Maine brew guide, summer 2017

p. 40

visit an island brewery

Maine Brew Guide

still growing

Regional TASTING ROOM

GUIDE

LONE PINE & BREWERIES ACROSS MAINE TRENDING UPWARD

plus

– Maine’s Craft Distillery Movement & Cocktail Recipes Page 8 – Craft Beer Tourism Page 27 – Spotlight Brewer: Mia Strong Page 44

HOURS & LOCATIONS

&

5 SUMMERY

beer reviews Page 47 Spring 2017

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contents SPRING 2017

8 Maine’s Cup Runneth

Over: The Craft Distillery Movement

By Amanda Woods

11 Cocktail Recipes 12 Lagers

Skowhegan’s

craft brew festival See page 32

By Dave Patterson

16 Saisons with a Twist

By Dave Patterson

19 Maine Brewers’ Guild News 27 Beer Tourism

By Josh Christie

38 Iconic Gin & Tonic HOME BREWING A SAISON

See “Saisons with a Twist” page 16

By Dave Patterson

43 Women in Brewing: Mia Strong, Strong Brewing Company

By Kate Cone

47 Brew reviews: 4 Summer beers you’ll want to try

MAINE LAKES BREWFEST

tasting room directory

See page 28

6 Southern Maine 14 Greater Portland 26 Western Maine & Kennebec Valley

MAINE’S CRAFT DISTILLERY MOVEMENT

See “Maine’s Cup Runneth Over” page 8

4

spring 2017

35 Midcoast 42 Greater Bangor 46 D owneast 46 The County

BREW REVIEWS 5 summer beers you'll want to try See page 47

The fifty-mile stretch from Kittery to Portland is home to nearly a dozen Maine breweries, brewing everything from traditional English-style ales to funky barrel-aged sours.

The only thing nicer than relaxing on one of Maine’s beaches is doing so with a Tributary Gose or a Hidden Cove Patroon in hand.

Text Josh Christie

southern maine

Note: Hours were accurate as of printing.

Before heading out please check ahead to confirm hours.

tasting room directory NAME

CITY

Banded Horn Brewing Company

S

M

T

W

TH

F

S

Biddeford

12 – 8

4–9

4–9

4–9

4–9

4 – 10

12 – 10

/BandedHornBrewing

Barreled Souls Brewing Company

Saco

12 - 8

—

—

4 - 10

4 - 10

4 – 12

12 – 12

/barreledsouls

Blue Current Brewery (Sake)

Kittery

1-6

—

—

1-6

1-6

1-6

1-6

Dirigo Brewing Company

Biddeford

12 - 8

—

—

12 - 8

12 - 8

12 - 12

12 - 12

/dirigobeer

Funky Bow Brewery & Beer Company

Lyman

1–5

—

—

—

—

12 - 9

12 - 9

/FunkyBowBreweryAnd BeerCompany

Gneiss Brewing Company

Limerick

—

—

—

—

2–7

12 – 6

/GneissBeer

Hidden Cove Brewing Company

Wells

—

—

—

—

12 - 7

12 - 7

/HiddenCoveBrewing

Kennebunkport Brewing / Federal Jack's Restaurant

Kennebunk

11:30 - 1

11 - 12:30

11 - 12:30

11 - 12:30

11:30 - 1

Sebago Brewing Co.

Kennebunk

11 – 10

11 – 10

11 – 10

11 – 12

11 – 12

11 – 12

11 – 12

Shipyard Brew Pub

Eliot

11:30 – 9

11:30 – 9

11:30 – 9

11:30 – 9

11:30 – 9

11:30 – 10

11:30 – 10

SoMe Brewing Company

York

12 - 7

12 - 8

12 - 8

12 - 9

12 - 8

12 - 9

12 - 7

The Run of the Mill Public House & Brewery

Saco

11:30 – 1

11:30 – 1

11:30 – 1

11:30 – 1

11:30 – 1

11:30 – 1

11:30 – 1

/The-Run-of-TheMill-Public-House-andBrewery-52414106886

Woodland Farms Brewery

Kittery

12 - 5

—

—

—

1-8

1-9

12 - 9

/woodlandfarmsbrewery

12 - 5

11 - 12:30 11 - 12:30

FACEBOOK

/BlueCurrentBrewery

/federaljacks /sebagobrewing /ShipyardEliot /SomeBrewingCo

The RUN OF THE MILL and THE LIBERAL CUP bring the comfortable, inviting atmosphere of English style pubs to Maine. Housed by a sprawling mill building in Saco, ‘The Mill’ offers ample indoor and (seasonal) outdoor seating with views overlooking the Saco River and the up-and-coming mill district. Smaller and more intimate than its southern counterpart, ‘The Cup’ is located in the heart of Hallowell- a vibrant, historic town. Both feature hand crafted beer and home-style food surrounded by distinctive architecture and old world charm in rustic brick & mortar structures. Our pub style menus feature an array of lighter fare, hearty entrees and creative specials made from fresh, local ingredients. To wash it all down, we use the finest malts and hops to create 25 varieties of craft beer which flow directly from our in-house breweries.

6

spring 2017

Southern Maine

kennebunk

birthplace of shipyard brewing

TULLY’S BEER AND WINE in Wells, opened in May 1997 with a mission to expose the world of specialty beer and great wine to the residents and visitors of Southern Maine and beyond. With the enormous selection of craft beer, Tully's prides itself on service, selection, and product knowledge.

They also sport a mighty fine wine selection, 6 humidors of premium cigars and a huge selection of home brew supplies.

Don’t Miss

Proud to offer maine’s favorite

BREWS & VIEWS

Best Waterview deck in the port!

Celebrating 20 Years of brewing world class SHIPYARD ales

HAND-CRAFTED ALES WATERFRONT DECK LOBSTER AND SEAFOOD FREE BREWERY TOURS AND TASTINGS GAME ROOM • POOL TABLES • KID’S MENU LIVE MUSIC • BIRTHPLACE

207-967-4322

The Kennebunkport Brewing Co. Shipyard Store Featuring Shipyard bottled beers Growlers from Kennebunk Brewing Co. Shipyard brew wear and accessories Maine made gifts and souvenirs Authentic ship models, toys and books Internet Access

Located below Federal Jack’s or visit us online at:

OF SHIPYARD ALES Open: 11:00am - 12:30am

FEDERAL JACK’S & KBC STORE Often referred to as the most picturesque pub on the waterfront, Federal Jack's Restaurant and Brew Pub is well-known for its spectacular views, creative pub fare, and award-winning hand-crafted ales. One of Maine's first brew pubs, this popular restaurant is the birthplace of Shipyard Brewing Company.

Not only does Federal Jack’s offer a brew with a view overlooking the Kennebunk River, they also offer free brewery tours. All the beers available at Federal Jack's are handcrafted at KBC, the seven-barrel brewery located below the restaurant. The system gives head brewer, Mike Haley, as much control over the way the beer is poured in the pub as he has over the selection of the ingredients that go into making the beer.

Be sure to check out all the Federal Jack's gear and great brews at the KBC Gift Store. This unique gift store, located below the restaurant, offers bottled beer, growlers, and kegs; Maine-made Capt'n Eli's Soda; wearables; pint glasses; gourmet foods; and nautical gifts. www.federaljacks.com

www.federaljacks.com

www.kbcshipyardstore.com 207-967-1261

Shipyard Shops • 8 Western Avenue • Lower Village • Kennebunk Maine BrewGuide

7

maine’s cup runneth over he state’s craft distillery T movement is spilling over into its cocktails

8

spring 2017

PHOTOS COURTESY OF WIGGLY BRIDGE DISTILLERY

Did you know Maine was the birthplace of prohibition? Maine passed the first laws in the country to ban the sale of alcoholic beverages. If not being able to have your afternoon Old Fashioned doesn’t put a sour taste in your mouth, I don’t know what will.

Text Amanda Woods As history states, the Maine prohibition law was repealed in 1934 and Maine residents were able to enjoy their afternoon beverage again and that’s pretty sweet.

Being part of WIGGLY BRIDGE

DISTILLERY since it’s foundation, we see that the craft beer trajectory is industry. According to the American Craft Spirits Association there are over 1,300 craft spirits producers nationally as of October 2016. That’s more than double the amount of craft distilleries that existed 10 years ago. This speaks volumes about the strong interest in craft spirits. This surge and uprising is no different for Vacationland. In 2009, there were only 3 distilleries in the state of Maine. Maine now has its own Distillers Guild and has 12 members mapped out on their website.

Maine is known for it’s pristine waters and aquifers. Not connecting

PHOTOS COURTESY OF WIGGLY BRIDGE DISTILLERY

being replicated by the craft spirits

Maine BrewGuide

9

that fact, in reference to this rum

mixers, bitters, shrubs, syrups etc. The

punch rhyme, would be doing the state

variety and quality of craft spirits now

a disservice.

available to these mixologists allows

The craft movement has become

them a level of freedom to create so

a huge part of our society not only

many amazing libations!”

WIGGLY BRIDGE BAR

LIQUID RIOT YO YO NANA

PHOTOS COURTESY OF WIGGLY BRIDGE DISTILLERY

in Maine, but nationally. The United

Ashleigh Hamilton, Lead Mixologist,

States seems to be infatuated with

from Wiggly Bridge Distillery believes

artisanal everything, from handcrafted

that the cocktails play off the

furniture to homegrown organic food

complexities in craft spirits. “When

to hand crafted chair socks. Yes, you

creating a cocktail with a craft spirit

read that right! Look it up. Now that

the flavors are accentuated and create

the bulk of the alcoholic offerings

a more interesting cocktail while

behind the bar have been upgraded

a commercial spirit may cause the

by the craft movement, it’s time to

cocktail to fall flat.”

Ned Wight, owner of NEW ENGLAND

upgrade the ingredients that play nicely with these craft spirits. The

DISTILLING believes that craft spirits

term “fresh is best” rings true for the

give the bartender more nuanced

craft cocktail scene. Bartenders are

flavors to work with in a cocktail

juicing their own citrus instead of

than a regular spirit. “It's like they

using something that’s premade. Ian

[bartenders] were working with a

Michaud, distiller, from LIQUID RIOT

4 pack of crayons 10 years ago and

can attest to the fact that craft spirits

now they have the mega-pack

have opened the doors to the craft

(with sharpener!).”

The next time you sip a rum punch

cocktail scene. “Craft cocktail makers pride themselves in creating their own

national Craft Distillery Growth

or an old-fashioned think about what’s

Maine Craft Distillery Growth 2009-2016

2006

2006-2016

3 producers

2016

650 craft spirits producers

1,300 craft spirits producers

10 spring 2017

2009

12 producers

2016

Wiggly Bridge Distillery Chickadee Barreled rum White rum Aperol Lime juice Simple syrup Pineapple juice

Served on rocks with nutmeg on top and orange peel garnish

1.5 oz LRBC Bourbon 1 ⁄3 House cinnamon syrup

2 dashes Fee Brothers Whiskey barrel-aged bitters

1 Orange zest

1 Cherry Stir all ingredients, strain over a large ice ball or cube and garnish.

Wiggly Bridge Distillery Fools Rush in

2 oz Wiggly Bridge Bourbon 2 Sprigs of rosemary .5 oz Maine gold Bourbon Maple syrup 3 drops/ ¼ tsp vanilla extract

Dash Angostura bitters

1 Orange zest Shake and strain over Ice and garnish with rosemary sprig.

Liquid Riot Yo Yo Nana (In honor of our bar manager’s grandmother. She loved her whiskey and sherry.)

1.25 oz LRBC Aged Oat Whiskey 1.25 oz Sherry (Madeira) .5 oz Cointreau 2 dashes Angostura bitters 1 Lemon zest

New England Distilling Gin Fizz

2 oz Ingenium Gin 1 oz Lemon juice 1 oz club soda

.75 oz Simple syrup 1 Egg white Pour the club soda into a Collins glass. In a shaker, combine the remaining ingredients and shake for 15 seconds. Add 4 ice cubes and shake for as long as you can. Strain into glass and garnish with lemon peel.

