Yankee Brew News Archive

What's Brewing: Maine/New Hampshire

Originally Published: 12/96

By: Mark E. Hall

After a red hot summer in the Northern New England region in terms of beer, you would expect it to slow down a bit in the fall. Not so, as a rash of beer festivals have continued to keep great beer and great times in the consumer's mind.

In the first three weeks of October, there were five festivals in the states of Maine and New Hampshire offering beer drinkers the chance to sample the region's best beers while enjoying on-site entertainment.

I had the opportunity to attend four of these festivals since I worked the table for the Maine microbrewery for which I am employed. Whenever I had a break in the action, I made it a point to visit the other breweries to find out their latest and greatest.

The first festival was the Grand Old Portsmouth Fall Brewers Festival held at the Strawberry Banke Museum on October 5th and 6th. The theme of this festival was a recreation of a 1870s brewery workers' outing, a time when three major breweries were in operation in Portsmouth. Last year's festival was attended by 3000 people and it looked more than that made it to this one.

The festival featured music, games, and food for all ages as well as a selection of the finest beers New England breweries have to offer. Some of the breweries in attendance were Sea Dog (I.P.A.), Shipyard (Goat Island Light), Geary's (London Style Porter), Nutfield (Harvest Ale), Red Hook (E.S.B.), Otter Creek (Oktoberfest), and Katahdin (Red). In addition to providing two great sun filled days, the festival offered great present day brews as well as a historical setting.

Next Saturday was the 1st Annual Southwest Harbor Oktoberfest, held at the Hinckley Great Harbor in Southwest Harbor, Maine. I've never been there before, but can see why so many people make the effort to visit this wonderful setting.

The turnout was quite impressive as 16 Maine brewers made the trek from all over the state of Maine. The farthest being Gritty's, Shipyard, Allagash, Katahdin, Geary's, and Stone Coast of Portland; and the closest Atlantic Brewing, Bar Harbor Brewing, and Maine Coast Brewing from next door Bar Harbor. Recent new brewer Oak Pond Brewing deserves mention as they made the trek from far away Skowhegan.

The harbor was a great backdrop to the serving tables and food set up on the deck right next to the harbor. In addition to the food and beer were local bands who played for the duration of the festival. A German "oom-pah" band played for the last two hours closing the festival.

In addition to the above, the laundry lists of brewers represented included: Sea Dog, Andrew's, Sheepscot, Great Falls, Carrabasset, Sunday River, and Belfast Bay Brewing. I had the chance to mingle and catch up on the present and future plans of the state's breweries. As usual, there is a lot going on.

Head Brewer/Co-owner Ed Stebbins of Gritty McDuff's said his recently bottled Halloween Ale has been successful as it debuted for the first time in (22 ounce) bottles. He also mentioned that their Christmas Ale will be back again in bottles (also 22 ounce) and should be available by the time you read this. If you include their Brown and Best Bitter (in 12 ounce bottles), Gritty's now has four of their products available in bottles. Once again, their brewpub in Freeport had a great summer, and Ed added he was "very impressed" by the response of the residents of Freeport and visitors to their second brewpub.

Rob Tod of Allagash Brewing also had a great summer and has stepped up production as he is now brewing once a week. He expects his bottled Allagash White and Allagash Double to be available in the Boston market beginning sometime this fall. Rob's Belgian style beers are very distinct and unique.

The "other" Belgian style brewer was there as well. Steve Gorril of Sheepscot Brewing was seen serving up his new flagship beer Pemaquid Ale. The new flagship beer is brewed in the style of traditional Scottish border ales. It has a full malty flavor that is followed by a crisp finish due to his use of Kent Goldings hops. The Scottish yeast adds to its complex aroma and flavor. He told me his '96 Christmas beer will be the Scottish Wee Heavy whose Original Gravity is a whopping 1.080. December will once again bring back Lucifer's Hammer whose 9.5% ABV is up just a bit from last years 9.0%. Never a dull moment from this brewery.

Owner Pat Mullen from Belfast Bay Brewing, Maine's newest brewery, debuted three of head brewer Dan McGovern's new products at the festival. Mullen has a great head start as McGovern was head brewer of the recently defunct Lake St. George Brewing Company, known for their excellent Oatmeal Stout.

