Seems like Ida has moved on and the rest of this Labor Day weekend forecast is looking mighty nice. Here’s to making the most of the long weekend, and here’s to all the Maine brewers, tasting room staff, and bar servers who made sure we never went thirsty this summer. 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.
Sponsored by: Tigpro Stainless Fabrication
Tigpro specializes in 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
Fall beers are here! We’ve got a Märzenbier, Black Lager, Pumpkin Ale, and an Imperial Stout all standing by to help you embrace the upcoming cooler temps. For those of you not ready to wave farewell to summer yet, don’t worry, we’ve got a pair of Pale Ales, some Double IPAs, and an Imperial Sour all ready to keep summer within your grasp, even if it’s just in your…glass
Thursday, September 2
Banded Brewing Co.
32 Main St., Ste. 102, Biddeford and 82 Hanover St., Ste. 6, Portland
Oktoberfest, Märzenbier (5.4%) & Noctvar, Black Lager (4.8%)
We’ve been craving the return of Oktoberfest, a delicious Märzenbier, since last year and we’re so excited it’s finally ready to crush again. It features malty notes of toffee, biscuit, caramel, and timelessness. Noctvar is a chocolatey, full Black Lager brewed in conjunction with Nocturnem Draft Haus.
Friday, September 3
Bissell Brothers Brewing
38 Resurgam Place, Portland
Voice of the Sea, Pale Ale (4.2%)
It can be easy to forget how fortunate we are to live and work next to the ocean. This Pale Ale, hopped with Nelson, Amarillo, and Citra, aims to carry the same depth and intrigue as the sea that inspired it.
Definitive Brewing Company
35 Industrial Way, Portland and 318 US Route 1, Kittery
DDH Sensitive Ears, Pale Ale (5.6%) & Everything But the 90s, Double IPA (8.3%)
DDH Sensitive Ears is a Double Dry Hopped version of Definitive’s bright and refreshing Pale Ale. They doubled the dry hop with even more Citra, Amarillo, and Mosaic. This beer tastes and smells like pineapple flesh, ruby red grapefruit, and kiwis.
Everything But the 90s is a retro banger brewed with Citra hop oil and then double dry hopped with a blend of cryo pellets and a touch of Sabro. The end result is a deeply layered, resinous, and fruit-forward DIPA. It tastes and smells like pineapple Capri Sun, tropical Gushers, and sipping Slush Puppies on a hot summer day
Foundation Brewing Company
1 Industrial Way #5, Portland
Afternoon Getaway, Double IPA (8%) & Jam Packed Just Peachy, Imperial Sour (8%)
Afternoon Getaway is a brand-new Double IPA hopped with Citra, Idaho 7, HBC 630, and Galaxy and landing at 8% ABV. Big notes of juicy tropical fruit and zesty citrus are balanced with a satisfying touch of dank pine. Arriving just in time for the long weekend, Afternoon Getaway was made to be enjoyed with friends, while getting away from the grind. 
The newest in Foundation’s series of Imperial Fruited Sours, Jam Packed Just Peachy is brewed with milk sugar and fermented with peaches, apricots, vanilla beans, and natural flavor. Juicy peach and apricot aroma bounces from the glass, with vanilla adding a creamy silkiness to round out every sip with added deliciousness. And at 8% ABV, it’ll have you feeling just peachy in no time.
Island Dog Brewing
125 John Roberts Rd. Unit 15, South Portland
Boo! Pumpkin Maple, Pumpkin Ale (5.5%)
Brewed with pumpkin, Maine maple syrup, and spices, Boo! is truly a beer made for fall.
Saturday, September 4
Barreled Souls Brewing
743 Portland Rd., Saco
Coffee Monster, Imperial Stout
Coffee Monster is an Imperial Stout infused with coffee and vanilla. There will be three different versions available, each one brewed with coffee from one of three great local roasters: Tandem Coffee Roasters, Speckled Ax Coffee, and Elements Coffee Roasters.
New Releases
There are lots of new and returning IPAs to sample at tasting rooms and bars near you, but we have to admit that what we’re most excited for is the Imperial Brown Ale, two Märzens, and the return of Gritty’s classic ode to Halloween.
Atlantic Brewing Company (Midtown)
52 Cottage St., Bar Harbor
The Triad, IPA (6.1%)
The Triad is brewed with Ekuanot, Azacca, and Amarillo hops and is named for a hike that encapsulates a snapshot of Mount Desert Island, overlooking ocean views, mossy woods, and granite cliffs. Available at Atlantic Brewing Midtown.
