Thankfully, because of an awesome local beer blogger named Cecily – be sure check out her awesome Mom’s Malt Barley Blog – a few weeks later I was able to get it in trade (for a bottle of Throwback Fat Alberta, no less).

I opened bottle #33 of 336 of Polaris in my livingroom on a very cold night. The aroma that came out of the pour was inviting. A sweet, burbon, vanilla smell tickled my nose, as did just the right amount of booziness. I also appreciated the layering of nautical/astronomical names – Ursa Minor is a constellation also known as “the big dipper” with two of its stars pointing directly at Polaris, the north star. Pretty cool.

The taste on it is so well balanced it just made me smile. Not a single flaw. It has this delightful warmth, without any alcohol burn and just a sweet vanilla aftertaste. The best part is that the base beer, Ursa Minor, has a wonderfully thick mouthfeel, and for a barrel aged beer it stands up very well. It is rich without being cloying, has depth and the right amount of bitterness. The vanilla is just enough to bring the bourbon to a different, spicier place.

Making the beer even a little more special, proceeds from this special release of Polaris also went to the Autism Society of Maine, which is a great cause. I am a big fan of beer + philanthropy, so I am happy to see local brewers participating in causes they are passionate about in their own local communities.

If you missed this beer, like I almost did, it is rumored to return next fall, so watch out for it, it is worth searching the skies to find it.

Since then, I patiently waited for this beer to be released, and in late fall I got my chance. I traveled to NH to pick up the very first bottled batch of “Fat Alberta” Imperial Stout. With an adorable label of an elephant balancing on a peanut, it reminded me (probably intentionally) of the movie Dumbo.

It is a thick black color, with a dark tan head. I put my nose up to the glass and inhaled. Peanuts. Not peanut butter, not chocolate, really, but peanuts. And almost like the bowl full of husked shells and paper and dust. Raw, unadulterated peanuts are the msot of the aroma, and if I were blindfolded I’d probably be fooled into thinking you have a handful of peanuts in your hand.

The taste is different, though. Bracing for a peanut bomb, I was a little surprised by the flavor. Not very sweet, but very peanut-driven and slightly tart. It does have a great peanut-butter smoothness to it, but the bitterness of tons of peanuts is there a little, too. The coca nubs that give it is rich body are there, providing a roasty background, but I almost think they could have been a little more forward. But the important part is this – the fact that you can take a flavor like chocolate peanut butter and stuff it into a beer without it tasting artificial is amazing. It leaves a taste in your mouth that is just perfect – like you’ve just eaten a spoon full of peanut butter. The best part is that it is not sweet. This would be sensory overload if they had really pushed more towards a sweet peanut butter cup instead of a rich chocolate peanut butter cheesecake type flavor.

As I drank a bit more of it, I also noticed that as it warms, the undertones of the beer’s strength come through. At 9.5% ABV, it’s not a subtle brew, but will sneak up on you if you are not careful.

For those wary of overly-sweet beer or even those who don’t like peanut butter cups, I will tell you this will not upset your palates. This is a beer for the curious, the open minded, and the silly. Drink up, close your eyes and imagine you’re a child at the circus. It’s a fun trip.

Overall, I am impressed by what Throwback has offered – and I think that they are on their way to making a strong name for themselves in the New Hampshire (and New England) craft beer scene. I am also excited that they plan to release several additional dark beers as small batch releases in 2012, so I can’t wait to see what they can bring.

Delicious beer. But Curls MT font? Really?

The taste of this one is familiar to many Mainers – it has a distinct caramel malt flavor, but without too much complexity or richness. It is very easy to sip, and leaves its bitterness to just pop in to say hello at the very end of each sip. If I have one criticism on its taste is that it is a bit thin feeling – I’d imagine that to combat the abominable winters that a beer drinker would want something just a little heartier and fuller. None the less, this beer is a staple of the winter season for me and its sweet maltiness is a comfort.

As for the name, I always assumed that Slick Nick had something to do with referencing St. Nicholas and his ability to sneak in and out of homes undetected to deliver Christmas presents. However, upon reading the description on the Sebago site, I realize I’m mistaken.

Slick Nick himself is pictured on our the label, casing out the Victoria Mansion in Portland Maine on a blustery night.

Sounds like an infamous cat burglar of some kind. If anyone knows where I can find out more about this infamous character, I’d love to hear about it. Until then, I’m going to open up another one of these and hope for a white Christmas. Cheers!

