7/29/2017 -- Summer Session: Maine Brewers' Guild 2017 Beer Festival

Biggest beer festival in Maine. 90+ breweries, Icelandic beer, hosted by the Maine Brewers' Guild.

The Maine Brewers' Guild Summer Session is the biggest brewfest in Maine and your best chance to try Maine's best beers. Summer Session is the only brewfest run by and in support of the Maine craft beer industry - we know what beer fans love, and we want to share our love of beer with you while creating the perfect festival environment. So come join us in the vast expanse of Thompson's Point waterfront venue in Portland - outdoors and under the sun for our annual Maine Brewers' Guild Festival - Summer Session 2017 on Saturday July 29th, from 1-5PM, with a VIP session starting at NOON.
We will also be hosting a Winter Session this year on Saturday November 4th 2017.
TICKETS: $49/ general admission, $60/ VIP (limited qty available), $55/ Day of Event (general admission only).
$85/Session Bundle, both Summer and Winter Session General Admission
$105/Session Bundle, both Summer and Winter Session VIP Admission
All tickets include unlimited beer samples from all breweries, souvenir taster glass, access to beer school classes, live music. Food available for purchase from a variety of food trucks.
What makes our festival so awesome? We're glad you asked...
BEST BEER IN MAINE - Maine's best brewers will be showcasing their wares from all across the state and we'll have more Maine breweries pouring than any festival all year.
GUEST BREWERIES FROM USA - After last year's success, we are sticking with the invitational format - our Maine brewers will invite their friends from out-of-state breweries so we will have beers on tap that you have never tried, from breweries who don't normally sell their beer in Maine.
GUEST BREWERIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD: In 2017, the Maine Brewers' Guild launched the world's first global brewer's trade utilizing the Maine Beer Box - a custom fabricated 40ft refrigerated shipping container fitted with a built in draft system and 78 taps. Each year Maine breweries will fill the container up with beer from Maine and ship it to a global destination where it will be poured at an event overseas. For our inaugural year, we went to Reykjavik, Iceland and hosted the biggest beer fest in Icelandic history. This year, we will welcome and serve beer from 10 breweries in Iceland.
LIVE MUSIC - Jam out to some of New England's best fest music but keep it far enough away from the beer so you can still interact with the brewers and ask your questions.
PLENTY OF SPACE to spread out - Thompson's Point is acres and acres of waterfront land. No crowded gymnasiums here.
LAWN CHAIRS WELCOME – we want you to get comfortable, so bring your lawn chairs, picnic blankets, cornhole set, and make a day of it!
BEER SCHOOL CLASSES - Learn from Maine's brewers in short, 10-15 minute 'classes' within the brewfest discussing all sorts of topics related to beer and brewing and giving you the chance to ask those burning questions and learn from the pros. No registration required. (list of classes is below)
The ANNUAL 'HOMEGROWN BEER' CELEBRATION - We'll be inviting brewers will be brew a beer made with Maine grown grains and malted in Maine. All attendees will have the chance to try them all.
FOOD TRUCKS - They will be there and ready to serve you, from the beginning to the end - so bring an appetite!
SUPPORTS YOUR LOCAL CRAFT BEER COMMUNITY - Proceeds from our brewfest benefit the Maine Brewers' Guild in their work to promote and protect craft beer. (We're the people who changed the laws so brewers could pour their own beer at these festivals!) This is our biggest event of the year and the primary fundraiser for our nonprofit. Drink beer in support of beer!
TIME TO CATCH YOUR BREATH - Although we'll have to stop serving beer at 5PM, you'll be welcome to hang out till around 6PM, grab a bite to eat from one of the food trucks, and take in the beauty of an evening on the water in Portland surrounded by thousands of your closest friends.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT - We're working to figure out ways to get you to and from the festival safely. And if you're coming from Boston, the bus or trains heading into Portland will drop you right to the festival site. (The event is right behind the Amtrak and Concord Coach station). We'll also coordinate in-town Portland pick ups via public transport.
