We hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving, even if it looked a little different this year. We’re sorry we missed you last week, but we were too busy frantically baking pies and putting the finishing touches on our own Thanksgiving feast, which included a few cans of Allagash Brewing’s North Sky Stout, mmm.
Now that the leftovers have been polished off, you should have room for all the new beers hitting taprooms and stores this week, including plenty of belly-filling Stouts.
A few Christmas beers are also making appearances as we ease into December. We’d say these are perfect to savor while trimming the tree, but everyone we know already has theirs up. Instead, we recommend cracking some open to enjoy while watching “Elf” on repeat and debating whether maple syrup on spaghetti is secretly genius.
Here’s this week’s guide to the latest beer releases, rundowns of what’s on tap, upcoming brewery events, and a roundup of Maine beer news.
Beer This Week is Sponsored by: Tigpro Stainless Fabrication
Tigpro specializes in the design, fabrication, and installation of high-quality, custom-built brewing systems, tanks, process piping, and supporting equipment to the brewing industry. With more than a decade of experience, the Tigpro team can design a brewing system to meet your brewery’s unique needs.
Upcoming Releases & Events
This week’s releases have something for everybody, from DIPA fans to passionate Sour advocates to folks like us who think what beer these days really needs is more crushed gingerbread cookies. We’ve also got a pair of craft fairs to tell you about so you can shop small and support local artisans (while also enjoying beer, of course).
Thursday, December 3
Allagash Brewing Company
50 Industrial Way, Portland
Stomping Grounds Artisan Showcase
Allagash is celebrating local artisans through their fourth annual Stomping Grounds event, hosted virtually this year. They’ve worked with local vendors to curate an online marketplace of goods from local, BIPOC, and women-owned businesses. The marketplace event kicks off with a virtual launch event tonight from 6 to 7:15 p.m. All attendees will get the first chance to shop from a variety of local artisans before it becomes available to the public online. Better yet, they’re offering free, carbon-neutral shipping on all orders placed during the event.
Goodfire Brewing
219 Anderson St., Portland
Mood, DIPA (7.7%) & Moon Jellies, Sour (7%)
Mood was brewed with Rakau and Citra, and features Idaho Gem; a new, wild hop originally discovered in Parma, Idaho, and with a large portion of Vienna, Wheat, and Flaked Oats, yielding a substantial body that really pushes the aromatics and hops flavor on this Double IPA. Mood is, first and foremost, a meeting of three distinct hop terroirs, but it also asserts itself through some lovely, unified malt character and an extra pale/opaque appearance.
Moon Jellies is a quenching, jammy Sour featuring raspberry, passion fruit, and an extra dose of freeze-dried raspberries. Built on a rich base of Maris Otter and Wheat, Moon Jellies presents with a fair amount of residual sweetness, countered by the bright acidity of passion fruit. Raspberry is added throughout fermentation, yielding a zippy, drinkable sour with a lot of oomph.
Both releases hit the store today at 6 p.m. for preorders with pickups available Friday, starting at 11 a.m.
Nonesuch River Brewing
201 Gorham Rd., Scarborough
Santa’s Reinbeer, Brown Ale (5.2%) & Imperial Stout (8%)
Santa’s Reinbeer is a deep amber-colored beer flavored with whole cloves, ginger, orange peel, and cinnamon sticks. It tastes like Christmas in a pint glass. This is a limited release and only available on draft or to go in growlers. Imperial Stout will also be available on tap. It’s rich and dark and tastes like deeply roasted malts.
Friday, December 4
Definitive Brewing Company
35 Industrial Way, Portland and 318 US Route 1, Kittery
Euphoric Nights: Double Triple Berry Pie Sour (6.7%)
For this variant of their double fruited Sour series, Definitive Brewing took their already flavorful Late Nite: Triple Berry Pie and doubled down on all fruits and adjuncts! This smoothie-like beer is loaded with heaping amounts of blueberry, blackberry, raspberry, Korintje cinnamon, and Mexican vanilla. It’s like pie filling that you can drink! Crowler pickups will be Friday in Portland and Saturday in Kittery, with the draught release on Friday in Portland.
