FAQ

Sorry, Maine State Law doesn’t allow Gritty’s to ship our fine ales. We do sell our beer in Growlers at every location, as well as 22 oz bottles at our Freeport and Portland Brewtique Gift Shops.

Unfortunately, no. The only place we sell our beer is at our three locations in Portland, Freeport, and Auburn.

Yes, we sell growlers at all our brew pubs. We sell either glass or plastic growlers and if you bring the growler back, we’ll exchange that “used” growler for a new one.

We typically don’t offer organized tours, but you can ask to see the brewery at any of our brew pubs anytime you want. Just ask the bartender or your server.

Typically, we do first come, first serve on parties 8 or smaller. If a larger party calls, we will take a call ahead reservation and make accommodations depending on time, day of the week, and the party’s specific needs.

We have standardized as much of the “base” menu as possible between the locations, but there are differences because all our kitchens are different sizes and have different equipment. For example, we don’t have room for a pizza oven in Portland, but Freeport and Auburn have pizza ovens because they have the space. This means we can’t offer pizza or quesadillas in Portland, but we do offer them in Freeport and Auburn. We also let the chefs in each location be creative with the seasonal menus, so those menus vary between locations. This gives the chefs an opportunity to show-off and be creative, which adds some variety to our food.

Those crazy brewers pretty much do whatever they want. No, the straight answer is the brewers like to experiment and innovate. Based on what is currently on tap and how much tank space they have at the time, each brewery might offer a new and exciting small batch brew. If they brew enough, the brewers might share it with the other brew pubs, but that brew pub might, or might not have the tap space to offer that beer at that moment. So the beers offered at each brew pub are constantly changing – which makes it more fun. You never know what small batch ales will be on tap.

Yes, all locations have options for vegetarians, vegans, as well as people with dietary restrictions like gluten allergies. Be sure to alert your server to your needs, and they will make sure you’re taken care of.

That’s easy, it was “Best Bitter” and Ed and Richard brewed it, then sold it on December 21st, 1988.

That’s a brick lined, copper-topped brew kettle. There is one in every one of our brew pubs. The brew kettles are the heart and soul of what Gritty’s is all about.

Those mugs belong to the mug club. For an annual fee the members buy a mug. The mug hangs above the bar and only the person who owns it gets to use their mug. Each mug is numbered on the bottom of the mug. In return for an annual fee, we offer the mug club members some benefits. On certain days of the week a full mug of beer only costs $2, and on non-mug club days they get roughly 21 ounces of beer for the same price as a 16 ounce pint. We also offer discounts on food and merch, go on the occasional field trip and play in the Mug Club Olympics.

We get asked this question all the time. Several factors come into play: it has to be the right time, the right location, the right building and the right market. Rest assured if we decide to build a brew pub in your area, you’ll know about it.