Tucked into the upper reaches of Penobscot County right on the Aroostook County line, the little town of Patten (pop. 618) is the gateway to the northern end of Baxter State Park, Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, and a host of other conservation and recreation lands.

Patten is home to the aptly named Katahdin Brew Works, a watering hole for locals and visitors alike since 2022. Operated by Joel and Jona Fitzpatrick, this family-run brewery on Katahdin Street in the heart of town is a warm and welcoming place to quench your thirst. But first you’ve got to earn your beers.

Snowshoe Lodge, two miles south along the
Seboeis Riverside Trail, is your turnaround point.

Fourteen miles west via Shin Pond Road and Grand Lake Road is the seven-mile Seboeis Riverside Trail, one of the many fine hikes available in the region. Most people opt to travel the first two miles of the trail as a round-trip ramble totaling four miles.

Protecting a scenic section of this wild and free river, the Seboeis Riverside Trail is a property of Butler Parklands, a private nonprofit conservation organization whose work in Maine also includes the nearby Penobscot River Trails and Cobscook Shores in and around Lubec.

The wide path closely follows the river as it gently descends to Grand Pitch, which roars through the impressive chasm into a large pool below. Crossing Shin Brook via a bridge, continue on to pretty Snowshoe Lodge, your turnaround point and a pleasant spot for a snack break.

Joel Fitzpatrick pours a flight for a thirsty patron.

Katahdin Brew Works features a balanced menu of refreshingly good brews, which can be enjoyed in the cozy taproom or out on the patio. Joel, a pharmacist and former “homebrewer on steroids,” is always eager to try something new. “I’m a wanderer, but I’m not lost,” he said with regard to his adventurous brewing style.

Popular mainstays include the western-style Big McCue IPA, named after Joel’s brother-in-law Jeff, while Peavey, a delicious New England IPA, is a nod to the river driver’s tool invented in Maine in 1857. Pale, blonde, red, brown, porter, stout, hard seltzer or hard tea, you’ll surely discover a brew to satisfy your post-hike palate.

When You Go RESOURCES

Seboeis Riverside Trail (open year-round)

penobscotrivertrails.org/seboeis-riverside-trail

Katahdin Brew Works (open-year-round)

katahdinbrewworks.com
Fridays 4-8 p.m. and Saturdays 2-9 p.m.
Facebook & Instagram
(207) 712-6147

— Story by Carey Kish of Mount Desert Island. Carey is an avid hiker and beer drinker, and author of the book “Beer Hiking New England.”

When my parents set out to do Katahdin Brew Works, it was just a blip of an idea. A thought. A dream.

But with hard work, determination, and creativity, they have developed something not just special. It’s intimate. When you step foot into KBW, it feels like home. And no, not just for me, their oldest daughter. It feels like home to the locals who pull up for a game of cribbage and a quick catch up with their neighbors. It feels like home to other Mainers, coming from other small towns just to see the place their cousin’s uncle’s best friend told them about. And it feels like home to out of staters, because of my parents’ warm and open arms to anyone and everyone who love beer, cribbage, and community. KBW isn’t just a brewery, it’s an infusion of my parent’s love of the craft and their kind spirits. You can get good beer in lots of places, but only one place is run by Joel and Jona Fitzpatrick. And Matt Heath too.