According to that pesky groundhog, we still have several more weeks of winter to go. While we may be about a month from the start of meteorological spring, it certainly feels more spring-like these days. Maybe it’s due to the big batch of new releases we have to look forward to over the next few days.
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
Once again, this week heralds several new and returning IPAs. But we also get to sample an Irish Red Ale brewed in honor of a fallen firefighter, witness the return of the treasure hunt at Sunday River and Sugarloaf, indulge in a supper club, and moon gaze with the brew crew at Gneiss Brewing.
Thursday, February 25
Bissell Brothers Brewing
38 Resurgam Place, Portland
Outgrowth, Pilsner (5.6%)
A “New Zealand Pilsner” brewed with wheat and hopped assertively with New Zealand Pacifica and Motueka hops
Blaze Brewing Co.
28 Pearl St., Biddeford
Jammed Flow, Double IPA (8.5%) & Bayview, IPA (6.7%)
The big brother of Jam Flow, Jammed Flow was brewed with a wheat-heavy grist and then dry-hopped excessively with Amarillo, Mosaic, and Citra. This combination yielded an incredibly juicy and soft beer that goes down easy. Jammed Flow smells and tastes like pineapple, overripe orange, and sweet melon.
Bayview is brewed with a simple grist and then dry-hopped excessively with El Dorado and Mosaic hops. This combination along with a multi-step dry-hopping process has yielded an incredibly juicy and soft beer that smells and tastes like blueberry frozen yogurt, ruby red grapefruit, and Hawaiian Punch.
Corner Point Brewing Company
1 Rochester St., Berwick
Berwick’s Bravest, Irish Red Ale (5.4%)
Corner Point Brewing makes this beer each year to honor fallen Berwick Fire Department Captain Joel Barnes. Joel passed away fighting a fire in Berwick back on March 1, 2019. He sacrificed himself to save a fellow firefighter, shielding him from the flames. A portion of the proceeds will go to the Joel Barnes Memorial Fund.
Friday, February 26
Allagash Brewing Company
50 Industrial Way, Portland
Terration Vinha, Sour
Allagash aged a combination of spontaneously fermented Ale and Pinot Noir grape must, which is the unfermented juice of the grapes, in clay pots — historically used in winemaking. The clay vessels added minerality to the blended Ale’s array of lightly tart notes including apricot, vinous grape, red currant, and a hint of blackberry. Spontaneous fermentation adds complexity to the beer’s balanced flavor and helps it achieve its refreshingly dry finish. This is a brewery-only release.
Atlantic Brewing Company
52 Cottage St Bar Harbor
Cultivar, Raspberry Sour Ale (5.1%)
Cultivar is a raspberry kettle Sour, brewed with Simcoe hops a dry, tart brew with a crisp bite of raspberry.
Definitive Brewing Company
35 Industrial Way, Portland and 318 US Route 1, Kittery
The Entity, Triple IPA (10.1%)
This formidable Triple IPA checks in at a healthy 10.1% ABV and is brewed with Citra, Mosaic, Enigma, and Topaz hops. It tastes and smells like a tropical storm of guava, fruit salad, and fields of pineapple plants. You probably know the drill by now, but just in case, this releases on Friday in Portland and Saturday in Kittery.
Gneiss Brewing Company
94 Patterson Rd., Limerick
Into the Unknown, Wild Stout (6.5%) & Bier de Snowelle, Belgian Ale (8.9%)
Gneiss Brewing will be open from 3-9 p.m. on Friday and 1-9 p.m. on Saturday so visitors can see February’s Snow Moon light up their Biergarten. There will be three fire pits going Friday night, extra tables out, a special tap list featuring their newest beer, Into the Unknown, a barrel-aged Wild Stout, as well as Bier de Snowelle, an 8.9% Belgian Ale from their Earth’s Axis program.
Mast Landing Brewing Company
920 Main St., Westbrook
Oceans, IPA (6.5%)
Gazing into the waves of the massive Atlantic can bring a sense of possibility, serenity, or clarity — sometimes all at once. Mast Landing looked to the expansive scope of the IPA category and created a refined nod to what inspires them about it. Oceans is guided by dual tides of Citra and Strata, using a double dry hop to accentuate punchy notes of tropical and citrus fruit, with a subtle touch of bitterness to round things out. At 6.5% ABV, Oceans ebbs and flows with many of the hop-forward qualities we seek in a beer that can be enjoyed multiple times over. Relatable, yet intriguing all the same.
