The heat is still lingering, but will soon make way for the cooler days of fall. Carve out some “me” time this week to soak up the last rays of the summer sun, then raise a glass to fall with old and new seasonal favorites.
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 we scoured high and low to find not only the latest beers making their way to taps and shelves near you, but also some cool beer-related events that are sure to be the talk of your next Zoom meeting. Don’t be the only one who isn’t perfecting downward dog at a brewery, or pairing their morning coffee (regular or Irish, don’t worry, your secret is safe with us) with a Sweet Potato Pumpkin Spice donut featuring a Pumpkinhead-infused glaze.
Thursday, Sept. 10
Battery Steele Brewing
1 Industrial Way, Units 12 and 14, Portland
Flume Lite, Session IPA (4.8%)
Hopped with Citra Cryo & Mosaic, this session IPA packs the same punch as its bigger brother, Flume, at a fraction of the ABV. A perfect session IPA for the linger warm days of early fall.
Bissell Brothers Brewing Company
4 Thompson’s Point, #8, Portland
Lux, Pale Rye Ale (5.1%)
This pale ale is hopped exclusively with Mosaic and brewed with rye. A tropical escape to a sunnier state of mind, and just what you need to bridge the gap between summer and fall.
The Holy Donut
194 Park Ave. and 17 Exchange St., Portland; and 398 Route 1, Scarborough
Sweet Potato Pumpkin Spice, Donut
OK, we’re going a bit outside the box on this recommendation, but it combines beer with donuts, so what’s not to love? The fine folks at The Holy Donut teamed with the great people at Shipyard Brewing Co. to produce a Pumpkinhead-inspired donut for the fall. This decadent Sweet Potato donut features a pumpkin spice glaze infused with Pumpkinhead beer and is sprinkled with spiced Pumpkinhead rimming sugar for a finishing touch. It’s everything you love about the fall, in donut form.
Island Dog Brewing
125 John Roberts Rd., Unit 15, South Portland
Smitty’s Irish Red, Red Ale (5.2%)
This Red Ale has well-balanced toasted malt notes, and is lightly hopped with an initial sweetness and a dry finish. It will be available on draft and, for the first time, in cans.
Friday, Sept. 11
Definitive Brewing Company
35 Industrial Way, Portland, and 318 US Route 1, Kittery
Bass Reflex, DDH IPA (7.0%)
Bass Reflex is a DDH IPA with Citra, Cascade, and El Dorado hops. A classic New England-style haze-boy, it boasts hoppy flavors of grapefruit zest, tropical flora, and sweet watermelon, and its vibration will keep you cozy even in fall breezes!
Fore River Brewing Co.
35 Park Ave., South Portland
Into the Wind, House Ale (5%)
Into the Wind, a House Ale, will be available for purchase starting at 2 p.m., and stick around, because Spartan Sea Farms will be shucking up fresh oysters from 4-7 p.m.!
Saturday, Sept. 12
Funky Bow Brewery and Beer Company
21 Ledgewood Lane, Lyman
Yoga at Funky Bow Brewery
Start off your weekend with some exercise! This all-levels yoga class will be held at 11 a.m. and is taught by Abraham’s wife, Silvia. Bring your own mat (and any props you would like to use) and get ready to feel inspired while practicing yoga by the peach trees and horses. Once you’re feeling calm and relaxed, it’s time to head over the bar, and even better, your first beer is included in the $15 fee!
Sunday, Sept. 20
Lost Valley
200 Lost Valley Rd., Auburn
Baxter Race League Beer Brunch & Party
Kicking off at 11 a.m., this boozy brunch will feature Baxter Beermosas, Bloody Marys, and more, as well as live reggae from Red Lion from 12 to 3 p.m. While this outdoor event is still over a week away, tickets are just 20 bucks, and attendance is capped at a max of 100 guests, so be sure to snag yours ASAP.
New Releases
While we hate saying goodbye to the lazy, carefree days of summer, these new fall beers are sure to help dull the pain, especially after our second (or fourth!) round. Here are some of the latest releases that hit taps and/or stores across the state this week.
Allagash Brewing Company
50 Industrial Way, Portland
Haunted House, Porter (6.66%)
As we bid farewell to summer, it’s time to embrace some of our favorite fall traditions, like enjoying a glass of this rich, dark Porter—Haunted House. Roasted Barley and Blackprinz malt curse this beer with a gravely dark hue. Hopped with Tettnang, Chinook, and Saaz hops, this beer ends with a ghost of coffee-flavored bitterness and hauntingly complex malty palate.