PARTICIPATING MAINE BREWERIES: (as of 7/13/17)
2 Feet Brewing
Allagash Brewing Company
Atlantic Brewing Company
Austin Street Brewery
Banded Horn Brewing Co.
Barreled Souls
Baxter Brewing Co.
Bear Bones Beer
Bigelow Brewing Company
Bissell Brothers Brewing Co.
Black Bear Brewing Co
Boothbay Craft Brewery
Bunker Brewing Co
Dirigo Brewing Company
Flight Deck Brewing
Fore River Brewing Company
Foulmouthed Brewing
Foundation Brewing Company
Funky Bow Brewery & Beer Company
Geaghan Bros. Brewing Co.
Geary Brewing
Gneiss Brewing Company
Gritty McDuff's Brewing Co.
Gruit Brewing Co.
Hidden Cove Brewing Co
Island Dog Brewing
Kennebec River Pub & Brewery
Kennebunkport Brewing Co/Federal Jack's Brewpub
Lake St. George Brewing Company
Liquid Riot
Lively Brewing
Lone Pine Brewing Co
Maine Beer Company
Marshall Wharf Brewing Co.
Marsh Island Brewing
Mason's Brewing Company
Mast Landing Brewing Company
Monhegan Brewing Company
Norway Brewing Company
Oak Pond Brewery
One Eye Open Brewing Company
Orono Brewing Company
Oxbow Brewery
Pennesseewassee Brewing Co.
Penobscot Bay Brewery
Rising Tide Brewing Company
Rock Harbor Brewing Co.
The Run of the Mill Public House
Sea Dog Brewing Co.
Sebago Brewing Co
Sheepscot Valley Brewing
Shipyard Brewing Company
Some Brewing Company
Strong Brewing Co
Sunday River Brewing Company
Threshers Brewing Co
Tributary Brewing Co.
Tumbledown Brewing
Woodland Farms Brewery
GUEST BREWERIES - USA:
7th Settlement Brewery (Dover, NH) - Guest of Dirigo Brewing Co.
Aslin Beer Co. (Herndon, VA) - Guest of Barreled Souls Brewing Co.
Black Hog Brewing Co. (Oxford, CT) - Guest of Fore River Brewing Co.
Burlington Beer Company (Burlington, VT) - Guest of Lone Pine Brewing Company
Earth Eagle Brewings (Dover, NH) - Guest of SoMe Brewing Company
Hobbs Brewing Co. (West Ossipee, NH)– Guest of Geaghan Bros. Brewing
Hoof Hearted Brewing Co. (Marengo, OH) - Guest of Austin Street Brewery
Interboro Spirits and Ales(Brooklyn, NY) - Guest of Banded Horn Brewing Co.
Jackalope Brewing Company (Nashville, TN) – Guest of Rising Tide Brewing Co.
Jester King Brewery (Austin, TX) – Guest of Oxbow Brewery
Lawson's Finest Liquids (Warren, VT) – Guest of Maine Beer Company
Liar's Bench Brewery (Portsmouth, NH) - Guest of Sebago Brewing Company
Lord Hobo Brewing Company (Woburn, MA) – Guest of Liquid Riot Bottling Co.
Medusa Brewing Company (Hudson, MA) – Guest of Orono Brewing Co.
Night Shift Brewing (Everett, MA) – Guest of Mast Landing Brewing Co.
Right Proper Brewing Company (Washington, D.C.) – Guest of Allagash Brewing Co.
Rockingham Brewing Company (Derry, NH) - Guest of Gneiss Brewing Company
Schilling Beer Co. (Littleton, NH) - Guest of Foundation Brewing Company
SmuttLabs (Portsmouth, NH) - Guest of Marsh Island Brewing Co.
Wormtown Brewery (Worcester, MA) - Guest of Atlantic Brewing Co.
