I learned through trivia recently that Maine has more breweries per capita than any other state in the U.S. With so many scattered around and even more popping up, it can be hard to differentiate them or find any that really stand out from the others.

Thanks to a local rock band hitting their outdoor venue, I found a brewery that, as their website shares, is “more than just a brewery, it’s a family.” I got that vibe right away.

Threshers Brewing Co in Searsmont, Maine

Anyone can put tables in a yard, pour beer, and hire local acts to entertain but not everyone can do it right. Threshers Brewing Co in the Midcoast is an exceptional example of how a local brewery should be run.

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I went for a Rigometrics show and stayed for the beer and community vibes. Their outdoor stage has great lights, room to dance, and accommodating tables and firepits to fit your whole crew.

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It was the friendliest environment, with easy-going and nice employees, and locals mingling, I even ran into friends from Camden and Rockland; Threshers is a great place to meet in the middle.

Thunder Valley Lager

Typically, I start with a beer or two and then have to switch over to something lighter. I love the taste of beer but there are few that I can really sit and drink a few of. I was bummed when we walked in and I saw they didn’t have any local Maine craft I recognized but rather just a list of beer they brewed themselves.

I contemplated just going with a hard seltzer when I saw the customer in front of me get poured a deliciously golden draft and I immediately said, “I’ll have what he’s having.”

Holy. Crap.

I’m writing this article from the place that employs me so I won’t go into detail about how many of these lagers I took down but all I am going to say is they are deliciously crushable. I swear everyone around me was talking about “Thunder Valley” this and “Thunder Valley” that. Friends asking me to go get in line to grab them another one, people around me ordering more rounds of the premium American lager.

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Threshers Thunder Valley lager may very well be my new favorite Maine draft beer and who knew it was hiding from me in Searsmont. The name and the label are inspired by the Thunder Valley Mower Racing Team in Midcoast. The crisp and light-bodied beer really will take 1st place as your favorite Maine beer just like it did mine.

Meet The Brewer

Blue the brewer in the boots. I met this guy at Threshers after the show as we all stood around the bar hyping up Thunder Valley; little did I know the guy standing next to me was the head brewer and responsible for the delicacy in my hand.

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A super nice and easy-going guy, Blue showed me and the band around the brewery that is retrofitted inside an older lumber yard connected to the restaurant. Blue’s been around for three years now after a buddy told him he wanted to start brewing beer - Blue gave it a shot and now he’s the head brewer.

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He showed us around back where all the magic is made. Any beer you drink from them was brewed, canned, and labeled right in this very space. This is the definition of buying and supporting local. These guys can pound out 45,000 gallons of beer in just 3 days, it’s unbelievable.

Threshers is on Fire

They've got it all right: the staff, the brewery, the killer pizza, the environment, you name it. This place is on fire.

Speaking of fire, during the brewery tour, Blue gave us a killer story for the road. We noticed in the bar there was half a 1980s Cadillac Coupé de Ville on the wall which made for epic decor. As we walked through the backend of the brewery, we noticed the same Cadillac but the other half being used as a couch in a hang-out spot.

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Apparently, this very whip used to be the brewing vehicle and a regular borrowed it and the engine caught on fire. So what did they do? Put the fire out with their beer, of course. The result was half a car for decor and half a car for a couch.

More Than Just Another Brewery

It’s not often anymore that you can walk into a place, make a genuine connection with the staff, and feel part of their community. Everyone at Threshers was down to Earth, kind-hearted, and made the experience even more than just great pizza, fantastic beer, and a killer live music act.

It’s without a doubt a place you go for the beer but stay for the friends.

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