June 7, 2024
Now that we’re into June, it’s officially summer in Maine. Restaurants have opened their patios, our parks have returned to life with laughing children, and the reasons to celebrate increase…
Discover the best of Portland, Maine, with our unforgettable tours! Whether you’re cruising along the coast on a scenic boat cruise or lighthouse tour, exploring the city’s rich history on foot, or indulging in a food and drink adventure through local breweries and seafood spots, we have the perfect experience for you. Our expert guides bring Portland’s charm to life with insider knowledge, exclusive stops, and plenty of fun along the way.
Browse our blog for travel tips, tour highlights, and must-visit spots to make the most of your time in Maine!
Now that we’re into June, it’s officially summer in Maine. Restaurants have opened their patios, our parks have returned to life with laughing children, and the reasons to celebrate increase…
Maine bursts to life in May, with natural beauty and an abundance of local flavors. It’s the perfect time to switch things up with our handpicked selection of canned craft…
The days continue to stretch into evening, signaling that April’s here—and in Maine, that means we’re stepping into what we like to call ‘spring of deception.‘ While the weather remains…
While St. Patrick’s Day is arguably the most celebrated of March holidays, its iconic green color serves as a friendly reminder that spring is just around the corner. The cold,…
As February ushers in the season of love, our latest 4 Pack Pick at the Portland Beer Hub offers the perfect selection for your Valentine’s Day celebrations. Nestled in the…
Friday’s this Winter and Spring: Jan 19, Feb 16, March 15, April 12 Join us for a lively evening of hockey and hops with our Pours & Pucks tour. In…
Portland, Maine, is a family affair. There’s more than enough here in food, beverage, and recreation to inspire and delight parents and kids alike. My son Archie is nine years…
Portland’s beer scene is next-level. An explosion of phenomenal craft breweries has made Portland one of the most beer-focused cities in America, with more breweries per capita than any other…
Portland, Maine: a beverage lover’s paradise. Portland is overflowing with superb craft alcohol products, makers, and places to hang out and enjoy the spoils. There are not many places like…
Maine Brews Cruise Join us for a fun and safe biking outing to discover great craft beverages in Portland, Maine, on our Bike and Brews tours from now through October.…
The change of seasons toward colder weather means that we have had to say goodbye to our biking and boating options until next May. But there is good news! Our…
We love bringing our guests to learn about all types of craft beverages, even those that are non-alcoholic. In this new tour, we have teamed up with the expert coffee…
Our new partnerships have allowed us to expand our offerings not only on land but also on the sea! Here are three new options to enjoy Maine craft brews while…
After nine years of being known as The Maine Brew Bus, we have aligned our craft beverage tour and activity operations with that of the national company we acquired last year.…
Join us for a fun biking outing to discover great craft beverages in Portland on our Bike and Brews tours. Now featuring three different themed itineraries available nearly every day…
Our walking brewery tours are nothing new. In fact, we have offered them for several years now. But you will probably not be surprised that they have never been so…
Recent changes in Maine’s policies now allow for guests from all New England states to visit Maine without any test or quarantine requirements. Guests from any state that have been…
We are looking ahead to next year and planning for our tours and activities. You can expect both traditional and new ways to connect to our local breweries, wineries, and…
Take a look at all of the gift card and merchandise options that we have available for sale right now! Tour Gift Cards Gift cards really are the…
After resuming limited tour operations in mid-July, The Maine Brew Bus shared that over 800 guests safely enjoyed their small-capacity historic walking tours this year to visit locally-owned businesses in…
Our open-air offerings have proven to be very popular over the past couple of months with nearly 400 guests joining us in traveling nearly 800 miles on our walking tours…
We had planned 10 different outings of our popular Birds On Tap – Roadtrip! tour series for 2020. So far we have conducted just one of them. For the first…
It may sound odd to have a combination running-and-brewery tour, and we understand that it’s not for everyone. The truth is that many visitors to Portland enjoy running on our…
With the waters of Portland Harbor and Casco Bay all around you—and with the wind in your hair—you take a sip from another amazing Maine craft beer and drink in…