GUEST BREWERIES - ICELAND:
Borg Brugghús (Reykjavik)
Brothers Brewery (Vestmannaeyjar Island)
Bryggjann Brugghús (Reykjavik)
Einstök Ölgerð (Akureyri)
Gaeðingur-öl (Skagafjordur)
Bruggsmiðjan Kaldi (Árskógssandur)
Kex Brewing (Reykjavik)
Ölgerðin (Reykjavik)
Ölvisholt (Selfoss)
Segull 67 (Siglufjörður)
Viking (Akureyri)
VIP Session Brewers:
A selection of Icelandic beers will be poured during the VIP Session straight out of the Maine Beer Box! USA brewers who have indicated plans to pour VIP beers are listed below. NOTE: list is subject to change.
2 Feet Brewing
7th Settlement Brewery
Allagash Brewing Company
Aslin Beer Company
Atlantic Brewing Company
Austin Street Brewery
Banded Horn Brewing Co.
Barreled Souls
Baxter Brewing Co.
Bear Bones Beer
Bigelow Brewing Company
Black Bear Brewing Co
Black Hog Brewing Co.
Boothbay Craft Brewery
Bunker Brewing Co
Burlington Beer Company
Dirigo Brewing Company
Flight Deck Brewing
Fore River Brewing Company
Foulmouthed Brewing
Foundation Brewing Company
Funky Bow Brewery & Beer Company
Geaghan Bros. Brewing Co.
Geary Brewing
Gneiss Brewing Company
Gritty's
Gruit Brewing Co.
Hidden Cove Brewing Co
Hobbs Brewing Co.
Jester King Brewery
Kennebunkport Brewing Co/Federal Jack's Brewpub
Lake St. George Brewing Company
Lawson's Finest Liquids
Liquid Riot
Lively Brewing
Lord Hobo Brewing Company
Maine Beer Company
Marsh Island Brewing
Marshall Wharf Brewing Co
Mason's Brewing Company
Medusa Brewing Company
Monhegan Brewing Company
Night Shift Brewing
Norway Brewing Company
One Eye Open Brewing Company
Orono Brewing Company
Oxbow Brewery
Pennesseewassee Brewing Co.
Penobscot Bay Brewery
Rising Tide Brewing Company
Rock Harbor Brewing Co.
Rockingham Brewing Company
Schilling Beer Co.
Sebago Brewing Co
Shipyard Brewing Co.
Smuttynose & Smuttlabs Brewing
Some Brewing Company
The Run of the Mill Public House & Brewery
Threshers Brewing Co.
Tributary Brewing Co.
Tumbledown Brewing
Woodland Farms Brewery
Wormtown Brewery
**PLEASE NOTE: All Breweries are subject to change - the information posted is to the best of our knowledge and all these breweries have confirmed their participation, but sometimes things happen.**
VIP SESSION
VIP tickets are extremely limited and include 1 hour early access to unlimited samples of specially brewed beers from over 60 breweries. In keeping with the name of our fest, we've asked breweries who are pouring at the VIP session to bring session beers. All VIP ticketholders will have early and first access to the brewfest general session. Full list of breweries pouring during the VIP session is above.
BEER SCHOOL OF MAINE MINI-CLASSES
Ever wanted to learn the secrets of beer from the pros? Join us at the festival for mini-Beer School of Maine classes taught by some of Maine's most prominent brewers and craft beer community members. Classes will last 10-20 minutes and are open to all attendees for no additional charge. Exact times will be posted at the event, all will occur during General Admission window (between 1-5PM)
Class #1: USM Quality Control Collaboratory: "Science Behind the Latest Beer Trends"
Join USM's Dr. Luci Benedict and the QC2 team as they tackle the science behind some of 2017's hottest trends in beer, including hazy IPAs, sour beers and wild beers, and lagers. You will learn how the different flavor profiles in these varieties of beer are created, what makes haze, and where wild yeast comes from to create wild beers. To learn more about the work the University of Southern Maine does with Maine's brewers visit: https://usm.maine.edu/quality-control-collaboratory
Class #2: Gneiss Brewing Company: "Wheat Beer is Neat Beer!"
Learn about Gneiss' approach to brewing German-style wheat beers. This class will focus on the challenges and unique flavors that arise from brewing with large amounts of wheat. We will discuss our mash techniques, as well as tweaks we make to our fermentation to create a hefeweizen that is informed by tradition but designed for today’s craft beer drinker.