SoMe Brewing Company
1 York St., #3, York
Gingerbread Whoopie, Milk Stout & LMNO IPA (7.2%)
A seasonal twist on their classic Maine Milk Stout, Gingerbread Whoopie uses gingerbread cookies in the mash and molasses, lactose, and spices in the boil. This sweet Stout is perfect for those that also want to drink their dessert!
LMNO IPA is an American IPA featuring Golden Promise malt and 25% flaked oats with 100% El Dorado hops. Notes of candy, fruity pebbles, and lemon are present in the nose and taste. Bam!
Saturday, December 5
Fogtown Brewing Company
25 Pine St., Ellsworth
Winter Marketplace
The marketplace will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. featuring local artists, glass blowing demonstrations, woodfired pizza, mulled house-made wine, and, of course, beer!
New Releases
Time to pull out your best stretchy pants, because these recent releases are all about the Stouts, especially at Foundation Brewing, where they’ve conjured up THREE new Imperial Milk Stouts. If your tum is craving something a little less filling, never fear, there are plenty of IPAs for you to try, as well as Sours and even a Cider!
Airline Brewing Company
173 Maine St., Ellsworth & 22 Mill Ln., Amherst
Peanut Butter Stout (5.2%)
Peanut Butter Stout is on tap this week at the Pub in Ellsworth and Brewery in Amherst and will be hitting stores across the state starting on Friday. This sweet, light-bodied Milk Stout has a blast of peanut butter and chocolate flavors and pairs perfectly with dessert.
Austin Street Brewery
1 Industrial Way, #8, Portland & 115 Fox St., Portland
Short Story Long, Imperial Stout (9%)
Save room. It’s the only descriptor on the menu for Short Story Long, an Imperial Stout conditioned with cacao and vanilla. Both elements shine in this dangerously drinkable 9% package.
Battery Steele Brewing
1 Industrial Way Units 12 and 14, Portland
Ascent IPA (6.7%)
Ascent IPA six-packs are now available in the tasting room. This IPA pours a hazy, deep orange with aromas of grapefruit and pine. Hopped with Mosaic, Topaz, and Simcoe, the first sips lend way to notes of peach, pineapple, lychee, and citrus oils.
Fogtown Brewery
33 Cottage St., Bar Harbor
Maine Brewers’ Guild Collaboration Beer 2020, IPA (6.5%)
This beer represents a collaborative effort amongst brewers, hop vendors, and maltsters from one of the best beer communities in the world: Maine. While each participating brewery followed the same recipe to brew this IPA, each beer is unique.
Footbridge Brewery
25 Granary Way, Boothbay Harbor
All Lit Up, IPA
All Lit Up is a New England Style IPA that captures the essence of coastal Maine. With notes of apricot, tangerines, and pine wrapped in a warm smooth blanket of bitterness, this is the perfect beer for lighting up the long nights of winter!
Foundation Brewing Company
1 Industrial Way #5, Portland
After a year of aging in their cellar, Foundation Brewing has unleashed their newest barrel-aged beers. We have to admit, this lineup is giving us strong Harry Potter vibes…
Portal of Eros (10.3%) is an Imperial Milk Stout aged in port barrels. Flavors of chocolate-covered fruits and big Cabs make this a killer indulgence. Pair with a nice bleu cheese for the ultimate in after-dinner fanciness.
Curse Breaker (10.9%) is an Imperial Milk Stout aged in rum barrels. Notes of toasted coconut and vanilla harmonize with a subtle, soft oakiness from the barrels, all rounded out by a burnt sugar character.
Dark Omen (11%) is an Imperial Milk Stout aged in Buffalo Trace bourbon barrels. Picture your favorite chocolate truffle, all grown up and with a sense of adventure. Notes of sticky, dark caramel dance with a hint of cinnamon from the oak.
Chaos Elixir (11%) is a Barleywine aged in Weller bourbon barrels. This magical elixir starts out with big aromas of caramel apple. Flavors of coconut macaroon and honey-glazed pear lead into a vanilla and candy caramel finish that’s a real treat.
Gritty McDuff’s Brewing Company
396 Fore St., Portland; 187 Lower Main St., Freeport; & 86 Main St., Auburn
Christmas Ale, Extra Special Bitter (7%)
Gritty’s Christmas Ale has a lovely, dark red/amber color and a rich, full-bodied, malty taste with a slightly roasted undertone. It’s available on draft and on cask.
