Allagash to start charging for samples at brewery

Allagash Brewing announced Wednesday in a blog post by founder Rob Tod that it will begin charging for samples of its beer.

The Portland brewery had been offering free 4-ounce samples of all four tap beers in its tasting room, but Tod says there are too many visitors to continue giving away beer. A spokesperson for Allagash said they drew 120,000 visitors in 2016 and were on track for over 150,000 this year. The Riverside area where Allagash is located has become a beacon for tourists.

A tasting flight will cost $4, Tod said. An additional two samples will cost $4, with sizes varying by style of beer. Allagash has been growing rapidly for the past decade and is expected to surpass Shipyard as the largest brewery in the state by volume this year.

Tastings offered as part of a tour will still be free. The company also announced its tasting room will be closed Sunday through Tuesday next week for upgrades.

This story was updated at 4:15 p.m. on Oct. 11 to correct the number of taps at the brewery.

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