A gose, oatmeal stout and hazy IPA from Well & Good Brewing in North Yarmouth. Photo by Ben Lisle

There are few symbols that tap into the national imagination like the humble log cabin – that expression of settler expansion westward and rugged self-sufficiency, both real and mythologized. In a more modern context, the log cabin evokes a nostalgic impulse for simplicity and departure from the alienating qualities of the contemporary world.

Well & Good Brewing Co. opened in July in a North Yarmouth log cabin – a distinctive setting that might seem kitschy if it didn’t work. You’ve got the rocking chairs on the front porch (missing only a bearded backwoodsman with a shotgun across his lap). There is the central rock chimney that anchors the interior, encircled by knotty, rustic beams. Native-inspired tapestries, a wagon wheel and an antique buzz-saw blade accent the warm and woody interior. It’s camp-y in its rusticity and campy in its exuberant simulation.

It’s also a quite pleasant place to have some beers. The drinking spaces are thoughtfully cultivated to different needs, with a semi-private loft upstairs, as well as a dedicated reading area and playroom for children. Adirondack chairs and picnic tables abound out back. Swings hang from the bows of a thick-trunked tree out front; its broad branches shade the porch from a setting sun.

With each beer sold, the brewery also makes a contribution to a local charity (50 cents for each pint or flight, 25 cents for half-pours). The current charities featured are Maine Boys to Men, a group that fosters the healthy development of boys around principles of non-violence and gender equity, and Finally Home, a senior dog rescue and retirement home.

That’s all well and good, but what about that beer? The lineup is thoughtfully balanced, featuring a range of styles (a hazy IPA, a double IPA, a gose, an oatmeal stout, a light lager and a hard ginger ale). All were enjoyable, with that oatmeal stout being particularly tasty.

DEWDROPPER

STYLE: Gose
ABV: 5.0%
NOTES: This is brewed with lavender, as well as lemon and orange zest. It is a crisp gold in color. Lemon and lavender aromas, with a suggestion of ginger, are followed by orange-leaning citrus flavor. It has a smooth, medium body, finishing with a touch of that gose salinity and tartness.

CHUCKABOO

STYLE: Oatmeal stout
ABV: 6.1%
NOTES: It pours a dark mahogany, with a big roasty coffee and chocolate nose. That chocolate really comes through from start to finish, atop a creamy body. A bit of bitterness balances it out in the end. This stalworth stout seems right at home in a log cabin brewery.

SAUCEBOX

STYLE: Hazy IPA
ABV: 6.7%
NOTES: This cloudy, dark gold IPA is brewed with Strata and Sabro hops. Strawberry, grapefruit and coconut aromas hit you on the first pass, followed by flavors of melon, pineapple and kiwi. This strawberry-forward, creamy-bodied beer has a lightly bitter finish, with a hint of mint.

Ben Lisle is an assistant professor of American Studies at Colby College. He lives among the breweries in Portland’s East Bayside, where he writes about cultural history, urban geography, and craft beer culture.