Are you able to come to Portland, Maine, this year to visit? While you are here, would you consider taking a guided tour or experience with us? If you are…
Join us for an afternoon of biking, discovery, and craft beer on our Bike and Brews tour in partnership with our bicycle-loving friends at Summer Feet Cycling. Now featuring two…
The expert guides of The Maine Brew Bus are able to show you around Portland on foot. And there is no better way to drink in the rich history of…
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced mandates in the State of Maine that currently prevent our brewery, winery, and distillery partners from hosting any guests on their premises. This means our…
There may still be football games on the schedule, but we have been busy filling out the lineup for the upcoming Portland Sea Dogs baseball season. We have put together…
For 2020, The Maine Brew Bus and Freeport Wild Bird Supply have scheduled 10 different outings of our popular Birds On Tap – Roadtrip! tour series. These unique, relaxed birding and beer-ing…
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, the time in which we all struggle to find just the right gifts for family, friends, and co-workers. To make this time…
Our Insiders Experience: Iceland group trip with Longer Vacations is coming towards a close. But we cannot leave without visiting the Golden Circle to observe some truly amazing geological features.…
The highly anticipated third day on our Insiders Experience: Iceland group trip with Longer Vacations brought us a little bit of everything: Icelandic whisky, beer, hot dogs, and a quest…
The second day on our Insiders Experience: Iceland group trip with Longer Vacations brought us to many different places around the capital city of Reykjavik. We even managed to find…
Our Insiders Experience: Iceland trip with Longer Vacations is underway. 13 travelers from all over the United States have arrived in the country that is famous for tremendous geological features,…
This time of year everyone is searching for the perfect gifts to give. Don’t stress about the proper size, style, or color. We’ve got something ready to go that will…
We now own a bus that can hold more than 14 people! Introducing our Pours of Portland private tour options on Saturdays for larger groups that can feature an all-beer,…
Meet Victoria, the Operations Coordinator for Team Brew Bus. She is the voice you often hear if you call our office, and the person behind the e-mails to our guests,…
There are 100 visits by cruise ships planned for Portland this year, bringing up to 150,000 new visitors to experience Portland for a handful of hours. We have designed several…
In March of 2019, we partnered with our friends at Independent Ireland to put together a most incredible beercation experience – a week in the cities and countryside of Ireland during the week surrounding…
Once again, we have been hard at work updating our tour schedule for the summer and fall seasons here in Maine. But the effort has paid off, with up to…
We know that our pricing may seem high to some people in order to visit the many breweries, wineries, and distilleries around the area. We hear the objections every day…
Another night of fun in Cork City leads to the inevitable – the trip back to Dublin and the end of our Insider Experience: Ireland group trip. Along the way,…
The pace has slowed down just a little on our Insider Experience: Ireland group trip. There is a second night of lodging planned in Cork so that we can check out…
The very special day has arrived – it is now Saint Patrick’s Day in Ireland! While in Dingle we marched is the earliest parade in the country, and then once in…
It’s time to hit the road once again and make our way down to the Dingle Peninsula. Along the way, we will visit the pubs of two different families that…
Setting out bright and early after our first day and night in Ireland, our group of Insider Experience: Ireland travelers headed out of Portlaoise and towards the west coast of…
A group of 23 travelers from all over the United States is in Ireland for the next week, checking out the craft beer scene in the country along with the…
It may still be winter, but it’s time to think about baseball again. Training camps have pitchers and catchers working out, and will soon be in full swing. With another Red…
We know that we can amaze and delight our guests once they are on the bus, but how do our guests first find out about us? Do they learn about…
Our guests love to talk about their experiences on our tours. They tell their friends, co-workers, and families. They rate us on public review sites and also tell us their thoughts…
Every tour that The Maine Brew Bus conducts generates serious revenue for many other small businesses in Maine. Today we will see how much money is distributed to our various…
