Windward House B&B is accepting advanced reservations for the 2012 High Season! Midcoast Maine, and Camden are popular summer and fall foliage destinations. Many of our return guests and those familiar with the coast make their reservations for their favorite time of year now. We have already gotten calls from folks who have had to select multiple dates because their first choice was already reserved. Camden Maine is a very popular destination for national and international vacationers, honeymooning couples and for the many destination weddings. Because it’s a small town that means that if you are planning on a visit, you should book your room now.

Because wedding parties tend to reserve the guest accommodations in the village area within walking distance, it’s a good idea to reserve a room at the Windward House well in advance of your stay.

When Is It Busiest?

While guest visits can increase last-minute in the shoulder seasons due to fine weather, it is typically busiest from late June to around mid October. Most Day Sailors the Schooners in Camden that take guests out for 2 hour tours of Penobscot Bay, such as Surprise and Olad typically run tours from May to mid October. There are many events during the summer including concerts, antique shows, car shows, and traditional holiday celebrations. Also the original Maine Windjammer Cruises with 3, 4 or 6 day cruises of Penobscot Bay.

Many of our guests come to escape the summer heat. Temperate days and cool nights and fresh air are reason enough for many people to visit Camden Maine. But there are many others….

Is Fall Foliage Touring Is Popular In Maine?

Looking to come and check out the colors of fall foliage in Maine? Coastal Maine in general, and Camden in particular with its copious wooded hillsides and sloping mountains full of sugar maples, elms, birches and oaks puts on a fantastic fall display. Its a great time for flowers in cottage gardens, farm stands selling harvest time produce, apples and pumpkins and a quilted pattern of golds reds and browns reflected in sparkling pristine lakes and the rocky promontories of the coast. A very popular Maine fall foliage tour is around Lake Megunticook and atop Mount Battie.

When do the leaves turn in Maine?

Typically the end of September and the beginning of October, but because trees are organic living things that respond to rain and sun and the length of winter, the date that the leaves change is different every year and can vary wildly. However, you should not let that stop you from making a reservation because if you wait, you may not get the dates and room you want.

Are you a fan of fresh local and organic fare?

If you enjoy discovering great local food, Maine is the place to visit. Maine is a fantastic source of natural and organic food. Many passionate artisans have come to perfect the crafts of beer making, Maine wine making, distilling, and preparing the most amazing dishes with local lobster, fish, blueberries and organic produce from MOFGA certified growers. You will find small artisan cheese-makers, gourmet sausage, grass fed beef, fresh oysters and some of the best chefs in the world preparing them in a beautiful natural setting that complements the fresh wholesome food. Whether you are sitting on a picnic bench at a landing or at a white tablecloth restaurant or at a culinary school in a renovated barn -, there are many opportunities for gourmands foodies or if you prefer not to have a title, people interested in sharing great food and great conversation together in Maine.

Don’t wait for someone else to eat your lobster! Reserve your room today – what are you waiting for?

Nothing Beats Windward House Blend Coffee!

“I developed a fondness for Maine cooking,…and to the end of my days the simple foods…will seem to me more delicious than all the “specialties of the house” that can be produced by the world’s most famous chefs.” -Kenneth Roberts from Trending Into Maine, Grandma’s Kitchen

Our American Traditional Breakfast Menu features fresh local Maine ingredients and traditional comfort foods made from scratch. You can choose to sit alone or with others. Each morning the dining room is aglow with the morning sun and candlelight.  The only Bed and Breakfast in Camden that offers  you choices in the morning! Our Breakfast Menu Includes Our Standard Maine Fresh Offerings: Items with a (V) can be made Vegan, Items with a (G) can be made gluten free:

• Windward House Blend Fair Trade Shade Grown Organic Blend Coffee,
• Our menu breakfast starts with fresh fruit, and your choice of:
• (G)Buttermilk, (V,G)Blueberry, or (V,G)Orange Yogurt Pancakes
• (V)Windward House French Toast(V,G)Crisp Waffles
• Two Farm Fresh Cage Free Eggs Cooked to Order served with Toast, Wheat, Rye or White
• A selection of cold cereal or oatmeal.
• (V)Sticky rice with coconut milk, vanilla and cinnamon
• Green Breakfast Smoothie (Raw)
• All orders include crisp (V)bacon or grilled country sausage. We serve pure Maine organic maple syrup.We will do our best to accomodate any special requests.
• Beverages Choices Include: Orange, Cranberry, V-8 Juice, Windward House Blend Coffee and a selection of  hot tea.

In addition to these standard menu items we offer daily specials.