Saturday, February 27
To help promote their Finder NEIPA Mountain Editions, Shipyard Brewing has teamed up with Sugarloaf and Sunday River to create a fun contest by hiding a can full of treasure at each mountain. First up, Sunday River on February 27, then Sugarloaf on February 28. One treasure can will be hidden on each day.
Each Finder Hidden Treasure can will contain a variety of loot and swag, including $200 worth of gift cards, Sunday River/Sugarloaf merchandise, Shipyard T-shirts, swag, and more.
The treasure hunt is open to anyone on the mountains. Some clues will be revealed on Shipyard’s social media feeds over each weekend, so keep your eyes peeled.
Sunday, February 28
Fogtown Brewing Company
33 Cottage St., Bar Harbor
Fogtown Brewing’s menus are local, ingredient-focused, and paired with a selection of craft beer made at their brewery in Ellsworth. Their menu theme this week is Iberian, and gluten-free and other dietary restriction options are always available by request.
Monday, March 1
Maine Beer Company
525 US-1, Freeport
Second Dinner, Double IPA (8%)
Second Dinner, only the second DIPA brewed at Maine Beer Company, has notes of bright citrus, pineapple, and a strong fruit aroma. It utilizes Amarillo, Citra, HBC 522, and Idaho 7 hops. They’ll be releasing Second Dinner in bottles for curbside pickup and on draft in the tasting room.
Tuesday, March 2
Maine Beer Company
525 US-1, Freeport
Wolfe’s Neck, IPA (6.5%)
A gift to the people of Maine and its visitors, Wolfe’s Neck (the place) reminds us of the importance of protecting land for future generations to experience and enjoy. Featuring Mosaic, El Dorado, and Sabro hops, as well as Maine Malt House grains, Wolfe’s Neck (the beer) is a tropical fruit-forward IPA and quickly becoming one of our favorites.
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New Releases
St. Patrick’s Day feels like it’s arrived a bit early this year with the release of two Irish Red Ales from Banded Brewing and Marsh Island Brewing. If you prefer the darker stuff, we’ve also got two Imperial Stouts to drop deets on, as well as a Sour, a Double Pale Ale, and even a Schwarzbier.
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Banded Brewing Co.
32 Main St, Bldg. 13-W, Ste. 102, Biddeford & 82 Hanover St., Ste. 6, Portland
Mo Chara, Irish Red (5.5%)
Gaelic for “my friend,” Mo Chara is a balanced, easy-drinking Irish Red. Malt-forward with notes of caramel, brown sugar, bread, and dried apricots.
Bangor Beer Company
330 Bangor Mall Blvd., Bangor
Snowblind, West Coast IPA (7%)
This is a very traditional West Coast IPA. It has a hint of piney bitterness, as well as a great malt balance to even everything out.
Battery Steele Brewing
1 Industrial Way, Units 12 & 14, Portland
Kineo, IPA (6.5%)
Kineo is a crisp and crushable IPA brewed with pilsner malt and wheat. Hopped exclusively with varieties from Australia and New Zealand (Waimea, Motueka, and Vic Secret), this beer has a unique hop profile of dank citrus, pineapple, and passion fruit.
Foulmouthed Brewing
15 Ocean St, South Portland
Knightvillain Bier Noir, Schwarzbier (4.5%)
Knightvillain Bier Noir is a German-style beer that has the delicate chocolate and roast of a Stout, and the light-bodied crispness of a Lager.
Foundation Brewing Company
1 Industrial Way #5, Portland
Bringing the Heat, Double IPA (8.2%)
Foundation Brewing’s newest Double IPA was created in partnership with Landing Real Estate’s Hops for Heat fundraiser, with a portion of all proceeds going to the United Way’s Keep ME Warm home heating assistance program. Bringing the Heat is hopped with Idaho 7, Mosaic, and Vic Secret, and is bursting with flavors of stone fruit, mandarin, and melon.
