and less hoppy than standard beers, it opens the door to people who wouldn’t normally drink craft beers. It’s a gateway beer.” This philosophy is demonstrated in the flavors of beers produced by Allagash. Many people start with Allagash’s flagship beer, Allagash White, which is available year round. Their other year-round beers are Dubbel, Tripel, Four, Black, and Curieux. But Allagash doesn’t stop there. The brewery currently makes seven specialty beers, four limited edition beers, three collaboration beers, and a coolship series. They also brew a Tribute series, with $1.00 of each sale going to a charity. Some of these special beers are brewed in limited numbers and are only available for purchase at the brewery. “We push the boundaries of what beer is,” said Germain. “We do things with beer that no one else does.” Their coolship series is a great example of Allagash’s innovation. The coolship beers are exposed to the open air and take three years to be ready for consumption; standard beers are ready in three to five days.
Allagash takes a different approach. Their three daily tours, which are limited to 35 people, start with the beer tasting, followed by the brewery tour. “We work hard at giving our visitors a really good experience,” said Dee Dee Germain, a brewer who also handles Allagash’s communications. “Our crew is very educated about beer. As a result, they can customize each tour based on the visitors’ knowledge of beer.” The brewery’s beer tour experience comes from the unique story behind the brewery and the beer. Allagash was founded by Rob Tod as a result of his
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stint working a low-level job at a brewery. Within two days he knew brewing beer was what he wanted to do with his life. He founded Allagash in 1995 and sold his first keg to Portland’s Great Lost Bear that same year. Tod had a specific type of beer he wanted to brew – Belgian-style beer. He had recognized that there were plenty of German- and British-style beers, but few Belgian-style beers. “Rob feels Belgian-style beers offer more latitude and flexibility than beers like pale ales and porters,” said Germain. “Because they are less bitter
“No one thought the coolship process was doable here,” adds Germain. “We’re the only brewery in the U.S. doing it.” Allagash’s story is one of success. They now have 10 brewers and 53 employees; they are the second largest brewery in Maine and have started an expansion. Beer drinkers should definitely check out Allagash. Allagash Brewing Co. 50 Industrial Way Portland, ME 04103 800-330-5385 www.allagash.com