Join the fun of Portland Beer Week November 6-12th
Portland Beer Week is the time for all beer enthusiasts to join the Maine craft beer industry and local businesses as we partake in various events taking place in Portland and surrounding areas.
Now in its fifth year, Portland Beer Week has quickly become a standout celebration for Maine beer enthusiasts. Described as “a series of events celebrating all things beer,” it’s a boon for the local craft brewing industry as well as local businesses in general.
Many businesses create special events to be a part of the week. Below you will find a list of The Maine Brew Bus events during Portland Beer Week. To see all 50+ events during the week please visit www.portlandbeerweek.org
Cast your Vote for Maine Beer – the Maine Brew Bus Tap Takeover | Tuesday November 8th All Day
We have partnered with Slab Sicilian Street Food to present Vote for Maine Beer! on Election Day Tuesday November 8th. This event will showcase over 20 different breweries featured on the award-winning tours presented by The Maine Brew Bus in Southern Maine.
From open to close guests at Slab will be able to choose their favorite beer from the selections available. The breweries will be organized in 5 groups of 4 companies, each representing a different tour on The Maine Brew Bus. Every beer that day will have special pricing for an 12oz pour size.
Each brewery who sells the most beer of our their tour group will become a Featured Brewery of the Week at Slab. Starting in the week of November 20th, the best sellers from each of 5 tour groupings will have a special week of their own at Slab with three draft lines available.
Also there will be brewery swag, and also prizes from Slab and Maine Brew Bus for kicking kegs, ordering the right beer at the right time, and other special prizes.
[More info – Facebook Event Page]
What’s Been Brewing in Portland Tour | Wednesday November 9th 10:30 – 3:30
The Northeast has experienced an explosion of breweries in recent years. Kate Cone is a Maine author who traveled the length and breadth of the region to both research the breweries who have stood the test of time and the newcomers that have sprung up, and of course to sample their products.
What Kate found is much of the current regional success can be traced to brewing roots right here in Portland, Maine. And her recent released book What’s Brewing in New England, is an updated guide from her first edition that was published nearly twenty years ago.
Join Kate on The Maine Brew Bus for this very special tour that will celebrate that historical significance, and will also serve as a special release event for her new book.
This tour will visit D.L. Geary Brewing Company, Allagash Brewing Company, Shipyard Brewing Company, and features a full lunch at Gritty McDuff’s. Each participant on the tour will also receive a personally signed copy of What’s Brewing in New England.
Special guests who have played a key role in each of these breweries will be available to meet and answer questions during the tour.
At the conclusion of the tour, Kate will available to the general public signing copies of her book in two locations:
3-4p Shipyard Brewing Company gift shop
4:30-6pm Great Lost Bear (during an Allagash Brewing Company tap takeover)
COST: $90/pp includes transportation, alcohol samples, lunch, bottled water, and gratuities paid at each stop, as well as a signed copy of Kate’s book.
History of Portland Beer Tour | Thursday November 10th 11-2
Travel through time with The Maine Brew Bus to learn about the early days of producing beer and how the business of beer has evolved in the actual birthplace of Prohibition.
Join your special guest guide, Josh Christie, the author of Maine Beer: Brewing in Vacationland as we hop aboard The Maine Brew Bus and travel around Portland talking about the extraordinary history of beer brewing in the city.
We will visit notable landmarks including numerous former brewery sites, the Workingmen’s Club, the Portland Observatory, Alice Greele’s tavern site, Portland City Hall, and of course the Neal Dow house.
Special pours of landmark Portland beers with special guests will be offered at two surprise stops as part of this historical journey.
Zymurgy Home Brew Tour | Sunday November 13th 11:00 – 3:00
Pick up and Drop Off Location: Foulmouthed Brewing, 15 Ocean St, South Portland (please use on street parking, not in the lot). Please arrive by 10:45am to ensure a timely departure.
The Maine Brew Bus & Mashing Maineiacs homebrew club present the Zymurgy Home Brew Tour!
There are over 4,700 breweries now in the US, over 80 of which are in Maine. On average at least one opens every month in this state. Ever wondered where all of these new wave brewers are coming from? Look no further than the homebrew underground.
Join our special guest guide, Gregg Carine, as we travel to visit three local home brewers who will open up their residential breweries for us. We’ll see their operations, and learn more about their inspiration for brewing quality beer.
This tour is your chance to meet up-and-coming brewers, some of whom are straddling the line between professional and amateur. Pick their brains, learn their stories, and examine their set-ups. We will find out how our hosts got started and what it is that drives them to produce their own beer for a limited audience.
After the tour there will be an after party at the newly opened Foulmouthed Brewing company in South Portland. These past home brewers just turned pro and are excited to invite us into their brewery and pub.
COST: $45/person (ticket price includes a hearty snack as well as a tasting glass, which you get to keep at the end of the tour)
Don Littlefield is the General Manager of Mass Brew Bus and The Maine Brew Bus. He last enjoyed a Veridian IPA from Banded Horn Brewing Company of Biddeford, ME (which is on tap in the office). Twitter: @BeerinME