Little Grove, Sparkling Session Ale (3.6% / 3.8%)
Allagash recently dropped two new year-round beers, Little Grove Peach + Kombucha (3.6%) and Little Grove Blackcurrant (3.8%)! These delightful sparkling Session Ales are light, bright, feature a touch of fruit and tartness, and—best of all—only clock in at 100 calories.
Banded Brewing Co.
32 Main St., Bldg. 13-W, Ste. 102, Biddeford
Oktoberfest, Märzenbier (5.4%)
Oktoberfest is back! A crisp, full amber lager with a bouquet of fresh hops and toasty malt. Velvety mouthfeel and a timeless balance of sweet malt and slight hop bitterness. Notes of toffee, caramel, and biscuit.
Baxter Brewing Co.
130 Mill St., Lewiston
Firestack, Red India Pale Ale (6/3%)
Delicately layered with an explosive hop profile and slightly sweet finish, Firestack is here to help ease us out of summer and into fall. With a 6.3% ABV, after one or two Firestacks, you’ll remember that when you add good beer, close friends, and a crackling campfire, the start of a new season can feel pretty darn warm.
Bigelow Brewing Company
473 Bigelow Hill Rd., Skowhegan
Scary Gary’s Do Good Ale, Ale (5.25%)
The first in a series of small batch beers, Scary Gary’s Do Good Ale is brewed with the flavors of rhubarb ginger. On tap at the brewery, and available in cans. A portion of the sales from each batch will be donated to local animal charities. Awwww!
Bissell Brothers Brewing Company
4 Thompson’s Point, #8, Portland
So Well Hidden, Oat Pale Ale (5.5%)
So Well Hidden, the supremely sessionable pale ale created by brewer Patrick McAnany, is back and tasting better than ever. Maine-grown oats and wheat make a soft, pillowy background for the classic combination of Amarillo and Simcoe hops. An easy-drinking beer that delivers notes of Creamsicle, lemonade, and soft serve ice cream. Basically, it’s late summer in a can.
Brickyard Hollow Brewing Company
236 Main St., Yarmouth and 20 Bow St., Freeport
ChocoRyePA (5.7%)
ChocoRyePA is a “kitchen sink” ale, brewed with German pilsner & rye, Irish 2-row, medium crystal, and a pinch of pale chocolate malt. It’s hopped with Magnum, Motueka, & Chinook, and pairs nicely with a cool autumn evening.
Foundation Brewing
1 Industrial Way, #5, Portland
Venture, New England Double IPA (8.0%)
Fresh off the canning line is Venture, a smooth, crushable New England-style DIPA. This particular batch has major pineapple and strawberry Bubbalicious hop notes with a touch of pine.
Geary Brewing Co.
38 Evergreen Dr., Portland
Doppelgänger, Lager (8%)
This full-bodied dark lager has a rich and balanced malt flavor, hop bitterness, and a clean, crisp, finish.
Goodfire Brewing Co.
219 Anderson St., Portland
Crystals, Galaxy Double IPA (7.8%)
This double IPA was brewed with massive amounts of Galaxy, El Dorado, and Ella. It was then topped off with another HUGE dose of Galaxy in the dry hop, resulting in a resinous hop bomb that explodes with tropical fruit, fresh cut grass, and citrus pith. Available for purchase in cans at the tasting room.
Hidden Cove Brewing
73 Mile Rd., Wells
Bouillon Sour Blueberry Ale, Golden Ale (6%)
A treasure trove of Maine blueberries soured with brett and lacto, then aged 10 months in red wine barrels.
Island Dog Brewing
125 John Roberts Rd., Unit 15, South Portland
Boo!, Pumpkin Ale (5.5%)
This delightfully Pumpkin Ale is brewed with pumpkin and Maine maple syrup, and sure to be a big hit with the pumpkin spice fan in your life (including you!).
Liquid Riot Bottling Company
250 Commercial St., Portland
Blushing Star, American Wild Ale (7.5%)
The fine folks at Liquid Riot are celebrating the five-year anniversary of their American Wild Ale, Blushing Star, by releasing Blushing Star Special Reserve. This American Wild Ale was aged in Old Port Straight Bourbon Whiskey barrels with even more peaches and Brettanomyces and comes in a beautiful Magnum bottle. Only 59 bottles were released, so we recommend calling ahead to see if there any still available before making the trip. If you love the original Blushing Star this is a must-have for your cellar. This will age for years to come and will only get better with time.
Mast Landing
920 Main St., Westbrook
Make Light, Double IPA (6.3%)
Make Light is a double dry hopped IPA brewed with Simcoe, Loral, Nelson, and Motueka. Exciting bursts of flavor from a series of complex hops that dance across the flavor spectrum, from tropical to citrus to floral.