• Some past daily specials have included huevos rancheros, traditional eggs benedict, Windward Benedict (popovers, fresh hollandaise and poached eggs), (V,G)Blueberry Yogurt Waffles, Avocado & Aged Cheddar Omellettes, and many more items that feature fresh Maine ingredients.
• Gluten Free & vegetarian offerings available on request.
• Windward House now uses Moo Milk: Maine’s Own Organic Milk, Farm Fresh, Maine Produced, Maine Processed.

Moo Milk: High quality organic milk. Moo Milk is dedicated to keeping organic family farms across Maine in Business. www.moomilkco.com

Add to your room rental: Package includes 2 tickets to Lobster boat in Rockland Harbor ( a short drive from the Inn), 2 cooked lobsters, 2 side salads and bread & butter. $85.00 Wine and beer may be added.  This is a very popular package, book early to ensure a seat on the boat.  Package good until Sept 31, 2012.

The Liberal Cup Brewpub in Hallowel Maine, The Atlantic Brewing Company in Bar Harbor, Shag Rock Brewing at Amalfi’s in Rockland Maine, Marshall Wharf Brewery and Three Tides Restaurant in Belfast Maine, Andrew’s Brewing Company in Lincolnville Maine, Cellardoor Winery in Lincolnville Maine, Breakwater Vinyards in Owls Heada Maine, Oyster River Wine Growers in Warren Maine, Savage Oaks Vinyard and Winery in Union Maine, and Sweetgrass Farm Winery and Distillery in Union. Tour one or all – Midcoast Maine is a great place to visit, and Camden Maine and the Windward House B&B is a fantastic place to stay while you are enjoying all Coastal Maine has to offer.

Do A Little Reading First

Camden Maine has many bed and breakfasts, or “B&B”s and they run the gamut in home styles, from Queen Anne Victorian, Federal, Greek Revival, and others. They run the gamut in rates, although, generally, the closer to downtown and the more amenities, and in high season, the rates tend to be higher than places outside of town with few or no amenities. Also, with Bed and Breakfasts, the B&B hosts tend to be viewed as part of the experience. Here too you will find many different kinds of people hosting from couples, to retired folks, families, and business people. It makes a difference to the experience who you choose. Most B&B websites include a brief bio or story on the hosts that will give you a clue as to their hospitality aesthetic. Ask yourself: Will the host’s view of what’s important to a guest be the same as yours?

Are B&B’s A Good Lodging Value

A quick review of room rates at the various bed and breakfasts factoring in their proximity to the harbor and the type of breakfast they serve will show right away what a great lodging value a B&B in Camden Maine is over boutique hotels, hotels and motels in the area.

A great way to find the perfect fit for you is to check some information on the websites. What kind of breakfast do they serve? What are the owner’s or hosts’ story? What about location important?

Is Location Important?

Camden Maine is a destination, and so its shops and restaurants, the nearby Camden Hills State Park, its architecture and a harbor filled with historic schooners, as well as some of the most amazing private yachts that charter cruises out of Camden Maine that can be seen anywhere, are some of the things to experience when here. Naturally Maine lodging near the attractions of the town tend to be the most popular places to stay.

What’s The Difference Between A Maine B&B, A Maine Hotel, and a Weekly Rental?

Since the convention of a Bed & Breakfast is that it is in a personal home, if you are used to standardized hotel experience unless you are seeking a B&B specifically because it is different from a hotel or other lodging, you will be surprised by a bed and breakfast.

Is my Maine lodging safe and legal?

With the downturn of the real estate market many house owners have been tempted to rent their homes to overnight guests.

Beware weekly rentals long term stays or efficiencies that hint they take overnight guests. These places are more than likely breaking the law when they take overnight guests. Weekly rentals do not have the same safety features and or rigors of inspections and state regulation as a licensed overnight lodging.

Windward Has a Great! Location

What Kind of Breakfast Can I Expect at a B&B in Camden Maine?

The breakfasts at B&Bs are another feature that experienced B&B guests look for. Almost all the B&B’s in Camden serve gourmet style single-choice breakfasts. The Windward House concentrates on serving local organic food prepared fresh. To the undiscerning eye it might appear to be ordinary, but both in its cost and taste this complimentary breakfast represents an extraordinary value. Windward House offers a menu breakfast with fresh fruit, gourmet fair trade shade grown freshly ground coffee, organic whole grain breads, organically fed free range eggs, and uncured naturally raised bacon along with daily specials and blueberries raised by a local land trust. While the breakfast is complimentary and comes free with your room, it wouldn’t be farfetched to claim that the Windward House breakfast is probably the most expensive breakfast served of any in town, – and it comes free with your room!

