Within an hour of the Rangeley Lakes region are museums, live music, theater, thousands of lakes, ponds and trails for recreation and some really good places to sit down and have a drink.
By way of Google Maps, these breweries are within about an hour of Rangeley, but anyone who knows Maine knows you can’t always get there from here, and if you want to make a full day of it, we suggest getting out the old “Atlas & Gazetteer” to chart your personal course based upon the operating hours, weather, which place is most intriguing and what route makes the most sense for time. Factor in the menu you want for lunch or if there’s afternoon entertainment, tours or guided tastings that you want to take part in. Obligatory note: this adventure requires a designated driver and you’ll need to be over the age of 21 with a legal ID to taste the unique wares of each brewery.
Ambition Brewing
295 Main Street, Wilton | ambitionbrews.com
Touting themselves as “Probably Maine’s Smallest Brewery/ Taproom”, this company is gaining momentum around the state with on-premise, rotating taps. They are also active in their local community, so check the calendar to see if a fundraiser is taking place where you may be asked to “show us your cans”. Good thing everyone must be over 21.
Steam Mill Brewing
96 Sunday River Road, Bethel | steammillbrew.com
Hit up another Maine ski town and you’ll find a robust food menu, craft cocktails and a calendar of events with entertainment starting mid-afternoon to help keep you on schedule. Steam Mill also hosts guest taps and offers a favorite pub snack: a 10 oz. Giant Ass Pretzel with beer cheese for $14.
Bigelow Brewing Company
573 Bigelow Hill Road, Skowhegan | bigelowbrewing.com
All local breweries have great origin stories and Bigelow is no eхception. In 1978, owners Jeff and Pam Powers met as high school juniors in Skowhegan. Pam bought Jeff a home beer brewing kit in 1989, and they never looked back. Jeff passed away in 2023, while Pam remains an owner of this happening spot. Check the website for after-hours blues music and a detailed list of local vendors contributing to their success.
Kennebec River Pub & Brewery
1771 US-201, West Forks | northernoutdoors.com/kennebec-river-brewery
Located inside the Northern Outdoors Adventure Center, these draught beers are “keg-conditioned”, meaning they are allowed to condition and carbonate naturally in kegs, and are never filtered or pasteurized. If you can’t break away from a mass produced light beer, try the crispy 4.0 abv Deer in the Head-Lite Ale.
The Furbish Brew House & Eats
2541 Main Street, Rangeley | Find them on Facebook
End the day in a 1912 historic tavern which is home to the town’s first micro-brewery. After all the sampling and driving, enjoy brick-oven wood fired pizza and toast with Furbish’s flagship 1540 American IPA, named for Rangeley’s elevation above sea level.