The Maine Brew Bus conducted hundreds of different tours during 2018. Let’s see just how far we went and where we visited during the year. Note: This is the second…
We are taking a look back at the various activities of The Maine Brew Bus during the year 2018. First up, we will look at who our guests really are…
We now spend a lot of time as a company to try to fully understand our guests and work to improve the experiences that they have with us. In order…
Adam recently joined our team as our Tour Coordinator after he relocated to Portland from Boston. Learn more about him and his very interesting background in our latest staff profile.…
Our friends at the website Beer This Week recently ran an end-of-year survey for what people think were the Top 25 Beers in Maine for 2018. The results show how…
She may seem very quiet and reserved…but in reality, Julie is anything but that. In our latest staff profile learn more this hard-working member of the team, and why you really…
From milking cows as a kid to his adult role helping youth succeed, Mitch’s path in life so far has been “beautifully strange.” In our latest staff profile you can…
It’s always a challenge to plan a great team outing. You want to get everyone out of the office and get to know each other socially, but you don’t want…
November means that it is time for Portland Beer Week! We love this celebration of all things beer, in which breweries and venues create fun ways to explore different angles…
Many of our guests this summer have seen Nate on board the bus as a driver or a guide. He tends to stand out, not only for his height but…
Our company attends over 30 beer festivals and other events around much of New England to actively promote our tour operations in Portland, Boston, and Providence. Learn more about the activities…
The summer has drawn to a close, and we are clearly now in the fall. That means it’s time for new tours! Learn more about these new tour itineraries that are…
Aaron has been involved with the company since the very early days. Learn more about one of our longest serving employees. About six months after our bus wheels hit the pavement,…
Many of our guests hop on board our tours to get the inside scoop on where to go and what to do while they are visiting Maine. In this case,…
Professional hockey returns to Portland this year with our new team the Maine Mariners. And now learn about a new Malts and Mariners tour that is available before 21 different…
The summer is winding down…and it is time to buckle down and settle into a more steady workflow. But may have already noticed you and your colleagues are already getting…
We have changed a lot of things on our tours for the busy season here in Maine. It truly would be much easier on us to not make so many…
The Maine Brew Bus has added an important position to the team, naming David Chick of Portland as the company’s first Staff Photographer. David Chick of Portland will take on…
Tom has become a well-known driver and guide for our tours. But he has also shared his knowledge with tens of thousands of students through the years – but not…
Let’s learn about Ryan, a driver and guide for us on the bus. Our latest staff profile shows us how he found his way from Maine’s mountains and oceanside resorts to…
Join us for an afternoon of biking, discovery, and craft beer on our brand new Bike and Brews tour in collaboration with our bicycle-loving friends at Summer Feet Cycling. Portland…
It’s time to learn more about Pepper, or Tito, or Snuggles, or whatever name this particular driver and guide is calling himself today. Check out the next staff profile in…
Many of our tours are designed around the craft breweries that are located right around Portland. But our new Northern Exposure tour heads north of Portland to check out this…
We received some exciting news today, The Maine Brew Bus is now in the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence Hall of Fame! TripAdvisor created the Certificate of Excellence award in 2011 to…
The next profile in our series features our Group Sales Coordinator, Greg. Learn more about the interesting path that led to him joining Team Brew Bus. Greg Klein joined the…
Every regularly-scheduled public tour we have run since 2012 has featured at least one brewery on the itinerary. Many of our tours feature only great beer from Maine breweries. But…
Thousands of Brew Bus guests have enjoyed our famous snack served during the tour, a tasty vegetarian hand pie. They are prepared for us at a special place in Portland called Ten…
Part of a series about each of the individuals that make up our amazing tour operations team. Today, find out about more about Sarah. Sarah Haywood has been a guide…
When I think of the summertime in Portland, all I can picture myself doing is hanging out on a boat somewhere, enjoying delicious local beer, and living the way life…
We have teamed up with our friends at eighteen twenty wines and Longer Vacations to put together an amazing group trip opportunity to visit Spain this July! Located in Portland, eighteen…
