It may be done snowing…for now, but the chilly temps will be back this weekend. Fortunately, as we covered in last week’s edition, there are lots of options for staying warm on brewery patios across the state. Or, you can just crack open a cold one, plop down in a snowbank and chill. Jeezum crow, you’re a Maineah for chrissakes! You can take it! Or, you know, just pick up a growler or six-pack to enjoy at home by the fireplace, be it real or on your TV.
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
Blaze Brewing would like to introduce you to Sir Beefy, it’s about to get Wild at Allagash, Definitive is experiencing some Synergy, and everything is Spectacular over at Foundation.
Thursday, January 20
Blaze Brewing Company
28 Pearl St., Biddeford
Sir Beefy, Dry Irish Stout (5%)
Brewed with drinkability in mind, this ode to Blaze’s favorite employee is incredibly drinkable with plenty of flavor. Sir Beefy smells and tastes like freshly pulled espresso, fig, and dark rye bread. It’s a quaffable and excellent way to celebrate the end of a long day of shoveling or skiing.
Friday, January 21
Definitive Brewing Company
35 Industrial Way, Portland; 318 US Rte. 1, Kittery; and 8 Timberline Dr., Newry (Sunday River)
Sight Glass Synergy, Double Dry Hopped Double IPA (8.6%) and Euphoric Nights, Double Fruited Sour Ale (6.7%)
Sight Glass Synergy is a forthright 8.6% DDH DIPA that displays a wide variety of flavors thanks to the dry hop additions of HBC 1019, Citra, and Mosaic Cryo. This beer tastes like Fujian lychees, fresh berry smoothies, and soft resinous undertones.
This week is bringing us a double Euphoric Nights drop in 16-ounce cans. The first of the two is Blueberry Plum Cobbler. This version of Definitive’s 6.7% Double Fruited Sour Ale has been conditioned on heaps and heaps of fresh blueberries, plums, and graham crackers. The end result is a rich, decadent, and fully loaded dessert smoothie sour. This beer tastes just like its namesake, a true-to-form berry-plum cobbler with rich notes of graham cracker, cinnamon and pie crust.
The second Euphoric Nights drop of this week is Citrus Creamsicle. Rocking a 6.7% ABV backbone just like its smoothie sibling, this twin is very different. Conditioned on copious amounts of fresh blood orange, tangerine, and Bavarian cream, this beer has a soft mouthfeel, a bright citrus expression and is rounded out by a rich yet delicate taste of freshly frothed cream. It gives off strong vibes of your favorite frozen dessert on a popsicle stick.
All beers will be available Friday in Portland and Saturday at Kittery and Sunday River.
Fore River Brewing Co.
45 Huntress Ave., South Portland
Trailerhitch Imperial Red Ale (10.1%)
Your favorite red ale has a new friend! Fore River is turning their classic Timberhitch Maine Red Ale up a couple of notches, and introducing you to Trailerhitch Imperial Red Ale. All of the roasty toasty, malty, smooth, caramel goodness that has made Timberhitch a fan favorite all these years, in a 10.1% ABV dark amber brew that makes these mid-winter days much less dreary (and much more fun)!
Foundation Brewing Company
1 Industrial Way #5, Portland
Torte Spectacular, Milk Stout (6.5%)
This treat-yourself stout was inspired by a truly decadent dessert—chocolate raspberry torte. Cocoa, raspberry, and vanilla are layered atop a rich milk stout base. Every sip is sweet, silky, and sumptuous, and highly drinkable at 6.5% ABV. Torte Spectacular lands in the tasting room this Friday and heads to distro first thing next week.
Maine Beer Company
525 US-1, Freeport
Black Barn Program No. 29 IPA (6.5%)
Maine Beer Company’s Black Barn Program is a great way for their brewers to experiment with new hops and different hop combinations, and Black Barn Program No. 29 IPA is a great example. Using Strata, HBC 472, and Loral hops all known for their tropical aromas, and a malt base of Blue Ox Pale and Triticale (rye/wheat hybrid), this 6.5% IPA will be the perfect way to get through those cold winter days.
33 Railroad Ave, York, ME 03909
Dance the Night Away, Double New England IPA (8.0%)
Dance the Night Away is the double version of York Beach Beer Co.’s flagship New England IPA Dancing Madly Backwards. Dry hopped with Cashmere, Vic Secret and Citra, this is their biggest and juiciest beer they have brewed across both of their breweries.
Saturday, January 22
Allagash Brewing Co.
50 Industrial Way, Portland
Wild Beer Roundup, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Hold onto your britches, because Allagash has gone and put a twist on this year’s Wild Beer Roundup. Right at this very moment, they’re releasing dozens of the most beloved vintages of their wild and sour beers for pre-sale—before the event even takes place! Then you’ll want to mosey on over to the Roundup itself, because we’re talkin’ lots of wild beers on draft, not to mention special cask pours, and an entirely different list of additional wild beers available to sample and bring home that day.
Tuesday, January 25
Maine Beer Company
525 US-1, Freeport
Little Whaleboat IPA (6.5%)
Little Whaleboat IPA is named after the Little Whaleboat Islands, a cluster of three small islands and ledges in Casco Bay, that Maine Coast Heritage Trust successfully raised funds to purchase and conserve. Little Whaleboat IPA is meant to further support MCHT’s fundraising and to raise awareness for their work protecting Maine’s coast.