Stir all ingredients with ice, strain in a coupe glass and garnish

in your drink. Try out one of Maine’s incredible craft distillery options and enjoy the exponential flavor experience you get

Visit Maine's Nationally Ranked Craft Distillery

441 US ROUTE 1 ®

19 RAILROAD AVENUE, YORK, ME 03909 207.363.9322 B O O K D I S T I L L E R Y T O U R AT

Tastings & Tours Award Winning •Small Batch Craft

WigglyBridgeDistillery.com

$5

1oz 1oz .75 oz .75 oz .5 oz 2 oz

Liquid Riot Haute Fashioned

use code “GetWiggly”

S AV E

PHOTOS COURTESY OF WIGGLY BRIDGE DISTILLERY

maine

cocktail recipes

WIGGLY BRIDGE “FOOLS RUSH”

photographers wanted Maine Brew Guide is looking to buy quality Craft Beer and Beverage photos.

Email us at content@activitymaine.com

from drinking a craft cocktail. Your taste buds will start to appreciate the difference between a craft cocktail made with local craft spirits and one that has just come out of a soda gun.

content@activitymaine.com Maine BrewGuide

11

lagers Text Dave Patterson

This is the summer you fall in love with craft lagers. Lagers are the perfect warm weather beer: refreshing and full of subtle complexities. Until recently, lagers were a pariah in the craft beer scene, associated with mid-Western macrobreweries, but now over a dozen Maine breweries from Kittery to Orono are turning out lagers that rival some of the best light beers in the world. So, raise a pint glass to the fearless brewers who take on the lager to bring us these drinkable, complex beers.

Banded Horn Brewing

Bunker Brewing Company

Foundation Brewing Company

This German-style pilsner is criminally clean and easy to drink. It pours a golden hue with a beautiful head of white foam. The flavor boasts a sharp hop bite from the noble hops and a bready aroma from the grains.

Pepperell Pilsner, named for the Biddeford mill building where it’s brewed, is a great gateway lager for macrobrew lovers looking to make the move to locally brewed beer. And at 4.6% ABV it’s crushable in hot weather, while still having a complex flavor profile.

Grab a sixer to take to the beach if you’re looking to bliss out on a summer’s day.

Head brewer Chresten Sorenson was one of Maine’s first craft brewers dedicated to making lagers. Bunker Brewing’s Machine Czech Pilz has a gorgeous aroma of graham crackers and grassy hops. The lager yeast offers a bite in the flavor, interplaying with the grains and hops. Machine Czech Pils walks the razor thin line of having complex flavors, while remaining wildly drinkable like a good lager should.

Bunker Brewing has recently moved to a larger brewery in Portland, so look for six-packs of Machine Czech Pilz throughout the state.

This beer nearly knocked me over the first time I tried it. The brewers at Foundation in Portland set out to make a complex pilsner that’s still easy to drink and refreshing. Goal achieved.

The aroma on this beer exudes delicate grass and herbal notes along with fresh bread characteristics from the pilsner malts. Unlike many lagers, Riverton Flyer has a big creamy body that fills the mouth with each swig. It has just enough hop edge to be complex, with the restraint and nuance that make for a great lager. Pick up four-packs of cans or drink it at their Industrial Way tasting room.

Pepperell Pilsener

12 spring 2017

Maching Czech Pilz

Riverton Flyer

BREW NEWS At the end of April, DIRIGO BREWING CO. in Biddeford will begin to package their flagship Dirigo Lager (a Munich-style Helles) in 16oz. cans. Dirigo anticipates 100 cases to be released at the brewery, and more in retail stores come May. “Dirigo Lager is a session beer, so it is important for us to let more folks bring the beer home as well as enjoy it in our tasting room,” says brewer/owner Tom Bull.

Dirigo’s coveted Baltic Porter (8.2% ABV) will also be canned and barreled this month, as it will not be brewed again this year. Check social media for release dates and times.

Prost!

Marsh Island Brewing

Mason’s Brewing Company

Marsh Island’s head brewer, Clay Randall, went through over thirty test recipes before settling on his final recipe for Wooly Bugger Pils. All that experimentation paid off in this accessible, clean pilsner. Wooly Bugger has notes of crackers, toasted malts, and subtle floral hops in its aroma and flavor.

Randall lets Wooly Bugger sit in a cooler to properly lager for thirty days before it’s packaged. This dedication to not cut corners shines through in this artfully crafted pilsner.

Marsh Island has recently started canning their beer, making Wooly Bugger available throughout the state in four packs of sixteen-ounce cans.

Brewed at Mason’s Brewing Company’s spacious brewpub on the banks of the Penobscot River, West Coast Pilz is a classic pilsner made with American hops. The addition of west coast hops gives this beer a clean citrus flavor over the pilsner grains.

It pours a translucent gold with a head of tiny bubbles that laces down the glass as you drink. West Coast Pilz has a bold flavor profile without overpowering the palate. This pilsner can be enjoyed by craft beer experts and novices alike as it has just the right balance of complexity and drinkability.

Wolly Bugger Pils

West Coast Pilz

The German word lager roughly translates to ‘storing.’ This refers to the aging time lagers are typically given after primary fermentation.

Lagers may be conditioned for a month or longer before they are ready to drink. (Source: The Beer Bible, by Jeff Alworth)

FUN FACT

Dirigo Brewing Company Dirigo Lager

Tom Bull is the OG of Maine lager brewers.

As head brewer of the defunct Bull Jagger Brewing, Bull brought Maine its first craft lager back in 2011. Now he’s back with Dirigo Brewing Company in Biddeford. His Helles lager, a style originating in Munich, Germany, is clean and smooth from nose to finish.

It has cereal grains and floral notes in the aroma and flavor with a light-handed spicy hop finish, making it a great starting point for Maine lagers. Try it on draft at the beautifully renovated mill tasting room on the Saco River.

CRAFT BEER LOVERS OF BOSTON (CBLOB) presents Boston Brewery Tours. CBLOB creates and facilitates

all inclusive, world class brewery experiences with award-winning breweries and brew masters in Boston, New Hampshire and Maine. Since our inception, we’ve been cruising the roads of New England while tasting the goodness it has to offer. We were built on a true passion for craft beer and the great rural lifestyle that creates the amazing beer you enjoy today. In fact, we are so proud of the experience that we had, we wanted to offer it to you.

Maine BrewGuide

13

greater portland Text Josh Christie

The modern Maine beer scene was born in Portland in the 1980s, when David L Geary’s brewery broke ground. The seaside city still reigns as the epicenter of Maine craft beer, with nearly two dozen breweries in and around the Portland city limits. With local beer venues to count, there’s no better place to enjoy beer in Maine than Portland. It’s one of many reasons the Forest City consistently tops lists of the best places to visit in the US.

SHIPYARD BREWING COMPANY is a family owned brewery – rooted in tradition and brimming with innovation. Each year, Shipyard serves up more than 20 varieties of award-winning, handcrafted beer and a full line of Capt’n Eli’s Soda. Shipyard is committed to brewing the freshest, most flavorful, fullbodied ales available using only the finest, all natural ingredients.

14 spring 2017

The first Shipyard beer was brewed in 1992 at Federal Jack’s Brew Pub before the Portland brewery was built in 1994. Today, Shipyard is a vibrant centerpiece of the Portland waterfront and continues to brew at Federal Jack’s in the heart of Kennebunk. You can visit the Shipyard brewery, store, and tasting room on the waterfront in Portland, Maine. www.shipyard.com

PHOTO: ELLIS DUCHARME

on draft in nearly every bar, more in local stores, and too many great restaurants and

greater portland

Note: Hours were accurate as of printing.

Before heading out please check ahead to confirm hours.

tasting room directory NAME

CITY

S

M

Allagash Brewing Company

Portland

11 – 6

11 – 6

Austin Street Brewery

Portland

12 - 5

12 - 7

Bissell Brothers

Portland

12 – 5

Bunker Brewing Co

Portland

12 – 6

D.L. Geary Brewing Co.

Portland

12 – 7

Fore River Brewing Company

South Portland

12 - 6

Foulmouthed Brewing

South Portland

11 - 10

3 - 10

Foundation Brewing

Portland

12 - 5

12 – 7

Gritty McDuff's

Freeport

11 – 1

11 – 1

Gritty McDuff's

Portland

11 – 1

11 – 1

Liquid Riot Bottling Company

Portland

12 – 11

Lone Pine Brewing Company

Portland

12 – 6

Maine Beer Co.

Freeport

Maine Mead Works Mast Landing Brewing Company

T

W

11 – 6

11 – 6

12 – 6 3-8 12 – 7

TH

F

S

FACEBOOK

11 – 6

11 – 6

11 – 6

/AllagashBrewing Company

12 - 7

12 – 7

12 – 7

/AustinStreetBrewery

12 – 6

12 – 8

12 – 8

/BissellBrothers

3-8

12 - 10

12 - 10

/bunkerbrewingco

12 – 7

12 – 7

12 – 7

/gearybrewingco

2-7

2-7

2-9

12 - 9

/foreriverbrewing

3 - 10

3 - 10

3 - 10

11 - 10

/FoulmouthedBrewing

12 – 7

12 – 7

12 – 7

12 – 7

/foundationbrew

11 – 1

11 – 1

11 – 1

11 – 1

11 – 1

/grittymcduffs

11 – 1

11 – 1

11 – 1

11 – 1

11 – 1

/grittymcduffs

12 – 11

12 – 11

12 – 11

12 – 11

12 – 1

12 – 1

/liquidriot

4–8

4–8

12 – 8

/LonePineBrewing

11 – 5

11 – 8

11 – 8

11 – 8

11 – 8

11 – 8

11 – 8

/mainebeer

Portland

12 - 5

11 - 7

11 - 7

11 - 7

11 - 7

11 - 7

11 - 7

/HoneyMakerMead

Westbrook

12 - 5

4–8

12 - 8

12 – 8

/mastlandingbrewing

Oxbow Blending and Bottling

Portland

12 - 9

12 - 9

12 - 9

12 - 11

12 - 11

12 - 11

12 - 11

/Oxbow-BlendingBottling-372533856238705

Rising Tide Brewing Company

Portland

12 – 5

12 – 7

12 – 7

12 – 7

12 – 7

12 – 7

12 – 7

/risingtidebeer

Sea Dog Brewing Co.

South Portland

9-1

11 – 1

11 – 1

11 – 1

11 – 1

11 – 1

9-1

/seadogsouthportland

Sebago Brewing Co.

Gorham

11 – 10

11 – 10

11 – 10

11 – 12

11 – 12

11 – 12

11 – 12 /sebagobrewing

Sebago Brewing Co.

Portland

11 - 12

11 – 1

11 – 1

11 – 1

11 – 1

11 – 1

11 – 1

/sebagobrewing

Sebago Brewing Co.

Scarborough

11 - 1

11 - 1

11 - 1

11 - 1

11 - 1

11 - 1

11 - 1

/sebagobrewing

Sebago Brewing Co. (Brewery)

Gorham

3–5

3–5

3–5

Shipyard Brewing Company

Portland

11 - 4

11 - 5

11 - 5

11 - 5

11 - 5

11 - 6

11 - 6

/ShipyardBrewing

Shipyard Inn on Peaks Island

Peaks Island

11 - 9

11 - 9

11 - 9

11 - 9

11 - 9

11 - 10

11 - 10

/InnOnPeaks

Urban Farm Fermentory + Gruit (Kombucha, Cider + Beer)

Portland

12 - 5

12 - 7

12 - 7

12 - 7

12 - 7

12 - 7

/urbanfarmfermentory

Battery Steele

Portland

12-7

12-7

12-7

12-7

12-5

/Battery-Steele-Brewing/ 407309639603812

3 - 10

/sebagobrewing

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800-244-9046

Contact James Sanborn at 207-446-2791 • james@ghmagency.com Maine BrewGuide

15

saisons with a twist PATRICK CHAVANELLE Text & Photos Dave Patterson

16 spring 2017

Allagash brewer at the Industrial Way Brewery in Portland.

