Portland Beer Week begins on November 5th!
Portland Beer Week is the time for all beer enthusiasts to celebrate the Maine craft beer industry as we all enjoy various events taking place at local businesses in Portland and surrounding areas.
Now in its sixth 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 of the amazing events during the week, please visit www.portlandbeerweek.org
Monday November 6th | Curling and Brew Tour | 10:30 – 2:00
Join us on Monday November 6th for our latest Curling and Beer tour in partnership with the Pine Tree Curling Club!
We will meet at 10:30am at the Portland Ice Arena where you will get an intro to curling class from club members.
Then you will have time to play a game with each other, special guest brewers, and some of the club members. Then hop on the bus to visit Austin Street Brewery and Foundation Brewing Company.
Book Curling and Brew Tour online now!
Tuesday November 7th | The Maine Brew Bus Tour-nament | All Day
We have partnered once again with Slab Sicilian Street Food to present our annual tap takeover event on Tuesday November 7th. 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, each grouping representing a different tour on The Maine Brew Bus. Every beer that day will have special pricing, $6 for an 12oz pour size. This is a pay-as-you-go event.
Each brewery will only have one sixtel available for sale on that day, and if that keg runs out first in their tour group then that brewery wins that group. If a keg does not run out, then the brewery who sells the most pours out of our their tour-nament group will win.
Winners from each tour group will later become a Featured Brewery of the Week at Slab, a special week of their own with three draft lines available. Announcement of the tour group winners will be made at 9pm.
[More info – Facebook Event Page]
Friday November 10th | Tour and Pour Takeover with Lone Pine Brewing Company | 1:00 – 4:30pm
You’ve heard of tap takeovers, but what about a bus and brewery takeover?Book Tour and Pour Takeover online now!
Sunday November 12th | Zymurgy Home Brew Tour | 10:30 – 2:30
The Maine Brew Bus & Mashing Maineiacs homebrew club present our annual Zymurgy Home Brew Tour!
There are over 5,700 breweries now in the US, nearly 100 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.
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)
[More info – Facebook Event Page]
Book Zymurgy Home Brew Tour online now!
Other Portland Beer Week Events We Love
It’s always a super busy week, just check out the full schedule!
Watch for our team in attendance at these other great #207beerweek events (and probably more):
- Sunday 11/5 from 12-3pm – Basecoat Brunch at Sonny’s (Mast Landing and Foundation)
- Monday 11/6 from 6-9pm – Pro-Am at Salvage BBQ (12 Home Brewers paired with a dozen local breweries in a blind vote)
- Tuesday 11/7 from 5-9pm – Total Portland Tap Takeover at Great Lost Bear ($2.99 pints from 16 city breweries)
- Wednesday 11/8 from 8-11pm – Battle of the Brewery Bands at Portland House of Music (5 breweries have bands playing covers and originals)
- Thursday 11/9 from 5-10pm – Goodfire Brewing Launch at Thirsty Pig (First tastes from a brand new Portland brewery)
- Friday 11/10 from 4pm-1am – Craft Beer Guild Showcase at Nosh (lots of great beer in one place)
- Saturday 11/11 from 12pm-1am – Where The Wild Biers Are at Novare Res (a ridiculous list of wild beers with foraged foods and game meats)
Don Littlefield is the General Manager of The Maine Brew Bus in Portland and the Boston-based Mass Brew Bus. Since Portland Beer Week is a marathon and not a sprint, he enjoyed several cups of coffee while preparing this post. Twitter: @BeerinME