Craft beer has taken off across the U.S., and Maine is no exception. Portland has earned a reputation as a top foodie destination, thanks in large part to the increasing number of exceptional breweries. Maine is no longer just for nature enthusiasts and seafood fanatics; with more breweries per capita than any other state, it’s a bonafide haven for beer lovers. Portland secures its spot as American’s Craft Beer Capital and a brewery-hopping hot spot with 16 of Maine’s 155 distinct breweries.
Check out 13 of the best breweries in Portland, Maine:
Map Of Portland Maine Breweries
The map below shows the locations of every brewery mentioned in this post:
Maine’s largest brewery is the undisputed king of Belgian-style wheat beer. Allagash White—the first brew crafted in 1995 by brewery owner and founder, Rob Todd—remains their best-selling beer to date. Allagash Brewing Company took the success of White and ran with it, creating other stand-out Belgian-style ales, like Tripel and River Trip, as well as several bourbon barrel-aged golden ales like Curieux and Barrel & Bean. Allagash keeps thing fresh with the unique Coolship line, a spontaneously-fermented brew aged in wine barrels, and the From Maine, With Love specialty beers, only available to try at the brewery. Check out Allagash’s brand new outdoor tasting room (set up to entertain both adults and kids), and sample the classics alongside the wild ale varieties at their Industrial Way location.
Founded in 2013, Bissell Brothers is located in the revamped former-industrial area of Thompson’s Point. The Point—as it’s locally known—is an experience in itself; an open-air concert venue, ice skating rink, Rosemount Market & Bakery, Stroudwater Distillery, the Children’s Museum & Theater, and seasonal local craft fairs all call this area home. Bissel Brothers draws a crowd to The Point with their flagship beer, the self-defined “dank and mysterious” Substance Ale, served in their spacious taproom—a 100-year-old former railcar repair building. Their outdoor patio fills up in the summer with customers sipping on perfected IPAs like Industry vs Inferiority, Give What You Have, and Reciprocal, along with crisp German lagers.
Tucked away on the outer cusp of Portland’s West End, Bunker Brewing Company is literally invisible from the main road. Make the sharp right turn into an abandoned industrial area and follow the gravel road into the parking lot of a 1920s garage, now housing the elusive brewery. Bunker Brewing offers a bricked-floored patio complete with picnic tables and umbrellas, as well as an indoor tasting room with limited bar seats and long benches set up for table sharing. A limited rotation of beers including pilsners and IPAs are typically found on tap, and the to-go selection includes 16 ouncers, 4-packs, and growler pours.
Portland’s East End is booming with breweries, and Lone Pine Brewing Company is one of the smaller operations in the area that shouldn’t be over-looked. The easter egg-pink building makes it easy to spot even though it’s located a little of the main drag. And don’t let the small size of the tasting room and front patio fool you; Lone Pine has a tiered outdoor space to the right of the building, with a pop-up bar serving all of Lone Pine’s finest. Don’t miss the heavy-hitting IPAs (go easy on the doubles!) and some of their other unique brews, like the craft seltzers and Holy-Donut inspired stouts.
A stone’s throw away from Lone Pine is the funky Urban Farm Fermentory and this place is so much more than a brewery. Not only does UFF crafts their own beers, cider, mead, gruits, and kombucha, they double as a community engagement hub (they’ve been known to throw the occasional party in their back parking lot—DJ, metal trash can bonfires, and brew included). The outdoor tented patio and cozy tasting room are serviced by the bar and the to-go window in the front lobby. Try the kombuchas (elderberry, blueberry, turmeric, or ginger root), a farmhouse style cider (pronounced ci-dah is you’re a local), or for something a little different, sample the honey and basil meads or the unique assortment of gruit made from locally-foraged ingredients. Everything is packaged to take home or served to enjoy on site.
The one-level unassuming brick building houses Belleflower Brewing Company, a small batch craft brewery with an ever-changing menu. Belleflower opened in March 2021 and is one of the newer breweries on the block. Its major draw is the promise of new weekly releases, proving this family-run operation lives up to their motto of creating “thoughtful beers.” IPAs and fruited sours are among the varieties that often make appearances. A small selection of New England-style food is offered along with a food truck option outside (Banh Mi is often present and serves up scrumptious Vietnamese bites). You’ll find the true Mainers huddled around the table fires or heat lamps on the outdoor patio in the middle of winter, chowing down on sandwiches and enjoying ice cold beers.