Since last spring I’ve had a love affair with saisons. I had always been a casual fan of the earthy, dry saison style, but last year it turned borderline obsessive. Each time I stood in front of a beer cooler, I’d find myself uncontrollably drawn to the saisons’ siren song.

“You can use as much hops as you'd like, but be careful about when you add them to the boil,” Adams cautions. “The biggest problem you can encounter is making the beer too bitter.”

Adams continues that the longer a hop boils the more bitterness gets extracted from the isomerization of the alpha acids in the hops. When I explain that I’m interested in adding American hops to my saison for lush citrus flavors, he advises I add the majority of my hops in the whirlpool at

As a long-time homebrewer, when I

With most saison yeast strains, a

the end of the boil and in dry-hopping.

become smitten with a style of beer,

homebrewer can achieve a range of

This advice saves me from making the

I’m inclined to brew a batch in my

flavors depending on the fermentation

mistake of over-hopping my wort at

kitchen. Homebrewing allows me to get

temperature. High fermentation temps,

the start of the boil.

intimate with a beer style, becoming

in the mid-eighties for example,

acquainted with its nuances from the

bring out spicy, funky flavors from

before homebrewing: Maine Brewing

inside out.

the phenols, though fermenting too

Supply in Portland to consult with

high can produce plasticy, band-aid-

homebrewing Zen master Gordon

esque off flavors. Lower fermentation

Jones.

But like that green-eyed, enigmatic girl at a school dance, the saison

I’m now ready for my last stop

intimidated me. Saisons get the heft of their flavor from yeast. The beers I’ve traditionally brewed are hop-forward ales.

Luckily, two of my favorite saisons are brewed in Maine: Allagash Saison from Allagash and Farmhouse Pale Ale from Oxbow.

On a snowy day in late winter, I sit down with Allagash brewer Patrick

With most saison yeast strains, a homebrewer can achieve a range of flavors depending on the fermentation temperature.

Chavanelle at the Industrial Way

temperatures around seventy degrees

brewery in Portland to get some tips

bring out fruity flavors. However, if you

a twinkle appears in his eyes; I know

on how to work with the sexy, if not

ferment too low, the yeast will stall

I’m talking to a kindred spirit.

unruly, saison yeast.

and homebrewers won’t get the proper

Clad in a one-piece brewing suit, Chavanelle explains that he originally brewed the Allagash Saison as a

play with, because you have so many

vital saison characteristic.

flavor components going on,” Jones

Recognizing the frightened look on my face, Chavanelle assuages my fears

at the brewery. Head brewer, Jason

by explaining that a fermentation

Perkins, liked the homebrew, and the

temperature around seventy-five

Allagash team spent two years piloting

degrees will bring out the spicy, fruity

batches before they settled on a final

saison flavors I’m looking for.

“The most important part of working

“Saisons are the best style of beer to

attenuation to produce a dry finish—a

homebrew beer when he was hired

recipe for their dry, citrusy saison.

When I utter the word saison to Jones,

states.

With growing confidence in my understanding of saison yeast, I

with saison yeast is controlling the

contact Tim Adams, head brewer and

fermentation temperature,” Chavanelle

owner of Oxbow Brewing Company, to

states.

help me better wrap my head around hopping a saison.

Maine BrewGuide

17

Hit the Maine Beer Trail and Get Rewarded:

18 spring 2017

turn to the Amarillo hop to get

American hops to shine in this

it is: the spicy, funky aroma

a clean, citrus interplay with

homebrew.

of saison yeast. There’s a

the funky saison yeast.

My brewing partner, Tim

nice bouquet of hop citrus

Ebersold, and I head off to

flavors from the Amarillo and

had mentioned the Centennial

brew our saison. Imagine a

Centennial hops when I sip

hop as a good choice for

month-long movie montage of

the saison, but they don’t get

saisons, Jones and I put

us boiling, steeping, spilling,

in the way of that beautiful

together a hop schedule of

bottling, and impatiently

French saison yeast. As the

Amarillo and Centennial hops,

waiting while Tom Petty sings,

warm weather hits New

saving all the hops for five

“The waiting is the hardest part.”

England, brew up a saison

Recalling that Tim Adams

minutes left in the boil, the

After five weeks, I wistfully

whirlpool, and dry-hopping.

crack open a bottle, and there

and let the dry, fruity flavors accentuate your summer days.

Eschewing the bittering stages of the boil altogether.

Jones suggests Wyeast 3711 French Saison, a hardworking yeast strain known for its Clarifying the type of saison I

ability to work through

want to brew, Jones rattles off

residual sugars to create the

a half dozen saisons brewed in

dry finish I crave.

the U.S. using domestic hops.

During this discussion, the

Free tastings and tours seven days a week. Come on by!

Keeping the malts simple— six pounds of extract pilsner

Amarillo hop continually

malts and one pound of

comes up. With bold flavors of

crushed wheat—will allow the

oranges and grapefruit, Jones

French saison yeast and the

explains that many brewers

Maine Brewers’ Guild News MAINE BREWERS ARE GOING GLOBAL! The Maine Beer Box, a custom shipping container with more than 50 beer taps, will be shipped to Reykjavik, Iceland in June. Filled with kegs from breweries across the state of Maine, it will arrive for a Beer Festival in Iceland on June 24th! The container will then be filled with Icelandic beer and shipped back to Maine for the Summer Session Craft beer Festival. Join us in Iceland in June or Portland in July to be a part of the international branding of Maine beer.

MAINE BREWERS GUILD CRAFT BEER FESTIVALS The biggest brewfests in Maine and your best chance to try Maine's best beers. These are the only brewfests run by and in support of the Maine craft beer industry - we know what beer fans love, and we want to share our love of beer with you while creating the perfect festival environment. So come join us in the vast expanse of Thompson's Point waterfront venue in Portland.

SUMMER SESSION 2017 Saturday July 29th, from 1:00 5:00pm, with a VIP session at Noon.

Outdoors and under the sun, enjoy seasonal selections from both Maine breweries and their out of state

brewer guests along with Icelandic beers from the Maine Beer box.

WINTER SESSION 2017 Saturday November 4th, from 1:00 5:00pm, with a VIP session at Noon.

NEW Winter Session added for 2017.

Help is kick off Portland Beer Week with the second and final craft brew festival of the year.

VISIT ALL THE MAINE BREWERIES WITH OUR BEER TRAIL! Established in 2009, the Maine Beer Trail spotlights the high quality and creative diversity of fresh, hand-crafted, Maine-made beer.

The purpose of the Trail is to give visitors a unique way to enjoy the vibrant micro and craft brewing

industry found throughout the state.

The Maine Beer Trail is an easy to follow brochure that can be used throughout the state to find nearby pubs and breweries. Now more than 90 locations!

BEER SCHOOL EVENTS Ever wanted to learn the secrets of beer from the pros? Join us for beer school events at breweries throughout the state from September 2017 to April 2018.

These smaller events guarantee more interaction and a hands on experience.

For more information, ticketing and sponsorship opportunities please visit mainebrewersguild.org.

Maine BrewGuide

19

Greater Portland

trouble brewing

Backlash over craft brewing trademark suits makes brand protection a tricky proposition As craft breweries continue to grow from small niche businesses to serious economic leaders—they added $220 million to Maine’s economy in 2016—they increasingly face issues familiar to other growing industries like supply shortages, increased competition, and lately, trademark protection. For any business, ensuring that the target audience not only recognizes but connects with the brand can often be what turns a struggling company into an industry leader. According to Fred Frawley, intellectual property attorney at Eaton Peabody in Portland, “there's no business that is more sensitive to making the right brand choices than craft brewing. With growing numbers of brewers and the proliferation of brewery names and beer choices, there are ample traps for the unwary.” This is evidenced by the numerous lawsuits filed in the past year by “small market” breweries including Lagunitas, which sued Sierra Nevada over “IPA” lettering that it considered too close to its own, and Coronado, which claimed that Elysian’s “Idiot Sauvin” was infringing on its “Idiot India Pale Ale.” However, the perception of craft breweries as small businesses that should collaborate to further the recent beer renaissance presents a unique problem for brewers trying to carve out a market share. As both Lagunitas and Coronado discovered, many craft beer drinkers don’t want

to see their favorite small breweries engaged in litigation they perceive as more suited to Big Beer. After some vicious online backlash, and no doubt fearing a correlative decline in sales, both companies dropped their suits shortly after filing.

On the other hand, as Portland’s own In’finiti Fermentation and Distillation found out, failing to protect your brand has its own drawbacks. That company recently changed its name to Liquid Riot Bottling Co. likely due in part to dilution and trademark issues from Infinity Brewing Company in nearby South Burlington, Vermont.

This has left many breweries with a tough choice: protect their brand against infringement and dilution while potentially alienating some customers, or risk losing brand recognition and a share of an increasingly crowded market. There are, after all, only so many hop puns to go around (Ninkasi Brewing’s “Tricerahops” is a personal favorite).

So what is a brewery to do? One option is collaboration; upon discovering that they both had a beer called “Salvation,” Avery and Russian River blended the two and called it “Collaboration Not Litigation.” But when collaboration won’t work, breweries should not hesitate to act to protect one of their most important assets.

SUBMITTED BY EATON PEABODY

beer Craft Beers

Fresh, Local Pub Fare Gritty McDuff’s Brew Pubs PORTLAND I FREEPORT I AUBURN I www.grittys.com

20 spring 2017

1988

food

Since 1988, GRITTY’S has been creating fine, handcrafted ales and traditional pub fare. From humble beginnings as a small brew pub in Portland’s Old Port, they have grown to become a brew pub of choice for many Mainers and folks “from away”. From the start, Gritty’s was at the forefront of the brewing renaissance in the Maine. Founders Ed Stebbins and Richard Pfeffer had two simple goals in mind: to create a true, English-style pub serving fresh ales and great food, and to have fun doing it. With three brew pubs now: the original location in the old port section of Portland, another pub in Freeport and the “new one” on the banks of the Androscoggin River in Auburn, Maine. Their fine ales are sold in Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Vermont. www.grittys.com www.facebook.com/grittymcduffs or www.twitter.com/grittys

Greater Portland

THE GREAT LOST BEAR has become a Portland institution since opening in 1979. The Bear is located about two miles from Portland’s touristy Old Port but well worth the journey across town to the Mysterious Woodford’s Area. The Great Lost Bear features an enormous, eclectic menu with something for everyone, all served in an entertaining atmosphere. They have added more taps as new breweries open throughout the Northeast.

Now, with the Craft Beer Revolution in full throttle GLB offers 78 beers on tap with over 40 from the State of Maine alone. Come taste some of the freshest local beer around at the GLB! SEBAGO BREWING COMPANY is a Maine-owned and -operated company firmly rooted at the crossroads of food and beer. Since opening in 1998, Sebago has become Maine’s premier contemporary American brewpub and one of the fastest-growing craft breweries in the state. Sebago offers a full line of year-round beers, three seasonal beers and several highly anticipated, limited-edition Single Batch Series beers. Sebago Brewing Company has a reputation for creative, high-quality, unique beers that tempt and satisfy the palates of beer lovers.

Stop by for a pint and grab a burger at any one of Sebago’s four brewpub locations in downtown Portland, by the Maine Mall in Scarborough, Gorham in the Village or Kennebunk at the shops at Long Bank. Or schedule a tour and tasting at the brewery in Gorham!

For more information on Sebago Brewing Company’s events and beers, visit www.sebagobrewing.com.

THE

GREAT LOST BEAR 78 BEERS ON TAP INCLUDING 40 LOCAL FRESH MAINE BEERS 540 FOREST AVENUE PORTLAND, ME 207-772-0300 www.greatlostbear.com

SEBAGOBREWING.COM/BEERFINDER Maine BrewGuide

21

Greater Portland

For the beer adventurist, the SOMERSET TAP HOUSE at Whole Foods Market offers 24 craft beer selections on tap, featuring unique beers from local breweries with a consistent rotation. What sets the Somerset Tap House apart from any other beer-centric establishment in Portland? There is an ice rail to keep your brew icy cold—especially useful for those who like to savor their selection. You can also try any of 24 local beers in one place, grab an appetizer or meal from the Tap House menu, then a six-pack of your favorite to go, all under one roof!

