Are we actually staring down a weekend with no snow in the forecast? We forgot that was even a thing that could happen! Don’t worry though, snow lovers, looks like more is coming next week, so don’t pack up your shovels just yet. Personally, the only thing we look forward to in a forecast is new beer releases!
And on that note, 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
Things are in a Positive place at Bissell, while the Definitive crew is in a Spiral, Flight Deck is Breaking Barrier(s), while Fogtown is simply taking a Break.
Thursday, March 3
Allagash Brewing Company
50 Industrial Way, Portland, ME
Coolship Resurgam, Fermented Ale
Wildly flavorful, multilayered, funky, and oh-so-yummy, Coolship Resurgam is Allagash’s take on a blended, unfruited, spontaneously fermented ale. They are releasing 2017, 2018, and 2019 vintages in their tasting room and will also have Resurgam on tap for your onsite sipping pleasure.
Bissell Brothers Brewing
38 Resurgam Place, Portland & 157 Elm St., Milo
Assume Positive Intent, Double Dry Hopped Pale Ale (6%)
A pale ale accentuated with Maine-grown oat malt, Assume Positive Intent is hopped with a worldly blend of Sabro, Callista, and Southern Passion.
Liquid Riot Bottling Company
250 Commercial St., Portland
Monovision: Pacific Sunrise, IPA (6%)
Monovision is part of Liquid Riot’s single-hop IPA experimental series. This batch was brewed with a new hop (Pacific Sunrise) from New Zealand, 100% Maine-grown malt, and wheat.
Friday, March 4
Definitive Brewing Company
35 Industrial Way, Portland; 318 US Rte. 1, Kittery; and 8 Timberline Dr., Newry (Sunday River)
Spirals, Double IPA (8.2%); The Entity, Triple IPA (10.1%); & Portals (Strawberry & Marionberry), Fruited Sour (6.3%)
Featuring traditional Citra hops and Citra cryo hops, Spirals is a hazy powerhouse. It tastes and smells like lemon-lime meringue, yellow cantaloupes, and crushing the winter blues.
The Entity is being brewed back into existence for its release this weekend. This formidable Triple IPA is hopped with Citra, Mosaic, Enigma, and Topaz, checking in at a healthy 10.1% ABV. It tastes and smells like a tropical storm of guava, fruit salad, and fields of pineapple plants.
The folks at Definitive were able to get their hands on some fresh marionberry, which is known as “the cabernet of blackberries” thanks to its complex and juicy tasting notes. They conditioned their house sour ale alongside this fine fruit and some fresh strawberry to help balance out the tartness, and finished it off with Mexican vanilla to bring everything together. The result is Portals (Strawberry & Marionberry), a rich, juicy, and full-bodied tasting experience. It tastes like blackberry marmalade, strawberry coolers, and beach-side cocktails.
All three beers will be available Friday in Portland, and Saturday at Kittery and Sunday River.
Flight Deck Brewing
11 Atlantic Ave., Brunswick
Breaking The Sour Barrier, Sour
This version of Breaking The Sour Barrier is fruited with strawberries and papaya, and with a touch of lactose to balance the tartness.
Fogtown Brewing Company
25 Pine St., Ellsworth and 33 Cottage St., Bar Harbor
Night Nurse Sundae Break, Imperial Stout (8.5%)
This latest iteration of Night Nurse is a true imperial stout. It’s layered with flavors of flambéed banana, salted caramel ice cream, and classic warming spices like nutmeg, allspice, and cinnamon. Fair warning: this beer is as at least as decadent, rich, and heavy as a fully loaded banana split.
Saturday, March 4
York Beach Beer Company
33 Railroad Ave., York
Extra Long Weekend, Pale Ale (5.7%)
Enjoy an Extra Long Weekend at York Beach Beer Co. as part of their 3rd anniversary celebration. Extra Long Weekend takes their Long Weekend pale ale and pushes the pineapple to the extreme. Cans and draft will be available.
Wednesday, March 9
Maine Beer Company
525 US Route 1, Freeport
Black Barn Program No. 30, Scottish Ale
Maine Beer Company brewer Phil’s first brewing job was at a pub in Bridge of Allan, Scotland. Their core range of recipes were based on the traditional Scottish shilling system (60, 70, 80, or 90 shillings based on price per volume. The higher the ABV, the higher the price of the beer). This beer is based on the 90/- ale Phil brewed at that pub. Made primarily with traditional Scottish malt and yeast, it’s a strong, dark and malty ale. Of all the different ales Phil brewed in Scotland, he said the 90/- was his favorite because of its rich malt and subtle smoke.
New Releases
Banded is feeling Charmed, while Bangor Beer was Killed by Death (yup, that’ll do it). Meanwhile, Belleflower is channeling both The Sun and The Moon, Mast Landing is carving up Fresh Powder, and it’s all Good at Odd by Nature.
Banded Brewing Co.
32 Main St., Ste. 102, Biddeford and 82 Hanover St., Ste. 6, Portland
Charms & Hexes: Blood Orange + Hibiscus, Sour Ale (5.2%); Sorbet IPA: Grapefruit (6.8%); & Mo Chara, Irish Red Lager (5.5%)
Citrus plays so well with so many styles of beer, and we’re loving the contrast in its expression in these two very different brews. In Charms & Hexes, blood orange adds a little juicy sweetness to balance out this beer’s pleasant acidity. In Sorbet IPA, grapefruit complements the piney, pithy hop notes and cuts through its full-bodied character.
Mo Chara is Gaelic for “my friend” and, indeed, having it back in the tasting room feels almost as good as reconnecting with an old pal. Garnet-colored and light-bodied, this Irish red lager is supremely balanced with a solid-yet-subtle hop profile and a delightful array of malty notes. Super satisfying, yet light enough to have a few.
