Fall feels like the perfect time of year to enjoy local beer. The season starts with Oktoberfest celebrations (typically held in September) and continues with flannel shirts and bonfires and spooky stories. Boothbay Harbor is home to two fantastic craft breweries with tours, food, and lots of fun events. If you are driving to the inn, consider bringing a cooler along with you. When you visit the breweries, you can pick up a few cans, pop them in your cooler, the enjoy them later at the inn or once you get home. Local breweries can be a unique way to get a sense of the culture of an area. Oftentimes breweries name their beers after famous people from the area, local attractions, or a cultural theme. You will notice that many of the beers below reflect the strong fishing community in Boothbay Harbor.
Boothbay Craft Brewery is open Wednesday through Sunday. It boasts:
- A taproom with farm-to-table fare including flaming skillets, flatbreads, and fresh BBQ. Of course, they have their beers on tap but you will also find signature character cocktails. Save room for dessert to enjoy The Darth Slater which features vanilla or chocolate ice cream submerged in one of their dark brews; it is the ultimate adult ice cream float.
- A hidden door that leads to a speakeasy bar and game room.
- An outdoor beer garden because fall is a wonderful time to bundle up, enjoy the crisp air, and sip on a dark beer.
- The brewery offers daily tours and award-winning beers.
- Live music on Saturday afternoons through the dinner hour.
In-season brews include (check the website for availability):
- Sweet Woods – a maple-infused English mild. What could feel more like autumn than a beer with maple?
- SnowmoBeer – a North American lager with a super fun name.
- Thirsty Botanist – a New England juicy IPA to quench your thirst.
- Black Rocks Stout – a lactose stout named after the ledges on the Sheepscot River.
- Russell – a “winterized lager” doppelbock named after good friends of the brewery.
- Ken Brown – an all-American brown ale brewed especially for Brown’s Wharf.
- Jumping Rise – a sportsman’s pilsner that anglers drink while telling stories about their trophy fish.
- Southporter – an American style porter that includes vanilla extract made from rum.
- 633 Boothbay Pale – a mildly hoppy ale with an ABV that matches the telephone exchange for the region.
- Route 27 Lager – a German inspired lagerbier.
- Cryptos – a double IPA with a label full of keys, cyphers, hidden clues, and geocaching that can lead you on a Boothbay treasure hunt.
Footbridge Brewery is open Thursday through Monday. It features:
- Beer made using a minimum of 95% locally sourced ingredients. This provides for the freshest taste and a flavor profile that is distinctly Maine. It also supports local farmers and environmental sustainability.
- Food created by Bridge House Barbeque. The menu boasts brisket, pulled pork, cornbread, gumbo-style greens, and coleslaw. There is also a true taste of Maine with lobster rolls.
- There is a family-friendly tasting room as well as outdoor seating.
- Upcoming events include a paint night on October 26. Check out their Facebook page for future events.
The core collection of beers at Footbridge include:
- Ovens Mouth – a pale ale brewed with jalapenos and habaneros. It is sure to wake up your mouth.
- Super Hoppy Monster – a double IPA made with a combination of three hop varieties.
- Danny Boy – a dry Irish stout that is nitro charged.
- Fisherman’s Thumb – a New England pale ale that is super easy to drink.
- FYP – a double IPA that serves as a great introduction to craft beer for those new to the scene.
- Shrimp Run – a hop-forward American pale ale.
- Tugboat – a stout with flavors of coffee and chocolate. It is a beer. It is dessert. It is whatever you want it to be.
- Ma’s Genny – a cream ale that screams to be enjoyed after a long day.
- Palesnar – a light bodied classic American pilsner.
- Kolsch-Hearted Batch – a Kolsch that “drinks like an ale and finishes like a lager.”
- Trappdoor – a Belgian style quadruple. And that double “p” is not a typo. It is a reminder that this beer packs a punch.
