Nestled along the banks of the Union River, above the waters that rush steadfast to sea, the town of Ellsworth, Maine lies as a gateway to the prominent Mount Desert Island; though this town shadows the allure of the island, it too has many treasures to bear. According to Ellsworth native Albert H. Davis, the region where the town now resides was first home to the Penobscot Native American tribe; here, they would plant crops, and then journey south towards Mount Desert Island to hunt and fish. Once Europeans arrived, the French were the first to settle the area, but the region would be disputed by the French, English, and Native Americans until the end of the French and Indian War. Today, Ellsworth is a bustling town full of local recreation, restaurants, bars, breweries, and shops. Ellsworth marks the beginning of my adventures here in Maine, and there is no better place to start.
Birdsacre
As an amateur hiker, I’ve been itching to get my boots on the trail since arriving in Maine, and luckily for me, Ellsworth has many options when it comes to trekking within the city limits. I chose a place that caught my attention right away. It’s a place called Birdsacre Stanwood Wildlife Sanctuary. Birdsacre is a 200-acre non-profit wildlife refuge for sick and injured birds. Cordelia J. Stanwood is who the preserve is organized, maintained, and dedicated to in her honor. Stanwood was an expert ornithologist—a.k.a. bird expert—and photographer. Stanwood seemed like she was an intriguing woman in her time, but what I was most interested in was the nature trails that lie within the sanctuary. The birds are a bonus; so, after seeing the many winged, beautiful creatures that lie within Birdsacre, I began my first hike in Maine.
As I left the fowl behind and entered into the thick, pine ridden forest of the sanctuary, I began to notice how different the woodland appeared from the woods of Pennsylvania. Trekking down the path, I saw vast green, fuzzy moss that covered much of the forest floor, and when walking on it, I noticed just how soft and resilient it was as I stepped and walked along the outer edge of the path. It felt as if the forest floor was built upon a sponge! I laughed and continued my way down the trail. The moss was not the only indication that I was far from Pennsylvania. Much of the flora I saw along this hike was new to me. Merely seeing new plant species excited me and made the walk much more adventurous.
While walking along the path, I came across a sign that read, “Egg Rock 1-mile.” The sign pointed to a diversion from the main trail, and I decided I would follow the detour to see what Egg Rock beckoned. After walking nearly a mile, I stumbled upon the monolith very suddenly in a thickly wooded area. I was surprised by its great magnitude.
Although shaped nothing like an egg, Egg Rock is an impressive sphere-like boulder that defines the forest around it. I suppose the name matches the concept of this immense, bewildering sanctuary. Egg Rock was the first anomaly that I came across during my outing through this avian preserve. I walked around the stone gazing curiously at its magnificence, and then I continued onward, expecting that would be the last anomaly along my maiden trek.
After hiking for nearly two hours, and without the hope or promise of finding another mysterious spectacle, I began to head back to the sanctuary’s foremost roost—the parking lot and welcome center. The sanctuary’s nature trails have roughly four prominent paths that traverse in a loop, with each one having varying length and difficulty, and all four connected by smaller paths that intersect them. I chose a route that I had not yet ventured as I headed back to the parking lot. As I strolled along the path, swatting at the hordes of mosquitos that were immune to my repellent and possessed an unquenchable thirst for my blood, I stumbled upon a gigantic white pine that demanded admiration.
This enormous pine caught me off guard completely. I had no idea I would find such an impressive, personified pine hidden in the forest, but I did. This behemoth is called Queen’s Throne, and it gives the entire clearing a mystical feeling of a “higher power” within the sanctuary. According to Birdsacre, this pine was one of Stanwood’s most favorite spots to sit and listen to the songs of the many native birds that inhabit the area. Perhaps, this pine symbolizes the heart and soul of Stanwood. Through this location, Stanwood’s reverence for the myriad of avian species that inhabit Maine lives on, and this gigantic pine embodies that. After basking in the amazement of such astonishing pine growth, I finally began heading back to my abode to begin searching for a local meal.
86 This
After exiting the Birdsacre woodland, I returned to my van and decided I would venture into downtown Ellsworth. I hopped in and started-up the “adventure mobile” and headed off to new and unexpected experiences. I was just as curious as I was hungry to discover what awaited me along the streets of this undiscovered town.
