The Bag and Kettle

Brewery, Bar, Eatery

9004 Main St
Carrabassett Valley, Maine, 04947-5805
United States

(207) 237-2451 | map
thebagandkettle.com
BEER STATS
Average:
3.95
Beers:
10
Ratings:
9
PLACE STATS
Average:
3.75
Reviews:
3
Ratings:
5
pDev:
13.07%
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews.
 
Rated: 4.5 by atlbravsrno1 from Maine

Mar 22, 2024
 
Rated: 3.75 by coombski from Maine

Mar 29, 2014
Photo of gribos
Reviewed by gribos from Massachusetts

3.28/5  rDev -12.5%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3 | service: 4 | selection: 3
Wow this place hasn't been reviewed since 2004! Maybe because it is pretty average. It is in a great location if you've been skiing at Sugarloaf - certainly a great spot for apres ski. We had the winter and pale ale, nothing bad, but nothing real memorable either. Service was very friendly and they have a happy hour so prices were very reasonable. There appears to be another brewpub at the bottom of the access road, called "the rack?". We didn't stop in. There is also an outpost of the Shipyard brewery also near the base of the mountain.
Mar 16, 2010
Photo of slander
Reviewed by slander from New York

4.05/5  rDev +8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4.5
Winding narrow road bending this way and that, and constantly heading up, up, up, the mountain, hugging the bends, watching the river that moves along with us. Where does the water come from that feeds a river, when you're at the top of a mountain? At the base of the road that leads you up further still to Sugar Loaf, is the Theos/Sugar Loaf brewing Company. They're not open 'til 4 and it's only a quarter to 2 now, so we opt to head up the mountain to the Bag & Kettle...
It's very English pubby. Lots of dark wood, stained glass panels everywhere, and chandeliers with glass covers and lantern lighting. There's a long "C" shaped dark wood bar with spurs coming off it like bar counters. The whole deal seats about 4 dozen with additional space along the bar counters that line the exterior walls and a half dozen bar tables dotted here and there. Nice potted plants in windows and on some tables and a popcorn machine in the corner. The adjacent dining room houses roughly 3 dozen tables and booths. Lots of room here.
Currently 4 house brews on tap along with Bass, Molsen & Michelob Light. I did the sampler. The Brown Bag Ale, an English Brown, had a slight hop bite, the Alpine Red Raspberry was sweet but not cloyingly nasty, the Pick Pole Pale Ale was a deep copper color, cascade hopped, nicely balanced Pale Ale, and the Uncle's Winter was the best of the lot of them, rich and verrry malty. This was only the second day they were open for the season, so they weren't at full brewing capacity yet (so only 4 brews). Also a dozen macro bottles lingering suspiciously about.
Had the turkey tortellini soup, creamy and just wonderful. Service was chipper and entertaining (I had gone through 3 of the 4 beers on my sampler and the waitress came over to clear some of the table away, I took the 4th beer off the sampler paddle so she could take it and she picked up the paddle and said, "You know what I'm supposed to do with this now?" I just looked at her. "I'm supposed to beat you with it". I said, "Okay!!!!")
Nice little place on a mountain.
Dec 19, 2004
Photo of ecoboy
Reviewed by ecoboy from Rhode Island

3.18/5  rDev -15.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 2.5 | service: 3 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4
The Bag and Kettle is not the home run that Theo's (the Sugarloaf Brewing Company pub) is, but you'll have to admit that freshly brewed beer this close to the slopes is a good thing.

Even if the beer is only good (except for one highly interesting brew noted below,) it's nice to see a big mountain like Sugarloaf agreeing that their patrons want fresh brew instead of just another macrobrew. The place is most likely packed, but only for apres-ski and dinner. The food is first rate, and soup does go with beer when it is this good. I was surprised that it closes at 10 p.m. even on a Saturday.

The beer to try? The one made with potato added to the grain. Again: potato. It does, of course, color the beer flavor with some residual carbohydrate taste that is not reminiscent of grain or sugar. I found it unusual enough to have two, instead of trying other of their brews. I have had their scotch ale and porter, and neither held a candle to the best of those styles. But once again: potato.

Location and the potato beer make this a good stop on a mountain with several worthy pubs.
Mar 27, 2003
The Bag and Kettle in Carrabassett Valley, ME
Brewery rating: 3.95 out of 5 with 9 ratings