How About the Bed in a Bed and Breakfast?

Having stayed in many hotels, of many different qualities, I can personally attest to the fact that the bedding at the Windward House is world class. Most lodgings simply cannot afford to use the quality of the sheets or to lavish the time we spend on laundering and hand pressing. It’s a simple fact. And our reviews both in the guest books in the room, the comments by our guests as well as on sites such as TripAdvisor feature frequent raves from our guests who state something to the effect that they have enjoyed the best night’s sleep at Windward House. With high thread counts, meticulous selection of bedding, and applications, personal care to the laundering method as well as the hand pressing, it’s no surprise that our beds are hard to resist.

What is the Quality of Experience at a Maine Bed & Breakfast? – We’re Not Slick…

This brings me to the issue of quality of experience. Many places feature new but not particularly high quality furnishings or utilize excellent decorating in order to try and give their guests a good experience. We choose instead to focus on the things that touch our guests -, our personal interaction, – tending to their questions, plans, conversations, sharing with them their trip and ours through life. You will not find a manager or assistant or guest innsitter. It’s us – there for you. The bedding we described is a costly affair, but we think well worth the trouble, because we know that our guests come to enjoy a vacation away from the things that cause them stress. While it may not be apparent in a flashy website picture or staged video, or in the perfect matching of furnishings, nevertheless it is one of the ways that contribute to a memorable experience.

B&B Hosting As A Lifestyle

We believe in trying to be the change we want to see in the world – to borrow a phrase. That’s why we are an Environmental Leader in Hospitality. That’s why we serve fresh local and organic ingredients. Why we don’t use pesticides or herbicides or inorganic fertilizers. Why we contribute to local preservation, the library, and many local charitable causes in money and volunteer hours.

So when you see this old Greek Revival house on High Street, and think it looks like someone’s home – that’s because it is. And we are happy and proud to share it with you, not despite the fact that it isn’t new, or to borrow the term used to distinguish us from other lodgings, by a critic on TripAdvisor, it isn’t “slick”. Truth to tell, slick is about the last thing we’d want to be, and even though the guest meant it as a negative, we took it as a compliment -, and judging from their feedback the vast majority of our guests would view being slick as a negative thing. Our furnishings are not perfectly matched, the landscaping is done by us rather than a big outfit, we haven’t published a cook book or opened multiple locations. But our B&B is a great experience because of those things – not despite them. We’re just a small family trying to share a little bit of Camden with our guests. And our guests, even most who expected something else, have expressed to us that their visit to Camden was memorable and that they will return to the Windward House.

TYPE – BREW PUB
TOURS – BY APPOINTMENT
2 Pinchy Lane
Belfast, ME 04915
207-338-2700
Hours: Tues – Sat 4:00pm – Close (Sundays in the summer)
www.marshallwharf.com
www.3tides.com

Growlers available:
Big Twitch IPA
Cant Dog Imperial IPA
Deep Purple Rauchbier
Little Mayhem
Pemaquid Oyster Stout
Pinchy
Umlaut Kolsch
Wrecking Ball Baltic Porter

Marshall Wharf is the house brewery for Three Tides. Also on draft at:
The East Ender (Portland)
Finn’s Irish Pub (Ellsworth)
Frontier Cafe (Brunswick)
Great Lost Bear (Portland)
Hot Suppa! (Portland)
Local 188 (Portland)
McKays Public House (Bar Harbor)
Nocturnem (Bangor)
Nosh (Portland)
Novare Res (Portland)
Duckfat (Portland)
Primo (Rockland)
Sonny’s (Portland)
Thirsty Pig (Portland)
When Pigs Fly (Kittery)
Woodman’s (Orono)

