Hiking trails & craft breweries: a natural pairing
Tumbledown Pond and the high peaks of Tumbledown from Parker Ridge.
Text & photos by Carey Kish
What could be better than a refreshing craft brew with your trail companions after an enjoyable walk in the great outdoors? A little downtime with a pint in hand to reflect on the day’s activities in the woods and mountains while conjuring up plans for the next hike-and-brew combo, perhaps? Many a fine adventure has been concocted on the back of a beer napkin amid jovial pub banter and perhaps a plate of good chow.
With more than 2,500 miles of trails rich in scenery, history and wildlife, Maine is a hiker’s dream destination. And for trampers who enjoy beer – well, Maine is home to a burgeoning craft brewing industry that has grown to more than 150 breweries, with at least one in each of the state’s 16 counties. From the forestlands of Aroostook to the peaks of Acadia, the lofty White Mountains to the bold coastline Downeast, Maine has a hiking path to suit most every desire. And somewhere in the vicinity of trail’s end you’ll nearly always discover a fun brewery or brewpub.
Here’s a sampler of six outstanding hike-and-brew pairings to whet your appetite this summer and fall.
The Driving Bridge on the Corniche Trail at Vaughan Woods. Constructed in 1909, it is one of several stone bridges on the property that is affectionately known by locals as Hobbitland.
Vaughan Woods & The Liberal Cup
Hallowell
Situated on a hillside above the Kennebec River is the Vaughan Woods & Historic Homestead, an idyllic 197-acre nature preserve. Cared for by members of the Vaughan family for more than two centuries and now managed by the Kennebec Land Trust, the property features three miles of lovely old carriage roads, foot paths and stone bridges. Combine the Corniche Trail (French for “road on a cliff”) and the Heifer Field Loop Trail for a wonderful two-mile stroll along the scenic ravine of Vaughan Brook to Cascade Pond and then over Perkins Hill.
Established in 2000, The Liberal Cup has become an institution on historic Water Street in downtown Hallowell. Owner Geoff Houghton had a dream of opening an English-style pub and this is the real deal, complete with a warm wood and brick interior, a welcoming, casual atmosphere and plenty of good food and drink. Settle in at the beautiful old tree slab of a bar and enjoy some local banter with the mug-clubbers while you hoist an Alewife Ale or Bug Lager, the Cup’s two flagship brews, or perhaps a Brickhouse Bitter or 1762 Rye Pale Ale.
Mt. Will & Steam Mill Brewing
Bethel
The open ledges high on Mt. Will reward hikers with fabulous views over the farmlands and fields of the Androscoggin River valley to the Oxford Hills beyond, and to the west, the village of Bethel and the lofty peaks of the Mahoosucs and White Mountains. A three-mile blue-blazed loop, developed and maintained by the Bethel Conservation Commission, ascends to the North Ledges, the north summit of Mt. Will (1,704 feet) and South Cliff, passing through 115-acre Bethel Town Forest en route. Several interpretive signs dot the lower portion of the trail.
Scott Fraser and Brent Angevine have been brewing beer for a quarter-century, but it wasn’t until 2017 that they decided to establish their own brewery. The pair of locals opened Steam Mill Brewing in the heart of Bethel village the following summer, naming it after the steam mill that stood there in the mid-1900s. The cozy taproom features a handful of high-top tables and six taps of great brew, including the traditional Mollyockett IPA; a Belgian wheat beer made with honey, named Paradise Perle; the refreshing Whitecap Blueberry Ale; and the hoppy Alder River Red Ale.
East Point Audubon Sanctuary & Banded Brewing • Biddeford
On Fletcher Neck at the east end of Biddeford Pool, a 1.5-mile out-and-back hike leads along a spectacular stretch of oceanfront protected by the East Point Audubon Sanctuary. The path meanders through an extensive open meadow to the shoreline rocks. The view north looks past Gooseberry Island to Wood Island and its 42-foot lighthouse (circa 1858), which guards the entrance to the mouth of the Saco River. Note: The sanctuary is a popular spot and parking at the end of Lester B. Orcutt Blvd. is limited to about six cars.
Banded Brewing is tucked into the Pepperell Mill in Building #13W on Main Street in downtown Biddeford, just around the corner from the roaring falls of the Saco River. The taproom is warm and comfortable, with long wooden tables leading to the bar at the far end, where you’ll find 19 taps of the good stuff, like Pepperell, a classic German- style lager, and Veridian, a New England IPA. Norweald is a classic stout, while each batch of Chains & Hexes, a sour ale, uses different combinations of fruit. There are excellent grilled bar sandwiches and snacks to quell the munchies, and ping pong, pinball and video games for further diversions.
