HDNet television show Drinking Made Easy has been in Portland, Maine, over the past couple of days to film for their upcoming season.

Fans of the show are familiar with Zane Lamprey, co-host, who along with his drinking companion Steve visit various drinking establishments and restaurants across the country in sort of a road trip style approach, experiencing a variety of special drinks, local customs, and just have a heck of time doing what we all wish we could get paid to do for a living, drink and have a good time.

In following the crew, we understand they filmed at some well-known bars and restaurants, and even took in a brewery…..it is an educational show after all, right? This Thursday and Friday they made appearances at local favorite, The Great Lost Bear, which coupled with it’s 69 beers on tap and great atmosphere will represent Portland well on the show set to air this season. We will keep our eyes open here at ILovePortlandMaine.com on the Drinking Made Easy episode guide as to when the Portland, Maine episode will air.

Keeping a close eye on Twitter and Facebook, we discovered that filming also took place at Allagash Brewing Company, where they likely took a brewery tour of the facility and perhaps “sampled” Allagash Curieux that is aged in aged in bourbon barrels. Man, I think I need a beer now. After the trip to Allagash, Zane Lamprey and the crew visited Sonny’s on Exchange Street, Vignola on Dana Street, and Grace on Chestnut Street.

While I can understand making the visit to Allagash Brewery for the show, and stopping at Grace due to the character, charm, and fascination with drinking in a renovated and restored former church, I wonder about the details of the filming at Vignola. Don’t get me wrong, and my apologies to those employees, owners, and patrons of Vignola, but I pictured from my knowledge of the show that Drinking Made Easy would have preferred and made for better television a visit to Novare Res, Gritty’s, or Three Dollar Dewey’s….all great establishments, well-frequented by the locals who appreciate their beer, and would be your typical followers of the show.

Either way, we greatly appreciate Zane’s visit to Portland, Maine, and look forward to viewing the episode when it airs later this year. We’ll keep you posted. Until then, have a nice cold one to cool off this summer, it appears it will be a warm one again in Portland.

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