Blue Fin Stout (Shipyard Brewing Co.)

The old Blue Fin label had a picture of the bluefin tuna, a fish that had a huge presence in the Gulf of Maine. The new label is a nice homage to the ships that were once built in Maine, or at least that is my take on it.

Pours a deep dark brown with a very big dark, coffee colored head. Lot of carbonation from the minute the cap is popped. 

Smells of rich roasty malt and light coffee notes. There is also the familiar Ringwood yeast smell as well. No real subtle smells, mostly dominated by the dark malts.

Taste is rich, roasted malt with some dark chocolate or mocha tastes. The carbonation is definitely very strong in the mouth, not sure if this bottle was just shaken up or something but the carbonation is much more than expected in a stout. I've had this on nitro out on Peaks Island a number of times and really enjoyed its smoothness. I think I prefer that quite a bit over the bottled version. 

BEER FACTS

Name: Blue Fin Stout

Style: Stout

Brewery: Shipyard Brewing Company

Location: Portland, Maine, USA

Container: 22 oz. bottle

Malts: ?

Hops: ?

ABV: 4.7%

IBUs: ?

Brewed in Maine

Gearhead Ale (Black Bear Brewery)

Gearhead Ale is a bit of a mystery brew. I can't find any of the specs online and there aren't a lot of other reviews of it. 

According to the Black Bear Brewery site:

Gearhead is a smooth flavorful red ale. Malty and hoppy enough, yet still mild and crisp.

Sounds simple enough.

Pours a hazy, reddish brown color with a thick fluffy head. The head slowly dissipates and settles in to a bubbly half inch of foam. 

Smells a bit grainy, peppery and maybe a bit buttery. There is some faint sweetness but no real hop character is noticeable.

Tastes a bit thin and watery with a definite peppery flavor. There is also some slight malty characteristics and some hop bitterness but not a whole lot. The graininess that I smelled is also apparent in taste also a rather sharp, slightly metallic aftertaste is present. Gearhead doesn't pack a lot of flavor. 

I don't know how long this bottle had been in the shop so it may or may not be old. I can't seem to find a date on it. Regardless, I'd love to get up to Orono for a hockey game and to check out the Bearbrew Pub and drink some of their beers on tap.

BEER FACTS

Name: Gearhead Ale

Style: American Amber/Red Ale

Brewery: Black Bear Brewery

Location: Orono, Maine, USA

Container: 22 oz. bottle

Malts:?

Hops: ?

ABV: ?

IBUs: ?

Brewed in Maine

"New" Cadillac Mtn. Stout (Bar Harbor Brewing Co.)

My second journey to the new world of Bar Harbor Brewing Company and their 12 oz. bottles brewed over at Geary's. Cadillac Mtn. Stout is going to be hard to replicate, I have to admit I have pretty high expectations. I absolutely love the bombers and find the beer pretty much close to perfect when it comes to stouts. 

Pours inky black, a bit syrupy with about a finger's worth of coffee colored foam on top. The head lasts for a bit before slowly disintegrating leaving about a quarter-inch ring around the glass with some oily foam left in the middle. 

Smell is very rich, tons of dark sweet maltiness, lots of coffee and caramel. A few more whiffs bring out some chocolate soft serve smells. All in all a very tasty smelling beer.

Taste is very roasty and sweet. There is a creamy texture on the tongue which gives way to some bitterness and dryness. There is an aftertaste with this one that was also present in the new bottle of the Thunderhole Ale. I really can't explain it, but its a sharp almost metallic taste that stays in your mouth for quite a long time. It doesn't ruin the taste of this beer and this is still a very good stout. 

Once again, a new beer with an old name. Some of the old qualities are there but the taste and appearance are a little bit different and with beer that can make quite a big difference. 

BEER FACTS

Name: Cadillac Mtn. Stout ("New")

Style: Stout

Brewery: Bar Harbor Brewing Company

Location: Contract brewed at Geary's in Portland, Maine, USA

Container: 12 oz. bottle

Malts: ?

Hops: ?

ABV: 6.7%

IBUs: ?

Brewed in Maine

"New" Thunder Hole Ale (Bar Harbor Brewing Co.)

There are definitely a lot of things going through my head as I pour this beer. Why the new label? Why the contract brewing? Will it taste the same? Afterall, its the "same" beer but with new yeast, new water and it comes from a whole new brewery. I don't want to pass too much judgement since the beer itself will speak volumes and hopefully answer some of my questions about whether or not its the same beer.

Pours a very dark, almost opaque brown with hints of ruby redness. The head is about a finger's width in thickness and dies down rather quickly leaving some oily foam on top with and a ring around the color of the glass. Something else I notice is the amount of carbonation bubbling up from the dark depths. 

Smell is sweet caramel and burnt sugar, dark rich maltiness and some roasted coffee. There is also a hint of smokiness like burning wood. Pretty good smelling beer.