When you shop for beer at RSVP DISCOUNT BEVERAGE, on Forest Avenue in Portland, you’re immediately struck by two things: RSVP’s overall beer selection…and RSVP’s CHILLED beer selection. RSVP’s filled the entire SIDE wall with beers, and added 19 beer coolers on the back wall of the retail store.

Stocking the latest beers from local Maine and New England breweries, all the way to Belgian ales made by Trappist monks, plus hard cider, (not to mention wine and spirits), RSVP wants you always to find the adult beverage you want. www.rsvpdiscountbeverage.com

22 spring 2017

the gateway

of the east bay

Text: John Breerwood

Many craft beer enthusiasts didn’t begin with drinking DIPAs but with something more approachable.

Some of us even remember which beers converted us from the ye olde light lager to a much brighter side of brewing.

In early 2016, LONE PINE BREWING began bridging the gap

PHOTO: ELLIS DUCHARME

L ONE PINE BREWERY

between domestic drinkers and beer geeks with their Portland Pale Ale. Since then, Mainers literally cannot get

“We are way ahead of schedule which is both exciting and

enough of Lone Pine’s beer, which has made owners, Tom

intimidating.”

Madden and John Paul, undergo an expansion to keep

In addition to production developments, Lone Pine is

up with demand. Paul, the Director of Business, says,

offering much more for patrons and the community in

“Portland Pale Ale is a gateway beer, and we wanted to

2017. Live bands play on Friday evenings. They recently

bring the worlds together. We targeted accounts with a

did a collaboration with neighbor Urban Farm Fermentory

limited draft selection and experienced a ton of success

to raise money for Portland Trails. Food trucks will also

from that.”

be scheduled every weekend starting in Spring. A street-

They first moved into their location at 219 Anderson

side deck is planned for summer to accommodate more

Street in July 2015. Paul says, “We completely gutted

customers, since their taproom frequently reaches

it and rebuilt it from scratch before we could think

capacity. Also, they plan on experimenting with kettle

about beer.” After rigorous months of sweat equity, they

sours and barrel-aging this summer.

started production in February the following year. Due

But where does the name “Lone Pine” come from? If

to Mainers’ insatiable demand and Lone Pine’s limited

you’ve been waiting to read that it’s from Back to the

supply, Madden and Paul brewed mostly Portland Pale

Future, I must disappoint you. Paul and Madden sought

Ale. However, they recently acquired the adjacent space

a name that would embody their native Pine Tree State.

within the aquamarine and neon orange building for

Madden says, “Maine cultivates this ideology that we’re

more dry and cold storage space. Operating a 5-barrel

proud and up here standing alone. And, if we’re fortunate

brew house, Lone Pine has also purchased five new

to sell out of state one day, the name will be reminiscent

fermenters in order to increase production, which will

of where we come from.” He also said that the idea of the

enable them to consistently produce other brands like

name inadvertently came from the Lone Pine Shelter, a

Brightside IPA (similar to the Portland Pale Ale, except for

non-kill shelter in Arkansas, where Madden fosters dogs

more prominent “juicy” hop flavor), the Tessellation DIPA

through the local Almost Home Rescue organization.

(hopped exclusively with mosaic), and the Chaga Stout

Regardless of the brewery’s namesake, Madden and

(brewed with Maine-grown Chaga mushrooms). They

Paul’s resilience continues to push Lone Pine toward future

have improved the efficiency of packaging operations by

success. And, based on the town buzz, they are clearly not

contracting Iron Heart Canning. Head Brewer Madden says,

alone.

Maine BrewGuide 23

BIKE MS Ride August 12-13

E MS

BIK PHOTO COURTESY OF

August 12 and 13, 2017 will mark the 33rd year for MAINE BIKE MS, the ninth year since Donna McGrew first heard the words “you have multiple sclerosis” when her sister was diagnosed, and the seventh year since her own diagnosis of MS. Now as team co-captain for Cycling Friends and a passionate advocate for the National MS Society, it is Donna’s personal mission to motivate individuals and families affected by MS to get out there and do something about MS NOW…like riding a bike. Because she knows every dollar raised and the miles ridden brings her and her sister closer to the day when MS will stand for mystery solved.

For more information about BIKE MS: GREAT MAINE GETAWAY please visit the website at www.bikemsmaine.org or email bikemsgne@nmss.org *Early and on-going treatment with FDA-approved therapy can make a difference for people with multiple sclerosis. Learn about your options by talking to your health care professional and contracting the National MS Society at msnewengland.org or 1.800.344.4867.

Ready for the ride of a lifetime?

Great Maine Getaway Ride

August 12–13

Start/Finish at University of New England

www.bikemsmaine.org

Don’t just ride, Bike MS

— Use Code MAGME20 for $20 off Registration! —

24 spring 2017

PHOTO: BENJAMIN MOORE

TIGPRO INC. is a team of highly skilled professionals of all disciplines who specializes in the design, fabrication and installation of high quality, custom built brewing systems, tanks, process piping and supporting equipment to the brewing industry.

Some of Tigpro’s recent accounts include Bissell Brothers, who are continuing to expand at their new location and working with TigPro on a new 20BBL brewhouse as well as adding 40 and 60BBL fermentors to increase their capacity for next spring. Tigpro’s equipment was chosen to set up Dirigo Brewing Company's new 15 BBL brewery in Biddeford this year. They are also outfitting Bunker Brewing's recent expansion to 17 Westfield Street in Portland by adding a new 15 BBL Brewhouse, 30 BBL fermenters and Brite tanks as well as new 40 BBL HLT & CLT Tanks. In the Bangor region, Geaghan Brothers Brewing Company is using Tigpro’s brewing equipment to put out their quality brews and finding it difficult to keep up with the demand for their outstanding beers.

Tigpro has partnered up with a veteran brewer who is working closely with customers to design brewing systems that are affordable, have shorter lead times and fit the needs of the individual breweries. Their focus is on the small brewer.

Brewhouse System sizes start at 5 BBL and go in increments of 7, 10, 15, 20 and 30 BBL's while HLT, CLT, Unitank Fermenters, Brite Tanks, Lagering Tanks and conditioning/serving tanks as large as 80 BBL are available. TigPro also manufactures a manual 4 head keg washer/filler so basically, when it comes to brewing equipment and components, if you need it, they can build it. SEE OUR AD ON PAGE 3

Greater Portland

LIQUID RIOTis an energetic brewery, distillery and resto-bar with a tap lineup consistently topping a dozen or more beers, ranging from easy drinking lagers, hoppy IPA’s, bold Imperial Stouts and beyond. Liquid Riot distillery, located under the same roof as the brewery and resto-bar, specializes in small batch whiskies, rums, and other spirits, which are featured in craft cocktails onsite. Liquid Riot brought home the 2016 World Beer Cup Gold Medal in the brett beer category for Blushing Star. Liquid Riot Fernet Michaud recently earned Double Gold and Best of Category at the 2017 American Distilling Institute's craft spirits competition. Ratebeer. com has named Liquid Riot the Best Brewpub in Maine multiple years in a row. The resto-bar serves savory and delicious food with much of the influence coming from just steps away from the back deck, Liquid Riot is located at the top of Union Wharf on Portland’s waterfront. Liquid Riot's award winning beers, spirits and food are available at 250 Commercial St., Portland, Maine 04101. (207) 221-8889 / www.liquidriot.com

LITTLE TAP HOUSE is a cozy sixty seat gastropub located in the West End. Offering a curated selection of 14 local rotating microbrews and a farmto-table menu; they partner with Maine brewers and farmers to bring the freshest ingredients in house. Open daily at 11am for Lunch and Dinner at 4pm. Drink fresh and eat local! littletaphouse.com

Maine BrewGuide

25

PHOTO BY BILLY COOK

western maine & kennebec valley Text Josh Christie

Maine's western lakes and mountains are home to four seasons of recreation – skiing and snowmobiling in the winter, boating and fishing in the summer, and hiking, biking, and hunting in the shoulder seasons.

It's little surprise that breweries have sprung up among the lakes and mountains, catering to thirsty locals and visitors alike. In fact, it's hard to think of a sporting destination in the area that doesn't have an accompanying craft brewery to visit at the end of the day. Visiting this vast area, it is comforting to know that great Maine beer is never far away.

tasting room directory NAME

CITY

S

M

Bag & Kettle Brewpub (seasonal, Nov - Apr)

Carrabasset Valley

11 - 8:30

11 - 8:30

Norway Brewing Company

Norway

11 - 3

3-9

Saco River Brewing

Fryeburg

12 - 5

Bethel

6a – 11p

Farmington

1–7

Sunday River Brewing Company Tumbledown Brewing Kennebec River Pub & Brewery 26 spring 2017

6a – 11p

T

Note: Hours were accurate as of printing.

Before heading out please check ahead to confirm hours.

W

TH

F

S

FACEBOOK /The-Bag-and-Kettle-226206227458472/

11 - 8:30

11 - 8:30

11 - 8:30

11 - 8:30

11 - 8:30

3-9

4 - 10

4 - 10

4 - 11

2 - 11

/norwaybrewingco

3-7

12 - 7

/sacoriverbrewing

6a – 1a

6a – 1a

/Sunday-River-BrewPub-w-The-Savages-315654268558376/

6a – 11p

6a – 11p

6a – 11p

1–7

1–7

1–7

11 – 7

/TumbledownBrewing

7a – 9p

7a – 9p

7a – 9p

7a – 9p

7a – 9p

/KennebecRiverBrewery

Text Josh Christie

In recent years, I’ve gotten into the habit of counting license plates at big beer releases. Specifically, I’ve been checking out how many out-of-state plates are mixed in among the Mainers seeing what’s new from their local brewers. More and more, the number of people “from away” dwarfs the locals. There’s always a reliable contingent of Massachusetts folks, followed closely by flannelled Vermonters and our neighbors from New Hampshire. But Maine beer is drawing drivers from further and further away. On release days at Allagash and Bissell Brothers, you’ll increasingly see people coming from as far as New York, Pennsylvania and even Virginia.

Beer tourism - that is, trips and

visited craft breweries last year, and

vacations with an itinerary built

that number is only rising. With over

specifically around breweries - is

90 breweries operating in the state,

booming in Maine and around the

and one of the highest concentrations

country. The Brewer’s Association

of breweries per-capita in the country,

(the trade association for small and

Maine is at the forefront of the world of

independent American brewers)

“beercations.”

estimates that about ten million people [ see “beer tourism” page 29 ]

PHOTOS COURTESY OF SKOWHEGAN CRAFT BRE FESTIVAL

PHOTO BY BILLY COOK

beer tourism PHOTO COURTESY OF UMBRELLA FACTORY OUTLET

Maine BrewGuide

27

Maine Lakes Brewfest

since

2004

PHOTOS COUTESY OF MERCER PHOTOGRAPHY

Since its inception in 2004, the Maine Lakes Brewfest has been one of the most popular and well-attended events that the Chamber holds in the area each year. Organized and set up by Mr. and Mrs. Tux Burke, of Naples, and with the assistance of many chamber members and volunteers, the first Brewfest was held in Casco with 300 attendees. This event has grown so dramatically over the years, we are now known as the largest Brewfest in the state!

THE MAINE LAKES BREWFEST is already in the works for its 14th year!

The location is “on the beach” at Point Sebago in Casco, and has over 3000 attendees coming from multiple states, such as Texas, New York, Georgia, Illinois, Missouri and Florida! We have always toted the saying “Rain or shine, we’ve got you covered!” as all brewers, food vendors, the bands and volunteers working the front end check–in areas are all covered by tents! We now have 7 tents, providing coverage from rain or SUN (the past 4 years we’ve had perfect weather!) for up to 36 Brewers this year and over 15 Food Vendors. With live bands providing music all day (the event runs from 11-4) you’ll have your fill of a multitude of food offerings from pulled pork sandwiches, lobster rolls, oysters to the traditional hamburgers and hot dogs! Our brewers come from Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont, and you’ll get a brochure at the entrance guiding you to your favorite brews!

