Bissell Brothers Brewing - Portland, ME.

Bissell Brothers Brewing Company is a well-known craft brewery located in Portland, Maine. It was founded by brothers Peter and Noah Bissell in 2013. The brewery has gained recognition and popularity for producing a variety of innovative and high-quality beers, particularly in the New England IPA style. They are known for their flavorful and hazy beers that appeal to a broad range of craft beer enthusiasts. So obviously...I had to go, right? I'm not from Portland, but I have a sneaking suspicious that Bissell are one of the best breweries in the city. If I were lost in the vacuum of space (pun intended) I'd love to be floating around with a can of Swish!

This was actually my main destination for the day. We got to explore South Portland and areas around there a bit after we got into the area, but that was only pretext to getting to Bissell!

Bissell Brothers have been influential in the craft beer scene and have contributed to the growing popularity of the New England IPA style, characterized by its hazy appearance, juicy and fruity flavor profiles, and lower bitterness compared to traditional IPAs.

 

Fresh Swish on draft. We made it to the motherland!

 

Core Beers

Some of the core beers produced by Bissell Brothers include:

The Substance Ale: This is one of their flagship beers, a New England IPA known for its hazy appearance and juicy, tropical fruit flavors.

Swish: A Double IPA with robust and bold flavors, featuring a variety of hop notes. They had this on draft when I was there. So glad it was 'in season'!

Baby Genius: A Session Ale with a lower alcohol content, suitable for easy drinking.

Lux: A Rye Ale with distinctive malt character and balanced hoppiness.

The other beer I had when I was there was Reciprocal, which was a great IPA as well. I enjoyed it so much I bought a 4 pack to take on our journey throughout Maine. Oddly enough, the cans were really hard to get through. Totally different product. Odd. Oh well.  I was also lucky enough to try  Betwixt & Between With Coffee an American Barleywine and Forces Realign, a bourbon barrel aged stout. MAN they were good.

Location and Facility

The brewery is housed in a modern facility that often features a bustling taproom and outdoor seating area. Visitors can enjoy fresh beers on tap, purchase cans to go, and sometimes partake in brewery tours to learn more about the brewing process. The brewery's location in Portland allows it to be a part of a vibrant and diverse food and beverage scene, often collaborating with local food trucks and other businesses. It's right near the Portland airport..sorry...Jetport... too, so even if you are just passing through the area, its a great and quick place to stop before heading to your destination!

Sittin upstairs at Bissell Brewing with a view of the all of the gear

Distribution

Bissell Brothers Brewing Company's beers are typically available in cans and on draft in various locations within Maine and sometimes in limited distribution outside the state. They are especially popular in the New England area, but their reputation has also earned them fans across the country. There are definitely cans floating around on the gray market somewhere...