Taste is sweet dark malts with a dry astringent aftertaste and lots of bubbles on the tongue. The coffee notes come out quite strong after a few more sips. The roasty smoky taste is a lot weaker than the smell might let on. One thing that I notice with this one is a syrupy after taste that is a bit cloying. Not sure how to describe it, kind of like a diet soda aftertaste or something. 

This is a decent brown ale but its unfortunately not the same as the original bombers brewed up in Bar Harbor. That would have been near impossible to recreate. 

BEER FACTS

Name: Thunder Hole Ale ("New")

Style: Brown Ale

Brewery: Bar Harbor Brewing Company

Location: Contract brewed at Geary's in Portland, Maine, USA

Container: 12 oz. bottle

Malts: ?

Hops: ?

ABV: 4.8%

IBUs: ?

Brewed in Maine

Casco Bay Summer (Casco Bay Brewing Co.)

Casco Bay recently was bought out by Shipyard and their beers are now brewed and bottled at the Shipyard facility in Portland. I'm not sure how much has changed in the recipes and whether or not its just the marketing thats left but I guess we'll find out. I can say that the Casco Bay Red Ale that was on cask over at Peaks Island was fantastic.

Pours a deep golden color with about a finger and a half of head on top. A fine looking pour. The Casco Bay Summer is clean and clear in appearance with some nice bubbles bouncing around.

Smells sweet and sugary with a faint hint of citrus from the hops perhaps. A bit of apple cider comes out as well. Not a lot of strong smells with this one.

Taste is fruit esters, juicy and quite thirst quenching. There is a nice hop finish that balances this one out nicely. No major complaints from this light blonde beer. All around its a mighty tasty summer ale.

BEER FACTS

Name: Casco Bay Summer Ale

Style: Blonde Ale

Brewery: Casco Bay Brewing Company

Location: Portland, Maine, USA

Container: 12 oz. bottle

Malts: ?

Hops: ?

ABV: ?

IBUs: ?

Brewed in Maine

Summer Golden Ale (Andrew's Brewing Company)

If you were to think of the prototypical Maine brewery, you'd probably imagine something like Andrew's in Lincolnville. The owner and brewer, Andrew Hazen, are one in the same, the brewing equipment was designed by Andrew and its in a very quiet area along the Maine coastline. I heard recently that Andrew's has acquired a grain silo that should help cut some costs.

Summer Golden Ale pours a very light golden color, more apt to be called straw colored I guess. Carbonation level looks pretty good and the thin white head is quite long lasting. Looks like a pretty clean light drinking beer.

Smell is sweet, malty and slightly like bread dough. A few more whiffs and their is some rather astringent and bitter aromas that come through as well.

First taste is pretty light malt and not much in the way of sweetness. The follow through is slightly bitter and sour and their is some definite dryness as well. This is a pretty light tasting beer thats pretty crisp and has some qualities that remind me of a continental lager.

BEER FACTS

Name: Summer Golden Ale

Style: Blonde Ale

Brewery: Andrew's Brewing Company

Location: Lincolnville, Maine, USA

Container: 12 oz. bottle

Malts: ?

Hops: ?

ABV: ?

IBUs: ?

Brewed in Maine

840 IIPA (Stone Coast Brewing Company)

840 is the big brother of Stone Coast's 420 IPA. Its one of very few "extreme" beers here in Maine. A double IPA is rarely seen around these parts. Word on the street is that Stone Coast is going to be brewing a 1260 IPA as well. 

According to the Stone Coast site:

The 840 is "Brewed with 840 ounces, thats 52.5 pounds, a generous amount of these are fresh whole hops during the conditioning stage and after the beer is filtered, creating an amazing balance between the alcoholic warmth and textured body."

The 840 pours a hefty dark, thick amber color. On top is a big, fat, fluffy head. Another one that looks like someone poured pancake batter on top of it. The head settle nicely though and I'm left with about a finger's worth of head that really leaves some nice lacing on the sides of the glass. Not a bad looking pour at all.

Smell is unique. First scent that comes to me is bubblegum but that quickly turns to some citrusy and earthy hops smells.  A little bit of grapefruit and some herbal scents finish things up. This is the first time I've had this in a bottle, the last time I tried it was straight from a vat during a tour of the brewery last summer. I don't really get a lot of those big, fresh intense hop smells like some of the big West Coast dIPAs but I am going in with an open mind (still keeping with my "New Beers Resolution"). 

Lets commence consumption. First thing that hits me is the bitterness that takes over my mouth. Its pretty intense and almost sharp. Once you get over that you can taste some citrus and also some very sweet and syrupy notes. Its note exactly balanced like some bigger IPAs. It falls into the category of one-sided. Its definitely a strong and warming beer and its not altogether a bad brew, its just a little off from the style. 

Maybe its the hop varieties used or maybe the balance? Who knows. I'll be on the look out for the 1260 for no other reason than to say I've drank a triple IPA from here in Maine. If you are looking for a great beer from Stone Coast check out their Jamaican Style Stout!