It’s time to think about baseball again. Training camps are in full swing, and as fans our minds are focused on the upcoming season. We’ve been working again with our friends…
Join us on Valentine’s Day for a very special BEer Mine tour that will bring you behind-the-scenes of two local beer breweries and an award-winning chocolate producer. Valentine’s Day is on Wednesday, February 14th this…
Our new Group Sales Coordinator came from our driver and guide ranks and brought a trainload of outside skills and experience to our team. Learn more now about Greg Klein…
Join us as we hit the sheet to deliver stones from the hack and practice our sweeps towards the house in order to learn the medieval Scottish sport of curling.…
The Maine Brew Bus and Freeport Wild Bird Supply are excited to collaborate on twelve great outings for 2018 in the fourth year of our popular Birds On Tap℠ – Roadtrip! series. These unique, relaxed…
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…
We are pleased to announce a new event designed for the beer industry called Beyond the Glass, a free workshop to improve the level of beer knowledge in the state. Some…
Why do so many people come to Maine, and specifically Greater Portland, just to drink craft beer? Let’s take a closer look at craft beer in Maine, the economic impact…
The Maine Brew Bus has partnered for the second year with the Maine Red Claws, the NBA G-League basketball affiliate of the Boston Celtics, to present a special Hops and…
The Maine Brew Bus joins other Maine businesses in a new cause marketing initiative benefitting the work of Full Plates Full Potential – a Maine based non-profit organization whose mission…
Produced by Bulldog Media. In July of 2017, The Maine Brew Bus offered a ride to Charlie and his family from Portland to the mainland wharf in Spruce Head for…
“We’re really looking forward to the tour, but can you recommend…”. This a phrase we get everyday, no matter the season. The good news is, we’ve got you covered! We…
A video produced by our friends at OTTO Portland about their recent tour aboard The Maine Brew Bus.
The Maine Brew Bus strives to provide our guests a memorable experience showcasing incredible local businesses. But making sure we are doing that with safety always in mind starts with…
In the next edition in the Three Days in Portland, Maine series, our Operations Coordinator Dan Keller shares his thoughts on all the fun to be had in and around Maine’s largest…
Today we start a series called Three Days in Portland, Maine that will provide suggestions from our staff members sharing with you what they personally like to do for fun…
The Maine Brew Bus is the best way to get an insiders look at the craft breweries, wineries, and distilleries in Southern Maine. Take a look at one of their…
I am Tom Major, a new person on the Maine Brew Bus team. So far, I am a lifelong Portland resident. I’m three decades into a high school teaching career,…
Our tour schedules for the summer and the fall have been updated and loaded into our calendar. You can now book tours right through October! Recently we have been running…
Join us as we hit the sheet to deliver stones from the hack and practice our sweeps towards the house in order to learn the medieval Scottish sport of curling.…
An all-inclusive tour could mean a lot of different things. We want to make sure our guests have an experience they will never forget, which could be hard to do if…
The Maine Brew Bus, LLC announced that it has acquired Maine Beer Tours, LLC, a similar company providing all-inclusive tours to breweries, wineries, and distilleries in Greater Portland. The purchase…
How has the State of Maine, infamous for their fight for prohibition almost 70 years before the ban of alcohol went national, come to be one of the top beer…
Allow us to introduce Ellie Yahn, a Portland resident and graduate from the University of Maine Orono, who joins our administrative team. Starting school in 2011, Ellie studied Journalism, Art History, and finished…
In all honesty, I never intended or saw myself working in any alcohol-related industry. I wanted to be a music producer. Turns out you have to be halfway decent at…
Known for their incredible selection and knowledge of local and world-class products, owner Jacques deVillier and his team at Old Port Spirits and Cigars have joined The Maine Brew Bus…
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, the time in which we all struggle to find just the right gifts for family, friends, and co-workers. To make this time…
Don’t worry, it’s not gone for good. In fact, we have an even bigger and better schedule lined up for 2017. But you can still join us on Sunday for…
Every day we see more evidence that the people in Portland, Maine are in a very special place, somewhere that can be truly be called America’s Craft Beer Capital. We…