Within minutes of leaving Birdsacre, I was in downtown Ellsworth. I found a spot to park the van. I hopped out and immediately began scouting for the perfect restaurant to satisfy my growing hunger. This was a task easier said than done because Ellsworth offers many excellent restaurants serving incredible food. There’s Serendib, an Indian and Sri Lankan restaurant located on the corner of State and Main. Serendib serves up grub such as vindaloo, which is an Indian dish composed of tomato, cream, spices and your choice of either chicken, lamb, beef, or mushroom. Although this place sounded delicious, I continued walking up Main St. until I found something that genuinely seized my interest. I came across Finn’s Irish Pub, a traditional Irish restaurant serving food and drink of the Emerald Isle. The place seemed intriguing; though, this pub would not be what satiates me.
After walking up and down Main St. searching for the restaurant that would serve me my first meal in Ellsworth, I finally decided I would try a place called 86 This. 86 This caught my attention not only for the food they serve—an impressive selection of burritos, wraps, and salads—but for the story behind how 86 This came to be. According to the 86 This owners, Jeff and Diane, in 2011, they were expecting their first child, but the two of them were unemployed and lived out of an off-grid home near Ellsworth. Since Jeff had extensive experience in the restaurant industry and with the two of them struggling to find work, they decided they would open their own restaurant, but they failed to qualify for the loans necessary to start their business. Luckily, Jeff and Diane had the help of friends who lent them the money to get 86 This from an idea to reality. Since 2011, 86 This has been serving visitors and the people of Ellsworth mighty fine burritos of the utmost quality, and there is no sign of it backing down.
Upon entering the restaurant—with my stomach nearly to the point of autocannibalism—I could tell the business was faring well. The joint was packed with customers ordering, eating, or leaving with takeout. I knew once I entered that I had made the right choice. I could smell, with great certainty, chicken as it roasted in an oven, baking to a succulent brown, golden hue. I could hear and see an upbeat and focused crew in the kitchen banging out burritos one after another with speed and efficiency that only comes with an experienced cook.
I approached the counter and grabbed a menu; while skimming over the selections, my jaw dropped, and my mouth began to water as I read the descriptions of the creations at 86 This. The Boss Hog—a burrito filled with chipotle and citrus pulled pork, black beans, rice, pico de gallo, cabbage slaw, chipotle creme, and cheddar cheese. The Mountain Goat—a wrap filled with black bean hummus, quinoa, crunchy vegetables, feta, kalamata olives, and greens. This menu looked absolutely amazing! I had to stop reading; I had to start eating! I got in line right away!
While I waited, I wanted to learn more about 86 This. I happened to get the attention of one of the cooks from behind the counter—one of the head cooks, actually. I merely wanted to know what made 86 This so impressive. The burrito slinging, Croc-rocking cook’s name was Kat, and she had been there working there for two years. She informed me on the practices that owners, Jeff and Diane, impose on 86 This. Kat says, their food is always fresh and prepared on the daily by herself and many of the other workers. Kat states, when the seasons allow, many of the ingredients used to create the menu items such as the Mountain Goat come from local organic farms near Ellsworth. So, not only does 86 This create colossal, gut-busting burritos with the freshest ingredients available but when they can, they try their best to support the local economy and buy local produce. Any small business that helps other small businesses gets my endorsement, well, after I try their food of course. Before Kat went back to the kitchen to perform miracles, I asked her what she suggested I try? And she recommended I try Yam I am. Yam I’m’a what!?
After speaking with Kat, I got back in line. Once I reached the counter, I ordered the mysterious Yam I Am burrito, a cup of Spitting Venom, and a side of rice. Oh, and of course, a beer from the Atlantic Brewing Company called Thunder Hole Ale to wash it all down. Altogether, it came to about $20—not bad considering how much I ordered. I paid, found a table, sat down, and sipped on the nut brown ale from ABC. While sipping the beer and contemplating whether I liked it or not, my food was quickly prepared and brought to my table in a matter of minutes. I was so surprised to see how much food they brought me. My eyes were truly bigger than my stomach.
