Where Portland drinks local: brewpubs, taprooms and the new wave.
Taprooms, brewpubs and the local beer scene in Portland worth taking a tram to.
Allagash Brewing on Industrial Way, since 1995 from Rob Tod, is Portland's flagship Belgian-style brewery, with free ticketed tours via the operator site.
Tip: Tours are free but ticketed via allagash.com. The taproom serves Bite Into Maine food in the same building.
Bissell Brothers Brewing at Thompson's Point opened 2013 from Peter and Noah Bissell, with the modern New England IPA program built around The Substance Ale.
Tip: The Substance is the flagship and available daily; rotating releases drop Thursday mornings.
Foundation Brewing on Industrial Way, opened 2014 by the Bonney and Mahaffey families, runs hazy IPAs, farmhouse beers and Detroit-style pizza.
Tip: Kitchen stops taking orders 45 minutes before close. Closed Tuesdays.
Goodfire Brewing on Anderson Street in East Bayside, since 2017, runs hop-forward IPAs alongside crisp lagers and a German Kolsch (Dizzy Spell).
Tip: Taproom hours shift seasonally. Cans for takeaway from the cooler at all open hours.
Lone Pine Brewing on Anderson Street opened 2016 from Tom Madden and John Paul, with core IPAs (Portland Pale, Tessellation) and a pilot system for one-offs.
Tip: Same warehouse block as Goodfire and Oxbow Blending. Walk between the three for an East Bayside taproom crawl.
Oxbow Blending and Bottling on Washington Avenue, since 2014, is the Portland blending and bottling outpost of the Newcastle, Maine farmhouse brewery.
Tip: Original farmhouse brewery is in Newcastle, Maine (90 min drive). This taproom is the easier Portland city visit.
Rising Tide Brewing, founded 2010 by Nathan and Heather Sanborn and at 103 Fox Street since 2012, anchors East Bayside as a Portland craft pioneer.
Tip: The Galley kitchen is open through taproom hours. Family friendly, outdoor seating in summer.
Shipyard Brewing on Newbury Street opened 1994 from Fred Forsley and English brewmaster Alan Pugsley, with English-style ales and the Pumpkinhead seasonal.
Tip: Tours run through the taproom; tasting flights at the bar. Walking distance from the Old Port.
D L Geary Brewing on Evergreen Drive opened in 1986 from David and Karen Geary as the first commercial craft brewery east of the Mississippi.
Tip: Tasting room shares the brewery building. Tours by appointment via the operator site.
Austin Street Brewery on Industrial Way, since 2014 from Will Fisher and Jake Austin, runs hop-forward IPAs and a clean German-style pilsner.
Tip: Shared Industrial Way building with Allagash, Foundation and Battery Steele. Park once and walk all four.
Battery Steele Brewing on Industrial Way, since 2017, runs hazy IPAs and barrel-aged wild ales out of the Allagash and Foundation neighbouring complex.
Tip: Side-by-side with Allagash, Foundation and Austin Street. The Industrial Way cluster is the easiest brewery crawl in the city.
Definitive Brewing on Industrial Way, since 2017, runs a clean lager-forward program from a warehouse-and-patio taproom with rotating Fri-Sun food trucks.
Tip: Food trucks rotate at the patio Friday to Sunday. Family and dog friendly.
Camp Pennant on Commercial Street, the 2024 rebrand of Michaud's 2013 Liquid Riot under Michael Fraser, pours Pennant Distilling lines plus wood-fired pizza.
Tip: Pennant beers and spirits bottled on site at the Camp Store. Patio overlooks the working waterfront.
Gritty McDuff's on Fore Street, since 1988, is Maine's original brewpub and one of the first in the modern American craft scene, with cask ales on tap.
Tip: Pub menu runs through close. The cask ale lineup is the historical draw.