My name is Paul, and since March of 2015, I have been referring to myself as a “beverage consultant” for the Maine Brew Bus. A picture from one of Paul’s…
Portland Beer Week is the time for all beer enthusiasts to join the Maine craft beer industry and local businesses as we partake in various events taking place in Portland…
Our Road Team is finishing October strong with four different beer festivals and events in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Here is where you can find us having fun and enjoying…
Our first ever group trip – the Germany Oktoberfest Adventure – departs this Saturday for Germany. We are now pleased to announce our next trip, the Belgian Bier Adventure scheduled for April…
The Maine Brew Bus has been featured in several major news outlets over the past few weeks. In case you missed it, here is what is being said to encourage…
Our Road Team is back at it starting this weekend with the first of seven events in three New England states over the next six weeks. Find out where we…
In the two years that the Craft Beer Cellar has been open in Portland’s Old Port, thousands of our guests have passed through their doors. Now we are providing another…
Guests aboard The Maine Brew Bus have always received great discounts and benefits while in Portland. Now learn about four new partnerships that will enhance anyone’s visit to Portland! After…
Just this week we received our 500th individual review on TripAdvisor that rated us Excellent with 5 stars. This is truly astounding, and really we owe it all to our…
Introducing our new line of Beercationland items, available for the first time at the Maine Brewers’ Guild Summer Session this Saturday! We know first hand that many people come here…
Here’s an exciting new project from one of our past faculty, Tim Clapper. Learn more about Oak & Dagger Public House of Raleigh, N.C., and how you can actually get involved. One…
The Maine Brew Bus is always looking for ways to expand outside Greater Portland. These three new tours in York County will extend our reach to our partners in Southern…
Our Road Team will be on hand at the Lewiston-Auburn Great Falls Brewfest later this month. Learn more about this unique festival now in it’s third year, and how to…
The Maine Brew Bus has grown again, with the addition of several key members to our faculty. Today we learn about Mike, who has joined us with quite an impressive…
Craft Brew Races has their next event in our hometown of Portland, Maine. Run a fun and scenic 5K around Back Cove, then enjoy beer and cider from 40 different…
Thompson’s Point welcomes it’s first alcohol producer this weekend as Cellardoor Winery opens their doors on Saturday. Find out more about this award winning company, and our future tours that…
Although we have guests in Southern Maine all year long, there is certainly an increase of visitors between June and October. So naturally we have increased our tour options to…
Each year the Portland Phoenix newspaper conducts voting with their readership in order to determine the Best of Portland. We are pleased to have been presented the 2016 award for Best…
We asked some of our long-standing partners what The Maine Brew Bus really means to them and their businesses. Their answers show why we are much more than just visiting…
This year we are proud to once again sponsor each of the six Craft Brew Races to be held in New England. Find out why this fun series helps to…
Jack Van Paepeghem of Oxbow Brewing Company and The Maine Brew Bus earns one of six Advanced Cicerone certifications worldwide, and the only one in New England. Jack Van Paepeghem…
Lone Pine Brewing Company is the latest brewery to enter the scene in the Portland area. Their tasting room opens today, but how they got to this point is the…
Portland’s lodging properties are always looking for options for their guests to enjoy while visiting our city. The Press Hotel is our newest affiliate and a true partner with us.…
April brings a long awaited break for school teachers. That occupation is the most common job among our tour guests, so we’ve learned to provide additional tours during those weeks.…
Beer Festival season is now in full swing with several events in April. Find out where we have already been and where we are going next this month. After a…
This week we moved into our new combination warehouse and office space, a major move to streamline our operations. Find out in today’s post how this will move us forward.…
Springtime brings our beloved Portland Sea Dogs back on to Hadlock Field and we begin our season of Friday night Sips and Sea Dogs tours! We are now well under…
The Road Team is back at it with several appearances at great craft beer festivals in New England. Find out where we are going and how you can also attend.…
History shows that beer has had waves of American popularity that has always been followed by the market collapsing and massive brewery closures. Will that happen once again, and could…
