Rising Tide Brewing is among several breweries in Portland’s East End. The house beers are an interesting assortment of dry-hopped, sour and fruited saisons, grisettes and other styles that are both approachable and nuanced, making for a rewarding tasting experience. Oxbow’s farmhouse-style beers are brewed on a farm located about an hour north in Newcastle, then trucked to the Portland facility where mixed culture fermentation, barrel-aging, blending and packaging take place. Rows of wooden barrels stacked floor-to-ceiling mostly obscure a collection of stainless fermenters lined up along a wall displaying an intriguing graffiti-style mural. A short wall separates drinkers from the production area. Picnic tables and a long copper bar populate the large tasting room. Beyond the nondescript exterior is an airy warehouse-like space that’s been tastefully imbued with an artsy look and feel. Oxbow Blending and Bottling is tucked discreetly down a short alleyway adjacent to a brick structure housing a meadery and distillery. A short stroll through the grounds is a worthwhile diversion. The short walk to your next stop will take you past the Eastern Cemetery, established in 1668. While the brewery has an old school feel, they try to keep things fresh with new brews such as the recently-introduced line of tea-infused beers. Shipyard’s largest seller is its seasonal Pumpkinhead, which was first brewed in 1996 and is distributed in 40 states. The brewery’s flagship is Export, an unassuming golden ale originally created to appeal to the many Canadians who vacation on the Maine coast. The tasting room dispenses over a dozen mostly session-strength beers. (FALL SEASONALS: Oh My Gourd: Offbeat Pumpkin Beers for 2017) Of special interest are the rarely-seen open fermenters, ranging in size from 50 barrels to an impressive 300 barrels. While many breweries who are a similar size as Shipyard have installed highly-automated brewing systems, the Shipyard system remains a largely hands-on operation. Hour-long tours are offered Wednesday through Saturday. The expansive gift shop is evidence of the brewery’s popularity among tourists. The business has grown into Maine’s largest brewing operation, and 28th nationally. Shipyard BrewingĪ wily veteran of Maine’s craft beer scene, Shipyard Brewing began life in a former shipyard in 1992 and moved to its current large production facility two years later. The brewery walking tour described below begins just east of Portland’s Old Port and takes you across the Portland Peninsula, with visits to four breweries. The East End is well-deserving of its nickname, the “Yeast End.” In fact, the East End has become a hotbed of fermentation as a winery, cidery, meadery and several distilleries have all set up shop here, with more adult beverage businesses in the works. A concentration of breweries provides gathering spots for residents, as well as destinations for a growing influx of beer-loving visitors. A largely residential area, the East End is undergoing a transformation as coffee shops, farm-to-table restaurants and other locally- focused businesses are sprouting like wildflowers, infusing a positive energy through the neighborhoods. High-profile Portland breweries such as Allagash Brewing and Maine Beer Company have been joined by an expanding collection of upstart beermakers, elevating the coastal community to a premier beercation destination.īeyond Portland’s bustling Old Port is the East End district. The seaside city was a pioneering force in the East Coast craft beer crusade and the brewing scene has only gained momentum. Portlanders love their locally-produced brews. Scores of local seafood eateries are ready to curb your craving for a lobster roll or fried clam plate accompanied, of course, by a local beer. Fishing boats bob on their waterfront docks. As you walk the streets of the tourist-intensive Old Port district, your senses are piqued by the salt-laced air and high-pitched shrill of the ever-present seagulls. It doesn’t take long to get a feel for Portland, Maine. (Credit: Shipyard Brewing) A Walkable Guide to Portland, Maine’s East End Breweries September 21, 2017 Shipyard is one of several breweries in Portland, Maine's, East End neighborhood.
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