General information and Frequently Asked Questions
1. What type of products do you make? Sweetgrass makes wines, sangrias, hard ciders, fortified wines, aromatic bitters, liqueurs and spirits from primarily Maine grown fruit and grain. Our famous spirits are Back River Gin, Three Crow Rum, Cranberry Gin, Apple Brandy, Sunk Haze Single Malt Whiskey, Maple Smash and Rhubarb Smash. We use over 70,000 pounds of Maine grown fruit and grain each year.
2. Are you OPEN year around? YES, Sweetgrass Old Port in Portland is open all year around. Our Union tasting room and shop is open 8 months from May through December each year.
3. Is there an admission/entry fee? No, we do not charge an admission/entry fee.
4. Do you take reservations? We do not take reservations; first come, first served.
5. How much are tastings? A tasting consists of your choice of 4 or 5 wines, ciders, sangrias, and spirits from a menu of 15 to 20 items for $5.
6. Are your products priced less at the store? Here in Maine all spirit products are priced the same at all stores, grocery, liquor, and tasting rooms. However, when you visit our tasting rooms you can also purchase products that are not available anywhere else.
7. Do you accommodate groups? At Sweetgrass Old Port in Portland the maximum group size is 6 and at our facility in Union we can accommodate most groups however those larger than 12 need to make a reservation/deposit by emailing union@sweetgrasswinery.com
8. When can I use your hiking trail? The Carroll Farm Trail at Sweetgrass Winery & Distillery is open 365 days a year from sun-up to sun-down. Here’s more information and a map: https://www.midcoastconservancy.org/preserves-directory/carroll-farm-trail-at-sweetgrass-winery
9. Can outside food and beverages be brought in? No outside alcohol is permitted. However, in Union, you are welcome to bring your own non-alcoholic beverages, picnic lunch and snacks.
10. Do you serve food? At Sweetgrass Old Port we do not. At our facility in Union we offer a selection of Maine made prepackaged sweet and savory snacks for you to purchase.
11. Do you offer tours? Not at Sweetgrass Old Port in Portland. In Union our tasting room is right inside the manufacturing facility so you can see what is happening from the tasting bar. Our winemakers and distillers are often the ones pouring your tasting.
12. Are you family friendly? Yes we are family friendly. We ask that children are supervised by a responsible adult at all times.
13. Do you allow pets? At Sweetgrass in Union pets are not allowed inside as federal law prohibits pets from being inside food manufacturing facilities; however pets are allowed outside on the grassy areas. We ask that you only bring your pet if they are people and pet friendly, and that your pet is on a leash at all times. We ask that you please always clean up after your pet.
14. Are your products gluten free? Yes our wines, sangrias, hard ciders, bitters, gins, rums, brandies are all gluten free however our Sunk Haze single malt whiskey is made from barley.
15. How did you come up with your name and product names? Sweetgrass is a common material used for making baskets and in our family’s cottage there were several Sweetgrass baskets. They are very aromatic and this scent became the scent of Maine to us. Our products like Back River Gin and Sunk Haze Whisky are named after places. Back River on the Sheepscot River in Boothbay and Sunk Haze from the Sunkhaze Meadows National Wildlife Refuge in Maine.
16. Do you make beer? Yes we make loads of beer each year using Maine grown barley but that beer is distilled into our Sunk Haze single malt whiskey.
17. What is the difference between your Apple Wine and Hard Apple Cider? Apple wine and apple cider start out the same way, which is Maine organic apples pressed into cider and fermented. Once this fermentation if finished we filter and bottle some for Apple Wine and the rest goes into the bottle with a small amount of sugar and yeast for a second fermentation that produces a sparkling hard apple cider.
18. Do you sell your used wine and spirit barrels? No, but you can find used barrels in Maine at The Barrel Man of Maine in Scarborough 207-883-6738.
19. What kind of wood are your barrels made from? Oak is the most common type of wood used for barrels, and it has been used to make barrels for centuries. Oak has a strong flavor and aroma that imparts a distinct flavor to the spirits it is used to age. It is a hardwood, and its tight grain makes it an ideal choice for making barrels.
20. Do you host weddings? Sweetgrass does not host weddings.
21. Do you host private events? No we do not host private events but we do host non-profit events. See our Sweetgrass Corporate Giving and Charitable Event Policy at https://sweetgrasswinery.com/corporate-giving
22. Is smoking permitted? Smoking is permitted outside on the grassy seating areas.
23. Do you offer donations? Due to the volume of donation requests that we receive every month, we have an online application process for those requests. Please see our policy at https://sweetgrasswinery.com/corporate-giving
24. Where else can I buy Sweetgrass wines and spirits? Our wines, sangrias, and ciders are only available at our tasting rooms and shops however you can find our spirits at most Maine grocery and liquor stores. To find a store near you go to https://www.mainespirits.com/taxonomy/term/6562
25. Can I buy your products online? You can buy our wines, sangria, and hard ciders online through Vinoshipper at our website: https://sweetgrasswinery.com/wine However, at this time, all spirit purchases must be made in person, so no phone or Internet orders. If you are interested in ordering our Aromatic Cocktail Bitters we can ship those to you, please email constance@sweetgrasswinery.com
26. Where else can I visit while I am in town? We highly recommend you visit:
a. Beth’s Farm Market https://www.bethsfarmmarket.com
b. Morse’s Sauerkraut https://www.morsessauerkraut.com
c. Union Fair https://www.unionfair.org
d. The Mathews Museum of Maine Heritage https://www.matthewsmuseum.org
e. Washington General Store https://wgsmaine.com
f. Ayer Park https://www.mapquest.com/us/maine/ayer-park-437345643
g. Medomak Family Camp https://medomakcamp.com
h. John’s Ice Cream Factory https://www.johnsicecreamfactory.com
i. Lake St. George Brewery https://www.lakestgeorgebrewing.com/home
j. Damariscotta Lake State Park https://visitmaine.com/things-to-do/parks-natural-attractions/damariscotta-lake-state-park
k. Cellardoor Winery https://mainewine.com
l. Maine Wine Trail https://mainewinetrail.com
m. Maine Distillery Trail https://mainedistillersguild.org
n. Maine Brewer Guild https://mainebrewersguild.org/visit-breweries/our-breweries/