If the words, beer and sampling are music to your ears, Brewfest admission can be purchased ahead of time online at mainelakesbrewfest.com - SAVE by buying ahead of time and avoid waiting in line to purchase tickets at the door! Tickets go on SALE on May 1, 2017!!

Many thanks to our expansive Brewfest committee, over 75 Volunteers, and treasured Sponsors! We could not pull off this amazing event without their continued support year after year!

Sue Mercer, Executive Director Greater Bridgton Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce

28 spring 2017

[ “beer tourism”from page 27 ]

“Visitors from out-of-state have been “During 2016, 85% of the 5,300 guests

brewed in their Coolship (a broad, open

a big part of the people who walk into

vessel used to cool spontaneously

on board came from places other

our tasting room since we've opened,

fermented sour beers). The Coolship

than Maine,” says Don Littlefield,

and it has only grown since then,”

beers age particularly well, and Coolship

General Manager of the craft beer tour

says Tina Bonney, Business Manager

Resurgam, Coolship Red, Coolship Cerise, and

company the Maine Brew Bus. And

at Foundation Brewing Company. “It's

Coolship Balaton, among others, remain in

these visitors weren’t here just to try

great to see interest in Maine beer

high demand by beer-lovers around the

Maine beer, but to take it home. “Over

grow, not only because we love to share

country.

a 12-month period, our tour guests

what makes the beer scene here great,

purchased over $50,000 in additional

but it's also a chance to share other

releases has shifted in a hoppier

spending for beer and merchandise to

cool things that are going on here, and

direction. While bold stouts still

bring home.”

why we love calling Maine home.”

demand some attention (Rising Tide

These purchases of beer (either for

While demand is peaking now, it’s not

In recent years, the fervor over beer

Brewing Company’s Nikita and Tributary

consumption or to-go) at breweries

a new story. For years, the largest beer

Brewing Company’s Mott The Lesser

are big business — the Brewer’s

sites online (Ratebeer, BeerAdvocate,

are two such examples), IPAs, Double

Association reports that about 7% of

and Reddit’s r/beer) have hosted

IPAs, and cloudy “New England IPAs”

total brewery beer sales are made at a

forums for beer-lovers looking to share

draw hundreds of visitors to releases.

brewery or in a tasting room. Littlefield

their local beer. If you’ve ever looked

Foundation’s Epiphany IPA and Maine Beer Company’s Dinner Double IPA both

“ During 2016, 85% of the 5,300 guests on board came from places other than Maine.”

— Don Littlefield, Maine Brew Bus

draw massive crowds at each release, creating snaking lines of visitors down Industrial Way and Route 1. Demand for Bissell Brothers’ Substance has been astronomical since they started brewing, but every new release from the brewery draws scads of people to their spot-on Thompson’s Point. The brewery releases a schedule of can releases seasonally, and there seems to be a line no matter the release.

suspects the rate is much higher in

on these sites, or even on Facebook

Maine, with “75% or more of sales”

and social media posts, you’ll see the

Maine’s breweries and taprooms, Maine

for some brewers coming from direct

popular acronyms FT (“For Trade”) and

beer retailers see visitors looking to

interaction with customers at their

ISO (“In Search Of”) floating around

bring home local beer (or trade it with

breweries.

every local beer release.

friends near and far). “When we wrote

Maine is called “Vacationland” for

In the early 2000s, Bar Harbor

In addition to the demand seen at

our business plan in 2011, we never

a reason — tourism is practically the

Brewing’s Cadillac Mountain Stout was

foresaw how big beer tourism would

state’s raison d'etre — and has been

among the most highly sought-after

be to our business,” says Greg Norton,

part of the state’s brewing landscape

beers from Maine. The dry stout, voted

owner of the state’s best beer store,

since the first lobster-branded phial of

best stout in the world in the World

Portland’s Bier Cellar. “Each year we

Geary’s Pale Ale rolled off the bottling

Beer Championships in 1995, topped

see increasing numbers of out-of-

line in the ‘80s.

plenty of “best beer” lists and turned

staters coming in to Maine … It's been

On top of this, the brewers of the Pine

lots of people onto Maine beer. Also in

amazing to see how much beer that

Tree State are making great beer. Beer

high demand at the time was Shipyard

has gone from our shop to other states

so great, in fact, that it’s highly sought

Brewing Company’s Pumpkinhead, a

and even countries.”

after outside of our borders. And with

divisive spiced beer that had devoted

the majority of the state’s brewers only

fans willing to go to great lengths to

relationship with local brewers,

distributing within Maine (and many

get their favorite seasonal beer as the

and his shop is a go-to spot for new

distributing themselves, only within

days got shorter. Demand also rose for

releases from many Maine brewers,

a few dozen miles of the brewery),

Allagash Brewing Company’s Belgian-

including the aforementioned Bissell

demand for Maine-made beer straight

style brews, particularly after 2010 as

Brothers, Foundation, and Allagash. He

from the source is at an all-time high.

they began releasing small-batch beers

also advocates for other local beer

Norton has fostered a good

[ see “beer tourism” page 31 ]

Maine BrewGuide 29

[ “beer tourism”from page 29 ]

BEST BEER STORES

Farmington carries growlers from local Tumbledown Brewing Company.

Bottle shops in the expanding Bangor/

Bangor Wine & Cheese

Good Beer Store

Rockland Food Service ROCKLAND

and Cheese, carry bottles, cans

Belfast Co-op

Madden Beverage

Ron’s Market

and growlers that never make it to

Bier Cellar

Maine Beer and Beverage

RSVP

BANGOR

BELFAST

PORTLAND

Bootleggers TOPSHAM

Bow Street Market FREEPORT

Global Beverage Warehouse ELLSWORTH

FRYEBURG

SACO

PORTLAND

Oak Hill Beverage SCARBOROUGH

Old Port Spirits & Cigars PORTLAND

Rising Tide

FARMINGTON

Orono beer scene, like Bangor Wine

Southern Maine’s shelves.

Looking to enter the wild, wooly

PORTLAND

world of beer trading? Be advised

State Street Wine Shop

that shipping through the U.S. Postal

BANGOR

Service is a strict no-no, while using

Tully’s Beer and Wine

carriers like UPS and FedEx is a bit

WELLS

more of a gray area. Forums on the

The Vault

popular beer sites are a great place

LEWISTON

DAMARISCOTTA

not only to find trading partners, but also for advice on how best to package and ship your beer. Some bottle shops

that doesn’t have quite as much hype

Outside of Portland, beer stores

are also helpful, as sources for bottle

behind it. “I generally try to steer

represent both the greater Maine beer

shipping containers if nothing else. The

them to great examples of styles that

scene and their local brewers, many

short answer? Pack carefully, throw in

may fly under their radar as well as

of whom might not be available in

some extra favorites, and don’t be a

crowd pleasing beers that are pretty

the Forest City. A stop at Tully Beer

jerk. Use trading as an opportunity to

universally loved. If it's summer time,

and Wine in Wells can get you beer

share local favorites and receive the

a nice Weiss beer or lager, in winter a

from tiny Theory Brewing Company,

same from someone. If nothing else,

porter or stout.”

for example, and Ron’s Market in

think of it as a boxed-up beercation.

, 201 2 2 y a 7 m

open 7 days

Starting May 22nd, NORWAY BREWING COMPANY will be open for dinner seven days a week!

The taproom will also be open for samples, growler fills, and bar snacks Monday to Friday from 12-4pm, and they are opening for brunch at 11 on on Saturday as well.

You can try their brews at several festivals this summer, including Great Falls Brewfest in Lewiston, Summer Session in Portland, and Foothills Food Festival in Norway.

The summer season marks the return of their Acoustic Jam Sessions every Wednesday, fresh produce from the brewery garden plot at Alan Day Community Garden, cornhole in the beer garden, and many new & exciting brews! Check their social media channels (@norwaybrewingco) for the latest developments!

Maine BrewGuide

31

Western Maine & Kennebec Valley

kennebec valley

The Kennebec Valley stretches from the state capital all the way to the Maine-Quebec border. The region is defined by the churning rivers within its borders. These rivers historically provided transit and industry to towns like Madison, Skowhegan, and Waterville, and today drive much of the tourism in the region. Stopping in the towns along the Kennebec will bring you to the rustic taproom of BIGELOW BREWING, as well as the charming pubs of the KENNEBEC RIVER BREWERY and the LIBERAL CUP. Established in 1976, NORTHERN OUTDOORS offers year-round, affordable Maine adventure vacations and is the first and most experienced rafting adventure company in the state. In the summertime, we offer whitewater rafting, river floats, hiking, ATV rentals and trail access and fishing. When the temperatures drop in late fall and winter, ride some of Maine’s best snowmobiling trails or make one of our cabins your hunting headquarters. Lodging options include rustic to luxury cabins and riverside camping.

Our very own KENNEBEC RIVER BREWERY is featured on the Maine Beer Trail! Northern Outdoors is located 4 hours from Boston, MA and 2½ hours from Portland, ME on Route 201, The Old Canada Road National Scenic Byway in The Forks, Maine.

NORTHERN OUTDOORS MAINE’S PREMIER ADVENTURE RESORT

Serving You Maine’s Best Active Vacations!

• Classic Open Timbered Log Lodge: Fieldstone fireplace, gameroom, free wifi, outdoor swimming pool and giant outdoor hot tub.

Kennebec River Brewery

Our full service restaurant & awesome handcrafted beer make your stay even better!

•

Adventure Resort in The Forks and Adventure Basecamp at the Penobscot River and Baxter State Park.

•

New England’s Best Whitewater Rafting: Kennebec, Penobscot, and Dead Rivers.

•

ATV Trails, Guided Fishing Trips & Hiking Trails: Explore more adventures during your resort stay.

Centrally located in Western Maine’s renowned outdoor recreation playground.

Old Canada Road National Scenic Byway 1771 US Route 201, The Forks, ME 04985

207-663-4466

www.NorthernOutdoors.com 32 spring 2017

September 2, 2017 On Saturday, Sept. 2, a block in the heart of downtown Skowhegan will close to vehicular traffic as more than 20 purveyors of Maine craft beer, wine, cider, and spirits take to the streets at the second annual SKOWHEGAN CRAFT BREW FESTIVAL. The event will kick off with a VIP hour featuring specialty brews not available during the general session and free food samples and demonstrations from vendors specializing in local harvest. The general session will include an array of Maine-crafted libations, while merchants will offer farm-to-table fare such as organic tacos, whoopie pies, and pulled pork.

Live music will enhance the festival atmosphere, with performances by the Youngerbloods—a Norway, Maine-based band that reinvents ’60s-era hits and writes original music rooted in jazz and blues—and the Dave Mello Blues Band, a local group that covers Muddy Waters, B.B. King, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and other blues classics.

Guided tours of Maine Grains and exploration of Skowhegan’s riverfront and the Langlais Art Trail will round out this Labor Day weekend event—one of the only festivals in the state featuring all Maine producers of beer, wine, cider, and spirits—making for an unforgettable close to summer.

Tickets are available at SkowheganCraftBrewFest.com.

PHOTO COUTESY OF SKOWHEGAN CRAFT BREW FESTIVAL

Saturday, September 2, 2017 Maine-crafted libations, farm-to-table fare, and live music in the streets of Skowhegan

SkowheganCraftBrewFest.com

The midcoast region of Maine, a span of rocky coastline bordered by Casco and Penobscot Bays, contains an impressive 1,500 miles of coastline. The constellation of islands, harbors, and peninsulas is to blame, and the terrain makes the midcoast tempting to explore by both land and water. On the mainland, you can sip beer in waterfront taverns at Andy’s Brew Pub and the Boothbay Craft Brewery, or on bucolic farmland at Oxbow’s Newcastle brewery.

The midcoast is also home to two breweries that are, uniquely, inaccessible by land – Monhegan Brewing Company (established in 2013) and North Haven Brewing.

