Maine's Midcoast

Split Rock Distilling in Newcastle offers complimentary tastings six days a week. Looking for something zero-proof? Royal Rose Syrups are also crafted onsite, and make a brilliant base for many a mocktail. Rockland’s new nano-distillery Luce Spirits turns out a small but mighty offering of herbal spirits. In Camden, Barren’s Distillery + Restaurant has come home to the harbor; their beautiful waterfront facility is a lovely place to while away a winter afternoon. Beer and wine are well represented throughout the mid-coast. Although the vineyards at Cellardoor Winery and Oyster River Winegrowers are closed to the public, you can sample all of the latter’s wines at their tasting room in downtown Camden. 

Breweries abound: you have Bath Ale Works in Wiscasset; Odd Alewives in Waldoboro; Liberator and Rock Harbor in Rockland; Marshall Wharf Brewing in Belfast; and Friar’s Brewhouse way up the coast in Bucksport. Oxbow’s farmhouse brewery in Newcastle boasts backwoods trails that are well suited for a day of snowshoeing or cross-country skiing. 

It’s not a visit to the mid-coast without a bivalve or two; eighty percent of all Maine oysters are harvested from this region! In Damariscotta, the Shuck Station recently debuted a new seasonal special: heated outdoor yurts! Sample a dozen of Maine’s finest in comfort and style. Oysters are a point of pride in these parts and many places do them properly, like Maine St. Steak & Oyster in Brunswick, North Beacon Oyster Bar in Rockland, or 18 Central in Rockport. Many oyster farms still offer pick-up directly from the farms; head over to the Maine Oyster Trail to plot out an itinerary - just don’t forget to call ahead!