Monhegan Brewing Company
1 Boody Ln., Monhegan
Rope Shed, Red Ale (5%)
Not only did Monhegan Brewing Company name a beer after the island’s famous Rope Shed, but they made it LOOK like it too! Their new Rope Shed Red Ale is available now on draft and in cans at their tasting room.
Norway Brewing Company
237 Main St., Norway
Green Machine, Session Ale
This is one of the first beers the folks at Norway Brewing Company ever brewed, and now for the first time it’s available to take home in cans. Named for Green Machine Bike Shop just down Main Street in Norway, this crisp and hoppy session ale is a perfect post-ride snack…
Rising Tide Brewing Company
103 Fox St., Portland
Harkness, Barrell Aged Sour Ale (6.3%)
We’re excited to see that Rising Tide has gifted us with a new blend of Harkness, an unfruited spontaneously fermented sour ale, and the first beer from their coolship program. This new vintage was blended earlier this year from four different batches of two- and three-year-old coolship beers. Complex and sour with notes of citrus, tropical fruit, oak, vanilla, and spice. Dig it!
Clearwater Cream Ale, Cream Ale (4.5%)
As refreshing as the lake it’s named for, Clearwater Cream Ale is light-bodied, slightly hopped and has a crisp malty finish. A perfect beer to enjoy if you’d rather cling to summer just a little bit longer.
Woodland Farms Brewery
306 US Route 1, Kittery
Foreman Red Ale, Red Ale
The Foreman Red Ale is back, just in time for the fall! This traditional red is smooth, malty, and full-bodied, and it always goes fast, so come get yours while you can!
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.
Austin Street Brewery
1 Industrial Way, #8, Portland
- Patina, Pale Ale (5.3%)
- Original Maine Ale, Pale Ale (5.0%)
- Glitter ‘N’ Grit, Blood Orange Gose w/Dragon Fruit (5.6%)
- Florens, IPA (6.9%)
- Six Grain, Milk Stout (6.4%)
- Offset, Double IPA (9.0%)
Battery Steele Brewing
1 Industrial Way, Units 12 and 14, Portland
- Flume, Double IPA (8.0%)
- Flume Lite, Session IPA (4.8%)
- Marsh Mello Vibes, S’more Stout (8.0%)
Geary Brewing Co.
38 Evergreen Dr., Portland
- Brown Ale, Brown Ale (5.5%)
- Fort Knight, Pale Ale (5.3%)
- Geary’s Pale Ale, Pale Ale (5.2%)
- Geary’s Hampshire Special Ale (HSA), Strong Ale (7%)
- Razzle Dazzle, Sour (4.8%)
- Welcome Home Stout, Milk Stout (6%)
- WindHold IPA, IPA (6.8%)
- Doppelgänger (Nitro), Lager (8%)
Lone Pine Brewing Company
48 Sanford Dr., Gorham
- Oh-J Lone, Imperial IPA (8.1%)
- Raspberry Sparkler Lone Pine Brewing Company, Sour (4.8%)
- Portland Pale Ale, Pale Ale (5.2%)
- Choco Tuesday, Stout (8%)
Maine Beer in the News
If you want more Maine beer, you’re in luck, as three new breweries opened or are slated to this year, plus one old favorite is here to tell you don’t call it a comeback, they’ve been here for years! Plus, Lone Pine is expanding to the Midwest, and Maine breweries and restaurants are making plans now on how to safely (and comfortably) serve you once the weather turns cooler.
Lone Pine Brewing Company expands distribution to the Midwest
Lone Pine Brewing Company is entering the Midwest, with distribution to the states of Michigan and Ohio, bringing their reach to a total of 13 states.
New business still on tap, as four newcomers keep Maine’s craft beer buzz going
While this isn’t an easy year to run any business or start a new one, several new or reincarnated breweries joined Maine’s crowded craft beer scene this year, including Trinken Brewing Co. in West Bath; Outland Farm Brewery in Pittsfield; Belfast’s reincarnated Marshall Wharf Brewing and Three Tides brewpub restaurant; and Bath Ale Works in Wiscasset, which aims to open in November.
Maine restaurants worried about upcoming winter
With the coronavirus pandemic still imposing limits on indoor seating, restaurants and breweries are already planning on ways to survive the winter, when more people will want to sit inside, or not come out at all.
We hope you enjoyed this edition of Beer This Week! If you own a brewery or other beer business and would like to be featured in upcoming issues, please email to learn more.
