One might think Andy Geaghan chose Brewer, Maine as the location for his new 20 barrel brewhouse just for the pun of it. But after my visit on Wednesday, I saw why it was a smart choice: it’s literally just over the river via the highway from his family’s iconic Geaghan’s Pub and Brewery at 470 Main Street, Bangor.
I visited both places on a blustery spring afternoon. (Wait — I know it was afternoon, but was it really spring?? So windy.) Complaining aside, the Brewer-y is located in a small industrial complex that also houses a fitness center and other quiet businesses. While I met with the team, a soft burbling sound, like a fountain in a Zen garden, caught my attention. The source of the “Zen” was a hose running CO2 run-off into a bucket of water from a fermenter. Ah, the beauty of beer brewing.
The specifics were outlined in a May 12th press release:
So the new brewery won’t be open to the public, but you can enjoy the beers and have a tour at the mother ship at the Pub, which will celebrate its 40th anniversary in July.
Oh, and then there’s the food. Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings showcase prime rib…get there early, I was warned, it sells out fast. And always on the menu are the chicken wings. “We sold 61,000 pounds of them last year,” Andy told me.
Plus, the Pub is open for breakfast too. Win, win win.
I bought a growlette (32 oz) of Smiling Irish Bastard, named after Bernie Welch, a Geaghan by marriage, who walked a beat in Bangor for many years. This is a multi-generational family that has become part of the very fabric of Bangor, and now Brewer.
“Like” their Facebook page, so you get the hilarious updates from Larry Geaghan, Andy’s Dad. I also recommend signing up for weekly emails from the Chamber of Commerce. Bangor is booming. We tend to head the hour to Portland if we go for a day trip, but there are so many new breweries opening, not to mention restaurants, BookMarc’s bookstore, Bangor Wine and Cheese (freebie wine and beer tastings), Central Street Farmhouse (for your beer and wine-making needs), Friar’s Bakehouse, where Brother Donald and his cohorts from St. Elizabeth’s Monastery make sandwiches and baked goods….need I say more? GO!