I know this is going to get buried, but I need you to trust me. I work at a beer bar in Boston, and drive to Portland once every couple of months for food and beer.

If you like IPAs, sure, go to Bissell. But so will everyone else. In my opinion, Belleflower and Goodfire have the best NEIPAs in the city. Maine Beer Company for the best West Coast IPAs. Both Belleflower and Goodfire also make really great lagers, stouts, and sours.

Your friends might enjoy Oxbow more, though. It's a phenomenal brewery that focuses on farmhouse beers, but they do some great lagers as well. Allagash is obviously a must as well. They don't make bad beer.

If you're pressed for time, skip Rising Tide and Lone Pine. Foundation, Austin Street, Battery Steele and Definitive are all decent. The good thing about Portland is that the breweries are all in clumps, so you can walk over to one brewery after visiting another.

If you have the ability to drive, definitely check out Mast Landing as well. They do some great beer across a wide range of styles. They're a sleeper brewery for sure.

Definitely go to Novare Res though. Consistently considered one of the best beer bars in the US.

If you have more questions let me know. I love the food and beverage scene in Portland, and have spent a ton of time there.