In September, I had the pleasure to attend the Maine Brew Fest at Sunday River. Talk about quintessential Maine! Before this event, I had never been to Sunday River. After all, I don’t ski and I rarely make it out of Southern Maine. A brew fest seemed like a great excuse to leave home for an afternoon!
We got things started off by fueling up before drinking. At the age of 27, I finally know what you should and should not do before a day of drinking! This $6 pulled pork sandwich hit the spot and was a delicious start to the day.
Once we started drinking, my friend and I decided we were going to take this opportunity to try new breweries that we’ve never tried before. We saw the classics:
- Allagash
- Mast Landing
- Fore River
- Geary’s
- Lone Pine
- Shipyard
- Sebago
- Foundation
Our focus was breweries we didn’t know, including some breweries from all over the state like Bray’s, Woodland Farms, Marsh Island, and Mason’s Brewing.
There was a lot of beer consumed. Spoiler alert: I like beer but I’m extremely picky. So yes, there were a good amount of beers I tried that weren’t up my alley. But hey, at least I tried them. I can say confidently that the Lemonade Sour from Bear Bones Beer was my favorite new beer that I tried.
I am a self-confessed sour beer lover. I’m not huge on IPAs unless it’s the Bissell Brother’s Substance, and if it’s a red ale or a brown beer, I’m probably not a fan either. The lighter the better for me!
Maybe in five years, my palate will expand a little more. This sour just hit all the right notes for me. It was tangy but not too tart. There was a nice crispness to the beer as well, which helped immensely on the 90-degree day the brew fest was held on!
You’ll see that I included a picture of the oysters that were available if you bought special tickets in the tent. I can probably count on both my fingers and toes how many great events I’ve been invited to that features oysters. I really wish I could tell you how they were, I do. But sadly, I am allergic and cannot eat them. I will say the crowd around the oyster set up looked pretty happy, and there were lots of interesting accouterments to pair with the oysters.
If you’re looking to get in on the next Brew Fest, you’re in luck! The next Maine Brew Fest is being held at Sunday River on April 13, 2019! Expect more local beer, family-friendly activities, and plenty of powder for snowboarding and skiing! Personally, you can find me there for the beer, since athletics aren’t really my thing. #sorrynotsorry
Thanks again to the Maine Brew Fest for having me! Want me to come to your event? Fill out the contact form below or reach out on social media!