As a matter of fact, one of their products is named after Head Brewer McGovern. McGovern's Oatmeal Stout (5.5% ABV) is smooth flavored, but not as sweet as its predecessor. Also being served were the Turtle Head Ale(6.0% ABV)- an amber ale with a mild taste and Port Authority Pale Ale(5.5% ABV) which was a pretty dry pale ale. They're also in the process of producing a Hogback Mountain Red Ale (5.5% ABV) which according to Mullen is "really malty". Not a bad start.

Andy Hazen of Andrew's Brewing had such a busy summer that he had to purchase additional kegs from the former Lake St. George Brewing. That wasn't enough as he had to buy an additional 75 straight side kegs from Red Bank Brewing in New Jersey. This winter he is planning on adding two six-barrel bright beer tanks.

Doug Mafucci of Atlantic Brewing gave me a preview of the beers served at the Maine Brewers Festival in Portland earlier this month. Their Scottish Ale (6.4% ABV) will be a syrupy, heavy ale while the Honey Ale (8.0% ABV) is a high gravity brew that is comprised of 350 pounds of wild Maine honey per 7 barrel batch. Last but not least is their Thetford Ale (5.5% ABV) which is an Amber style Pale Ale. They are using bittering hops from Vermont which are the first hops in over a century that are commercially produced in Vermont.

He told me Gritty's, Stone Coast, and Bar Harbor Brewing will also be making brews using these hops. The hops for these beers will be used just 4 days after they are picked.

Assistant Brewer April Glidden of Sugarloaf Brewing debuted four new 22 ounce bottles to their ever expanding line of beers. Carrabasset Blueberry, Wheat, Honey Brown, and Porter were served at the festival in addition to their Pale Ale and I.P.A. They are also planning on introducing their successful I.P.A. in 12 ounce bottles the middle of this month.

Maine Coast Brewing of Bar Harbor plans to bring out a Winter Warmer this month. Hitting the scales at 7.5% ABV, this brew will be a "malty, hoppy delight". They are also planning bringing back their 10% ABV Gold Mettle Ale Barley Wine, just in time for the cold months.

Oak Pond Brewing Head Brewer Chris Morton said they will be adding another beer to their fledgling list of beers. In addition to their Somerset Lager and Nut Brown Ale, Oak Pond will be serving up their Storyteller Dopplebock (8.0% ABV) which will be real malty, smooth, and without that assertive hoppiness, which is consistent with this style. He said the Dopplebock will have a ten week lagering process.

The next day it was five hours down the road to the Stark Mill Brewery Brewfest '96 at the Stark Mill brewery/pub in Manchester, New Hampshire. Owner Peter Telch and Head Brewer J.B. Smith put on a great show which included appearances by Sam Adams, Castle Springs, Catamount, Woodstock, Geary's, hometown Stark Mill, Katahdin, Harpoon, Sea Dog, Otter Creek, Nutfield, and the state's newest brewery, Red Hook.

The brewfest was held in the back lot behind the brewery and was helped by a perfect sunny day and live entertainment from opening to closing. They also roasted a pig! Under the brewers' tent, they set up four TVs so attendees could watch the Patriots game (they lost).

Head Brewer Richard Young of Castle Springs Brewing (see Brewer's Profile in this issue) debuted two of his three new creations, Lucknow American Wheat (5.1% ABV) and Lucknow I.P.A.(5.5% ABV).

To say the I.P.A. was hoppy is the understatement of the year. His other beer, not available that day was their Porter (6.0% ABV). The new brewery is in the process of securing and servicing draft accounts and is hoping to have bottled product ready sometime this month.

Sea Dog Brewing debuted its new River Driver Hazelnut Porter which is now available throughout New England and parts of New York in 12 ounce bottles and kegs. Sea Dog brewers use four different types of malted barley, hazelnut extract, and Willamette hops in their new entry.

Last but not least were hosts Stark Mill Brewery who have been busy as bees introducing four new entries. Beers served that day included Fall Foliage (6.7% ABV), their version of an Oktoberfest, Imperial Stout(8.5%), a Scotch Ale, Amoskeag Ale (4.7%), a light bodied, lightly hopped ale , and Milly's Oatmeal Stout. Assistant Brewer Dan Pariseau is currently working on their Holiday Ale which will be a 7.0% Spiced Brown Ale including nutmeg, ginger, and vanilla extract.

Needless to say, everyone's been working hard to make your fall and winter more enjoyable!