There’s nothing like an ice-cold beer and a well-made burger, especially after a hike.

Go to Blue Hill, where you can combine both of those pleasurable activities in a charming, coastal atmosphere.

Downtown Blue Hill features at least two leisurely hikes you can take before ambling to DeepWater Brewing Co. at 33 Tenney Hill. (Main Street becomes Tenney Hill after you pass the Blue Hill Public Library).

If you’re unfamiliar with DeepWater, it’s run by two brothers, Tim and Andrew Hikade, whose parents, Jon and Beth, own Arborvine, a fine dining restaurant next door. Jon and Beth also started the former Fire Pond restaurant in Blue Hill.

DeepWater is an electric, solar-powered nanobrewery. Tim Hikade said all of the electricity that goes into brewing the beer is provided from the solar panels on the roof.

A nanobrewery is smaller than a microbrewery, producing three to five barrels of beer per batch.

DeepWater Brewing Co.’s early summer offerings, ranging from light to dark, include Oyster Thief Blonde Ale, The Bends Pale Ale, Session IPA, The Boss IPA, That Guy Rye and Dark Horse Brown.
PHOTO BY JENNIFER OSBORN

All the beer is produced on site, in a restored, centuries-old barn behind the pub.

“I brew and sell exclusively here on the premises,” Hikade said. “We also sell growlers (approximately 64 ounces) and 22-ounce bottles to go.”

Thanks to the brewery’s small size, Hikade can change the varieties frequently.

The early summer offerings, ranging from light to dark, include Oyster Thief Blonde Ale, The Bends Pale Ale, Session IPA, The Boss IPA, That Guy Rye and Dark Horse Brown.

The Session IPA has an alcohol by volume (abv) of 5.4 percent. Session IPAs are so called because you could drink a few of them without too much problem, Hikade said. His other IPA, The Boss, has an abv of 6.3 percent.

One of the most popular brews is a coffee stout, which Hikade brews using espresso beans from 44 North — the coffee roasters on neighboring Deer Isle.

The nanobrewery offers pub food and plenty of choices from burgers to locally harvested seafood to pair with your pint. Hikade is the chef at Arborvine, so the pub fare is not an afterthought.

“Everything’s fresh,” said chef Phil LeBreton, who’s been cooking at DeepWater for five years. “We don’t have a freezer except for the hand-cut fries. Vegetables are primarily from local vendors.”

Peter Colman of Blue Hill enjoys a pint of That Guy Rye at DeepWater Brewing Co. in Blue Hill.
PHOTO BY JENNIFER OSBORN

The menu items include a portobello mushroom burger, ribs, Bourbon steak tips and fish and chips.

But, the most popular dish, for locals anyway, is the fish curry.

LeBreton didn’t think it would sell and argued against adding the fish curry to the menu, but Hikade held forth and the dish was and is a hit.

Fish curry includes a haddock fillet marinated in a Thai red curry broth with basil, lemongrass, ginger, scallions and cashews served over rice.

Vegetable curry is available. Thursdays are oyster nights. Mussels are also on the menu.

A hanger steak with coleslaw and a loaded baked potato are among the pub’s heartier dishes. Appetizers vary from onions rings to locally harvested oysters.
DEEPWATER BREWING CO. PHOTO

But, before tucking into a meal, take a hike.

One option starts behind the Blue Hill post office at 104 Main St. (next to EBS). This is a one-mile trail that connects the downtown to the beginning of the Blue Hill Mountain’s Osgood Trailhead on the Mountain Road.

Maybe you want to turn around after you’ve walked a mile or perhaps you’ll want to keep going up Blue Hill Mountain itself.

You can stay on the Osgood Trail, which is about a mile to the summit. The Blue Hill Heritage Trust estimates the Osgood hike is about 35 to 45 minutes each way, so be sure you’re wearing sturdy footwear and have packed water.

Osgood is described as an easy to moderate hike, mostly through woods with loose rock, exposed roots, some ledge and several sets of stone stairs.

If that sounds like too much, try the trust’s half-mile hike, which starts on Parker Point Road and winds through the woods to South Street.

The Parker Point Road trailhead is located at the old town fountain, about a third of a mile from the Blue Hill Public Library, which straddles the corner of Parker Point Road and Main Street.

There is a shoulder near the fountain to park your vehicle.

The trust says the trail cuts through a mixed wood forest occupying the gently sloping landscape and crosses several intermittent streams.

Please stay on the trail as it traverses several private properties, which have conservation easements.

You’ll come out near Mainescape Nursery & Garden Shop. You should stop to smell the flowers, peruse the perennials and check out the gift shop. Mainescape sells cookies, brownies, lemon bars and coffee if you need fortification for the half-mile trek back to your car.

All that walking and navigating probably has you ready for a beer and pub food.

Extra bonus points if you leave your car where it is and walk to DeepWater Brewing Co. Just walk to the library, hang a left on Main Street, and DeepWater will be on your right just a block or so up the street.

Make time to hit shops downtown: Three Wishes, MAE, SaraSara’s, The Meadow of Blue Hill, Blossom Studio, Handworks Gallery, Boyce’s Boutiques, Fairwinds Florist, Blue Hill Books, the Blue Hill Wine Shop, Bears ‘n’ Me Gifts and Cynthia Winings Gallery.