ACCOMMODATION:
NOTE: ROOM BLOCK IS NOW FINISHED. We have blocked out a limited quantity of hotel rooms at the Clarion Hotel Portland at 1230 Congress Street, which is directly next to the festival site. As this is peak season in our tourism heaven state, TWO NIGHTS booking is required to secure these rooms, Friday 7/28 and Saturday 7/29 - so plan to make a weekend of it! There will be all sorts of beer-related events going on on Friday night around town, trust us. The discounted room rate is $219/night + taxes, and reservations must be made by calling the hotel directly and requesting the '2017 Summer Beer Festival Maine Brewers' Guild' room block. **NOTE: These rooms will be filled on a first come, first-served basis and they must be booked by June 28th to be eligible.
TRANSPORTATION/ PARKING:
We encourage you to take public transportation wherever possible. The venue DOES charge a fee for parking - $5/ car, so between that and the safety aspect, it’d be a win-win to hop on the bus, ride your bike, or grab a cab over! We've laid out some options below to get you started...
Taxi Options:
Uber – via app
Lyft - via app
207 Taxi - (207) 774-2255
Green Cab - (207) 879-2424
Public Bus Routes:
Available from Congress St./ East End/ St. John: see
o Bus Route 1 Schedule/ Locations
Best Driving Route:
Fore St, Portland Maine to Thompson’s Point
Head northeast on Fore St toward Dana St
Turn right onto Dana St
Turn right at the 2nd cross street onto Commercial ST
Continue onto Fore River Pkwy
Turn left onto Thompsons Point
Continue straight around the back of the Amtrak and bus station out to the end of the peninsula.
If you’re coming from Boston:
Take the Amtrak train! The train station is adjacent to the festival venue. You leave from North Station and arrive at the venue.
Take the bus! Concord Coach Lines offers consistent and comfortable service between South Station and the Portland Transportation Ctr., which is next to the venue.
OR, follow these basic driving directions
Merge onto I-93 N
Take exit 37A to merge onto I-95 N toward Peabody
Keep right at the fork to stay on I-95 N, follow signs for Portsmouth NH
Keep right at the fork to continue on I-295 N, follow signs for S Portland/Downtown Portland
Take exit 5 for ME-22 E
Keep right, follow signs for Maine 22/Congress Street and merge onto Fore River Pkwy
Merge onto Fore River Pkwy
Turn left at lights onto Thompsons Point
Stay straight and go across train tracks to the end of the peninsula.
FAQ's:
Q: Will this event be held rain or shine?
A: Yes. This event is rain or shine, and all beer will be poured under a tent or under the pavilion. We reserve the right to end the event early or cancel in cases of extreme weather or any weather deemed a public safety hazard by city officials
Q: Can I bring my dog/ cat/ pet rabbit?
A: No, we are not able to allow pets into the event, service animals only.
Can I bring my toddler/ baby in a stroller/ baby swaddled in a golden fleece diaper?
A: No, this is a strictly 21+ event, and we will not allow access to anyone under 21.
Q: I bought an extra ticket for my friend, but now they can't come. Can I get a refund?
A: No, We do a lot to plan the amount of beer/ concessions/ port-a-johns/ budget for the event based on attendee numbers, so all ticket sales are final.
Q: I am going with a friend who has a Designated Driver ticket and I have a VIP pass. Will they be able to use their DD ticket to enter at the same time as me?
A: Yes. DD ticketholders, who are not allowed to consume any alcohol, can enter during the VIP session.
Q: Will you be serving any wine or cider or gluten-free options at the event?
A: We do plan to include cideries, but we cannot guarantee we will have cider or gluten-free options at the event. Please look at the Participating Brewery List to see if any cideries are attending. Food trucks will be there with sodas/ drinks available for purchase. We will have free water around the venue during the event.
Q: Will brewers be selling their beer at this event? Can I get my growler filled?
A: No, brewers will not be selling their beer at this event, and growlers may not be filled at the event.
Q: I am a homebrewer. Can I pour my beer at this event?
A: No, only federally licensed breweries are able to pour their beer at this event.