Two Portland bars named in beer magazine’s 100 best for 2012

Last month, I detailed some of the Portland businesses and institutions getting national acclaim, including Zagat.com naming Coffee By Design one of the country’s 10 “coolest independent coffee shops.”

Now, Draft magazine released its 2012 list of America’s 100 best beer bars recently, and three Maine establishments made the roster — including two in Portland.

The list includes 27 bars in what the magazine considers the Northeast region, with picks from New York City, Baltimore, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. among others.

This isn’t the first time our Portland honorees have received local or national accolades of one kind or another — check their respective website links for other awards and recognitions. Here’s what Draft has to say about the following Maine bars:

The Great Lost Bear, 540 Forest Ave. (website)

Not many bars can claim a more thoughtfully designed tap list than this 30-plus-year-old institution with four cask-conditioned pours, a revolving list of Belgian and extreme beers, old favorites like Shipyard Export Ale, and a slew of taps in “Allagash Alley,” a set of faucets dedicated to the brewery’s rarer offerings. From day one, this bar promoted locally crafted beer, and with roughly 75 percent of its 60-plus taps dedicated to regional breweries, it remains the most loyal pub around.

www.novareresbiercafe.com

Novare Res Bier Cafe, 4 Canal Plaza (website)

Ever find yourself choosing between a night at an English-style pub, German beer hall or Belgian café? At Novare Res, you get three in one trip. Here, you’ll find no fewer than 13 Cantillon labels, rauch and altbiers, and a lengthy list of English-style barleywines—plus delicious culture clashes like the Novare Belgian Waffles with Young’s Chocolate Stout ice cream.

Ebenezer’s Pub, 44 Allen Road, Lovell (website)

Ebenezer’s stocks a gigantic number of beers—we’re talking more than 700 bottles. Yet the number isn’t as staggering as the selection: A comprehensive list of abbey ales shares space with more than 20 gueuzes and lambics, while vintages like 2006 Gouden Carolus Cuvee de Keizer add extra cause for excitement.

Seth Koenig

About Seth Koenig

Seth has nearly a decade of professional journalism experience and writes about the greater Portland region.