At 27 years old, Dan Pease started ROCK HARBOR PUB at the intersection of Main Street and Limerock Street in Rockland, Maine with the idea of some day making it a brewpub. After two years of growing the restaurant into one of Rockland’s favorite pubs, a brewery in southern Maine decided to close its doors. The opportunity to start a brewery presented itself and Dan purchased the equipment and moved it two hours north and installed it at Rock Harbor in July of 2013. After licensing Rock Harbor Brewing Co., the brewing began and by October the first pints were poured. His only previous experience in brewing was 10 years of home brewing, but through research and experimenting he has been able to create brews that people at ROCK HARBOR PUB & BREWERY love. This summer, Dan will be moving the majority of his brewing operation into his own off-site brewery location at 5 Payne Avenue in Rockland, Maine. With a tentative opening date of June 2017, Dan is excited to open the new location and tasting room, and begin brewing even more beer.

34 spring 2017

PHOTO: KAY STEPHENS

midcoast

midcoast

Note: Hours were accurate as of printing.

Before heading out please check ahead to confirm hours.

tasting room directory NAME

CITY

S

M

T

W

TH

F

S

FACEBOOK

11:30 – 8

11:30 – 8

11:30 – 8

11:30 – 8

11:30 – 8

11:30 – 8

11:30 – 8

/Boothbay-Craft-BreweryTavern-104727574679

Boothbay Craft Brewery

Boothbay

Fat Friars Meadery

Newcastle

Flight Deck Brewing

Brunswick

11 - 5

Liberty Craft Brewing

Liberty

11 – 8

Lively Brewing / Ebenezer's Brewpub

Brunswick

Marshall Wharf Brewing Co.

Belfast

11 - 4

Monhegan Brewing Company (seasonal, May - Oct)

Monhegan

12 - 6

North Haven Brewing

North Haven

11 - 6

Oxbow Brewing

Newcastle

12 – 7

/The-Fat-Friar-Meadery-175864219129026 12 - 7

11:30 - 1

Penobscot Bay Brewery / Winterport Winery (Seasonal, May - Oct)

Winterport

Rock Harbor Pub & Brewery

Rockland

11:30a– 11

Sea Dog Brewing Co.

Camden

Sea Dog Brewing Co.

12 - 7

11 - 8

11 - 8

/flightdeckbrewing

11 – 8

11 – 8

11 – 8

/libertycraftbrewing

3-1

3-1

11:30 - 1

11:30 - 1

11:30 - 1

/Ebenezers-Brewpub-211281985715280

11 - 4

11 - 4

11 - 4

11 - 4

11 - 4

/Three-Tides-MarshallWharf-Brewing-Company-41135004445

12 - 6

12 - 6

12 - 6

12 - 6

12 - 6

12 - 6

/MonheganBrewingCompany

11 - 6

3-6

11 - 6

3-6

11 - 6

11 - 6

/northhavenbrewing

3-7

12 - 7

12 - 8

12 - 7

/OxbowBeer /Winterport-Winery-andPenobscot-Bay-Brewery-107454236064

3-1

11 – 5

11 – 5

11 – 5

11 – 5

11 – 5

11:30 – 11

11:30 – 11

11:30 – 11

11:30 – 11

11:30 – Midnight

11:30a – Midnight

/rockharbor.me

11 - 12:30

11 - 12:30

11 - 12:30

11 - 12:30

11 - 12:30

11 - 12:30

11 - 12:30

/seadogcamden

Topsham

10 - 1

11 - 1

11 - 1

11 - 1

11 - 1

11 - 1

11 - 1

/seadogtopsham

Simplicity Brewing Co and Supplies

Warren

11 – 5

10:30 – 6

10:30 – 6

10:30 – 6

10:30 – 6

/simplicitybrewingco

Threshers Brewing Company

Searsmont

12 - 8

3-9

3-9

3-9

12 - 10

/ThreshersBrewingCo

Flight Deck Brewery

REPURPOSED with a PURPOSE

Attention on the FLIGHT DECK! There’s a new brewery at Brunswick Landing, site of the former naval air station. Co-founders Nate Wildes and Jared Entwistle have repurposed the small arms pistol range into a brilliantly sunlit and inviting tasting room serving their locally sourced beers.

Head Brewer, Entwistle, is currently producing six styles of brews ranging from a hopheavy Subhunter Imperial IPA (9.1% ABV) to a hibiscus tea beer, which has become an immediate hit. Most pours are $5.00 each with a flight of six tastings for $12.00. Try their delicious soft pretzels made from spent grains by the Landing’s new Beet Market.

Come spring, they plan to open the ceiling height glass doors onto the patio built from slabs cut from the bullet-proof walls. This will add to their mission to provide a much-needed space for social gatherings and events in the Brunswick community. The all-electric brewing operation is powered by a combination of the Landing’s bioenergy plant partially powered by the brewery’s

review

spent grains and other on-site renewable energy options. While you are on patrol hunting for the newest craft beer tasting room, Flight Deck is the place for—what else—the perfect flight.

Contributing writer: Billy Cook, Maine Beer Tasting Rooms

Maine BrewGuide

35

PHOTO COURTESY OF BOOTHBAY CRAFT BREWING

Flight

22 Main Street, Building 3B • Searsmont, ME

— Destination Brewery & Tap Room — www.threshersbrewingco.com

SPECIAL CUSTOM THRESHERS BREWING CO STICKER REDEEMABLE WITH THIS COUPON! *One per customer. Expires 12/1/17.

BBQ Every Thursday, Friday & Saturday LIVE MUSIC Every Saturday 7PM–10PM

36 spring 2017

PHOTOS COUTESY OF THRESHERS BREWING CO.

THRESHER BREWING CO.

BOOTHBAY CRAFT BREWERY The ever evolving craft beer scene in Maine has creative people in the beer industry apply their many talents towards not only creating world class beers but we also see them building their pubs and brewery’s with just as much creativity.

A good example is at the BOOTHHBAY CRAFT BREWERY AND WATERSHED TAVERN where the owners Win and Lori spend the slower winter months continuing to refine the experience for their guests.

With the addition of more cozy booths they have also added a touch of speakeasy to the Watershed Tavern. Visitors will enjoy searching for the secret doorway that leads to the “Tool Room” which not only has another great bar and more dining but is adorned with many tools used throughout Maines farming, boatbuilding, and ice harvesting eras. “A fun collaboration we did was with the local glass blowers in Dresden at Tandem Glass. They helped us build some cool lighting for our tavern.

Made by using old ice tongs these “ice blocks” are a conversation piece for sure.

On the brewery side, head brewer Ben Rossignol has brewed our first Pilsner which will be aptly named “Block of Time”, in a nod toward Boothbays’ rich ice harvesting history of the late 1800’s. A cool tid bit we found from the local histtorical society was that to determine if the quality of the ice was good enough it was tested by being able to read the Boothbay Register through the 12" x 14" block. We wondered what news was frozen in time…This crisp refreshing lager will be released just as the tavern opens for the season and will soon be found on the shelves in 16 oz 4 packs. (See our add on the inside front cover)

THRESHERS BREWING CO. As friends and home brewers for a number of years, we decided to leave our carpentry jobs, take the plunge and start a brewery. We did all of the carpentry ourselves to transform a re-purposed sawmill building in the center of Searsmont known as “the friendliest village in Maine.” Our goal is to offer approachable beers that everyone can enjoy, especially families who want somewhere comfortable to bring their kids.

Take the scenic route as you travel down the back country roads to our tap room, right down the road near the Fraternity Village General Store. We have a BBQ food trailer on site for the weekends, and live music on Saturday nights that will run through the summer. We are excited to meet all the new people at Threshers, and share our sudsy creations with you!! Cheers!!

— Ethan Evangelos and Scott Bendtson, co-owners

your

share brews We want to know what you’re drinkin’ and thinkin’!

#MaineBrewGuide

or glasses, in ns ca in s ew br t af cr ur yo Whether you enjoy fire pits or by the grill, nd ou ar s, tio pa on or s tasting room urses, with your co lf go or ps to n ai nt ou on boats or m mp, in pets, on a chair lift, at ca or winter, spring, summer fall... Share your brew pic with us!

Heck, if you are drinking a beer right now... snap

#MaineBrewGuide

#MaineBrewGuide

PHOTO BREWTIS MILLER

a photo, post it on our facebook page (/mainebrewguide), and tell us about it!

MaineBrewGuide.com

distilled

ICON IC

GIN &tonic Text & Photos Dave Patterson

I’m a bourbon guy in the winter, but when the warm weather hits I’m all about the gin & tonic.

The syrupy bitterness from the tonic water mixed with the piney sharpness from a wellcrafted gin along with a touch of citrus from a lime wedge creates the quintessential summer cocktail.

38 spring 2017

The tasting room attendant mixes me up a g&t with Bimini Gin, Jack Rudy tonic, ice cubes and a lime wedge in a highball

sweetness. First and foremost, Back River lets the juniper shine.

Though they don’t mix cocktails at

glass. With my first sublime sip, I get

the tasting room, Williamson pours

fruit-forward grapefruit notes with that

a sample of Back River Gin with a

iconic piney gin undercurrent from the

side pour of Schweppes tonic water.

juniper berries. This g&t is tropical and

I sip the gin neat and am hit with

delicious.

a gorgeous, fresh pine flavor from

Though I could stay all afternoon at

the juniper berries and other classic

Round Turn, I need to soldier on in my

botanicals. After the juniper flavor

g&t pilgrimage. Next stop, SWEETGRASS

settles, a refreshing sweetness from

WINERY & DISTILLERY’s tasting room in

the blueberries hits the palate. I pour

Portland. Their distillery and tasting

a little tonic into the gin sample, and

room in Union, Maine, is worth a day

enjoy the interplay of bitter tonic

trip in itself, but today’s mission is about

and piney, sweet gin. Back Cove Gin

volume.

is a finely-crafted spirit with a slight

The Fore Street tasting room has an industrial vibe from the exposed

Maine twist.

Heading up 295, my next stop is

brick walls and dark wood beams. I’m

MAINE DISTILLERIES, LLC on Route 1

intrigued by their flagship spirit, Back River

in Freeport. This distillery makes

Gin, a London-style gin made with organic

spirits from potatoes grown on Green

botanicals and Maine blueberries. Retail

Thumb Farms in Fryeburg. You don’t

sales manager, Courtney Williamson,

get more Maine than that.

picks up on my hesitation about the

The Cold River Traditional Gin has won a

blueberries, but assures me that the

smattering of awards for its smooth,

Maine-picked fruit adds a nuanced

accessible flavor profile. Tasting room bartender, Erin Bertoni, explains that

With the craft distilling movement roaring along, Mainers have a myriad of choices when searching out an artfully crafted bottle of gin. On a warm day in early spring, I map out a day trip from Biddeford to Freeport in search of the perfect g&t made with Maine-crafted gin.

My first stop is ROUND TURN DISTILLING in the Pepperell Mill in Biddeford. The snug tasting room is equipped with a vintage console record player spinning a Tina Turner record on my visit. I love this place immediately.

At the white-tiled bar, owner and general manager, Kristina Hansen explains that their Bimini Gin was inspired by summer weather and juicy IPAs—the list of botanicals includes Mount Hood hops. Instead of being a piney juniper bomb, Bimini boasts big grapefruit notes.

SWEETGRASS WINERY & DISTILLERY

Maine BrewGuide 39

monhegan brewing company For you dear beer, I would climb a mountain and cross the sea

To grab a brew from Monhegan Brewing Co., it’s not like you can just drive up and hit the tasting room after work. This remote brewery is one of the few existing island stops on the Maine Beer Trail. You're going to have to set aside an entire day for the journey, but, it's going to be the best damn beer you've ever tasted.

The entire experience starts from the moment you take the mailboat from the Monhegan Boat Line out from Port Clyde.

For $35 round-trip, you can make the 7:00 a.m. or 10:30 a.m. ferry out and take the return 4:30 p.m. boat back, giving you an entire day to explore Monhegan's extensive trails.