I admit that when it comes to winter beer, I’m not often the first to reach for a winter seasonal. I usually just skip right to imperial stouts and settle in. But I do like subtle spiciness in my beer, so I’ve had the occasional spiced winter beer now and then.

Winterhook

This year’s “gift” from Redhook pours a beautiful red-hewn brown, like a brunette with red highlights or a beautiful red stain for wooden furniture, and is complemented by an off-white head that left a nice pattern of lace as I drank it. The aroma is of a caramel malt with a little bit of hoppiness there, too. It has a very familiar smell, and it makes me feel like I’ve already had one.

The taste is very light, with a bit of hops on the back end. The carbonation tickles my lips a little, which is nice for a beer of this type. The hops are there, but not overly bitter. They used Zeus and Centennial, and I’ll admit not to being too familiar with Zeus hops. Overall, the roasted malts are just roasted enough to add a layer of interesting flavor, and they play well with what is some kind of peppery and hoppy undertone.

It is 6% ABV, so between the alcohol and the spiciness, it should keep me nice and warm, regardless of the weather. It is a robust companion to complement the sometimes turbulent back and forth of the changing seasons in New England. A good one to keep warm with, or just to look outside and shake your head at the insanity of it all.

Weather note: Thankfully, after 6 inches of wet snow, I only lost power for a few hours last night, though some of my New England neighbors are still without power or heat. :-/

Atlantis pours very thickly black, with a brown and springy head that stays for quite a while and makes pouring a slow, yet worthwhile endeavor. Aroma is a combination of strong hops and chocolaty roasted malts – it has a hint of smokiness but mostly smells like a delicious hoppy chocolate stout (if something like that actually existed). I was happy that the armoa is not bacon-esque because I’d be disappointed if the smokiness overwhelmed the beer.

The taste is not like a black IPA, but rather like an oatmeal stout with some nice bitter hoppiness. The bitterness almost fools you into thinking that is has some notes of coffee, but it is really something that sticks with you. Each sip yielded a little something different, but the roastiness was done just right.

I am quite pleased to report that it doesn’t taste like bacon or a campfire, but tastes like an excellently roasted meal. It is complex and still hoppy, so the bitterness of the hops works with the the slight smokiness in a very playful way, and it’s fun to keep sipping it. I would love to pair this with some kind of lamb stew or chili, but I think it would go just as well with a summer barbeque.

They’ve set the bar even higher with this brew. While it is hard to pick a favorite among the Rising Tide lineup, they’re making my job harder with every new brew that they put out of this quality and depth.

After connecting with his partner, Allan Jagger, Bull Jagger Brewing Company was born. It’s been a while since that freezing winter night in Maine, and I have been eagerly following Tom & Al’s progress since then. Bull Jagger’s debut beer, released last friday to an eager public, is simply named “Portland Lager.”

Described as a “pure local lager” this beer has a few very interesting characteristics.

“Portland Lager is a crisp, golden, premium lager modeled after the traditional Helles beers of Bavaria. We follow the German Purity Laws of 1516 and use only the finest water, malt hops and yeast to produce this original recipe. Portland Lager is handcrafted in small batches and aged to perfection. The result is a quaffable ‘micro-lager’ of the highest quality.”

First of all, any brewer that uses “quaffable” on the bottle is okay in my book. Secondly – by using only malt, hops, yeast and water, it takes a lot of precision to get the tastes where you like them. Any brewer can add fruit, or pumpkin, or whatever to their beer and add flavor, but not any brewer can stick to the basics and brew something clean, tasty and flawless.

I poured this into a glass, and I admit that I did expect it to be a little less cloudy than it is. The color is a very light orange, also a bit darker than I expected for a ‘micro-lager’ though I don’t have a lot to compare it to. A nice, fluffy head sprung up just as it was supposed to.

The aroma is sweet, yeasty, and ever so slightly bitter. I can smell some of the hops in the nose, though they’re subtle, and I like that they’re subtle. Some beers of the same style can be just a bit too “skunkily” hopped for me, and this one smells just right.

Upon tasting it, I can’t get over how absolutely smooth it is. Most of the taste is fruity and somewhat malt-forward, though the whole thing is very nicely balanced. There isn’t a bite to this, but a nice lingering hop flavor, which I hear might be toned down a tad in future batches, but is a nice touch. It has slightly low carbonation, making it go down very easily. The taste of this lager lingers on your lips for minutes after taking a sip.