We have a new Saturday afternoon tour starting later this month designed to visit the latest new breweries opening up in Greater Portland. Check out our Breaking Brews tour. We…
Our Road Team will next be in our hometown of Portland displaying at the Bearded Brewfest on March 19th. Learn more about the event in today’s post. Join Maine beer…
One of our favorite beer festivals of the year happens each February inside The Boston Globe Travel Show. Learn about why we go to this event and how it benefits…
We recently brought our USBG tour to visit with Tom Bull and check out his soon to open Dirigo Brewing Company in Biddeford, Maine. See what we found in this…
Our good friends at Maine Mead Works recently hopped on The Maine Brew Bus for their second staff outing with us. Find out more about our honey-loving partner in today’s…
Last year we learned that birds and beer go very well together! We are excited to announce the 2016 Birds On Tap – Roadtrip! series in collaboration with Freeport Wild Bird…
We have added another key person to our growing faculty. Meet Alexa, a Massachusetts native with a fondness for Maine and a strong craft beer pedigree. Learn more about her…
Thinking of traveling somewhere fun this year? And do you like to drink beer? Come out and do both in the Northeast Craft Beer Pavilion at the Boston Globe Travel…
We have recently added Kelly to our tour operations staff. Learn a little bit more about her interesting background in today’s The Beer in ME post. I’ve written before about how…
Andy’s Old Port Pub is on Commercial St in Portland, right across from our official home at Craft Beer Cellar. After watching several thousand guests board our buses for educational…
Joel Alex had a vision to connect Maine-grown grain directly to Maine’s brewers. His Blue Ox Malthouse in Lisbon Falls now prepares various grains for use in breweries. We recently…
Our Road Team is on the go next weekend with two simultaneous events in two states. The Rhode Island Brew Fest is in Pawtucket, and the America On Tap series…
A hearty cheers as Craig Lanzillotti joins the Maine Brew Bus team as our very first Road Team lead. Find out more about his important role in promoting our tours…
Visitors really depend on the local knowledge of their hotel staff once they arrive in Portland. So we recently took hotel guest services employees out for a Lodging Familiarization Tour. The…
The Maine Brew Bus is pleased to welcome Jack Van Paepeghem to our faculty in the position of Curriculum Coordinator. Learn more about Jack and what he can share with all…
The Maine Brew Bus was featured this week on the website Business Insider. Ride along with video editor Stephen Parkhurst on a recent Beast of the yEast tour. Maine native…
We try to hire team members that are in constant pursuit of learning more about craft beer. In the process, our staff are often unknowingly “auditioning” to work in the…
One of the first beer festivals of the year is scheduled this Saturday at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor. Join us for either session of Bangor On Tap. The…
South Portland’s first brewery in over ten years opens this week. See behind the scenes of the Fore River Brewing Company. One of the benefits of operating The Maine Brew…
We’re sorry if you were hoping to go on a tour today. We are taking time this afternoon to thank our staff with a post-holiday gathering. Like many service and…
Driving our buses is not like driving a car. There are 14 people that are depending on our driver to operate safely while they have fun on a tour. Learn…
Thinking about having some fun after the stressful holidays? Maybe use your brand new shiny Maine Brew Bus gift certificate? Why not hop on the #1 TripAdvisor Tour in Portland!…
Taking a Maine Brew Bus tour before attending a local minor league sports game is a winning combination. Beginning last winter, we began a partnership with the Portland Pirates AHL…
The Maine Brew Bus is a proud partner of the Portland, Maine Chapter of the United States Bartenders’ Guild. We specialize in providing a literal vehicle to assist in their…
In order to let more people know about tours on The Maine Brew Bus, we like to bring our show on the road. Every year we travel around New England…
A one-day snapshot looking at exactly where Maine Brew Bus guests travel from to visit Portland, Maine On Saturday January 2, 2016 we ran five different tours that visited 15…
The local website Beer This Week recently ran an end-of-year survey for what people think were the Top 25 beers in Maine for 2015. This is certainly a popularity contest,…
Ever since our first review on June 24, 2013, we have been steadily collecting amazing reviews on TripAdvisor. The volume of reviews, as well as the ratings and comments themselves,…
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