Stars & Stripes Brewing Company

When Lise' daughter, Erin, gave me my first Maine Beer Trail checklist in a birthday card back in 2016, it featured roughly 70 or so breweries. I remember being surprised at how many breweries we had here in the great State of Maine and Lise and I have been from Lubec to Kittery trying to visit them all.
One of the coolest things we've seen over the last few years is how many breweries exist now that weren't on our original list. The latest version of the Maine Beer Trail checklist has well over 100 breweries on it! The other really cool thing that has us excited is how good the beer is. There is some really, really good beer being brewed here in Maine.
We recently had a chance to visit a brewery that has opened since our first checklist. Lise and I found ourselves in Freeport, Maine and stopped by Stars & Stripes Brewing Company.

Located just off Route 1 in Freeport, Stars & Stripes Brewing Company features a spacious tasting room with several large tables. And some delicious, fresh, cold beer! A veteran owned and operated brewery, a beer here actually helps to support our veterans as a percentage of all proceeds is donated veteran organizations.
Lise and I showed our support with Lise enjoying a glass of a double I.P.A. called Tap, Rack, Bang while I opted for the excellent Stout & Give Me 20:

You can visit Stars & Stripes Brewing Company at

8 Varney Rd

Freeport, Maine 04032

(207) 317-1115

Hours:

Wednesday - Saturday 12-9pm

Sunday 12-6pm

Closed on Monday and Tuesday

Austin Street Brewery

Long a fan of their Industrial Way location, Lise and I were excited to visit The Fox Street tasting room for Austin Street Brewery recently.

Where the original tasting room is small with just a couple of picnic tables in the colder months, the new location is big and bright, with three walls of floor to ceiling windows with several tables available for patrons. The original location does have quite a few seating options outside in the warmer months. The Fox Street tasting room will be able to open large sections of walls in the warmer months.

But, of course, the main reason for coming is the beer. I have been a fan of their flagship beer, the Patina Pale, since my first visit to Austin Street Brewery  Here is Lise enjoying a glass of Short Story Long: 

You can visit Austin Street Brewey at the original location at

1 Industrial Way, #8 

Portland, Maine 04103

or

115 Fox Street

Portland, Maine 04103

(207) 200-1994

The Alchemist

Leaving Magic Hat Brewing Company, we set the GPS for our next stop, The Alchemist. Do you know what you have to go right by on the way? Why, Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream of course! And of course we had to stop! And of course you should too!

After getting our fill of ice cream, we continued just a few short minutes up the road to The Alchemist. This place has a big building and big parking lot to match and for good reason considering the size of the crowd stopping by here on a Saturday afternoon.

Once we got inside, we realized why it was so busy and crowded. Free Beer !! All three beers being offered on this day were IPA's which was music to my ears. I would call it a tie between Heady Topper and Focal Banger for my favorite. IPA's are not Lise' favorite but she did say the Focal Banger was quite drinkable.

You can visit The Alchemist at 

100 Cottage Club Rd.

Stowe, VT 05672

(802) 882-8165

Hours:

Monday - Saturday 11am to 7pm

Sunday 11am to 4pm

Magic Hat Brewing Company

While Lise and I were in the Burlington, VT area, we decided to check out what our local brewery options are and were pleasantly surprised that Magic Hat Brewing Company was in the neighborhood! We set the GPS and off we went.
After short drive from downtown Burlington, we arrived at a windowless, one-story metal building with a bizarre, rusty, steel silo-like attachment and the GPS announced that we had arrived at our destination. The metal tower happened to be the entrance to Magic Hat Brewing Company and in we went.
Lise and I entered a large tasting room featuring a lot of Magic Hat merchandise for sale, several tables and, a large bar at the far end of the room. This room was an interesting combination of comfortable yet with an industrial feel to it.We made our way to the bar where we were greeted by a very friendly young man who offered to help us and was also quite knowledgeable about all of the beers being offered that day.
I opted for a pint of the TFG, touted as a 'Rock Solid IPA' while Lise ordered a flight.

Lise is a big fan of beer aged in bourbon and whiskey barrels. Her favorites were the Barrel Aged Strong Ale and the Barrel Aged Belgo Sutra. As for the TFG, it was, as advertised, a Rock Solid IPA.

You can visit Magic Hat Brewing Company at 

5 Bartlett Bay Road

South Burlington, VT 05403

(802) 658-2739

Hours:

Monday-Saturday 11am to 7pm

Sunday noon to 5pm

Zero Gravity Craft Brewery

Recently, Lise and I decided to head to Vermont for the weekend, specifically, the Burlington area. So, we packed up the car and headed out from Portland, Maine late on a Friday afternoon. When Lise' daughter Erin heard of our weekend plans, she said "you guys should really check out Zero Gravity. I think you'll like it". After almost 4 hours and 250 miles of driving we were feeling pretty hungry and thirsty as we approached Burlington. Remembering Erin's advice, Lise did a search on her phone for Zero Gravity only to learn that it was closed. Bummer!
We checked into our hotel and did a search for places to eat still open after 9:00 and found a place called Flatbread. We set off on foot and about 20 minutes later, we arrived. As  we made our way to our table, we walked past a chalkboard listing the beers available on tap. They were all from Zero Gravity Craft Brewery! I couldn't believe our good fortune!
We both ordered an adult beverage and some food. I ordered the Cheese and Herb Flatbread with a red onion topping that was absolutely to die for. Lise had an Evolution Salad that she said was fresh and delicious.
To wash down this meal, Lise order the Forty Thieves, a double ipa that she thoroughly enjoyed while I had the Kokomo, a very satisfying India Pale Ale.

You can visit Zero Gravity Craft Brewery at either the:

Pine Street Brewery

716 Pine Street

Burlington, VT 05401

(802) 497-0054

Hours:

Noon-9pm (10pm Friday and Saturday)

or

Brewpub at Flatbread

115 St. Paul Street

Burlington, VT 05401

Hours:

11:30am til Close Everyday