Honestly, I don’t even remember how I heard about Oxbow Brewing. It must have been mentioned in one of the Maine-related news or social media feeds I follow and then stuck in my mind. At any rate, we had a free afternoon while visiting my parents last week and decided to check it out.
Oxbow is in Newcastle, which is a town which Route 1 passes right through, but it isn’t known for much. The brewery is definitely off the beaten path, as you can see by the entrance above. Not convenient, perhaps, but easy enough to find with our GPS.
As is our tendency, we’d checked out the on tap list before heading to Oxbow, but we didn’t really know what to expect otherwise. What we found was a charming, rustic location set in the woods. Outside, another couple sat at one of the picnic tables. It was clear that Wednesday afternoon wasn’t the busiest time for Oxbow, but signs and advertising made it clear that they do get busy and that Oxbow holds events regularly. On Fridays, there’s a rotating collection of food trucks that come through. There’s even a farmhouse on premise that can be rented and walking trails to enjoy.
We approached the bar and ordered a flight of all the available brews on tap. I enjoyed most of them, though none were life-changing. The only beer that I didn’t like was the Momoko, but I don’t do sour beers in general so it wasn’t the beer’s fault.
The interior space is interesting and inviting. Several barrels with stools served as tables. One wall was lined with shelves featuring games to play. The windows look out onto the Oxbow Brewery property and into the woods.
I imagine that we’ll find our way back to Oxbow in the future, especially if we can coordinate our schedule with one of their events. The beer is good, the people (both staff and visitors) were pleasant and the scenery was great.
