seating.
What else: Events include standup comedy, music, themed trivia and cribbage nights.
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SHEEPSCOT VALLEY BREWING COMPANY
Where: 74 Hollywood Blvd., Whitefield; facebook.com
Popular beers: Bold Coast Pemaquid Ale (Scottish ale); Tumbledown Dick (double India pale ale)
Amenities: Offers a tasting shed with outdoor seating and some food options.
What else: Check the Facebook page for hours.
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SIDE BY EACH BREWING
Where: 1110 Minot Ave., Auburn; sidebyeachbrewing.com
Popular beers: Sunshine On My Shoulders (kolsch); Stick It to the Man (altbier)
Amenities: Expect double digits of house beers on tap plus cider, wine and hard seltzer options. Full food menu includes charcuterie boards, salads, sandwiches and burgers and they offer breakfast Tuesday through Friday and weekend brunch.
What else: Live music on Fridays and Saturdays. Dogs are welcome on the patio.
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SIDEREAL FARM BREWERY
Where: 772 Cross Hill Road, Vassalboro; siderealfarm.me
Popular beers: Mutant Koi (kolsch); Lil Drinky Poo (India pale ale)
Amenities: Small upscale dinner menu from Maillard Kitchen. Adult beverages include wild wine, cider, mead and sake.
What else: Charcuterie and snacks available in the tap room.
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STEAM MILL BREWING
Where: 96 Sunday River Road, Bethel; steammillbrew.com
Popular beers: Whitecap Blueberry Ale (American pale wheat); C-Surplus (India pale ale); Paradise Perle (Belgian style wheat)
Amenities: Full food menu to go with house-brewed beers, guest taps, cocktails, flights and cans and squealers to go. Huge outdoor space with a tent (for those rainy days) and plenty of tables.
What else: Live entertainment on some Saturdays.
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SUNDAY RIVER BREWING COMPANY
Where: 29 Sunday River Road, Bethel; sundayriverbrewingcompany.com
Popular beers: Mountain Mama (American style India pale ale); Viper IPA (American style India pale ale); Jamaican Stout (stout)
Amenities: From wings to pasta to burgers and artisan pizza, the food menu has something for everyone in the family. There are cocktails, cider and wine including eight Sunday River brews on tap. All eight can be tasted on a sample board.
What else: Huge outdoor patio and occasional live music and paint and sip parties.
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TUMBLEDOWN BREWING
Where: 805 Farmington Falls Road, Farmington; tumbledownbrewing.com
Popular beers: Tumbledown Red (Irish red ale); 207 Pale Ale (pale ale); Dogstar Smoked Stout (stout)
Amenities: Small brewery with a tap room and outdoor space. Check the Facebook page for visiting food truck announcements.
What else: Occasional live entertainment.
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VAN DER BREW
Where: 30 Summer St., Winthrop; facebook.com
Popular beers: I’m All Set (double India pale ale); Lily Bay (American India pale ale); Two Dog Porter (English porter)
Amenities: Open-mic every Thursday night, tasting room in downtown Winthrop, food trucks and outdoor seating in summer months.
What else: Great views of Maranacook Lake.