The official ferry season starts Memorial Day, but the crowds start to hit around July 4, so if you want it to feel as though you

40 spring 2017

have the island to yourself, go any weekday or weekend before then.

With roughly an hour crossing (10 miles out to sea), stand out on the top of the deck and let yourself experience full sensory overload; feel the bracing salty wind, the churn of waves and take in the porpoises, seals, and shags. Close your eyes and imagine everyone else you know sitting in an air-conditioned cubicle, trying to decipher an Excel spreadsheet. Try hard not to cackle out loud.

After the boat docks, you'll instantly see why this place inspires so many artists. There are no crowds or cars. Barely any stores. Just million dollar views everywhere you turn and a reclusive sense of silence. Maine: the way life used to be.

Have a good pair of hiking boots and bring a backpack with snacks and water or grab what you need at the island's only year-round grocery store, L Brackett & Son on the main road just before the post office.

Buy the trail map at the boat ticket booth because your smart phone won't likely work here.

For those who want to boost the enchantment factor, take the easygoing Cathedral Woods trail, which reveals many tiny handmade fairy houses built alongside the path. (Just don’t cheese off the locals and alter the natural landscape or leave any items like beer caps).

Text Kay Stephens

If you want to get the biggest reward for your beer hike, forgo the easy trails and head straight for the cliffs.

A short jaunt down the southside of the main road will take you to a fairly good loop starting with Burnt Head #4, which winds through the hushed forested interior of the island. Cut to the left slightly to Gull Cove #5, which takes you through a jagged cliffside path, (known as Trail #1) a spectacularly rugged hike that spans the perimeter of the island.

When you come out on Lobster Cove on the south side of the island, you'll be sweaty and tired, but it's going to feel like the chorus of angels just busted out in a cappella when you see the shingled cape taproom of Monhegan Brewing Co. Owners Matt and Mary Weber started this family-owned brewery in 2013 and for the last three summer seasons, have seen traffic and sales exponentially increase. “The first year, people would sort of stumble onto the brewery, but now, especially with The Maine Beer Trail, we're seeing more and more people come over specifically to go for a hike and sample a brew,” she

PHOTOS: KAY STEPHENS

FUN FACT

distilled

All of MONHEGAN BREWING CO. beers are named for Monhegan landmarks or aspects of island living.

said. “You earn your beer, that's for sure.”

The inside of the taproom feels like a rustic clubhouse with cheerful blue and white decor and features about five to six brews ranging from IPAs and pale ales to a stout.

One of their most popular summertime brews is the Balmy Days Citra-Hopped Kölsch. After those cliffs, the light citrusy body with a touch of wheat is going to taste like Nirvana in a glass, no joke.

“A lot of people have told us it's the best beer they've ever had, said Mary. “As much as it pleases me that they like our brews, I have a feeling that being hot and sweaty and having a cold beer at the end of the trail has a lot to do with it," she laughed.

Each brew ranges from $5.00 $6.00 per pint and they also offer handcrafted ginger beer and root beer as well. They take both cash and cards, but islanders always appreciate cash.

At this taproom, there is no such thing as a stranger. Many of those who came over on the ferry with you will end up here, or you might see an islander wheel up on an ATV to fill a growler. Mingle on the taproom steps or wander out to a shaded table in their lobster trap beer garden.

Out of all the day trips you take in your lifetime, you can honestly say you never went this far out of your way for a beer.

Okay, kick back and take a sip.

You can die now.

COLD RIVER DISTILLERY

Cold River’s award winning Traditional Gin is notable for its smooth, accessible flavor.

it’s a London-style dry gin—citrus-

Tree tonic water, garnishing the rim

focused with an astringent underbelly

with a lime wedge. There’s a bright

of juniper.

floral aroma of citrus coming off the

Bertoni mixes up a g&t with ice

glass. I squeeze the lime wedge and

cubes, gin, Schweppes tonic water

drop it in. That first sip brings on

and a lime wedge. I take a sip through

lemon zest, big floral notes, all with

the black straw and my insides melt

an assertive herbal citrus presence

into a summery euphoria. This is a

from the cardamom and juniper.

clean gin with beautiful lemon peel

The Fever Tree tonic water gives a

and orange citrus flavors, and just

fresh bitterness to balance the bright

the right amount of pine bite from

aromatics from the gin.

the juniper berries. This is the perfect

This road trip taught me, above all,

gateway gin. It’s complex, but doesn’t

that each Maine distillery has its own

wallop the palate with pine.

distinct voice when it comes to gin.

Drifting to my last stop, I head into

Branch out and try them all in a gin

the heart of downtown Freeport to

& tonic this summer on a day trip

visit MAINE CRAFT DISTILLING’S satellite

up and down the state or simply as

tasting room. Their Alchemy Dry Gin is

you sway in a hammock in your own

crafted from Maine-grown barley and

backyard.

is triple-distilled using coriander, cardamom, lemon peel, almonds, and, of course, juniper berries.

The cozy, two floor tasting room boasts striking wood beams and handcrafted tables with soft lighting from Edison light bulbs. When I belly up to the bar, James Frydrych, the tasting room ambassador, explains that Alchemy has more body than most gins from the addition of almonds.

In a highball glass, he combines ice cubes, Alchemy Dry Gin, and Fever

Maine BrewGuide

41

greater bangor A craft brewing mecca

In recent years, no part of the Maine brewery landscape has been more exciting than the Highland region. While the Queen City of Bangor and surrounding towns have long played second fiddle to the brewing scene in Southern Maine, an influx of talented brewers has seriously upped the area’s reputation. Now, while relaxing at a local beer bar like NOCTURNEM DRAFT HAUS, you can enjoy beer brewed by GEAGHAN BROTHERS, ORONO BREWING COMPANY, MASON’S BREWING, or a number of other Bangor-area brewers.

Hardly also-rans, these beers handily compete for the title of Maine’s best brews.

Text Josh Christie

Note: Hours were accurate as of printing.

Before heading out please check ahead to confirm hours.

tasting room directory NAME

CITY

2 Feet Brewing

Bangor

Black Bear Brewing Company

Orono

Blank Canvas Brewery

S

12 - 6

M

T

W

TH

F

S

FACEBOOK

3-9

3-9

3-9

3-9

3 - 11

3 - 11

/2FeetBrewery

3 – 10

3 – 10

3 – 10

3 - 12

3 - 12

2 - 12

/blackbearmicrobrew

Brewer

4 -9

4 -9

4–9

/blankcanvasbrewery

Geaghan Brothers Brewing Company

Brewer (Tasting Room)

4-8

4-8

12 - 7

/geaghanbros

Geaghan's Pub

Bangor (Pub)

11 - 11

11 - 11

11 - 11

11 - 11

11 - 11

11 - 12

11 - 12

/geaghans

Orono Brewing Company

Orono

12 – 7

3 – 10

3 – 10

3 – 10

3 – 12

3 – 12

12 – 12

/oronobrewing

Orono Brewing Company - DownBangor town Bangor

12 – 7

3 – 10

3 – 10

3 – 10

3 – 12

3 – 12

12 – 12

/oronobrewing

Marsh Island Brewing

Orono

12 - 6

4 - 10

4 - 10

4 - 10

4 - 12

3 - 12

12 - 12

/MarshIslandBrewing

Mason's Brewing Company

Brewer

10:30 – 10:30

10:30 – 10:30

10:30 – 10:30

10:30 – 10:30

10:30 – 10:30

10:30 – 10:30

10:30 – 10:30

/masonsbrewing

Sea Dog Brewing Co.

Bangor

11 – 1

11 – 1

11 – 1

11 – 1

11 – 1

11 – 1

11 – 1

/seadogbangor

3–9

3–9

3–9

/baxterbrewing

4 - 10

4 – 10

4 – 10

12 - 10

/bearbonesbeer

CENTRAL MAINE Baxter Brewing Co.

Lewiston

Bear Bones Beer

Lewiston

Bigelow Brewing Company

Skowhegan

3–8

12 – 8

/bigelowbrewingco

Gritty McDuff's

Auburn

11 – 1

11 – 1

11 – 1

11 – 1

11 – 1

11 – 1

11 – 1

/grittymcduffs

Liberal Cup Public House and Brewery

Hallowell

11 – 9

11:30 – 9

11:30 – 9

11:30 – 9

11:30 – 9

11:30 – 10

11:30 – 10

/TheLiberalCup

Lost Orchard Brewing / Crooked Halo Cider House

Gardiner

12 - 4:30

12 - 4:30

12 - 4:30

12 - 4:30

12 - 4:30

Oak Pond Brewery

Skowhegan

3 – 5:30

3 – 5:30

3 – 5:30

3 – 5:30

3 – 5:30

12:30 – 5:30

/OakPondBrewery

Ricker's Hard Cider

Turner

11 - 6

11 - 6

11 - 6

11 - 6

11 - 6

11 - 6

/RickersHardCider

42 spring 2017

12 - 6

11 - 6

/LostOrchardBrewing

PHOTO: PAUL CYR

Greater Bangor

Blue Hill Area attractions Black Dinah Chocolatiers 5 Main Street (with Fairwinds Florist) Blue Hill, Maine 207-374-2228

Blue Hill Heritage Trust

Local, sustainable ingredients, amazing.

Great hiking trails, many with sweeping ocean vistas.

Blue Hill Books

2 Pleasant Street Blue Hill, Maine 207-374-5632 www.bluehillbooks.com

A must-visit bookstore. Great calm vibe. I could stay forever.

157 Hinckley Ridge Road Blue Hill, Maine 207-374-5118 www.bluehillheritagetrust.org

Beer and wine to go: Blue Hill Wine Shop

(wine, beer, coffee, tea) 138 Main Street Blue Hill, Maine 207-374-2161 www.bluehillwineshop.com

Serving lunch, dinner, late night & kid’s menu too!

In 4 locations in Maine.

Open 7 days a week. All year!

BANGOR 26 Front St, Bangor, ME 04401 (207) 947-8009

WOODMAN'S BAR & GRILL Woodman's Bar & Grill was started in 2005 by Abe Furth, Heather Furth, and Mark Horton. They focused on a commitment to quality and exceptional service. Woodman's food menu features many local products from Maine grass-fed burgers to local produce and seafood.

The 12 rotating taps have some of the best Maine has to offer as well as a few from beyond our borders

SEA DOG BREWING COMPANY is a family owned brewery with a full line of handcrafted ales that capture the spirit of Maine's sea-faring history.

Sea Dog ales are brewed using time-honored methods and only the finest ingredients. The brewery’s traditional brewing style results in brews with a distinctive, refreshing taste and crisp finish.

For the full Sea Dog experience, visit one of their brew pubs! In Maine, you can visit one of the three waterfront locations – overlooking the Androscoggin River in Topsham, along the historic Penobscot River in Bangor, blocks from the Atlantic Ocean in the historic shipbuilding town of Camden or by the Maine Mall in South Portland.

The Sea Dog pubs serve lunch and dinner daily. The Bangor location brews their beer on the premises and offers daily brewery tours. You will also find Sea Dog pubs in North Conway, NH and Orlando, FL, and a brewery and tasting room in Clearwater, FL. www.seadogbrewing.com

SO. PORTLAND 125 Western Ave. So.Portland, ME (207) 871-7000

TOPSHAM CAMDEN 1 Bowdoin Mill Island, 1 Main St. Topsham, ME Camden, ME (207) 725-0162 (207) 230-1306

seadogbrewing.com Maine BrewGuide 43

mia strong

women in beer

Strong Brewing Company

Take a tough Jersey girl with a tender spot for great beer, transplant her to Maine years later, and what do you get?

A woman ready to take on the world of craft beer. Meet Mia Strong, who with her husband Al, owns their tiny craft brewery in Sedgwick, Maine. Opened in 2013, Strong Brewing Company, whose motto is, “Beer geeks to the core...we brew what we like and we like everything,� has already grown in small leaps and bounds, completing a third expansion just this March.