I don’t say this often, but, I think I love this beer. I could have it with anything- with food, with a nice day at the beach, with dessert. It has a sharpness that keeps it interesting and a smoothness that keeps it almost forgettably good – the kind that makes you really want to have another. I actually needed about one and a half of the 16.9 oz bottles to sucessfully complete this review because I drank them too fast, but what a wonderful problem to have.

Photo from Bull Jagger's Facebook page

You know what’s crazy about this beer? It is going to become a go-to beer for a lot of people. Not only do I like it and appreciate it for its “quaffability” but also its complexity and smoothness, but my dad will like it because it’s light and tasty, my uncle will like it because it’s authentically brewed and will remind him of lagers he’s had in Europe, my mom will like it because it is slightly sweet and she can have more than one without getting full, my little brother will like it because he can drink many in a row. And beyond my family, I can think of a lot of people who will adopt this beer as their hometown brew – and I couldn’t be happier about it.

Congrats, Bull Jagger, on a great debut. Portland (and beyond) is looking forward to your next releases, and hope that you can keep up with what I am sure will be an unceasing demand for this.

This post, about Farmouse Pale from Oxbow brewing is also a bonus in that it is a brand-new brewery in Maine. I found myself at Novare Res on the eve of Columbus day, on the most perfect night I can imagine for imbibing Belgian-style brews.

Oxbow brewing came on my radar very recently, and is beginning to creep into Portland bars, including Novare Res and the Great Lost Bear.

I was handed a beautiful, straw-colored brew with minimal head, and I took it close and inhaled deeply. My favorite part of Saisons are their aroma. Difficult to describe, the smell gives me a similar visceral reaction like smelling newly tanned leather – it smells positivly inviting and natural. Yeasts, grass, hay, and even fall leaves seem to creep into its aroma.

The taste is soooo smooth. Some Saisons are tart and sharp (in a wonderful way…) but this one is just – beautiful. It has a little bit of sweetness that is usually lacking, and it comes forward in the taste for sure.

From the Oxbow website:

Our Farmhouse Pale Ale has a golden and unfiltered body, the spicy yeast notes of a Belgian Saison-style ale, and the citrusy hop character of an American Pale Ale.  This beer’s creative merging of traditional styles embodies American farmhouse brewing at its finest. 

This is a wonderful, and unexpected surprise, and this is why I love living in New England. Brewing on an 18 acre piece of land in Newcastle, ME, these guys are going to be bringing a whole new level to the artisan beers around here. Currently, it’s only available on draft in Maine, so you’ll have to come out here to see what they’re about.

But judging from the quality of this, their debut beer, only wonderful things are on their way from these guys.

It must be the full moon.

I walked downtown on the misty, rainy and beautiful type of night that only can happen in a rainy New England spring. Light from street lamps oozed through the haze and the faint, blue glow of the neon signs of Sebago brewing beckoned me towards Middle Street. Sebago Brewing Company is famous around here for their Full Moon Cask Nights but this night, in particular, was special. It was the last cask night in their current location before moving further down the block to a bigger and better space. And, being American Craft Beer Week, I was not planning to turn down the opportunity for great craft beer.

I arrived, regrettably, later than I wanted to, but the party was still in full swing. Cooler/kegs of beer were positioned throughout the upstairs and downstairs of the restaurant and it was a little challenging to figure out what was going on. Each station had its own glasses, so you just went up to one you wanted to try and paid a few bucks for a sampling glass full of beer.

What made the event interesting was that Sebago wasn’t just pouring their own brews, but there were other beers from the region and beyond being shared there as well. I missed out on Lunch, the new beer from Maine Beer Company, but did get to sample some Sebago Grand Crue (a blend of their Bourbon Barrel Aged Full Throttle Double IPA, Barleywine and Frye’s Leap IPA) and loved how the hopiness of the IPAs played with the sweetness of the barleywine. Next, I sampled their 2010 Barleywine which was both delicious and warming, it smelled wonderful – the barrel aging made it nice and red, and the hoppiness was a pleasant surprise.

While I was there, I got a chance to talk with Luke Livingston and Michael LaCharite of Baxter Brewing. Only 4 months into their brewery’s life and they’re already talking about expansion, and next beers they’ll be brewing. I’m really happy that they’ve found success so quickly, and I think the summer will be a great boon for them as well. Their canned beer has made national news, and the demand for it is definitely growing. I got the rare treat of actually trying their Xtra Pale Ale on cask, and it was perfect! I don’t normally love casked beer I will admit – sometimes there is just a taste I don’t like – but this was almost meant to be casked. It was light but fresh and full of flavor. I think it might be my favorite casked beer that I’ve tried. I ordered two.

