Hi, hi, hi sorry we missed you last week! Blame it on the weather, covid, Mercury being in retrograde, or just plain old winter malaise. But, the important thing is we’re BACK and with two weeks’ worth of tasty craft beers to catch you up on—perfect for your last-minute Valentine’s Day shopping.
Here’s this week’s guide to upcoming brewery events, the latest beer releases, and a roundup of Maine beer news.
Sponsored by: Tigpro Stainless Fabrication
Upcoming Releases & Events
The folks at Blaze are getting a little Toasted, it’s definitely NSFW over at Liquid Riot, Definitive may be channeling Duran Duran with their (Bass) Reflex, and Love and Passion are in the air over at Allagash and Foundation.
Thursday, February 10
Allagash Brewing Co.
50 Industrial Way, Portland
From Maine, With Love #13
Honeyberries. You know ‘em, you love ‘em. Wait, have you not heard of them? (It’s okay…we hadn’t either until recently.) They’re a blue, trumpet-shaped berry with a fascinating flavor profile that includes kiwi, blueberry, and cherry. Turns out honeyberries, also known as haskap berries, are also just about perfect to age beer upon. This is why Allagash used them—along with cherries—in From Maine, With Love 13, the latest entry in their series of small-batch, brewery-only pilot beers. The result is a flavorful cornucopia of fruitiness in a lightly tart wheat ale.
Blaze Brewing Company
28 Pearl St., Biddeford
Toasted, S’mores Porter (5.5% ) & Landrace, New England IPA (6.7%)
Toasted was brewed with a plethora of dark malts to create a beer full of cocoa flavor. Blaze brewers then added marshmallows, which created a liquid desert at a modest ABV. Toasted smells and tastes like s’mores you eat by a crackling fire while looking at the stars above. A truly fantastic campfire beer.
Landrace is brewed and dry hopped with excessive amounts of Citra and Simcoe hops. This IPA is incredibly tropical and juicy with an exceptional drinkability. Landrace smells and tastes like orange freeze pops, Mai Tais, and a long afternoon at a swim-up bar!
Foundation Brewing Company
1 Industrial Way #5, Portland
Jam Packed Passionberry, Imperial Sour Ale (8%)
Just in time for the holiday of luuuurve, it’s Jam Packed Passionberry! The newest in Foundation’s Imperial Sour Ale series, Jam Packed Passionberry is brewed with milk sugar and fermented with passionfruit, blackberries, peaches, and vanilla. Positively loaded with juicy, bright fruit and a kiss of silky sweet vanilla, this one’s sure to inspire some passionate fans.
Liquid Riot Bottling Company
250 Commercial St., Portland
NSFW, Triple IPA (10%)
NSFW is back, baby! This latest batch features Cashmere, Mosaic, Citra, Southern Cross, Amarillo, and Simcoe hops.
Friday, February 11
Definitive Brewing Company
35 Industrial Way, Portland; 318 US Rte. 1, Kittery; and 8 Timberline Dr., Newry (Sunday River)
Bass Reflex, Double Dry Hopped IPA (7%) & Robin, Stout (12%)
Bass Reflex is ready to bring the beats this weekend! This double dry hopped IPA brewed with Citra, Cascade, and El Dorado hops is a classic New England-style haze-boy, with hoppy flavors of grapefruit zest, tropical flora, and sweet watermelon.
Robin was inspired by Definitive co-founder Mike’s mother, Robin. The flavors of this 12% brew are reminiscent of her famous “awesome bars,” a 5-layer bar featuring graham crackers, coconut, chocolate chips, walnuts, and sweetened condensed milk.
Both beers will be available Friday in Portland, and Saturday at Kittery and Sunday River.
Fore River Brewing Co.
45 Huntress Ave., South Portland
Shady Cove Oyster Stout (7.4%)
Brewed with 75 pounds of fresh Maine oyster shells from Eventide Oyster Co., Shady Cove Oyster Stout is pillowy and light with notes of baker’s chocolate and rich roasted barley flavors that smoothly transition into gentle notes of woody tobacco, and finish with flavors reminiscent of a perfectly bone-dry espresso. Subtly sweet, delectably smooth, and surprisingly light.
Coming Soon
Kennebunkport Brewing Company
8 Western Ave., Kennebunk
Maine Brewers’ Guild Collaborative IPA V2 (5.7%)
Kennebunkport Brewing Company’s version of the Maine Brewers’ Guild Collaborative IPA V2 is medium-bodied with a soft mouthfeel and a subtle honey sweetness. The full spectrum of citrus fruits (grapefruit, lemon, orange, and lime) shine, with hints of ripe melon and mild rye spice lingering in the finish.
