The state is continuing to cautiously re-open and we. are. here. for. it! Between soon being able to spend time indoors at many of our favorite drinking spots, maple-flavored beers in this week’s newsletter, and a taste of warmer weather, you might say we’ve got a “spring” in our step.
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
There are some tasty treats heading your way this week, our friends. Definitive Brewing is dropping an Imperial Pastry Sour that mimics the flavors of a passionfruit raspberry layer cake, Airline Brewing Company is pouring a White Stout (now green!) with coffee and chocolate notes, and Blaze Brewing Co. is hyping an IPA that boasts hints of Starburst (pink, to be precise).
Thursday, March 11
Blaze Brewing Co.
28 Pearl St., Biddeford
Jam Flow, IPA (7%) & The Narrows, Table Beer (3.8%)
Jam Flow is brewed with a wheat-heavy grist and then dry-hopped excessively with Amarillo and Mosaic. This combination yielded an incredibly juicy, bright, and soft beer. Jam Flow smells and tastes like fleshy orange, ripe mango, and pink Starburst.
The Narrows got its moniker from a shared name of an island in Camden and a lake near Blaze Brewing’s location in Dover-Foxcroft. It’s carefully brewed with wheat, oats, and barley. The Narrows smells and tastes like country bread, Earl Grey tea, and freshly toasted oats.
Friday, March 12
Ambition Brewing
295 Main St, Wilton
Donkey Witbier
After conditioning for the past year, this specialty Belgian Dark beer is finally ready to join Ambition Brewing’s tap lineup. Swing by and grab a pint, as well as some Mediterranean street food from the White Fox Taverna food truck, which will be at Ambition from 2-7 p.m.
Definitive Brewing Company
35 Industrial Way, Portland and 318 US Route 1, Kittery
Late Nite: Passionfruit Raspberry Layer Cake, Imperial Pastry Sour (8.1%)
Late Nite: Passionfruit Raspberry Layer Cake is Definitive’s fourth varietal in their Imperial Pastry Sour Series. This decadent, desserty beverage tastes and smells like piles of sponge cakes, raspberry drizzle, and the freshest passion fruit. Available Friday in Portland, Saturday in Kittery.
Fore River Brewing Company
35 Park Ave, South Portland
Idle Motion, IPA (6.2%)
Idle Motion is a single IPA brewed with Citra and Idaho 7 hops. Bold aromas of mangos, pineapples, and peaches are perfectly paired with the smooth and soft flavor profiles of citrus and black tea.
Maine Beer Company
525 US-1, Freeport
Black Barn Program No. 19 IPA
Maine Beer Company’s Black Barn Program is about being creative, learning, and challenging their team to brew the highest-quality beer. The beer goes through extensive lab testing and a robust sensory program in order to comply with their belief in quality over quantity. Black Barn Program No. 19 IPA features experimental hops HBC 630, HBC 692, as well as Talus hops.
Tuesday, March 16
Maine Beer Company
525 US-1, Freeport
Spring, IPA
Spring is Maine Beer Company’s take on an American IPA tailored for days when we start looking forward to warmer weather. It blends iconic American hops with new varietals. It features aromas of upfront citrus and dried apricot followed by pine and floral notes. Enjoy this beer fresh, but especially around the vernal equinox.
Release Date TBD
Airline Brewing Company
22 Mill Ln., Amherst & 173 Main St., Ellsworth
Irish Envy, White Stout (5.3%)
This handcrafted White Stout (turned green for St. Patrick’s Day) has a light body and moderate carbonation for easy drinking, with just enough coffee and chocolate notes to make this pleasant on the palate.
Foulmouthed Brewing
15 Ocean St., South Portland
Foulmouthed Brewing is canning Beer, a Pale Ale (5%); Electric Mechanical Bronco, a dark Lager brewed in collaboration with Arcadia National Bar (5.2%); and Yuzu Kosho Gose, a slightly spicy Gose with yuzu lemon and chili peppers (4.5%).
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New Releases
This week’s recent releases include a Double IPA named after an 80’s New Zealand band, another Double IPA named after a goose who doesn’t like to wear pants (but brings the thunder), and an Imperial Stout whose name promises to chill you out.
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Allagash Brewing Company
50 Industrial Way, Portland
Coolship Red, Lambic (6.2%)
This is Allagash’s 2021 vintage of their spontaneously fermented ale aged on raspberries, otherwise known as Coolship Red. They also have vintage bundles available only at the brewery, and at a special discount, which includes one bottle of Coolship Red 2020 and one bottle of Coolship Red 2021.
Battery Steele Brewing
1 Industrial Way, Units 12 & 14, Portland
Marsh Mello Vibes, Imperial Stout (8%)
Marsh Mello Vibes is brewed with marshmallows and graham crackers, then conditioned on chocolate and Ugandan vanilla beans. This rich and decadent Stout oozes with all the flavors you’d expect from your favorite campfire companion.