A flight arrives on a mini canoe paddle at Saco River Brewing in Fryeburg.
Mt. Tom & Saco River Brewing
Fryeburg
The 995-acre Mt. Tom Preserve, owned by The Nature Conservancy, protects the west, south and east slopes of Mt. Tom, which rises to 1,073 feet along the Saco River, while much of the land on the north side of the peak is owned by the Carter family. Combine the West Ridge Trail and Mt. Tom Trail, plus a stretch along the quiet Menotomy Road, for a pleasant four-mile walk. The ledges atop the mountain offer views over the Saco River valley and its extensive hardwood floodplains to the multi-summited Pleasant Mountain.
Saco River Brewing occupies a former sheet metal shop on U.S. Route 302 on the edge of Fryeburg village, directly across from the enormous granite dome known as Jockey Cap. A red Old Town canoe hangs from the ceiling in the taproom, which features two curved stone bars set atop large wooden barrels. Order a flight, which arrives with a smile on a small wooden canoe paddle. Bend an elbow with a Flip Flop IPA, Pine Tree Pale Ale or Buck Brown Ale, among other choices from the 11 taps. The hook-and-ring toss game and ping-pong will also keep you limber after your hike.
Tumbledown Mountain, Weld Area & Tumbledown Brewing
Farmington
Tumbledown Mountain is the signature natural feature of the sprawling 22,000-acre Tumbledown Public Lands unit a few miles west of Mt. Blue State Park. Enjoy excellent views of conical Mt. Blue, rocky Little Jackson Mountain and heavily- forested Jackson Mountain on the Parker Ridge Trail before reaching the picturesque Tumbledown Pond at 2,670 feet. Next, scramble west on the airy Tumbledown Ridge Trail for a dramatic look at the mountain’s spectacular 700-foot south-facing cliffs. Bag Tumbledown’s 3,068-foot west peak, then return to the pond and descend via the Brook Trail.
Tumbledown Brewing is about 20 miles east of its namesake mountain, a storefront in the Eastside Mall shopping plaza on U.S. Route 2, on the outskirts of Farmington. There’s a beer garden with picnic tables outside and a couple tables inside the intimate taproom. Among the six tap selections, the flagship brew is the malty, auburn-tinted Tumbledown Red. Be on the lookout for the Devil’s Hop Yard IPA, the straw-colored 207 Pale Ale, which is brewed with Maine- grown malt and hops, the smoky Dog Star Stout, as well as any number of limited releases. You might even find the aptly named Hike-a-weizen summer wheat.
Forest City Trail & Bunker Brewing
Portland
Portland’s mini-version of the white-blazed Appalachian Trail, the Forest City Trail links a host of wild places, green spaces and historic neighborhoods on its meandering 10-mile route across the city. Developed by the nonprofit Portland Trails, highlights of this wonderful hike include the placid Stroudwater River; the remains of the historic Cumberland & Oxford Canal and pretty Jewell Falls (Portland’s only natural waterfall) in the Fore River Sanctuary; the duck ponds at Evergreen Cemetery; Oat Nuts Park; and the roaring Presumpscot River Falls at the site of the former Smelt Hill Dam.
Bunker Brewing makes its home in an old brick and cinder block warehouse at the dead end of Westfield Street in the Libbytown section of Portland. Six long wooden tables with umbrellas adorn the outdoor patio, while the taproom inside the big garage doors features a dozen long tables. Behind the eight-seat wood-topped bar are 10 taps pouring a rotating menu of the nanobrewery’s fine beers. Machine, a Czech pilsner, is a regular among the eclectic mix of IPAs, double IPAs, stouts, lagers, ales and sours. A friendly game of cornhole and a food truck or two complete the convivial experience.
Bunker Brewing hosts a lively patio scene, frequented by food trucks, families, and pets.
Hikes
Vaughan Woods: vaughanhomestead.org
Mt. Will: www.mainetrailfinder.com
East Point Audubon Sanctuary: www.maineaudubon.org
Mt. Tom: www.alltrails.com
Tumbledown Mountain: www.parksandlands.com
Forest City Trail: www.trails.org
Brews
The Liberal Cup: www.theliberalcup.com
Steam Mill Brewing: steammillbrew.com
Banded Brewing: bandedbrewing.com
Saco River Brewing: sacoriverbrewing.com
Tumbledown Brewing: www.tumbledownbrewing.com
Bunker Brewing: bunkerbrewingco.com