Bangor Beer Co.
330 Bangor Mall Blvd., Bangor
Barrel-Aged Killed by Death, Imperial Stout (10.5%)
Barrel-Aged Killed by Death has the same rich, malty flavors of bittersweet chocolate, coffee, and vanilla that you remember, but with even more depth added from aging in bourbon barrels for seven months. This makes for a deceptively smooth finished product.
Bath Brewing Company
141 Front St, Bath, ME
Komet Sutra, NEIPA (7%)
Now in cans – Komet Sutra! This orange-gold, hazy NE IPA is made with Comet, Citra, and Bravo hops and Kveik yeast. Komet Sutra is 7% ABV; fruity, pineapple-y and extremely refreshing and drinkable!
Belleflower Brewing
66 Cove St., Portland
The Sun, New England IPA (7%) & The Moon, New England IPA (7%)
There are two paths in the garden; each has its own risks and rewards. The Sun represents a time of happiness, joyous optimism, and wondrous energy. It is a gift, enjoy it. If you are lost, The Moon will be your guide, but beware the answer is shrouded in darkness and you are in danger of seeing what you want to see.
The Sun and The Moon share the same origin—the same base beer treated differently. The Sun is dry hopped with Northern Hemisphere favorites Idaho 7 and Strata. The Moon is dry hopped with Southern Hemisphere favorites Motueka and Nelson Sauvin.
The Sun begins with bright assorted citrus—notably blood orange leaning toward grapefruit—and lychee and papaya. The flavor carries pithy orange and light strawberry, and ends with a delightfully nutty malt character.
The Moon begins with aromatics of white grape juice, mixed berries, and fresh-cut flowers. The first sip is reminiscent of Riesling and juicy tangerine, and brings a drying minerality.
Which path will you choose? Use your intuition and listen for messages from the universe, or try both side by side.
Black Pug Brewery
30 Bath Rd., Brunswick
Café Brulot Stout (6.7%)
Café Brulot Stout is modeled after the flaming Mardi Gras cocktail. Steeped in lore, chicory coffee, warm spices, and citrus peel are the stars here, creating a stout worthy of a saint…or a sinner. Get you some, cher.
Maine Beer Company
525 US Route 1, Freeport
Wolfe’s Neck, IPA (6.5%)
Wolfe’s Neck, the 2022 Good Food Award-winning IPA, is back. Throughout its history, the Freeport, Maine, area known as Wolfe’s Neck has been a diverse ecosystem—including organic farmland, white pine and hemlock forests, and a salt marsh estuary.
A gift to the people of Maine and its visitors from the Smith family, Wolfe’s Neck reminds us of the importance of protecting land for future generations to experience and enjoy. Wolfe’s Neck, the beer, is named after this area and in honor of the Smith’s legacy and Maine Beer’s continued partnership with Wolfe’s Neck Center.
Mast Landing Brewing Company
920 Main St., Westbrook and 200 Lower Main St., Freeport
My Exact Style, Triple IPA (9.6%); Fresh Powder, DDH New England IPA (6.9%); & Ice Farmer, Helles Bock (6.5%)
This one turned heads with the first release, and now My Exact Style is back for batch two. If you love the extreme end of the juicy hazy spectrum, then this is the beer for you. The triple dry hopping pattern crisscrosses and overlaps, featuring Citra, El Dorado, Strata, and Idaho 7 hops.
Is there anything more exciting than the first tracks after a New England snowstorm? Fresh Powder captures soft, fluffy joy. A smooth, refreshing IPA for both the winter lovers and those who hunker down to enjoy.
Built for the winter, Ice Farmer thrives in the calm chills, creating beautiful harmony for a special time of year. Mast Landing’s first Helles bock is designed to capture the wonderfully satisfying bready lager qualities of the style, with a refined touch of sweetness to balance it out. This perfect cold-weather beer celebrates the exceptional joy that comes from embracing life in the winter months.
Nonesuch River Brewing Company
201 Gorham Rd., Scarborough
Heritage Wheat Ale (5.2%)
This American-style wheat ale is fashioned after its Bavarian cousin, the hefeweizen. It is fermented with a clean German ale strain, allowing its more delicate American hop character to shine through. Brewed with 50% wheat, this beer is full-bodied, with notes of fresh baked white bread and a touch of citrus.
Odd by Nature Brewing
1400 US-1, Cape Neddick
Pils Are Good, Pilsner (6.2%)
This pilsner has a crisp body, with a bit of delightful old world hops (Hallertauer Mittelfrueh and Loral), reminding us all that sometimes, “Pils Are Good.”
Sebago Brewing
Multiple locations
Landed in Brussels, Belgian-style Quadrupel (11%)
Landed in Brussels is the second release of the “When I Paint my Masterpiece” series. (Streets of Rome was the first.) With an ABV of 11%, this Belgian-style Quadrupel was aged for 10 months in port and bourbon barrels. Alex Upton is the brewer behind this bold ale, and he’s been looking forward to making a beer in this style for a long time. Landed in Brussels has the flavors and aromas of dark fruits and berries. The Belgian yeast and candy sugar give it a complex taste and smooth finish.
It’s currently available at the Sebago Brewing Tasting Room.
Maine Beer in the News
Summer beer festivals are coming your way, and breweries are cooking up more than the tasty beer.
As more breweries open their own kitchens, tasting rooms are getting tastier
To stay competitive and keep customers happy, more Maine breweries are offering full menus of food made in-house.
Two local breweries have announced upcoming festivals you’ll definitely want to put on your calendar now. Baxter Brewing Co. has announced that the 7th Annual Great Falls Brewfest will be held on Saturday, June 25, and Mast Landing’s Wavy Days Festival will take place July 21-24.
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 [email protected] (207) 209-2094