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It’s three in the afternoon. Tim and I barrel up 295 with the singular purpose of acquiring Maine Beer Company’s Dinner. We talk idly about nothing in particular; the clear subtext to this chatter is the nervous energy that when we get to the Freeport tasting room Dinner time will be over. I was assured …
Continue reading “Maine Beer Company Rings the Dinner Bell One More Time”
Since I posted my open letter to the University of Southern Maine about their plan to sell the Stone House where I attended the Stonecoast MFA program, a lot has gone down. This week’s Portland Phoenix explains that the University is delaying its plans to lay off faculty, and from my contacts at Stonecoast it …
Continue reading “University of Southern Maine, We Will Not Go Gentle Into that Good Night”
On my last visit to Bunker Brewing in Portland’s hip East Bayside neighborhood, Bunker’s head brewer Chreston Sorensen proclaimed, “This is going to be the summer of the IPL.” He handed me a sample of their beautifully hopped India Pale Lager, Cypher, and from that first crisp taste, I knew he was right. As an …
Continue reading “Bunker Brewing Rings in the Summer of India Pale Lagers with Cypher”
In his book Maine Beer: Brewing in Vacationland – a must read for all Maine beer enthusiasts – Josh Christie asserts, “Sebago Brewing Company is, in my mind, one of the most underrated breweries.” I concur. When I moved to Maine in 2005, Sebago was the only brewery in this state making high quality American-style …
Continue reading “Simmer Down Brings a Twenty-First Century Flavor to Sebago Brewing Company”
You’ve seen the green school bus driving through Portland’s Old Port. I know you have. You’ve watched people board this bus and thought, “What is that? What kind of magical place are those people going to?” And if you’re a local, you’ve probably let the thought pass like a cumulus cloud floating through a summer’s …
Continue reading “Let The Maine Brew Bus Drive You To Maine Beer Bliss”
“I’m old school,” D.L. Geary says from behind his desk. His crystal blue eyes make him look boyish, despite the white hair, ruddy complexion, and outdated office decor. I’ve been invited to his brewery to try IXNAY, a gluten free beer that by all accounts actually tastes like beer. But before we can get to …
Two weeks, 64 beers, and 1,524 votes later, we have our 2014 Maine Madness Beer Tournament Champion: Rising Tide Maine Island Trail Ale. MITA received 76% of yesterday’s vote, giving it a landslide victory over Allagash Curieux, a mighty, mighty opponent. Rising Tide fans got out the vote and made it happen for this tasty, …
Continue reading “Final Results and Analysis of the Maine Madness Beer Tournament”
This tournament has been a whirlwind ever since voting started two weeks ago in the Round of 64. If Warren Buffet offered a billion dollars to anyone who could pick a perfect bracket in the Maine Madness Beer Tournament, I have a feeling that he wouldn’t have to pay up in our tournament either. If …
Someone commented after yesterday’s Elite Eight round that they felt like a traitor voting against any of the remaining beers. But voters steeled themselves and made the hard choices, and we have our Final Four Lineup: Maine Beer Company Peeper (2) vs. Allagash Curieux (9) Maine Beer Company Lunch (1) vs. Rising Tide Brewing Maine …
Karin put yesterday’s Sweet Sixteen Round of the Maine Madness Beer Tournament perfectly when she commented, “Daymark or Zoe?! You are killing me!” We feel the same way, Karin. And so did a lot of voters by the results of yesterday’s voting. (Click here to view full bracket.) By far, the most enjoyable voting to …
DAVE PATTERSON 