A place so discreet, even some Portlandites don’t know it exists. Goodfire Brewing Company shares a wall with Lone Pine and distinguishes itself from its neighbor with its vibrant teal paint job, but the entrance is not as immediately obvious. In fact, you have to walk right past Lone Pine and around the back of the long brick building to find the entryway to Goodfire. The tasting room pours flavorsome brews like Harvest Moon Jellies, a lip-smacking cran-raspberry sour, and Flamenco, a dry-hopped double IPA with a serious bite. Enjoy your brew in the tasting room or move to the adjacent space for a game of shuffleboard. Entering its fourth year in operation, Goodfire has fast become a local favorite for the quality brew and friendly staff.
The site of the original Oxbow Brewing Company is a refurbished farmhouse in Newcastle, ME, 50 miles outside of Portland. The forested surroundings backdropped by rolling farmlands and rushing rivers are quintessential Maine and justify the 1-hour drive north. Patrons can grab an oak barrel-aged brew or a spontaneously fermented farmhouse ale inside the rustic tasting room, wander out onto the grounds to an empty picnic table, and sip their beer in the middle of nature. Not up for the drive? No worries. Head to the heart of Portland’s trendy East End and find Oxbow Blending and Bottling, the brewery’s 10,000-square foot warehouse with a spacious bar area and tasting room. This location often hosts art shows and live music; check out their event calendar if you’re interested in experiencing the local scene.
Possibly one of the most popular hangouts in town, Rising Tide overflows with people year-round, rain or shine. The Portland staple boasts one of the largest outdoor patios around, a warehouse-style tasting room, on-site food truck, and irresistible brewery merch. The locally-owned brewery commits to using grains from Maine farmers with the hope of helping the agriculture industry thrive alongside with the craft beer craze. Rising Tide keeps customers coming back time and time again with beloved blends like the punchy Zephyr, an easy-drinking IPA, Ishmael, a crisp and bready copper ale, and Waypoint, a winter-worthy coffee porter brewed with beans from Tandem Coffee Roasters.
Who doesn’t love a walking brewery tour? Right next door to Rising Tide is Austin Street Brewery, another popular place to post-up on the weekends. Austin Street pours double IPAs, milky stouts, and everything in between in a casual indoor and outdoor space in East Bayside. On busy days, you’ll see folks perched on the low wooden fences that line the perimeter, sipping brews and munching on meals from the on-site food truck. If you find yourself brewery-hopping around Industrial Way, you can hit up Austin Street’s original location just down the road from Allagash.
Rounding out the heavy hitters on Industrial Way is another big name in Portland breweries, Definitive Brewing Company. They’re known for applying unique twists to classics like Kolsch, IPAs, Session Ales, Stouts, and Sours. Sensitive Ears is the must-try house pale ale while the German-inspired Contee is something you won’t come across at many other breweries. Definitive defines creativity with unusual flavor combinations found in Milkshake Double IPA and the Late Nite series’ Raspberry Marshmallow and Blueberry Waffles. When all those scrumptious flavors start to trigger your tastebuds, treat yourself to a grilled sandwich from the on-site PB & ME food truck.
Most of Portland’s breweries are located outside the ocean-front tourist hub known as the Old Port. But if you find yourself in the bustling downtown (which you inevitably will if you’re visiting Portland), there are several options to choose from. Liquid Riot Bottling Company is a bar, restaurant, and brewery on Commercial Street with harbor views from their back deck. Come for the 16 house beers on tap or a signature cocktail made from house-made spirts, stay for the locally-sourced chicken wings and farm burger. Brave Noise, a golden pale ale, NSFW Triple IPA, and the dry-hopped Saison series are Liquid Riot’s claims to fame.
Established in 1994, Shipyard Brewing Company is one of Portland’s original breweries and is definitely worth a stop on the city’s beer trail. Shipyard is known for their IPAs, wheat beers, and fruity seasonal brews. Island Time and Finder Session are year-round favorites while Smashed Pumpkin, Smashed Blueberry, Pumpkinhead, make seasonal appearances. Swing by the tasting room for a flight or try one of Shipyard’s specialty beers, like the locally-inspired Wild Maine Blueberry Pie Ale.
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Fiona is a freelance travel writer, passionate outdoorswoman, animal lover, and native Mainer. After spending many years living, working, and writing overseas in Southeast Asia and Turkey, she returned to her roots in Portland, ME in 2019. You’ll find her hiking the state’s many peaks, surfing up and down Maine’s beautiful coast, and indulging in Portland’s ever-evolving food and craft brewery scene.
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