Text Kate Cone

44 spring 2017

The brewery was the

currently runs the business/

product of hard work and

operations end and Al

crowd-sourcing, including

makes the beer, she will

a successful Kickstarter

soon train to brew on their

campaign and a Community

new system. One can only

Supported Brewery, similar

wonder what beer styles she

to a CSA. While Mia

has in mind.

PHOTOS COUTESY OF STRONG BREWING COMPANY

find it!

Strong Brewing Company 7 Rope Ferry Road Sedgwick, Maine (GPS will get you there!)

207-359-8722 www.strongbrewing.com

THE BREWS

Since their first pour in 2013 Strong Brewing Company has featured such as Dark Storm, Acadia Sunrise & Blackstrap Marzen-Lager

“In the beer market...there’s plenty of room to grow. The diversity in styles is great for beer drinkers.” — Mia Strong four-pack of it to a party and

growth in the craft beer

recently and peppered her

a guy told me, ‘Girls don’t

business? Mia told me, “I

with questions about how

drink beer like that.’ I had a

agree with the Brewers

her love affair with beer

few choice words for him to

Association that we have

began. “My mother was

set him straight.”

only 12.2% of the beer

I caught up with Mia

drinking Paulaner when I

In four years, the brewery

market, so there’s plenty of

was in my teens. I snuck one

has expanded twice,

room to grow. The diversity

of her beers and liked it. So

upgrading the brewing

in styles is great for beer

long to the Old Milwaukee

equipment, adding a tasting

drinkers.”

I pretended to drink with

room, partnering with two

“We’re not afraid to try

my friends, dumping it

food trucks and working to

new recipes and we listen.

out when they weren’t

attract a third food vendor

Last summer, people were

looking. A few years later

for summer, 2017.

asking for a stout. We

I discovered Old Rasputin

I ask the million-dollar

from North Coast. I took a

question: is there room for

one to have on tap.” Mia has two kids, so I wonder what’s on tap at dinner time, for the adults, of course. What beers pair with comfort food like mac and cheese?

“Something light, like our California Common Ale called Locomotive.” I’ve had it, and I agree. Goes great with clams and lobster, too.

Kate Cone is the author of What’s Brewing in New England, (Downeast Books, 2016).

She is currently working on a book about her search for her Irish ancestors and the beers they drank. Contact her at kateconewrites@gmail.com

switched up our production schedule in order to brew

Maine BrewGuide

45

downeast PHOTO: MICHAL LEONARD

In this stretch from Bucksport to Lubec, you'll find a mix of Maine's brewing originators and innovators.

Mount Desert Island is home to Atlantic Brewing Company and Maine Coast Brewing Company, two of the oldest breweries in the state, while Airline Brewing Company, Lubec Brewing Company, and Strong Brewing Company have all opened in recent years.

tasting room directory NAME

CITY

S

M

T

Airline Brewing Company Brewery

Amherst

12 – 8

Airline Brewing Company Pub

Ellsworth

11 - 10

11 - 10

11 - 10

Atlantic Brewing Company

Bar Harbor

10 - 6

10 - 6

10 - 6

Atlantic Brewing Downtown

Bar Harbor

Lubec Brewing Company

Lubec

Machias River Brewing Company

Machias

Maine Coast Brewing Co. / Jack Russell's Steakhouse

Bar Harbor

4–9

Strong Brewing Company

Sedgwick

12 - 6

Text Josh Christie

Note: Hours were accurate as of printing.

Before heading out please check ahead to confirm hours.

W

TH

F

S

FACEBOOK

4 – 10

4 – 10

12 – 10

/airlinebrewingcompanypub

11 - 10

11 - 10

11 - 10

11 - 10

/airlinebrewingcompanypub

10 - 6

10 - 6

10 - 6

10 - 6

/atlanticbrewing /atlanticbrewingdowntownbh

2 - 8:30

2 - 8:30

2 - 8:30

2 - 8:30

/Lubec-Brewing-Company1406990739591377

4-1

4-1

4-1

4-1

4-1

/Machias-River-BrewingCompany-675328812601331

4–9

4–9

4–9

4–9

4–9

4–9

/Jackrussellssteakhouse

4 - 10

1–7

1–7

1–7

1–8

1–7

/StrongBrewingCompany

AIRLINE BREWING COMPANY is a rural Maine brewery specializing in British-style beers and Real Cask Ales. The brewery serves the Downeast community of Maine and is located on the scenic Airline Rd (Route 9) in Amherst between Bangor and Canada. You can stop by the brewery tasting room and have a pint with the locals and take a growler out to camp. Or sample our full range of beers and tasty grub at our English Pub themed tasting room in downtown Ellsworth where people come to relax and socialize with friends, family, and strangers.

46 spring 2017

PHOTO BY ELLIS DUCHARME

Threshers Brewing Co.

5% ABV

5% ABV

Kissing cousin to a Saison, Grizacca is Oxbow Brewing Company’s interpretation of the Belgian style beer called grisette. There is an infinite amount of lore surrounding this style, but it doesn’t have to get complicated: while saisons were made for farmworkers, grisettes were brewed for coal miners. Simple, until you find references to “grisettes,” young working women dressed in gray, “gris” in French. Let’s stick to the beer. Sipping Grizacca with Anne Marisic, Oxbow’s Director of Retail Sales, at noon on a gray, er, gris Saturday, was a perfect example of why we go to tasting rooms. Once inside, the world becomes smaller, the outside no longer bothers our consciousness.

We are talking beer and drinking it. Grizacca is bright, crisp, with notes of pineapple and hints of the promise of spring. Ahhh. A must-sip beer for the spring and summer season. Watch for Rivulet in Summer, 2017, their newest grissette.

In the springtime, on a day that just breaks 50 degrees, if you happen to be sitting outside on the patio at Threshers Brewing Co. in the deep woods of Searsmont, just kick back, prop up your Muck Boots and gaze at the bare trees and muddy parking lot. Then take one sip of their Nor’easter and close your eyes. You’re on the beach, baby and it’s fast forward to summertime. This Northeast style IPA is made with a Vermontstyle ale yeast, which lends some cloudiness to the honey color and the Australian El Dorado hops smooth it out without any trace of bitterness. It starts with citrusy, almost naval orange flavor, which gives way to a juicy, clean finish— sort of like a breath of clear, cool air on a hazy, summer day.

Grizacca

Nor’easter

Oxbow Brewing Company Loretta 4% ABV

The brainchild of Oxbow head brewer Mike Fava, Loretta resurrects the once-forgotten style of grisette. Originally brewed as a libation for French coal and stone miners centuries ago, the style is a close cousin to saison, similarly low in alcohol and refreshing. Loretta is one of three grisettes the farmhouse brewery produces - along with

Text & Photos : Grizacca Kate Cone; Nor'Easter Kay Stephens; Loretta Josh Christie Lygonia IPA Dave Patterson, Shipyard Beer Tea Stan Rintz

FORE RIVER BREWING CO. LYGONIA IPA

OXBOW GRIZACCA

THRESHERS BREWING CO. NOR’EASTER

Oxbow Brewing Company

brew reviews

the La Griseta and Grizzaca - and the most traditional example of the style. Brewed with European hops and locally-harvested spelt grain, the light-bodied beer clocks in at an easy-drinking 4% ABV. Loretta pours a pale yellow with a big, estery nose, and is a crisp, refreshing mix of lemon, wheat and grainy sweetness with a slightly citric bite.

Fore River Brewing Company Lygonia IPA 6.5% ABV

Lygonia’s golden hue glows like a July sunrise over Casco Bay. Its nose emanates a summer-rich aroma of peaches, grapefruits, and pineapple from the Ella and Topaz hops. As you sip Lygonia, tropical fruit flavors give way to refreshing pine notes until finally easing back to a mango hop finish. It has just the right sweet malt body to balance out the generous addition of hops, while the dry finish leaves little residual sugars to get in the way of its refreshing hop voyage.

Lygonia is the perfect companion to backyard cornhole with friends while Tom Petty croons on the radio.

Shipyard Brewing Company TEA Beers ~5% ABV

Tea beers are currently trending in Europe, with Germany being the epicenter for tea blending these days. Fortunately you don’t have travel far to experience Shipyard's two options, Fire Berry and Maui Mango Blend. Both of these tea beers are wheat based and low in alcohol to allow a neutral canvas so when the teas are blended it allows the elements of the natural tea ingredients to come through.

Oh, and caffeine-free!

The tea used is from tiesta tea company, who has highly research and selectively sourced teas from around the world for the best characteristics and flavor.

The Maui Mango Blend: Has an aromatic nose that presents with notes of pineapple, orange slices and strawberries. The flavor has a pleasant juiciness and is not overpowering, it leaves you with a clean, crisp finish. Fireberry: A more tea forward beer, is made with blackberries, elderberries, currants and hibiscus and has a clean slightly bitter finish which I enjoyed.

In lieu of hops: Tea beers have achieved what is being in done with hops these days. Today's brewers are finding new ways to exploit the bountiful flavors from natural fruit and varying tea blends that allow full, complex flavors in sessionable beers.

Maine BrewGuide

47

the county

tasting room directory NAME

CITY

Northern Maine Brewing Co

Caribou

S

12 – 7

M

T

Note: Hours were accurate as of printing.

Before heading out please check ahead to confirm hours.

W

TH

F

S

4-9

4-9

4 - 10

4 - 10

FACEBOOK /Northern-Maine-BrewingCo-LLC-1575977852690743

JOIN US AT NORTHERN MAINE’S PREMIER BEER FESTIVAL as we celebrate Maine’s brewers who are brewing up some of the best beer on the planet and have put our state back on the map! Sample amazing beers, talk to fellow enthusiasts and meet some of the best brewers in the state. Delicious craft food will also be available for purchase. Come TASTE THE BITE!!! BREWERY LINE UP: Marsh Island Brewing, Blank Canvas Brewery, Bigelow Brewing Co., SoMe Brewing Co., Banded Horn Brewing Co., Shipyard Brewing Co., Penobscot Bay Brewery, Winterport Winery, Barreled Souls Brewing Co., Seadog Brewing Co., Sebago Brewing Co., The Boston Beer Co., Island Dog Brewing, 2 Feet Brewing, Foundation Brewing Co., Mast Landing Brewing Co., Northern Maine Brewing Co., Allagash Brewing Co., Mason’s Brewing Company, Urban Farm Fermentory, Hidden Spring Winery, Black Hog Brewing Co., Lord Hobo Brewing Co., Tumble Down Brewing, Fore River Brewing Co., Ricker’s Hard Cider, Threshers Brewing Co., Dirigo Brewing Co., Geaghan Brother’s Brewing Co. Saturday, May 20th, Noon – 5pm John A. Millar Civic Center The Blackfly Brewfest is brought to you by the Maine Brewers' Guild and it's partners, Greater Houlton Chamber of Commerce, The Thirsty Dawg, Carroll’s Auto Presque Isle and the Bangor Daily News.

THE 3ND ANNUAL AROOSTOOK COUNTY BREW & WINE FEST will be held on October 14, 2017 at the Nordic Heritage Center inPresque Isle, Maine. The event will run from 12:00pm to 5:00pm and will feature Craft Brewers and Wineries from the Maine Brewers Guild and the Maine Winery Guild. This event is a showcase for the rich farming heritage in Aroostook County including hop yards and a malting facility. Follow Central Aroostook County Brew Fest on Facebook for details or visit: www.aroostookcountybrewfestival.com

THE THIRSTY DAWG BOTTLE SHOP was established May 2010 in an effort to bring the craft beer movement to Aroostook County. Offering the largest beer and wine selection in the County or north of Bangor for that matter.

As one of the original organizers of Black Fly Brewfest, the Thirsty Dawg is an enthusiastic supporter of craft beer and local Maine craft beer with 40+ Maine breweries in stock. A must visit if you love great beer!

48 spring 2017

Celebrating 25 years!

B e v e r a g e & R e t i o n B e v e r a ge & Rd ee dmp emp t i on B e v e r a g e & R e d e mp t i o n Bev er age& Redempt i on

Now Open in Oxford on Rte 26!

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