If you love craft beer, you’re likely aware that there are a ton of breweries (representing more than 100 brands) here in the state and that a good chunk of them are in southern Maine.
Along with pouring a wide variety of ales and lagers, many of them also serve as music venues, dining destinations and dance studios.
Breweries can offer entertainment, education, exercise or a terrific meal, depending on where you go. From yoga classes to live music and trivia nights, breweries have become social clubs, restaurants, kid-friendly hangouts and integral parts of several communities.
So let’s drink, stretch, eat and dance to that, especially now that spring is here. Decks, patios and outdoor seating areas at a bunch of breweries are ready and waiting for you, including at a few newer spots that may not have been around the last time you hit the craft beer trail.
Pro tip: The best way to get the latest news on the breweries you love is by following them on social media, where they often share info about things like pop-up drag shows, special classes, live music and food truck schedules.
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
Hi-Fidelity opened last year in Portland’s East Bayside brewery hub, though it’s open later than its neighbors – until 1 a.m. on the weekends. Another unique feature of this nanobrewery is that most of its beer is at or below 5% ABV (alcohol by volume), if you’re looking for something with less of a punch. Chow down on a house-made order of red beans and rice topped with Andouille sausage or have breakfast for dinner with an egg sandwich. The red rye ale King of the Underground rules in terms of popularity, as does the Just Sound (British ordinary beer) and Gunpowder Eyes (smoky porter). Unleash your inner musician on Monday night during the open mic sessions or sit back and listen to live tunes on other days. No need to leave the pooch or kids at home, they’re welcome at Hi-Fidelity.
Master brewer Brienne Allan at Sacred Profane in Biddeford. Ben McCanna/Staff Photographer
Sacred Profane Brewing opened last year in Biddeford and is one of the state’s most unusual breweries in that it serves just two beers dispensed through an imported, CO2-devoid Czech tap system comprised of huge copper tanks that hang above the bar. You can choose between the Bohemian-style Pale Lager and Dark Lager, but those in the know order a mixture of the two. Sacred Profane also has a strong food game, with smash burgers, poutine, schnitzel and weekly specials. Inside, you can often catch live music, and there are occasional dinner events, oyster pop-ups, and local makers markets. Also, the brewery just got its outdoor seating space licensed and now has five picnic tables, barrels, plants and standing tables.
Some existing breweries have also opened new locations in the past year or so, and more are on the way. Mast Landing opened its third tasting room, in South Portland, at the beginning of this year, adding to its Westbrook and Freeport locations. And after a long construction period, Portland-based Goodfire Brewing opened a second location in the fall, complete with a full kitchen, in Freeport. Following suit is Portland-based Battery Steele, which is planning a second location with a food menu in Wells.
A Groove 207 dance class at the Portland location of Banded Brewing. Photo courtesy of Groove 207
LET’S GET PHYSICAL
Some folks like to sing for their suppers, others would rather sweat for their suds, and you can indeed get some exercise at several breweries.
Groove207 offers dance classes to adults 18 and older. It’s co-owned by dancers Haley Bauman and Val Parsiale, and pop-up classes are frequently held at breweries, including Banded Brewing and Root Wild Kombucha, both in Portland. Hop onto their Instagram to stay in the know, as classes tend to sell out.
Groove & Brew is a Groove207 hip-hop class happening at Banded Brewing‘s Portland location on June 11. You’ll learn a dance routine, then enjoy a beverage. Class sign-ups typically start about a month before the date at groove207.com.
The Old Port Run Club meets every Thursday at 6:15 p.m. at Liquid Riot Bottling Co. on Portland’s Commercial Street. All levels of runners are welcome, so whether you’re an elite marathoner or newbie breaking in your running shoes, you’re invited. After a few miles around the city, you’ll repair back to Liquid Riot for beverages, snacks and camaraderie. Bring some dough for the food and drinks, but participating in the run is absolutely free.
Meet up at the Bissell Brothers taproom in Portland on Mondays at 5:30 p.m. to join its running club. A warm-up is followed by about a 4-mile loop around the Western Promenade or a 2-mile jaunt on Congress Street and the Fore River Trail. Provided you’ve registered by 5:30 p.m. in the taproom, you can enjoy discounted drafts when you get back from the run.
Beer and pizza at Foundation Brewing in Portland. Photo courtesy of Foundation
CHOW TIME
Just about every brewery has some sort of food available, whether as bar snacks, from food trucks, or out of their own kitchens. But at some spots, it’s clear that the food is more than an after-thought.
Foundation Brewing in Portland is serving up the kind of Detroit-style pizza that the owners grew up eating. During the COVID lockdown, recipes were re-tooled and perfected, and the square pies with crispy cheese walls are ready for you to sink your teeth into. Toppings include fresh mushrooms, Kalamata olives, pineapple, hot honey drizzle, Italian sausage and bleu cheese crumbles, to name just a few. They also make a few specialty pies, like the Buffalo Chicken and Greek.
Foulmouthed Brewing in South Portland is worth the trip for the giant brewer’s grain pretzel alone, but that’s just the beginning of its scrumptious vittles. Try the nachos with BBQ brisket and you’ll receive a mountain of spicy goodness. Or devour the burger, salmon BLT or meatloaf melt. Foulmouthed also keeps the kids happy with mac & cheese and a few other favorites.
Rising Tide Brewing Company in Portland has its own kitchen called The Galley. Chef Josh Davis has put together a menu with stick-to-your-ribs offerings like burgers, grilled cheese sandwiches, falafel, Buffalo fried chicken and fries made with Aroostook County potatoes. There’s also a weekly dip served with warm pita.
USE YOUR HEAD
Who doesn’t love to show off their smarts? Instead of shouting answers at the TV during “Jeopardy!,” take the show on the road and head to a brewery trivia night. Whether you’re a lone wolf or have a posse of brilliant pals, trivia night is a fun way to spend an evening and win both prizes and bragging rights while enjoying your favorite craft beer. Here are some of the spots you can play.
Greater Portland: On Mondays, head to the Fox Street location of Austin Street Brewing. On Tuesdays, make it Bissell Brothers in Portland or Foulmouthed Brewing in South Portland. For a Wednesday night challenge, try Mast Landing in Westbrook, and on Thursday, you’ll find trivia at Definitive, Foundation and Goodfire, all in Portland.
Freeport/Brunswick: Flex your brain at Moderation Brewing in Brunswick on the second Tuesday of the month and every Wednesday at Mast Landing in Freeport. Flight Deck in Brunswick is the place to play on Thursdays.
York County: Mull your answers on Mondays at Blaze Brewing in Biddeford and on Tuesdays at Corner Point in Berwick. Starting in mid-May, Odd By Nature in Cape Neddick will launch Tuesday night trivia.
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