Lone Pine Brewing
219 Anderson St., Portland & 48 Sanford Dr., Gorham
Grapefruit Sparkler, Sour
The newest member of the Sparkler series, this American Sour Ale offers pleasingly tart flavors of tropical fruit, grapefruit, expressive lactic funk, and a gentle lingering sourness. Light and low ABV, Grapefruit Sparkler drinks effortlessly.
Marsh Island Brewing
2 Main St., Orono
O’Doyle Irish Red Ale (5.3%)
O’Doyle Irish Red Ale is available in the tasting room this week and throughout Maine next week. Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day. Slainte!
Mast Landing Brewing Company
920 Main St., Westbrook
Strong Feelings, Imperial Stout (10%)
Strong Feelings is a bold tribute to the comforting flavors of coffee and dark beer with bold notes of espresso, cocoa, and dark fruit.
Sebago Brewing Co.
616 Main St., Gorham
Braap! Braap!, Golden Ale (5.4%)
This clean, refreshing beer has a mild honey sweetness and a smooth medium body. Sebago Brewing is donating $1 for every pint of Braap! Braap! sold throughout the month of February to support the Gorham SnoGoers Club. The club is made up of local volunteers who maintain more than 50 miles of trails, including the Cherry Hill Trails right next door to the Sebago brewery. Braap! Braap! is only available at the Tasting Room and Gorham brewpub.
Side by Each Brewing Co.
1110 Minot Ave., Auburn
Snow Daze Imperial Stout (8.9%)
Jet black, full-bodied, and roasty, Snow Daze will keep you warm on the coldest winter days. Available in half pours, full pours, growlettes, and growlers.
SoMe Brewing Company
1 York St., #3, York
Crystal Persuasion, Double Pale Ale (8.2%)
Crystal Persuasion delivers hints of sweet, bready malt and a lemon-citrus zing from the use of Crystal hops on the nose, leading into a smooth and dangerously drinkable body underneath.
XOTA Brewing Company
721 Main Street Waterboro
Tweek, Porter (6.4%) & Dolla Pils Y’all, Pilsner (5.5%)
XOTA Brewing recently welcomed Tweek and Dolla Pils Y’All to their can lineup. Tweek is a robust coffee Porter while Dolla Pils Y’All is a Pilsner that will hit home with all you crisp beer lovers.
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.
Island Dog Brewing
125 John Roberts Rd., Unit 15, South Portland
- A Beer Called Blue, Blueberry Wheat (4.8%)
- ClearCut, IPA (6%)
- Spicy & Smokey, Copper Ale (5%)
- Winter Red, Spiced Red Ale (7%)
- Tipsy Dawg, Belgian Strong (9.5%)
- Das Lager, Vienna Lager (5.5%)
Mast Landing Brewing Company
920 Main St., Westbrook
- Wavy Days, IPA (7%)
- Weekend Plans, IPA (6%)
- Rooftop, Kolsch (5.2%)
- Fresh Powder, IPA (6.9%)
- Big City Nights, Pale Ale (5.5%)
- Big Bright Lights, Imperial Stout (10.5%)
Rising Tide Brewing Company
103 Fox St., Portland
- Back Cove, Pilsner (5.1%)
- Ishmael, American Copper Ale (4.9%)
- Cow Island, Milk Stout (6%)
- Nikita, Rye Russian Imperial Stout (9.6%)
- Circumnavigator, Bock (6.7%)
- Daymark, American Pale Ale (5.5%)
Maine Beer in the News
Norway is in the news again, but this time it’s not for the ad that aired during “the big game” featuring Will Ferrell, Kenan Thompson, and Awkwafina. Also, Dogfish Head is “shaking” things up with canned cocktails, and booze-to-go could become a permanent fixture of Maine’s drinking culture.
Face Time: Charlie Melhus — The Norway (the country) native is making beer in Norway (Maine)
The Norway Brewing Company is offering outdoor service on its redesigned patio and beer garden, including a propane heater and insulated benches.
Dogfish Head Is Breaking into the Canned Cocktail Market
The famously off-centered craft brewery and distillery is mixing its spirits into ready-to-drink cocktails.
7 pandemic changes in Maine that are likely to stick around
One of the rules that was actually relaxed during the pandemic was one that barred restaurants from offering takeout alcohol alongside food orders.
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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