It will be available this weekend at Federal Jacks and should be at the Sea Dog “sister pubs” next week.
New Releases
It’s getting Hot at Fogtown, Allagash is in the mood for romance with My One & Only while Belleflower is all about the Heart, Bangor Beer is taking a Victory lap, and it’s time for Takeoff at Flight Deck.
Allagash Brewing Co.
50 Industrial Way, Portland
My One & Only, Sour Red Ale (5.5%)
A gift to share or give yourself, My One & Only is made for special moments. Allagash brewed this red ale and let it age and sour in a foudre—a large oak fermentor typically used in winemaking—before adding fresh, local raspberries, plums, and a plum-cherry hybrid called a pluerry. In this dry and balanced beer you’ll find notes of fresh berry, cherry, apple, pear, and subtle caramel from its grain bill.
Bangor Beer Co.
330 Bangor Mall Blvd., Bangor
Victory Formation, Munich Dunkel-style Lager (4.7%)
Victory Formation is brewed with Pilsner, dark and light Munich malts, and Mt. Hood hops. It’s malt-forward with notes of light chocolate and breadlines. It’s so easily drinkable, a light-bodied dark lager.
Belleflower Brewing
66 Cove St., Portland
Heart Trail Winter, Triple IPA (10%)
Heart Trail Winter has aromas of orange creamsicle, overripe stone fruits, and a hint of pine resin. The flavor brings waves of candied peach, papaya, and pineapple, ending with a sweet malt character and a touch of peppery spice from the addition of malted rye. Medium-heavy bodied with a creamy, luscious mouthfeel, Heart Trail Winter is one of the most intensely hoppy ales Belleflower has made to date. Dry hopped with Citra, Strata, and Amarillo this beer is surprisingly smooth and easy to drink. Sitting at a 10% ABV, this triple IPA is great for hibernating or that mid-winter hike.
Bigelow Brewing Co.
473 Bigelow Hill Rd., Skowhegan
Rowe Road Maple Porter (7.2%)
Rowe Road Maple Porter is a rich, dark ale made with Skowhegan maple syrup. This medium-bodied porter pours with a creamy head and aromas of maple and chocolate. After the yeast has done its job during fermentation, you are left with a maple flavor devoid of sweetness. It interplays with chocolate and vanilla bean that goes exceptionally well with the blend of roasted malts and 2 Row malt from Maine Malt House and Blue Ox Malthouse.
Bissell Brothers Brewing
38 Resurgam Place, Portland & 157 Elm St., Milo
Petite Puffin, American Pale Ale (4.9%)
Petite Puffin is a Bissell-fied take on collab partner Trillium Brewing Company’s Small Bird series of pale ales. And we’re not gonna lie, we have a soft spot for this adorable bird and will quaff any and all beers named in its honor.
Blaze Brewing Company
28 Pearl St., Biddeford
Sailor’s Delight, Amber Saison (5.2%) & Kölsch, Kölsch-style Ale (5.2%)
Sailor’s Delight is the first beer designed and brewed by Blaze’s brewer Mike. It’s a reflection on a darker saison that is both drinkable and full of complexity. Sailor’s Delight smells and tastes like black tea, lightly toasted brown bread, and honey covered walnuts. A perfect beer to watch the sunset with any time of year.
Kölsch is a crisp, drinkable, and classic Kölsch-style ale. ‘Nuff said.
Definitive Brewing Company
35 Industrial Way, Portland; 318 US Rte. 1, Kittery; and 8 Timberline Dr., Newry (Sunday River)
Vanilla Dome: Raspberry, Milkshake Double IPA (8%)
Definitive fans have been asking for this one for a while and got the brewers wondering, “Why haven’t we used our favorite fruit in one of our favorite beers?” Conditioned on hundreds of pounds of fresh raspberry and Mexican vanilla, this beer tastes like freshly baked raspberry scones, fruited tres leches cakes, and vibrant berry compote.
Flight Deck Brewing
11 Atlantic Ave., Brunswick
Maine Brewers’ Guild Collaboration IPA V2 (6%) & Takeoff Tripel, Belgian Tripel (9%)
Maine Brewers’ Guild Collaboration IPA V2 is a statewide collaboration in support of the Maine Brewers’ Guild, a nonprofit trade association representing Maine brewers. All participating breweries use the same hops and specialty malts but have the freedom to choose their base malts and the type of yeast, so all versions of this IPA are unique. Flight Deck’s version is a floral brew with notes of citrus and berry, and a light and crisp body.
Takeoff Tripel offers notes of candy and biscuits and pairs perfectly with getting snowed in, appropriate for the winter we’ve being having.