Island Dog Brewing
125 John Roberts Rd., Unit 15, South Portland
Angry Nun, Rye IPA (6%)
Angry Nun is back on tap and in cans to go. A uniquely smooth beer, Rye malt adds a distinctive spice note that complements the hops: Cascade, Columbus, Citra, and Southern Star.
Mast Landing Brewing Co.
920 Main St., Westbrook
All the Way Up, Fruited Sour Ale with Passion Fruit, Tangerine, and Lactose (4.8%)
All the Way Up showcases the height of fruit expression. Brewed with passion fruit, tangerine, and lactose, this Sour Ale features bold, juicy citrus notes and mellow tropical sweetness. Sourness is subtle and balanced in this beer, reminiscent of a crisp, tangy bite of fresh tangerine.
Moderation Brewing Company
103 Maine St., Brunswick
Zin Gin, Rosé Saison (8.4%) and Dang!, Kettle Sour (5%)
Zin Gin was rested on blackberries and aged in Zinfandel Gin barrels. Super deceptively drinkable fruit juice for the holidays. The Kettle Sour Dang! is back, this time with passionfruit. It features tons of tropical fruit and is crushably tart.
Ricker Hill
11 Ricker Hill Rd., Turner
Apple Pie, Cider (5%)
The folks at Ricker Hill asked their farm stand bakery for some help, and they offered up a spice blend too good to be true. The vanilla aroma beckons the nose while cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice dance across the tongue.
SoMe Brewing Company
1 York St., #3, York
Foghorn Robust Coffee Porter (7.2%)
This smooth-bodied Porter delivers just the right amount of local Anthony’s roasted coffee.
On Draft
Help support local breweries while sampling these flagship beers and rising stars. Here’s a taste of what you’ll be able to enjoy at select breweries this week.
Baxter Brewing Co.
120 Mill St., Lewiston
- Logger Road, Lager (3.9%)
- Couple More Miles, IPA (5.9%)
- Stowaway IPA (6.9%)
- Ted’s Red, Red IPA (6.5%)
- Wicked Phantom, Stout (9%)
Island Dog Brewing
125 John Roberts Rd., Unit 15, South Portland
- Toasted Dawg, Imperial Stout (10.8%)
- Blueberry Sour (4.8%)
- Sour IPA (6%)
- Black Forest, Chocolate Cherry Porter (5.2%)
- Winter Red, Spiced Red Ale (7%)
Lone Pine Brewing
219 Anderson St., Portland
- Pines of Wrath, IPA (7.2%)
- Brightside IPA (7.1%)
- Dance Macabre, Imperial Stout (13%)
- Home Team, IPA (4%)
- Seahorse Seashell Party, Pale Ale (5.1%)
Maine Beer in the News
It was a busy week in Maine beer news, with profiles on Fogtown Brewing and Freedom’s Edge Cider Co., as well as a rundown of the best Maine brews to drink when the temps dip.
Here is this week’s Maine beer news you need to know.
Q&A: Fogtown Brewing expands in Ellsworth and Bar Harbor, wins Downeast pitch-off
Fogtown Brewing Co. opened in January 2018 as Ellsworth’s first brewery. In one year, they doubled their space and production, added local music, and began plans to open a second tasting room in downtown Bar Harbor
The best Maine beers to drink this winter
Being a state that knows a thing or two about winter, Maine breweries offer up a wide array of cold-weather beers.
Freedom’s Edge Cider Co. aims for large-scale future firmly rooted in Albion
Co-owners Andrew Kaplan and Ned Ervin are building a facility to boost production, but want to emphasize their cider’s Kennebec County roots.
Why we’re celebrating Maine’s new climate action plan
Maine Beer Company is a small business that strives to serve as a model for how Maine’s business community can be part of the solution to climate change.
Nonprofit encourages people to make Maine home year-round, not just for holidays
‘Live and Work in Maine’ is partnering with breweries statewide for its third annual “Boomerang Campaign” by giving out free merchandise with to-go orders.
39 Maine Breweries Collaborate on Beer to Benefit State Brewers’ Guild
For the first time, Maine breweries are coming together as one brand to release the first Maine Brewers’ Guild Collaboration Beer to benefit the Maine Brewers’ Guild.
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 us to learn more.
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