Corner Point Brewing
1 Sullivan St., Berwick
Bloodshot Ryeball IPA (7.1%)
Bloodshot Ryeball IPA is generously hopped with Chinook, Cascade, Simcoe, and Columbus hops; and balanced with a malty base and spicy rye backbone.
Cushnoc Brewing Co.
243 Water St., Augusta
Colonial, Belgian Imperial Brown Ale (9.6%)
This Belgian Imperial Brown Ale was brewed with layers of dark specialty malts and bitter orange peel. Full bodied and rich, with smooth chocolate and orange notes, and a warming finish.
First Mile Brewing Co.
28 Market St., Ste. 103, Fort Kent
Oktoberfest, Märzen (5.8%)
September is here, and ushering in the unofficial start of fall. That means the return of fall beers, and what better way to welcome the crisp mornings and cool evenings than Oktoberfest. This beer was brewed during the warmest days of the year, with the cooler fall air in mind.
Gneiss Brewing Company
94 Patterson Rd., Limerick
Rocktoberfest, Märzen (6%)
Coming at you with a taste of fall, Rocktoberfest is a Märzen arriving just in time for the cooler nights ahead. Brewed with a blend of Munich and Vienna malts for that beautiful deep orange hue, rich malty profile, and notes of toasted bread and honey. That richness is balanced out with a healthy dose of German Noble hops and a long lager time for that clean, dry finish.
Gritty McDuff’s Brewing Company
396 Fore St., Portland; 187 Lower Main St., Freeport; and 68 Main St., Auburn
Halloween Ale, Extra Special Bitter (6.5%)
Ghosts and ghouls beware: Halloween Ale is back on tap! Every fall marks the return of Gritty’s legendary Extra Special Bitter for the season, Halloween Ale—the beer so good, it’s scary! From its humble beginnings in 1990 as a small-batch seasonal in their Portland Brew Pub, Halloween Ale has grown to be one of the year’s most anticipated beer releases. This robust brew has a deep amber color, a bold, malty palate and a well-rounded hop finish. The perfect beer for a crisp autumn day. On tap now in Portland.
Maine Beer Company
525 US-1, Freeport
Black Barn Program No. 25 Session IPA (4.5%)
Black Barn Program No. 25 Session IPA features Citra, Mosaic, and HBC 586 hops as well as local Blue Ox Malthouse Munich and Vienna malts.
Nonesuch River Brewing Co.
201 Gorham Rd., Scarborough
My Beer to Be, IPA (6.3%)
A bright citrus aroma of Galaxy awakens the senses. Golden Raspberry and Lemon meringue are the primary flavors, elegantly bestowed upon an oatmeal cookie.
Norway Brewing Company
237 Main St., Norway
Lust for Gold, IPA (6.5%)
This West Coast IPA was brewed with Vienna malt, Maine Grains oats, Citra, and Simcoe, and dry-hopped with Idaho 7. It has a golden color, and is dank and fruity.
Orono Brewing Company
61 Margin St., Orono
Ozone, IPA (6.8%)
In 1963, Grand Wagoneer pioneered the combination of off-road capability and luxury. Almost 60 years later Orono Brewing decided to use the same “best of both worlds” strategy when they relaunched Ozone as a “both coast” IPA. Juicy hop profile with noticeable bitterness and a dry finish…we think there’s a lot of you looking for a beer like this.
van der Brew
30 Summer St., Winthrop
Leaping Sturgeon, Imperial Red Ale (10.
5%)
Mirroring the strength and natural heritage that will shock the heck outta you on the mighty Kennebec, this Imperial Red Ale is hoppy, malty, and has hints of toast and raisins. It checks in at an ABV of 10.5%, so you might want to leap out of Maranacook after a glass, but we wouldn’t recommend it!
Maine Beer in the News
Maine is continuing to burst with breweries, the Thirsty Pig is having a moment, we’re getting ready to go back to school to become beer scientists, and one Maine brewery is paying homage to two teens who probably never made it to college—Beavis and Butthead.
New career goal: beer scientist
Scientists and students at USM study samples from some of Maine’s top breweries, helping to do some important quality control.
Portland, Maine’s Thirsty Pig Has Your Sausage By the Sea
From our Love Handles files on beer bars we love: Near the harbor, this locus of Maine’s bustling brewing scene specializes in a variety of sausages paired with local beers.
Maine has added 6 new breweries already this year, with more to come
While Maine’s ever-growing craft beer scene understandably slowed down a bit during 2020 and early 2021, it’s come roaring back to life since the spring.
Maine Brewery Releasing a Beavis and Butthead-inspired Brew
Odd By Nature Brewing is located on Route 1 in Cape Neddick, Maine. They are known for their brews frequently inspired by sweets and sometimes, pop culture.
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
