Orono Brewing Company set to open

When I visited the Orono Brewing Company back in July it was still in the early build out phase, a shell and a vision. When I visited on Saturday I found the vision has become a reality, Orono Brewing Company is nearly complete.

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New signage at Orono Brewing Company

Stepping into tasting room I was met by the smell of fresh varnish and a friendly contractor who was on his way out, who told me not to touch anything because the varnish was still wet. The last time I stepped through the door there was contractor’s equipment scattered about the room, a framed up wall separating the future tasting room from the future brewhouse and plenty of work still to do. This trip things had changed dramatically, fresh paint and varnish, the wall behind the bar is complete with new windows looking into shiny new stainless brewing equipment, the taps are in, the bar is finished except for the custom copper bar top that arrives this week. Accents of corrugated steel between raw wooden beams in the ceiling, the foot rail and table supports are made from black iron pipe, tables and benches are made from reclaimed lumber. The tasting room has a comfortable feel with plenty of character and a great view of the small brewhouse.

Before and After (July and December)

Before and After (July and December)

Orono Brewing Company will be open for business this week on New Years Eve, coinciding with the grand opening their beer will be available at Woodman’s Bar and Grill and Verve Bangor on that day.

The Tasting room will be open 7 days a week, Hours as follows:

  • Monday – Friday 3pm – 10pm
  • Saturday Noon – 10pm
  • Sunday Noon – 6pm

The posted hours a flexible though, if the tasting room is busy and people are there having a beer and playing cribbage when closing time comes they won’t kick you out.

Before and After (July and December)

Before and After (July and December)

Growlers will be available from the tasting room at both 64 and 32 ounce sizes, deposit for a growler is $3 and prices are $12 for a 64oz fill and $6 for a 32oz. Orono Brewing Company is also offering a mug club, the first year is $75 and yearly renewals are $50, the club comes with a 20 ounce mug that can be used at the brewery and Woodman’s, benefits include 20 ounce pours for the price of a 16 ounce, first shot at special releases, brewery events and votes on upcoming brewery decisions.

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Head Brewer Asa Marsh-Sachs plans on having 9 beers available at all times, some of those will be variations on core lineup beers, while I was visiting I got to try their Excursion Stout, Excursion Stout on Nitro and Excursion Stout with cocoa nibs and vanilla beans. Their Lightning Tree IPA, which was delicious, will be available in two forms with variations in the dry hopping.

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When the tasting room opens they will have the following beers available:

  • White Nitro Cream Ale
  • AOK Kolsch
  • Excursion Stout on Nitro
  • Lighting Tree IPA
  • Lightning Tree IPA 2.0
  • Flavored Excursion Stout

Food will be available at the tasting room as well, Woodman’s kitchen will be providing food and it sounds like Mac and Cheese, Pretzels with mustard, Meat and Vegetarian flatbreads and garlic knots will be the food options.

photo of the brewing system

photo of the brewing system

It’s been fun to watch the Orono Brewing Company evolve from an empty shell and a vision into a business that’s about to open its doors, I’ve tried the beers and had no complaints, I look forward to visiting when the doors are open for a pint of IPA or Kolsch and a friendly game of cribbage.

“This feels to me like everything I could have hoped for in this space” Abe Furth, Owner, Orono Brewing Company

Cheers

Chaddah

Fermenter tag

Fermenter tag

Chad Lothian

About Chad Lothian

Chad Lothian lives in Old Town, Maine. He is a craft beer enthusiast and homebrewer. Chad has travelled to brewpubs, breweries and brewfests all over New England.