Bunker Brewing Co.
17 Westfield Street, Unit D, Portland
The Chills, Double IPA (8%)
Named after a jangle pop band formed in Dunedin, New Zealand, in 1980, The Chills is a Double IPA brewed with a simple malt bill of 2-row & oats, then packed with Nelson, Rakau, and Moutere goodness.
Foundation Brewing Company
1 Industrial Way #5, Portland
Raspberry’s My Jam, Tart Fruit Ale (5%)
Raspberry’s My Jam is brewed with milk sugar and loaded to the brim with bright, juicy raspberries.
Liquid Riot Brewing Company
250 Commercial St., Portland
Timelapse, Barrel-aged Barleywine Ale (12.5%)
Timelapse was brewed in collaboration with Oxbow Brewing Company and aged for one year in a Cognac barrel.
Lone Pine Brewing
219 Anderson St., Portland & 48 Sanford Dr., Gorham
Imperial Maple Sunday, Imperial Brown Ale (8.5%)
Imperial Maple Sunday was brewed with locally harvested maple syrup from Merrifield Farm in Gorham.
Maine Beer Company
525 US-1, Freeport
Zoe, Red Ale (7.2%)
The complex malt bill delivers notes of dark raisin, chocolate, and biscuit. Copious additions of American hops yield notes of pine and citrus.
Mast Landing Brewing Company
920 Main St., Westbrook
Pantless Thunder Goose, Double IPA (8.3%)
A goose is on the loose. This bold, inviting character crops up from time to time to wow us with punchy tropical flavors and a juicy, full body with soft notes of mango, peach, and more luscious fruits. Pantless Thunder Goose is brewed with El Dorado, Topaz, and Mosaic.
Nonesuch River Brewing
201 Gorham Road, Scarborough
Maple Cream Ale, (5.2%) & Pink Boots Double IPA (8.1%)
Maple Cream Ale is a collaboration with Sap Hound Maple Company out of Brownfield. It’s smooth and malty with nice maple notes and is coming out just in time for Maine Maple Sunday on March 28. Maple Cream Ale pairs well with mild cheeses, burgers, and chicken & waffles.
Pink Boots Double IPA is smooth and tropical with a peach finish. One dollar from every pour goes to the Pink Boots Society Maine Chapter for their PBS scholarship fund, which assists women beer professionals in advancing their careers through education.
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%)
- Stowaway IPA (6.9%)
- Couple More Miles, IPA (5.9%)
- WP-6, IPA (5.7%)
- Coffee Dunkel, Lager (6%)
- Pink Fruits for Pink Boots, IPA (6.9%)
Lone Pine Brewing
219 Anderson St., Portland
- Tessellation, Double IPA (8.1%)
- Portland Pale Ale (5.2%)
- World’s Best Boss, Stout (7.7%)
- Oh-J, Double IPA (8.1%)
- Holy Donut Dark Chocolate Toasted Coconut, Imperial Stout (10.5%)
- Time and Temp, Lager (4.8%)
Norway Brewing Company
237 Main St., Norway
- Left Turn, Pale Ale (5.3%)
- Maine State of Mind, Pilsner (4.5%)
- Impersonator, Pilsner (5.9%)
- Rye’d & Terpy, IPA (6.3%)
- Inglorious Bastard, Farmhouse Ale (6%)
- Little Berry, Farmhouse Ale (7.5%)
Maine Beer in the News
A celebration of women in the brewing industry, bars in Maine get ready to re-open, and several great ways to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day are all in this week’s roundup of Maine beer news. Also, congratulations to Geary Brewing for receiving “Best Management Practices Classification” from the Portland Water District. This means they’re employing what is considered to be the best methods to manage and minimize excessive, troublesome discharges to the local wastewater treatment facilities.
Women take over Gardiner brewery for Pink Boots Collaboration Brew Day
The event, celebrated in conjunction with International Women’s Day, is aimed at raising the profile of women in the beer industry.
Maine bar owners cautious about reopening after a year of closure
The state announced Friday that bars and tasting rooms can reopen at the end of this month, although capacity will still be limited.
Bar Guide: Why limit yourself to Guinness on St. Patrick’s Day?
Portland bartenders are whipping up cocktails with Irish spirits and green ingredients to mark the occasion.
Have a socially distant St. Patrick’s Day with these activities
A virtual parade, live-streamed Irish music, online Irish cooking lessons, and corned beef to go can all be part of Mainers’ safe St. Patrick’s Day this year. But there are options for going out too.
Lone Pine Brewing Company Launches Lone Pine Craft Seltzer in Mixed 12 Packs
Lone Pine Brewing Company this week will debut its new line of hard seltzers, Lone Pine Craft Seltzer, in mixed 12 packs.
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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