Carl’s Meat Market

This is one of the area’s oldest and best butcher shops, but they’ve always had a good craft beer area in the store and it keeps getting better. They stock some great beers, at pretty good prices, and they know a lot about both the beer and the meat they sell.

I stopped in here for the first time this past week on my way back from up North. The meat here must be pretty damn good because the parking lot was packed and the assembly line was about 20 deep at the counter when I walked in at 4ish on a Thursday afternoon. Small area off to the left side as you walk in the door dedicated to beer. Comprised of maybe 6 small shelves, but no macros to be found. Decent eclectic selection of brews some Maine and a few imports. I ended up with some SoMe stuff. Pricing seemed about average, service is what I expected from a butcher shop. I’d return if in the area but I wouldn’t make a special trip for it.

After years and years of being a customer of this fine establishment, I decided it really was time to rate it. Let me say that this is a butcher shop first, beer store second. However, the owner/ deli manager is a beer geek himself and the 250- 275 bottles or so that he stocks are all high end craft. Mikkeller, To ØI, Brew Dog, Evil Twin, De Proefbrouwerij, as well as local favorites like Maine Beer Co., Oxbow, Allagash and Baxter Brewing Co. He has told me that if I was looking for something special he could order it for me. They really know how to treat the repeat customers nicely. Since it is a deli you can stop in for anything you need for a cookout or get together. They also have a nice selection of sub’s, sandwiches and burgers if you are here around lunch time. So if you’re in the Kittery area it really is worth a look.