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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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