Spring has finally sprung and it’s getting more and more tolerable to spend time outside without the need to get up close and personal with an outdoor heating lamp. But if you prefer doing your spring drinking indoors, you’re in luck.
Starting tomorrow, bars and tasting rooms are allowed to re-open for indoor service. Of course, it’s up to every individual brewery to decide when they feel safe to re-open. However, we think reaching this milestone is definitely something worth celebrating. Cheers!
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 brings a slew of new releases for you to savor, including a Red Ale, Sour, Pilsner, Black IPA, and an Imperial Milk Stout stuffed full o’ cookies because obv you need to add cookies when encountering milk in any form. It is known.
Thursday, March 25
Bath Brewing Company
141 Front St., Bath
Grateful Red, Red Ale (5.6%)
What is there to be more grateful for than spring and a cold red ale?! Grateful Red is a refresh of Bath Brewing’s Irish Red Ale. It has a subtle caramel sweetness layered with a blend of American and English hops to give it subtle floral and earthy aromas. It’s the perfect beer to jam out with this spring!
Blaze Brewing Co.
28 Pearl St., Biddeford
Block Party, IPA (7%) & Blazing Love Cherry, Sour (7%)
Block Party is brewed with Sabro and Taiheke. While we may not be able to gather for a Block Party right now, this IPA celebrates those hot summer hangs with the people who know you the best. Block Party tastes like an Orange Julius with coconut on the rim. Juicy, refreshing, and delicious!
Blazing Love is part of the Pastry Sour collaboration with Branch and Blade Brewing. It’s conditioned on cherry, vanilla, cinnamon, and marshmallows and smells and tastes like cherry pie.
Foulmouthed Brewing
15 Ocean St., South Portland
Impure Thoughts, New England IPA (7.5%)
Originally a Saison with tropical flavors derived from hops as well a specific strain of Brettanomyces yeast, Impure Thoughts has been reimagined as a New England IPA that still boasts a delightful tropical fruit flavor, but smoother, juicier, and fuller-bodied.
In addition, Foulmouthed will also be releasing Dark and Foamy, an Amber Ale with ginger (6.8%), and Away Message Lager, an American Lager (5%).
Friday, March 26
Allagash Brewing Company
50 Industrial Way, Portland
Truepenny Pilsner (5.1%)
A true penny: one both trusty and honest. This Belgian-style Pilsner delivers on its promise of refreshment with a classic grain bill and noble hops. It distinguishes itself with a hint of wild beer, blended for balance. A beer that refreshes while it delights, a Truepenny.
Definitive Brewing Company
35 Industrial Way, Portland and 318 US Route 1, Kittery
Double Stuffed, Imperial Milk Stout (10.2%)
This Imperial Milk Stout brewed with chocolate sandwich cookies is an amplified version of Definitive Brewing’s popular stout Stuffed. As chocolatey and smooth as its predecessor, yet stuffed with even more cookies than ever before, this beer tastes like a river of chocolate milk, brownie batter, and extra cream filling! Available Friday in Portland, Saturday in Kittery.
Island Dog Brewing
125 John Roberts Rd., Unit 15, South Portland
None More Black, Black IPA (7%)
None More Black is a dark, strong hoppy beer, dry-hopped like an IPA with dark malty notes and a clean finish.
Maine Beer Company
525 US-1, Freeport
Dinner, Double IPA
Dinner is Maine Beer Company’s original Double India Pale Ale with notes of intense mango, passion fruit, and pineapple; undertones of garlic, onion, and pine; and sweet aromatics of malt and caramel. It features Citra, Falconer’s Flight, Mosaic, and Simcoe hops. It will be available in bottles for curbside pickup and on draft in the tasting room. Maine Beer Company is also partnering with the Center for Wildlife for an animal ambassadors visit from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Marsh Island Brewing
2 Main St., Orono
Reverse Märzen Party
It’s time for Marsh Island Brewing’s annual Oktoberfest spring party. They have one keg to tap and can’t wait to share it with you! 2 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Saturday, March 27
Lone Pine Brewing
219 Anderson St., Portland & 48 Sanford Dr., Gorham
FIDLAR, Double IPA (8.1%)
The newest edition of FIDLAR holds a deep gold coloration with a well-structured haziness and almost milky-like appearance. Aromas of grapefruit pith, mango, white melon, pepper, and peach give way to enticing flavors of tropical fruit, citrus rind, lemon peel, and a warming hop spiciness. Moderately soft on the palate with low-medium carbonation, FIDLAR finishes with a firm bitterness that will wake up your taste buds.
SoMe Brewing Company
1 York St., #3, York
Sugar What?, Imperial Ale (8%)
Brewed in celebration of sap season, Sugar What? is an imperial version of SoMe’s Agamenticus Amber Ale aged in bourbon barrels with maple syrup added.
Sunday, March 28
Waterman’s Beach Brewery
362 Waterman Beach Rd., South Thomaston
Pink Boots Collaboration Brew
Waterman’s Beach Brewery and The Pour Farm made a Pink Boots collab that will be released on Sunday. Waterman’s Beach Brewery also has a fourth version of their rotating hop Pale Ale coming out on Saturday which combines Sabro & Bru-1 hops for a super fruity, pina colada flavor.
New Releases
We’re sensing some spring fever as we have not one but two Triple IPAs to tell you about this week, along with the usual Double and Single IPAs. There’s also a Brown Ale, Belgian Pale Ale, and two Maple Ales that have our attention…
Banded Brewing Co.
