Maine Trip

We have been back from Maine for about a week now and it was an awesome trip. While we only went to two breweries, Maine Beer Company and Rising Tide we were able to get cans from Bissell Brothers, Liquid Riot, and Lone Pine. We also visited a bunch of restaurants and walked all around the Old Port. It was a bit surreal at times as it was empty due to various social distancing restrictions but it was still fantastic. Here are some highlights:

- It stunk not being able to get pours at Bissell which is always one of my stops in Portland. But I was able to pick up one of my favorite beers 'The Nuclear Whim With The Fuse Of A Mile.' It is an exceptional beer with an even better name. As I've written before I am always a sucker for a good name.

- We were not able to get to Allagash but had a few of their offerings at some of the nearby restaurants. I was a little disappointed they didn't have 'Sixteen Counties' but it has been distributed nearby so I will be on the lookout.

- The food was incredible, we did not have a bad meal the entire time we were there.

- There were a lot of good summer beers around. Very good lagers, pilsners, and sessions as well. However, one of the best beers from the weekend was 'Totally Tubular' from Orono Brewing. This double IPA was super juicy and really nice.

- While it was an awesome trip there were lots of breweries that were not open for pours that we couldn't get cans at: Sebago, Shipyard, and Austin Street just to name a few. We will definitely be back next year.

New Brew Thursday: 'Sugar Shack' from Liquid Riot

As I have stated, on our trip to Maine we were able to visit several breweries but unfortunately most of them were only open for curbside can pick-up. One of these breweries was Liquid Riot and I was able to grab two four packs from them, one of which was 'Sugar Shack'. Now in the interest of full disclosure I was not sure I was going to like this beer. While it is described as a '100% Sap Lager' it is also categorized as a 'Maple Helles Bock' and I typically do not like the Bock style as I think it is too malty but I bought it because I was crazy intrigued. A Helles Bock made with 100% pure Maine Maple Syrup? I knew I had to give it a shot, and I am glad it did because this beer is awesome.

'Sugar Shack' pours a cloudy lightish brown with a nice white head with notes of maple and a subtle note of caramel. It has an impossibly light mouthfeel with an equally impossible combination of sweetness and crispness that I have never experienced before. Sometimes beers that feature maple syrup have a problem where the sweetness can be overwhelming, especially as you get towards the end of the glass... not here. With 'Sugar Shack' the sweetness does not build due to its crispness. Moreover, clocking in at 7% ABV it is D-A-N-G-E-R-O-U-S-L-Y crushable. The only drawbacks to this beer are that I only have three more left and since Liquid Riot opening for pours on July 9th I cannot be there to try more of their offerings.

If you are in the Portland area you have got to try this beer.

Brewery Trip! Rising Tide Brewery

We are back home in Rhode Island after an amazing trip and it was a lot of fun and very relaxing. While there were a lot of places that were closed or had limited seating there were many others that took the proper precautions to allow for us, and others, to feel safe. One of these places was Rising Tide Brewery.

Rising Tide is not in the Old Port but slightly off the beaten path. It is right next to Austin Street Brewery and is very close to a few other breweries. When things return to normal it should be an awesome area to visit and we will be making the trip. Unfortunately, Austin Street was only open for cans when we visited.

The outdoor area was large but I am not sure if it was just a temporary situation or their usual seating arrangement. I was able to see the inside part of the brewery and it looks like it was a commercial garage of some kind. Definitely a really funky set up when things were normal.

I was surprised to see that they were offering flights as most breweries have stopped this during COVID-19. This was awesome as I was able to try a few of their beers and they were pretty good. The stand outs were 'Hesperus' a super complex barleywine with a heavy malty profile, rich with caramel and bourbon. There was also 'Maine Island Trail Ale' a session IPA with a light and crisp flavor profile and a nice and simple hop.  They also have wood fired pizza, oysters, and other food and while we did not get anything since we already ate beforehand but it looked and smelled amazing.

Rising Tide is a very good brewery in an really awesome area definitely worth the trip. 

Brewery Trip! Maine Beer Company

Greetings from Portland, ME. My girlfriend and I booked this trip a few weeks ago needing a bit of a getaway and Portland is just the best but more on that later. While things still feel very different than the last time I was up here, it is nice to see all of the businesses, restaurants, bars, and breweries adapting to the restrictions and social distancing guidelines. While there are a lot of breweries that have not been able to open yet, Maine Beer Company has been able to.

The last time I visited the brewery was a couple years ago. The new addition to the tap room is absolutely beautiful as is the new outdoor seating. Inside the tap room is a fountain along with a second retail shop for bottles, glasses, and other merchandise. The back wall it a showcase to the kindness and generosity of the brewery, outlining their business practices and charitable donations.

While they are not doing flights of beer, I was able to get two smaller pours and my girlfriend was able to get one as well. I was able to try 'Bicentennial' and 'Wolfe's Neck' which were both awesome. 'Bicentennial' had a very nice hoppy flavor with a surprisingly crisp finish while 'Wolfe's Neck' had a really nice haze to it. Additionally, my girlfriend tried 'Prince Percy' which was one of the best pilsners I have ever had. It was incredibly light, crisp, and citrusy with a refreshingly clean finish. Moreover, they have some of the best wood fired pizza around.

'Bicentennial'

If you're in the area HERE. There is a ninety minute seating limit so plan accordingly you can book your reservation.