BEER FACTS

Name: 840 Imperial India Pale Ale

Style: Imperial/Double India Pale Ale

Brewery: Stone Coast Brewing Company

Location: Portland, Maine, USA

Container: 22 oz. bottle

Malts: ?

Hops: ?

ABV: ?

IBUs: ?

Brewed in Maine

Harbor Lighthouse Ale (Bar Harbor Brewing Co.)

I had to grab a bomber of this before they are all gone. This is one of the three beers that is now available in six-packs and brewed by Geary's and once the big bottles from Bar Harbor are gone they're gone.

The first thing that will surprise you is the very low alcohol content. This one is a flyweight, weighing in at only 3.2%. Not a bad looking light beer though. It pours a dark amber to ruby red color with a big soda type head that is made up of decent sized bubbles. The head clings to the glass quite well and once it settles their is about a quarter inch of foam still hanging on.

The smell is malt sweetness, some honey, maybe a little grainy and slightly syrupy. Not a whole lot of strong smells with this one.

Taste is pretty thin. Big sips of this beer are in order. I don't do that very often. I taste some slight malt, some breadiness and that is really about it. This is the type of beer that defines the term "session ale". You can drink lots of this in one sitting and probably the only thing that'll slow you down will be how full you get on liquids. 

Much like the Weenie Rocket IPA (another mild, low ABV ale) from Portsmouth Brewery, the Harbor Lighthouse is a refreshing beer that can be consumed as a thirst quencher on a warm day here in New England. Maybe six-packs aren't a bad idea with this one. 

BEER FACTS

Name: Harbor Lighthouse Ale

Style: British Mild

Brewery: Bar Harbor Brewing Company

Location: Bar Harbor, Maine, USA

Container: 22 oz. bottle

Malts: ?

Hops: ?

ABV: 3.2%

IBUs: ?

Brewed in Maine

Tripel Ale (Allagash)

Slowly but surely I'll make my way through all of Allagash's bottled offerings. The Tripel is one of four available in 12 ounce bottles. The others are the White, Dubbel and the Grand Cru. Its tripel time...

Label reads:

"Our golden hued 9% ABV tripel ale is marked by passion fruit and herbal notes in the aroma, with suggestion of honey surfacing from its complex palate. Perfect as an aperitif or compliment to fine cuisine."

From the Allagash site:

"This golden hued ale is marked by passion fruit and herbal notes in the aroma, with subtle suggestions of banana and honey surfacing from its deep and complex palate. The Tripel's finish is remarkably long and soothing."

Pours a sunny orange color thats a bit opaque. On top is a thin head that may have been bigger and badder if I had let the bottle warm up for a bit longer. 

Smells sweet and sugary with some clove and banana coming through. Some alcohol notes come through along with some herbal or medicinal smells.

Such a delicious beer. Lots of sweetness marked with bitterness that finishes at the tip of the tongue. Very crisp and quite juicy and refreshing (apple juice?). The stomach warming effects add a nice little sensation that definitely rounds out a quite enjoyable drinking experience. In plain words, the Tripel is outstanding. I'll need to get a corked bottle and age it a bit and see just how good this one can get.

BEER FACTS

Name: Tripel Ale

Style: Tripel

Brewery: Allagash Brewing Company

Location: Portland, Maine, USA

Container: 12 oz. bottle

Malts: ?
Hops: ?

ABV: 9%

IBU’s: ?

Brewed in Maine

Dubbel Reserve Ale (Allagash)

The Allagash Dubbel Reserve is the same beer (as far as I know) as the Allagash Dubbel that you can purchase in four packs. However, each bottle is corked and labeled with a particular batch number. This enables you to age a few bottles and attempt to taste some subtle differences between the batches. I'm not really sure how old "Batch 71" is but my guess is that it is a fairly recent release. I didn't age this for more than maybe a month so I don't even considered it "cellared". More than anything I just wanted to compare the corked with the capped.

Pours a beautiful amber, slightly reddish hue with a very nice, thick fluffy head. Carbonation is a little less than I remember the small bottle having. A Belgian chalice sure can present a beer nicely. 

Smell is burnt sugar, toast and strong sweet malt. There are also hints of molasses and caramel in the nose. 

Taste is smooth and the initial flavors seem to be a little less intense. Definitely a lot of malty sweetness but the rich fruit flavors are a lot more hidden. The spiciness of the yeast makes itself present along with burnt sugar and toast that are also present in the smell. Feels like silk in your mouth, very easy drinking beer. 

Overall I love this beer. Its definitely one of my favorites here in Maine. I think I need to buy a few different batches and cellar them for some time and have a nice little "Dubbel Party" sometime in the future.

BEER FACTS

Name: Dubbel Reserve Ale (Batch #71)

Style: Dubbel

Brewery: Allagash Brewing Company

Location: Portland, Maine, USA

Container: 750 ml. bottle

Malts: 7 different ones
Hops: ?

ABV: 7%

IBU’s: ?

Brewed in Maine