Fluvial Brewing
860 Maple Ridge Rd., Harrison
Maine Brewers’ Guild Collaboration IPA V2
No, you aren’t experiencing déjà vu. Fluvial Brewing is also releasing their version of Maine Brewers’ Guild Collaboration IPA V2, a statewide collaboration in support of the Maine Brewers’ Guild, a nonprofit trade association representing Maine brewers. All participating breweries use the same hops and specialty malts but have the freedom to choose their base malts and the type of yeast, so all versions of this IPA are unique.
Fogtown Brewing Company
25 Pine St., Ellsworth and 33 Cottage St., Bar Harbor
Thai Hot, Spiced Ale (4.7%)
This spiced ale is brewed on a base of Maine-grown wheat malt, then infused with lemongrass, lime, Thai basil, makrut lime peel, coconut, and Thai chilis. It’s the perfect brew to warm you up this winter.
Fore River Brewing Co.
45 Huntress Ave., South Portland
Citra Magnolia, Double IPA (7.6%)
Bite into a juicy, tropical fruit bowl with your first sip of Citra Magnolia. Brimming with aromas and flavors of ripe cantaloupe, pineapple, and citrusy freshness with a background hint of pine, this double IPA is Citra at its finest, through and through. It’s hazy and orange, with just the right fullness in the body.
Maine Beer Company
525 US Route 1, Freeport
King Titus, Porter (7.5%)
Back after a two-year hiatus, King Titus is named after one of the silverback gorillas studied by the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. The fund takes a multifaceted approach to their work protecting the gorillas through scientific research, conservation training, and community education and support. With aromas of toffee, dark chocolate, and tobacco, this porter fits right in with the roastier beers Maine Beer Company has been highlighting this winter.
Mast Landing Brewing Company
920 Main St., Westbrook and 200 Lower Main St., Freeport
Shake Up Your Bones, Double IPA (8%) & Firelight’s Aglow, West Coast Style IPA (7.8%)
Sometimes you gotta Shake things up. The luscious combination of Nelson, Simcoe, and Citra hops in this hazy double IPA is a rush. Shake Up Your Bones has big citrus notes and a balanced juiciness that could wake up a skeleton.
The warmth of a fire always brings clarity of mind and a pleasant calm. Firelight’s Aglow flickers along with balance and brightness. Chinook and Simcoe hops are featured for mellow citrus notes and a floral undertone.
Nonesuch River Brewing Company
201 Gorham Road, Scarborough
Oh Bee Hazy, New England IPA (7%) & Endless Summer, Kölsch-style Ale (5.2%)
Oh Bee Hazy (pronounced with an Austin Powers accent) is brewed with the finest English Pale Malt and a drop of honey. Eukonot and Idaho 7 hops do the heavy lifting while Crystal hops come in to steal the show. With aromas of tangerine and mandarin orange, this beer has a modern, yet classic feel. It’s dank, bright, and dipped in honey.
Endless Summer is smooth and full-bodied, yet light and refreshing. It’s a beer that is very much an ale but also moonlights as a lager. A slightly heavy hand in the whirlpool brings out ample notes of citrus from Nonesuch’s blend of traditional and non-traditional hops: Hallertau Mittlefruh, Wakatu, and Sterling.
Sebago Brewing
Multiple locations
Milk and Wookiees, Nitro Milk Stout (6.9%)
The first offering from Sebago packaging team member Brian Peat, Milk and Wookiees has been conditioned with French oak and sugar maple wood staves to give it a light woody taste and feel—but without the lengthy time required for traditional barrel aging. Milk and Wookiees has the smooth richness you would expect from a nitro stout, the light sweetness of a milk stout, and a light amount of wood tannins.
Milk and Wookiees is available at the Sebago Brewing brewpubs in Scarborough, Gorham, and Kennebunk, as well as the Tasting Room.
Maine Beer in the News
Turns out Maine’s beer biz is looking like it’s on the up and up again, the craft beer community is preparing to gather in person, and Maine’s first gluten-free brewery is ready to launch.
Tap Lines: Early worries about the pandemic-era beerscape in Maine allayed by study
There’s been plenty of tough times, but by spring of 2021 there was a ‘broad sense of optimism,’ according to a new study by UMaine economists and the Maine Brewers’ Guild.
Craft beer industry set to celebrate in person, no facial hair required
In Portland with her husband Nathan Sanborn, Heather Sanborn was honored as a Mainebiz Woman to Watch in 2015
Biddeford women launch Maine’s first dedicated gluten-free brewery
Out of the more than 150 craft breweries in Maine, only one can say it is 100% gluten-free.
We hope you enjoyed this edition of Maine Beer This Week! If you own a brewery or other beer business and would like to be featured in upcoming issues, please email or call us to learn more at beerthisweek@gmail.com (207) 209-2094