32 Main St., Bldg. 13-W, Suite 102, Biddeford & 82 Hanover St, Suite 6, Portland
Triplets, Triple Dry Hopped IPA (7.7%)
Triplets is a Triple Dry Hopped IPA loaded with Citra, Mosaic, Idaho 7, and Simcoe hops with notes of mango, pineapple, papaya, and Jolly Rancher.
Fogtown Brewing Company
33 Cottage St., Bar Harbor
Cordwood, American Brown Ale (5.6%) & Bold Coast Double, IPA (7%)
Dry and refreshingly roasty, Cordwood has plenty of Maine-grown pale malt, brown, and biscuit malts. Complex and not too sweet.
Bold Coast Double is Fogtown Brewing’s flagship Maine Coast IPA turned up to eleven! Double dry-hopped with Ella, Mosaic, and Citra; and Maine-grown barley, oats, and wheat. Juice, hazy, and quite delicious!
Foundation Brewing Company
1 Industrial Way #5, Portland
Citrabot, New England Triple IPA (9.3%)
Back for the first time since January 2019, Citrabot has a whole new look. One thing that hasn’t changed? This beer is heavily hopped with Citra and Vic Secret, harnessing their full power for a sublimely hoppy experience at 9.3%.
Geary Brewing Co.
35 Evergreen Dr., Portland
Haze Trip IPA (5.5%)
Haze Trip IPA could be the libation you’ve been searching for. Whether you’re hiking Katahdin, kayaking the Saco River, or camping under the pines, this perfectly balanced hazy IPA is a must when you’re in the need of a refreshing change of pace or have reached your destination.
Lone Pine Brewing
219 Anderson St., Portland & 48 Sanford Dr., Gorham
Stucco, Belgian Pale Ale (4.5%)
An ode to the gorgeous pink and blue of where everything started in East Bayside, Stucco will be returning home after its long hiatus. This quaffable Belgian-style Pale Ale has been fermented with traditional Belgian yeast then hit with Slovenian Styrian Dragon hops to produce additional complexity. Stucco has enticing aromas of bread crust, mellow ethers of banana and clove spice, sweet honey, pear, and herbs. Its flavor profile carries notes of cracked wheat and a slight dissipating bitterness that finishes crisp and refreshing.
Mast Landing Brewing Company
920 Main St., Westbrook
Out with the New, West Coast Style IPA (6.5%)
Mast Landing’s friends on the West Coast know the classics well. That’s why they teamed up with Almanac Beer Co. to showcase some incredible Yakima Chief hop varietals in this West Coast-style IPA.
Nonesuch River Brewing
201 Gorham Road, Scarborough
Maple Cream Ale (5.2%) & Ikawa, Porter
Maple Cream Ale is a collaboration with Sap Hound Maple Company out of Brownfield. It’s smooth and malty with nice maple notes. It pairs well with mild cheeses, burgers, and chicken & waffles.
Ikawa is a Porter brewed in collaboration with Rwanda Bean Coffee and infused with bourbon barrel-aged cold brew coffee.
Rising Tide Brewing Company
103 Fox St., Portland
Nature’s Gold, Maple Golden Ale (6%)
Nature’s Gold is made with real Maine maple syrup from Balsam Ridge in Raymond. The rich maple aroma and flavor up front is balanced by a touch of floral and caramel characteristics
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.
Foundation Brewing Company
1 Industrial Way #5, Portland
- Bringing the Heat, Double IPA (8.2%)
- Citrabot, Triple IPA (9.3%)
- Cran-Orange Jam, Tart Fruit Ale (5%)
- Epiphany, Maine IPA (8%)
- Flightless Wonder, IPA (6.1%)
- Let’s Do Brunch!, Milk Stout (6.3%)
Sebago Brewing Co.
616 Main St., Gorham
- Frye’s Leap, IPA (6%)
- Simmer Down, Session Ale (4.9%)
- Runabout Red, Amber Ale (4.4%)
- Mode De Peche, Fruited Farmhouse Ale (5.7%)
- Juices Flowing, New England IPA (6.1%)
- Back in the Day, New England Double IPA (7.7%)
van der Brew
30 Summer St., Winthrop
- Two-Dog Porter (8%)
- I’m All Set, Double IPA (8%)
- Henley’s Honey Brown, English Brown Ale (5.5%)
- Jump Back Barley, Irish-style Session Beer (5.5%)
- Lily Bay IPA (5.5%)
- MBG Collaboration IPA (5.5%)
Maine Beer in the News
A bill that will continue to allow alcohol sales to-go hits the governor’s desk, Allagash gives props to an employee with a “spicy” idea for a new beer, and Maine’s first non-alcoholic IPA is heading to a store near you.
Woodland Farms Brewery unveils Maine’s first non-alcoholic IPA
Woodland Farms Brewery today announced its first entry into the craft non-alcoholic market.
Mom’s Cookin’ With Turmeric Inspired New Allagash Beer
Every employee at Allagash Brewing Company in Portland, Maine, is encouraged to submit ideas for new beers. Zoe Malia’s idea struck gold.
Bills to support alcohol sales at Maine restaurants, bars and distilleries go to Mills’ desk
Maine bars, distilleries, and restaurants that sell alcohol got a boost with the passage of a bill that allows them to continue take-out alcohol sales until next year.
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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