DRINK MAINE BEER!
Black Angus 9.00% abv NEW! | Seasonal
Our Belgian Royal Stout, brewed with two yeasts. One German Ale Yeast, and a Belgian strong ale yeast. Dark, rich and sublime.
Cant Dog Imperial IPA 10.00% abv NEW!
This beer is the one beer that our brewers and I would take to that mythical deserted island if we could only bring one Marshall Wharf beer. Huge malt backbone matched with huge amounts of hops.
Deep Purple Rauchbier 6.20% abv NEW!
Smoke on the water! This Bamberg inspired smoked ale is bacon in a glass. Very polarizing beer, you either like the style and taste, or you never want to drink it again. Unique, brewed using German malts and Noble hops.
Pinchy 3.00% abv NEW!
Our newest beer. A Red Ale with plenty of flavor, just not packing the heat of some of our stronger beers. Drink it for breakfast, at lunch, or all day long.
Sexy Chaos 11.20% abv NEW! | Seasonal
We age Chaos Choas on vanilla beans and toasted oak chips to give the already sultry and complex Russian Imperial Stout a sexy twist. Very limited availablilty.
42 Cream Ale 7.20% abv nitro
Nother birthday, another beer for David. This light and smooth drinker packs a punch and goes down way too easy. Only brewed in July, enjoy it while it lasts!
Ace Hole Pale Ale 6.10% abv
Our newest regular member of the pale ale lineup. Hopped with Sorachi Ace and Citra hops.
Attenuator Doppelbock 9.00% abv | Seasonal
Dark, strong and malty. Brewed with our house ale yeast, this beer is a delight, sometimes served on nitrogen.
Big Twitch IPA 9.00% abv
Our 2nd place IPA. Only the Cant Dog is stonger, although arguments abound as to who is hoppier. A session IPA? NO! But you can try if you want. One of our personal favorites around the bar.
Bitty 5.80% abv | Seasonal
We took the Illegal Ale-ien and dropped the ABV to 6% then added a Belgian yeast to kick it into a different direction. Tart, light and refreshing, a one time brew.
Chaos Chaos Russian Imperial Stout 11.20% abv
Big dark and strong.
Cornholio 6.10% abv | Seasonal
Brewed originally for the Maine Cletic Celebration here in Belfast, this is a Welsh inspired Blonde Ale. We use a fair amount of corn in the mash and that along with the jagged, inlet lined coastline the locals in Wales refer to as ” holes ” inspired the name. Limited availability.
Danny McGovern’s Oatmeal Stout 6.10% abv
Our brewer’s signature stout. Smooth, dark and a little sweeter than the Sea Level Stout. Original recipe, brewed by him with the ingredients he wants in his stout.
Docktor Dunklesweizen 6.50% abv | Seasonal
Darker and stronger than the Weisse Grip. This beer has darker German wheat and is also carmalized in the kettle blending that flavor with the banana & cloves from our Munich style yeast.
Happy Dog Coffee Porter 9.10% abv
Green Tree Coffee used to be our neighbors, thankfully they are not far away now. We use their hand roasted coffee combined with the Wrecking Ball Baltic Porter to create this beer.
Illegal Ale-Ien 8.00% abv nitro
A hybrid kolsch/wheat beer brewed with organic blue agave nectar. Light in color and finish.
Little Max Red Ale 4.50% abv | Seasonal
The small beer brewed from the same grain as the Maxmillian as a sparged parti gyle beer. One time only, available in October of 2010.
Little Mayhem 5.00% abv nitro | Seasonal
This small stout is brewed from the same grains that we brew Chaos Chaos, our Russian Imperial Stout. All the malt flavor, without the 10 % abv. Served on nitrogen at the bar, and CO2 in growlers from the store.
Little Toot 4.70% abv | Seasonal
Brewed from the same grains as our T2-R9 barleywine, this beer has all the flavor of it’s big brother, without the kick. We dry hopped this batch pretty heavy, this drinks like a session APA/IPA @ under 5% abv.
MacFindlay Scotch Ale 8.00% abv | Seasonal
Brewed with peat smoked malt this strong Scotch Ale has a big malt presence. Recently blended with 2 year old bourbon barrel aged Macfindlay Scotch ale and bottled in 22 oz bottles for sale in our brewery store.
Marian 5.10% abv | Seasonal
Congratulations to Elizabeth and Jeff as they celebrate their first child, and our brewer’s first grandchild. Marian is a 100% Centenniel hopped dry pale ale that was brewed as a celebratory beer using ingredients from the countries of heritage of the parents. One time only. Available October of 2010.
Maxmillian Imperial Red Ale 10.00% abv | Seasonal
The second beer in the grandchild series. Our brewer’s German grandfather who influeneced him and sent him on his way to brewing beer, and eventually here @ Marshall Wharf. Thanks Grandpa Maxmillian! We brewed a small version at the same time Little Max.
Old No 58 8.00% abv | Seasonal
Congrats to Mary and Matt , wed on 7/16/2011 in Barbados. This is their wedding beer brewed by proud Papa, Dan McGovern. A dark, strong, and malty ale, this beer is a combination of both bride and groom’s heritage.
Pemaquid Oyster Stout 6.10% abv
Brewed every year for the Pemaquid Oyster Festival in Damariscotta, this riich, chocolatey brew benefits from having ten dozen live oysters involved in the beer….mmmm oysters.
Phil Brown Ale 6.00% abv nitro
Named for the one and only Phil Brown. Brewed for his 75th birthday in 2009 and on tap ever since. We use peat smoked malt in this beer for our own little spin and to honor Mr. Brown’s heritage. Thank you Phil!
Scott’s Scoville Chili Ale-Ien 8.50% abv | Seasonal
Brewed every fall when the jalapeno and habanero peppers are available. This hot version of our Illegal Ale-ien is only on draft for our Brewery Anniversary and then at Three Tides until the keg kicks.
Sea Level Stout 5.70% abv nitro
Traditional Irish, roasty, stout. Dark and tasty!
Sloppy Seconds 5.00% abv | Seasonal
Happy 2nd Anniversary Novare Res. Brewed using 2 Belgian yeasts. This beer was on tap in early Summer 2010. One keg left and it’ll be tapped for the 3rd year of Beer and Pemaquid Mussel Fest on October 16th @ Three Tides.
Snow Cone Pale Ale 4.50% abv | Seasonal
A green hopped or fresh hopped or wet hopped pale ale. 2010 brought us Chinook hops that we hung in the fermenter. Hops in the nose, hops in the beer….mmmmmmm hops!
Spicy Ace Hole 5.90% abv | Seasonal
We took a batch of our Ace Hole APA and dosed it up with some Belgian yeast adding a nice peppery spice to the Sorachi Ace and Citra hops. Very limited availability.
T2-R9 Barleywine 11.20% abv
Only brewed once, this big, bad, barleywine style ale is a monster. Complex malt and hops married together and still figuring out what they want to be when they grow up. Yum!
Toughcats IPA 7.00% abv
Brewed in collaboration with our favorite Fox Island musical trio The Toughcats, this single hop Palisade IPA is a smooth operator. Originally created for the 2011 Belfast Harborfest, popularity deemed another batch be made. Light and way too easy to drink, the apricot and peach attributes of the hop shine through in this delicious beer.
Tug Pale Ale 5.00% abv
Our classic pale ale. Named for the Tugboats that share our part of Belfast Harbor.
Umlaut Kolsch 4.20% abv | Seasonal
Classic German style beer. Everything in this beer is from Germany except the water. Light, crisp and refreshing. Spring, Summer and Fall only
Weisse Grip Hefeweizen 5.50% abv | Seasonal
We use a great Munich style Hefeweizen yeast for this beer. Bananas, clove and of course the yeast. Brewed in late Spring and Summer only.
Wet Dog 9.00% abv | Seasonal
20 pounds of fresh, wet, green Simcoe hops went into this 7bbl batch of Cant Dog. So grapefruity & tasty. On tap 9/20, around until 10/15. Only available @ Three Tides on tap.
Wiener 6.30% abv
This Vienna style ale is brewed using all German ingredients, including a lot of Wiener malt from our German malt supplier. Very smooth and easy to drink.
Wrecking Ball Baltic Porter 8.40% abv
Brewed with molasses this dark and strong beer makes fast work of WInter. Used as the base for our Happy Dog Coffee Porter