I started off with Spitting Venom, a ground beef chili with and andouille sausage, beans, spices, and cheese; accompanied with chips. Thick, hearty, and cheesy but not too spicy, the chili served as a delicious harbinger for what was to come. After finishing the chili, I then moved on to Yam I Am, a burrito filled with roasted spicy sweet potatoes, black beans, rice, pico de gallo, avocado, chipotle crème, and cheddar cheese. I opened wide and delved into Yam I Am, a burrito which was the size of my forearm. As soon as the roasted sweet potatoes, avocados, and other ingredients hit my palate, I was brought to a whole new understanding of what a burrito could be in a matter of seconds. The sweet taste of the potatoes with the fatty creaminess of the avocados create a marriage of flavor that any right-wing conservative would approve.
With its contents now exposed, I took another bite of this unorthodox creation which elevated me to a state of pure bliss. I had to stop! I couldn’t continue to eat this heavenly burrito without first finishing the other food I had left. I had to save the best for last. So, I finished off my bowl of rice and the remaining chips from my chili. Once they were out of the picture, I could finish the remnants of Yam I Am.
I thoroughly enjoyed my meal at 86 This; it’s hands down one of the best restaurants in Ellsworth. It boasts fresh, delicious food with quick, professional service. I had a fantastic experience at 86 This. If you’re ever in Ellsworth, make sure you stop in and order one of their many wraps or burritos. You won’t regret it.
Fogtown Brewery
After leaving 86 This happy and fed, I decided it was time I checked out a local brewery that has been under my radar since arriving in Ellsworth. The appropriately named Fogtown Brewery, a business that specializes in creating the very best IPAs, pilsners, stouts, ales, and sours. All the beers brewed here are done so with locally sourced Maine ingredients. A place like this beckons my name; so, with a subtle cloud of liquid encouragement pressing me onward, I merrily walked three blocks to the only brewery in Ellsworth. I had no idea what would happen once I arrived or who I would meet, but what I did know is that it involved beer. That was all I needed to know.
Once I arrived at Fogtown, I began to take a few photographs of the building which lies in the middle of a neighborhood. After taking a few shots with my camera, a man from within the brewery exited the establishment and began walking hastily towards me. We met, shook hands, and I learned who this man was. He is brewery co-owner and head brewer, Jon Stein. I had spoken with Jon via email before my visit to the brewery, so he was expecting me.
Jon and I briefly spoke outside the brewery, and it wasn’t too long before he suggested I try one of his brews. But, of course! My favorite beers are stouts and IPAs, and there was one drink that I wanted to try in particular. That brew was the Cocodrilo, a milk-stout brewed with toasted coconut; though, I had a feeling the stout was unavailable, and surely enough it wasn’t. Jon says it’s a brew that customers typically enjoy during the colder months of the year. He then recommended I try a brew suited for my taste, a beer called Path of Totality IPA, which is a Cascadian black ale named after the route that displays a total solar eclipse. Not only was the name appealing, but so was the beer itself. I told Jon I’d give it a try. He then went back inside to the bar to pour me a glass of the ebony liquid.
While Jon was pouring my beer, I entered the brewery to gander at the beautiful craftsmanship of the brewery and bar. Having experience in construction and woodworking, Jon, and fellow co-owner, Ian Heyse, built their brewery using old lumber and barnboard, and whatever else they could find to turn this garage-like structure into a place of beer and business. According to Stein, the building where their brewery now resides was once an artists’ workshop, and before that, it was used as a mechanics’ shop to repair charter buses, and long before that, it was once used to process and prepare timber for export to other regions of the country.
Jon returned, handed me my by beer, and we then sat and began chatting about ourselves, and of course, Fogtown. As I sipped the brew, savoring its intense hoppy flavor, I first asked Jon if he were from Ellsworth, but surprisingly, he was not; this interested me. Stein hails from my very own state, Pennsylvania, from Philadelphia, in fact. Jon has also done some extensive traveling in his day, journeying as far west as Colorado. He eventually made his way up to Maine and into Ellsworth. He tells me he worked for another local brewer, Airline Brewing Company, a British business that in 2016 opened a pub in Ellsworth. Although Airline Brewing makes their beer in Amherst, ME and even having some of their concoctions flown into the local airport directly from England—hence the name Airline Brewing—they are not an Ellsworth brewery like Fogtown is.