Little Whaleboat features Citra, Mosaic, Columbus, and Talus hops, and local Maine Malt House and Blue Ox Malthouse malted grains. The result is a light-bodied IPA with notes of tropical fruit (mango, pineapple), grapefruit, pine, and floral aromas of rose and chamomile.
New Releases
While Battery Steele is dedicated to Dreamers and Belleflower is full of Faeries, there are plenty of Punks over at Sebago. Meanwhile, Mast Landing is staring into the void, contemplating Cold Space.
Battery Steele Brewing
1 Industrial Way, Units 12 & 14, Portland
Vagabond Dreamer, Double IPA (7.2%)
Formally known as Onsight #7, Vagabond Dreamer starts with a simple grain bill of American 2 row barley, oats, wheat and combined with an unreasonable amount of Citra and Vic Secret in the kettle and dry hop. Expect a pillowy soft, saturated mouthfeel that carries notes of melon, stone fruits, ripe papaya, and red berries, and gives way to a resinous, deep citrus finish.
Baxter Brewing Co.
130 Mill St., Lewiston
Cacao!, Milk Stout (6%)
This dreamy, chocolate milk stout is sure to keep you cozy this winter. The crew at Baxter teamed up with Wilbur’s of Maine to find the perfect blend of chocolate, malt, and a bit of lactose sugar for this smooth, lightly sweet treat. And, you’ll be doing good by indulging since a portion of proceeds from sales of Cacao! will be donated to local food banks. Win win!
Belleflower Brewing
66 Cove St., Portland
Faerie Offering, Sour (4%)
This latest batch of Faerie Offering is brimming with fruit. Since its first release, the brewers have made minor tweaks to best showcase the flavor, and this version is bonkers! Pouring deep purple with a pale pink head, the aroma carries a berry medley with blackberry in the forefront. The first sip brings a jammy mix of blackberries, blueberries, and cherry. Faerie Offering finishes clean and refreshingly tart, leaving you wanting the next sip, and the next…
Lone Pine Brewing Company
219 Anderson St., Portland and 48 Sanford Dr., Gorham
Holy Donut Chocolate Covered Strawberry Imperial Stout (9%)
Brewed with donuts from Portland’s The Holy Donut and modeled after the donut of the same name, Holy Donut Chocolate Covered Strawberry Imperial Stout is dark, luscious, and brimming with flavors of cocoa nibs, melted chocolate, turbinado sugar, and sweet fruit.
Maine Mead Works
51 Washington Ave., Portland
HoneyMaker Hopped Mead (12.5%)
This unique blend of three hops melds seamlessly into a dry mead to create a delicious flavor profile that offers tropical notes and a hoppy finish. It’s perfect for beer drinkers who want a new experience.
Mast Landing Brewing Company
920 Main St., Westbrook and 200 Lower Main St., Freeport
Cold Space, Schwarzbier (5.3%)
This traditional dark lager merges crisp and refreshing drinkability with a roasty flavor profile. The malt bill builds a nuanced and enticing flavor profile that is perfect for icy weather while the cold fermentation process maintains the hallmark approachability that lagers have. Cold Space is dry and clean, with delicious notes of cocoa, dark caramel, and whole grain toast.
Rising Tide Brewing Company
103 Fox St., Portland
Watchroom, Oatmeal Pecan Stout (6.5%)
Big ups to Morgan, an ambassador in Rising Tide’s tasting room, for her pilot beer making it to the big time! She wanted to create a wintery stout that would be perfect for sipping by the fire and that’s just what this beer is. Big dark roasty notes, with chocolate, vanilla, nutmeg, a touch a cinnamon, and a nutty, roasty finish.
Sebago Brewing
Multiple locations
Whistle Punk, Double IPA (8.2%)
One of Sebago’s earliest forays into the tropical/citrus/juicy trend, Whistle Punk remains boldly aromatic without the bitterness and bite found in earlier DIPAs. Whistle Punk Fun Fact #1: When logging was still done with steam engines, it was the whistle punk’s job to sound a whistle as a signal to the yarder operator controlling the logs. Whistle Punk Fun Fact #2: During World War II, when the young men went to fight for their country, many women and young girls filled in as “punks.” Take THAT, Ashton Kutcher! Pick up Whistle Punk at stores and in the Sebago Brewing Tasting Room and brewpubs in 16 ounce 4-packs, on draft, and in growlers to go.
Maine Beer in the News
Maine Beer Company’s Wolfe’s Neck IPA was named a 2022 Good Food Award Winner in the beer category, Winterport Winery and Penobscot Bay Brewery is expanding, and Allagash is giving us a heads up on beer releases for the year so you can plan your drinking accordingly.
Four Maine companies win national 2022 Good Food Awards
Among the honorees is Maine Beer Co., of Freeport, for its Wolfe’s Neck IPA
New owners want to expand Winterport winery and brewery with food trucks and games
The longtime owners of a Winterport winery and brewery and accompanying tasting room have sold to a group of local investors, who plan to reinvest in the business and grow it.
Allagash Announces 2022 Release Calendar
Award-winning Allagash Brewing Company has announced a comprehensive beer release calendar for 2022.
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