I also ran into a friend in Portland who is well on his way to opening a brewery. I won’t spill the beans quite yet, but I can confidently say that you will really like his beer (I’ve had it, and I even helped make an early batch!), and that it’s definitely filling in a missing hole in the New England beer scene.

Overall, it was a great event with lots of great people. (It is the people that make the beer taste even better sometimes). I wish Sebago luck in their new location. Once it opens, I’ll be checking it out and seeing how Portland adapts to the change.

Well, I’m happy to say that their first beer, Pamola Xtra Pale Ale is now on sale, if you can find it that is. It’s flying off the shelves pretty quickly so I thought I’d be one of the first to bring you an actual review of Luke Livingston et. al’s first entrance into the Maine beer landscape. I was excited, too, to learn that several of the ingredients for making this beer also came from Maine, a true nod to the local economy. It contains:

5 different premium malts including 1 from Aroostook County, Maine
4 different hops, 2 from a small Willamette Valley, Oregon grower
Pure, soft water from Lake Auburn, Maine

The label also suggests that its “subtle and sophisticated flavors from choice barley and select hops combined with cold conditioning give this beer its exceptional drinkability.” Overall, the label design is very nice mix of modern typography, and I have to hand it to whoever designed it, you can’t confuse it with any other can on the market.

I poured it out into a Pilsner glass and wasn’t surprised to see the typical straw color of a really light pale ale. The head was appropriately springy, but the smell was just a little bit different. I’m used to light beers like this having an almost acrid backbone of some of the more german malts and hops, but in this case I got instead some fruitier notes that are more commonly associated with lagers. There isn’t a lot of aroma, but it’s there.

I decided to take a sip and downed the first gulp enthusiastically, though I was surprised to find that it was incredibly easy to drink. Though, in retrospect, I probably shouldn’t have been surprised considering the market for this beer. This is going to be the one that I see everywhere this summer on picnic tables, campsites, boats and docks – anywhere that bottles can’t go or where there is a yearning for something that just tastes good. This is a really pleasant brew and the carbonation is just right. Any more and it would be too sharp for me, any less and it might fall flat. I’m happy, also, that there’s no dryness, no bite for an aftertaste, which makes it very quenching. That being said, per the style of being a very pale ale, it is very pale. There not a ton there in terms of strength of flavor, and there are other pale ales that have a lot more hoppy assertiveness. However, it is those qualities that make it perfect for a hot day when what you want is something to cool you down that’s still made with authentic craft ingredients.

Baxter is a welcome addition to the Maine beer scene, there’s certainly nothing like it in the state. I wish Luke and Baxter the best as they continue. I am also very eager for the next release, the Stowaway IPA which I hear is a hop bomb that packs a bit more punch than their initial offering.

1. Maine Beer Co – Spring Peeper – Most of you by now know my high opinion of this beer, but I think that it would make a great addition to the Thanksgiving lineup. Not too heavy, not too overwhelming in its flavor, this would be a good one to have with a cheese course or appetizers while the meal is being prepared in the kitchen. It’s nice and aromatic, too, so it’ll get you in the mood for the other brews ahead.

2. Sebago Brewing Co – Local Harvest – Though this is an IPA, it won’t tarnish your tastebuds like some others, and has a great flavor and character to it. A nice follow-on beer to the Peeper, this one amps up the flavor just a little bit in anticipation of the meal.

3. Sheepscott Brewing Co – Pemaquid Ale- A seldom mentioned brew that could do a lot if given the chance. The nice nuttiness of the malts and the smooth taste would make any of the earthy thanksgiving dishes go down quite well, and I would love to try this with some sweet potatoes.

4. Allagash – Black – Wait, not White to go with the turkey? I dare you to check this one out. The Allagash Black, though on the pricier side of these brews, would be a great pairing for some of the hearter dishes in the meal. Not overwhelmingly heavy but full of flavor, I think this one is worth a go for either dinner or dessert.

5. Unibroue – Quelque Chose - This offering from Quebec is entirely different than most beers you’ve probably had. A strong ale with cherries, this one pours the color of red wine and smells like dark cherries. This would go great, I think, with the main course or with many sides, including stuffing and even mashed potatoes. This can also be served hot, and may be a new winter staple for you if you give it a chance.

So, I present to you my picks. Agree? Disagree? Any glaring omissions? I’d be happy to read them if you leave them in the comments. Happy Thanksgiving and safe journeys if you are traveling!

-The Beer Babe