According to Stein, Fogtown is the very first brewery in Ellsworth, and they’ve only been running the show since January 2018. They could have fooled me because Fogtown has the appearance and demeanor of a very professional, successful experienced business and not one that is less than a year old. I asked Jon, why Ellsworth? Why have a brewery in a town with a population of only 7,000 people? Why not a larger city like, Bangor? Jon confidently says it’s because brewing in a small town such as Ellsworth creates a relationship between the business and the locals that wouldn’t exist if the brewery were in a large city. He likes the small town feel, and the ability to form relationships with his regular local customers. I respect that.
Jon, and co-owner, Ian Heyse, have great plans for Fogtown. They already have an impressive lineup of local bands who play at the brewery regularly, as well as many events surrounding new brews. On Saturday nights, they have a food truck parked outside the joint called, The Yum Bus. This traveling kitchen serves what any beer laden patron would want—Tacos! And, according to the Fogtown Brewery website, Jon, and Ian will begin to offer courses on brewing your very own beer in the future. I believe Fogtown brewery will be very successful in the coming years; it’s a simple brewery serving great beer with a neighborly, local charisma. After speaking with Jon for roughly a half-hour, he had to leave and attend to other matters leaving me to sample more of his exquisite brews.
I decided I would head over to the bar so I could talk to the bartender and other customers, and of course, order another beer. Once I gained the bartender’s attention, I ordered a beer called Yellow Submarine, a kettle-soured ale with lactobacillus, dry hopped with Citra. Now, I’ve never had a sour ale before, so I did not know what to expect. But, upon taking my first sip, I realized that this beer deserved to join the esteemed rank as one of my all-time favorite beer types—right up there with stouts and IPAs. As the ale sloshed around my mouth, it tasted very subtle, yet at the very same time very sophisticated. The ale acted as a foundation for the leading and prominent sour, bitter taste that the beer exhibited. It was delicious and only left me wanting more.
As I sat enjoying my sour ale, with a record player in the corner of the bar resonating classic rock hits, I began to speak with a few of those around me. The first person I talked to was a local, a U.S. Coast Guard in fact, who also served in the military and was a very interesting and easy person to speak with when knocking back beers. And, of course, the bartender whose name is Molly and is a seven-year resident of Mount Desert. As I sat and happily sipped and talked with my newfound friends, I learned much more about Ellsworth and Mount Desert Island than I had known (or as the locals call it, M.D.I.). We spoke about the Jackson Laboratory, a lab where scientists test new drugs on unsuspecting rats and mice—at least, that’s what they want you to believe. As far as I’m concerned, Jackson Lab may as well be the Umbrella Corporation operating a disguised humanitarian operation above ground but with sinister experiments far below; I just hope they can contain what’s inside. We also talked about Bar Harbor, and as Jon had mentioned before, about how it’s the Disney Land of the Northeast because once you’re in Bar Harbor, every piece of merchandise you see is stamped “Bar Harbor, ME,” and in place of a mouse, they have an image of a lobster accompanying it—with outrageous prices to boot.
After spending a few hours at the brewery chatting with the locals about anything that came to mine, Molly decided she would give me a list of her most favorite swimming holes, hikes, viewpoints, and restaurants on Mount Desert Island. A few of the places she suggests are Flying Mountain, Parkman Summit, Echo Lake, and Lompoc Cafe. Thanks to Molly, I now have many ideas for my next adventure. It’s as if this journey unraveled new ideas and clues for my next outing. A hike will be on the agenda, maybe to Parkman Summit.
Though I was enjoying Fogtown’s brews, Molly’s charm, and the company of the locals, after my fourth pint, I decided it was time to call it a night. I paid my bill and happily headed back to my abode after an evening well spent. Fogtown is a fantastic brewery, and it has achieved this status through the quality of its beer, staff, and the locals who frequent the business. If you’re in Ellsworth and you enjoy a well-crafted pint, you must visit Fogtown. It will leave you in a haze of merriment you will never forget.
Ellsworth is the Gateway to Mount Desert Island. It’s as if Ellsworth is a checkpoint that to pass you must first visit a restaurant, brewery, or one of the many other businesses lining Main St. Why wouldn’t you want to visit a small town teeming with life and enthusiasm? Mount Desert Island may beckon you like a siren’s song, but before you fall into its trap, visit Ellsworth—your doorway to Downeast Maine.
Links to Businesses Mentioned:
http://www.atlanticbrewing.com/
https://www.fogtownbrewing.com/
https://www.facebook.com/yumbuslocalvore/
