BEST OF PORTLAND

When you think about how wine is packaged, you typically think of glass bottles. But what if a local company could take exceptional wine and then package it into convenient kegs and cans? Blue Lobster Wine Company was founded in Portland by Chris Gamble, and he works with wine producers from around the world to source a collection of great tasting wines, including reds, whites, and rosés. In their East Bayside tasting room we will learn about the selection methods, the cellaring process, barrel-aging, as well as blending before packaging.

Après is a cidery and dedicated hard seltzer and cider producer that offers the most unique social drinking adventure in Portland. They launched in the summer of 2021 by co-owners Ryan Houghton from the Hop Yard and real estate professional Michael Cardente. They brought on Ian Goering, the former head brewer at Tributary Brewing in Kittery, to head up the production at Après. Extensive renovations to the industrial building allowed for their production area that includes a 15-barrel brewing operation and a barrel-aging room for their cider. They also have a newly created event space to supplement their c0zy 80-seat tasting room with an outdoor seating area.

Originally based in a tiny, brick-walled former scrapyard building in East Bayside, Bunker Brewing Company has moved to a much larger former warehouse on the West side of town. Their creative brewers make a rotating assortment of ales and lagers, making this the perfect stop during which to ask the question, “What’s the difference between an ale and a lager?” Enjoy their spacious tasting room and outside patio while pondering that important question over a well-crafted Bunker beer.

After working in the retail side of beer for over a decade, Tom Madden decided that the time was right to break into producing his own beer. A long-time home brewer and Certified Cicerone, he reconnected with his longtime friend John Paul who had been working in the music industry in California. Together, they opened Lone Pine in March of 2016 in a former countertop production space in Portland’s East Bayside and quickly enjoyed tremendous success and popularity. In 2018, Lone Pine moved their brewery into the former Sebago Brewing brewing facility in Gorham which has increased their production volume by ten-fold. They have also opened a spacious new tasting room at the new site allowing them to also expand their barrel program.

Three of Strong opened in Portland’s lively East Bayside neighborhood in July of 2019. Founded by financial and investment manager Sam Pierce and beverage industry attorney David McConnell, their 6,200 square foot tasting room is also their distillation workshop. This allows them to showcase small-batch rums that are distilled with 100% organic cane syrup, pure Sebago Lake water, and yeast. Distiller Graham Hamblett was previously the master distiller at Dogfish Head Distilling Co. in Delaware. Find out the historical origin of their unique company name as you enjoy rum-based cocktails in Maine’s newest distillery.

Founded in 1994, Shipyard is one the largest breweries in the State of Maine. The legendary partnership of Fred Forsley and Alan Pugsley of Shipyard Brewing, is not one to look past. Starting in Kennebunk as Federal Jack’s Brew Pub, Shipyard made their way to Portland in 1994 after they grew out of their space only a year later. Even now, with new breweries opening up all over Portland, they continue to be a huge player in Portland’s craft beer industry today.