My favorite: Butter Crunch

Next stop – The Breakwater Lighthouse. The Breakwater is one of my favorite spots on the MidCoast. At low tide there is a little beach there that many scour for sea glass. I like it because the waters there are real working waters. In the summer you can see lobster boats rushing from buoy to buoy for their lobsters. The Breakwater is a nice granite walk out into the ocean and at the end is a lighthouse. Unfortunately, the lighthouse is never open when I get there, but that’s ok, the rocks in front are a great place to sit and relax.

I made the kids walk all the way before they could have their donuts. Walk is a 7/8ths of a mile (each way). They did a great job and really enjoyed their donuts.

Since I felt an urgency to continue enjoying the beautiful day, next stop with the family, Birch Point Beach.

Birch Point is definitely a hidden gem and I feel a little unsure if I should share it with the world. I first discovered this wonderful beach with the my son’s first grade class. The beach at low tide has a lot of tidal pools that small and big children can explore. This beach area in Owls Head has a sand beach, wonderful picnic tables, bathrooms and great views.

A great way to end our little staycation – near Birch Point Beach, Owls Head General Store for hamburgers, not just any hamburger, the best burger in Maine – per Food Network.

We sat outside on some picnic benches and enjoyed our food.

After a long day, we returned to Camden Maine and relaxed at our quiet, wonderful downtown property! I encourage you to come now to the Mid Coast of Maine. Some things are not open yet, but the things that are, WOW are they wonderful. I had a great day!

Hope to see you soon.

-Kristi