Quality Food and Drink NearU
If you thought after two Portland brewery guides we were all done, then you have severely underestimated the Portland beer scene (Make sure to check out part 1 & part 2 of our guide). Portland is the “land” of beer, and today we continue our journey detailing the ultimate brewery weekend.
Portland, ME is a hot spot for those looking to have a weekend getaway from Boston. Barreled Souls, located about 20 minutes south of Portland, is the perfect spot to wet your lips on the way in or out of the city. Located in Saco, near Old Orchard Beach, this location can’t be beat.
Barreled Souls has the small craft brewery vibe down to a tee. The tap room is in a basement, with barrels lining the walls. Here, you feel like you are being transported to a 1700’s tavern. Outside, they boast spacious seating and lawn games. But enough about the ambiance, what’s really important is the beer.
Barreled Souls has their stouts dialed in, and they seem to have mastered using marshmallow in a stout. Every year they release the coveted “Stay Puft” series, which includes a traditional campfire stout with strong notes of marshmallow, and a few other variants such as Strawberry Jam and Peanut Butter. If you are lucky enough to get one of these on tap, you’ll experience an explosion of sweet flavor, as it quite literally tastes like they ground up a s’more into a boozy milkshake.
Also, Eat My Shorts is a newcomer to the line up. It is a Butterfinger marshmallow stout that truly tastes like you are drinking a candy bar.
We can’t think of anything more “Fall in New England” than a pint of Shipyard Pumpkin Head with a sugar rim. This is a staple is almost any bar you will visit in the Northeast, so why not go to the source? Shipyard has a beautiful taproom covered in wood and brick. It is a great place to grab a flight and spend an afternoon. Located in downtown Portland, it is really a no brainer to drop by– even if it is just for a pint.
Shipyard also has rotating taps and special beers, so you never know what goodies will be waiting there for you that day.
Located just down the road from downtown Portland is Lone Pine. Their “Oh-J” is a juice bomb of an IPA that brings tones of intense citrus flavor. They also have a collab with the famous local donut shop, Holy Donut. A few of the collab brews are: “Triple Berry Glaze,” “Chocolate Covered Strawberry,” “Holy Cannoli,” and “Blueberry Glaze,” just to name a few.
If your mouth is not watering after reading those names, then your taste buds might be broken.
So for those juice lovers and pastry heads, look no further, Lone Pine is the spot for you.