Since well before the Rum Riot of 1855 helped to force repeal of an early prohibition law in the state of Maine, the residents of Portland and surrounds have been lovers of all things distilled and fermented.
Today that love of beer and spirits is only growing larger by the season. Portland proper now hosts more than 20 breweries from micro to regional, multiple distilleries, brewpubs, and even a meadery.
Today that love of beer and spirits is only growing larger by the season. Portland proper now hosts more than 20 breweries from micro to regional, multiple distilleries, brewpubs, and even a meadery.
After an easy drive across Vermont and New Hampshire and hotel check-in, a fridge inspection showed zero beer. Fixing this situation was as easy and a walk across the street where, conveniently, is located the main facility of Shipyard Brewing, one of the larger breweries based in Portland. Their retail store is great, with all of their lines available on tap for growers or by the bottle in mix-and-match six packs or cases.
Founded in 1992 as Federal Jack’s Restaurant and Brew Pub, the company was renamed in 1994 to Shipyard Brewing Company. Today Shipyard sends out more than 82,000 barrels a year and in addition to the full line of Shipyard beer they have partnered with Sea Dog Brewing Company and Casco Bay Brewing Company, also of Maine. They also brew beer for Gritty McDuff's Brewing Company; an American version of Old Thumper under license from Ringwood Brewery.
I brought back some very good beer, though the mango and other fruit based beers are some to stay clear of in my opinion. I particularly enjoyed Export Ale, Shipyard's flagship. Export is a golden copper ale with 2-Row British Pale Ale, Crystal, and Wheat malts, Top Fermenting English yeast, Cascade, and Willamette hops. It was first brewed in 1992 at Federal Jack’s Restaurant and Brew Pub and its success lead to the expansion of Shipyard.
The tasting room and “tour” would not have been worth the trip alone since it was only a video and an over packed bar area to stand in line for a small plastic cup of beer with little information about the operation or styles. A symptom of being too large for that small brewery visit experience, perhaps, but the great retail store made up for it. (Also, the location could not have been better!)
Upon the arrival of my beer and spirits tasting partner for the weekend, Robin (say hi Robin!), it was time for dinner at the first of the weekend's brewpubs.
Sebago Brewing's Old Port brewpub location was the pick for a very good lobster quesadilla and a flight of five beers. Sebago has been brewing in Maine since 1998. They have a number of locations, Downtown, Scarborough, Gorham, and Kennebunk.
I enjoyed the Bump Black Ale and Country Brown, but all of the five plus a few extra we tried were very good. The pub is right downstairs from the Hampton Inn, just steps from the lively Portland Downtown area. |
Saturday started bright and early with a 10 am tour of New England Distillery on Evergreen Drive, just outside the main Portland Downtown.
A private tour of their distillery, aging, and bottling facility covered the process of making their Ingenium Gin, Eight Bells Rum, and Gunpowder Rye Whiskey with their classically built direct fire pot stills.
A private tour of their distillery, aging, and bottling facility covered the process of making their Ingenium Gin, Eight Bells Rum, and Gunpowder Rye Whiskey with their classically built direct fire pot stills.
Bottling, labeling, and packaging is all done in small batches, by hand and they distribute, fittingly enough, around the New England area.
The stills are works of copper art of their own accord, made new in Portugal for NED within the past few years, even though they look antique and timeless. We had a chance to taste all of their spirits, which were all very nice, with a distinct local style. New England Distillery is the modern incarnation of the owner and head distiller Ned Wight's family distillery from Maryland, Wight Distilling Company.
I enjoyed the gin in particular with it's mix of local and Southeast Asian botanicals. The rum and whiskey were both very smooth with a slick mouth feel, and certainly not intended to be mixed with Coke.
During the tour a few barrels were pointed out that are currently aging to become bourbon. I would very much like to sample that when it comes out in a few more years. At around $40 a bottle, NWD's products are a good value for a high quality small batch spirit.
During the tour a few barrels were pointed out that are currently aging to become bourbon. I would very much like to sample that when it comes out in a few more years. At around $40 a bottle, NWD's products are a good value for a high quality small batch spirit.
Just a block up the street is Allagash Brewing Company. Their taproom, retail store, and bar was by far the most welcoming and relaxing of the spot of the weekend.
Unfortunately tours were sold out for the day, but samples were complimentary (a custom now seemingly very unusual in Portland), generous, and of very fine beer.
Unfortunately tours were sold out for the day, but samples were complimentary (a custom now seemingly very unusual in Portland), generous, and of very fine beer.
Allagash is know for their traditional and experimental takes on Belgian-style beers. All of their bottles beers are bottle conditioned, and some styles are aged for even more depth and character.
Of our tasting I was most impressed by their classic Belgian White brewed with wheat and spiced with coriander and Curacao orange peel. Another interesting offer is Allagash Century Ale, a Brett Saison brewed with Pilsner, Raw Wheat and Biscuit Malt. Century is then fermented for 2 years in stainless steel with a blend of Saison yeast and Brettanomyces. Before bottling it is dry hopped with a blend of German and American experimental hops. Also on-tap was Midnight Bett fermented with the local Portland Brettanomyces wild yeast and aged for six months, and Interlude, a Belgian ale of which some of each batch is aged in French Merlot and Syrah Oak barrels.
Now is a good time to talk about why the tours for the whole day were already sold out at Allagash.
Bus tours.
Short buses full of beer enthusiasts make the rounds all day, at least on weekends, making many breweries jam-packed and their staff noticeably tired of the tasting and talking process. To be fair, this was a Saturday, but still a Saturday off-season. Some tasting rooms where so full that we didn't even attempt to enter or make a path to the bar. With so many breweries charging for samples, hoping to sell bottles, growlers, and merchandise, I can see the incentive to the tour operators and the breweries. It does, however, take some of the experience away from the truly interested visitor. I would recommend getting out early or visiting on a weekday.
Bus tours.
Short buses full of beer enthusiasts make the rounds all day, at least on weekends, making many breweries jam-packed and their staff noticeably tired of the tasting and talking process. To be fair, this was a Saturday, but still a Saturday off-season. Some tasting rooms where so full that we didn't even attempt to enter or make a path to the bar. With so many breweries charging for samples, hoping to sell bottles, growlers, and merchandise, I can see the incentive to the tour operators and the breweries. It does, however, take some of the experience away from the truly interested visitor. I would recommend getting out early or visiting on a weekday.
The biggest surprise of the trip was Maine Mead Works on Washington Avenue. The meadery was started back in 2007, and now they can be found all over New England in bars, restaurants, and wine shops.
Their Honeymaker line covered meads from dry, semi sweet, and dry hopped through fruit and herb enhanced meads including lavender, apple, blueberry, cranberry, strawberry. and elderberry. As good at all the meads were, the hit of the tasting was their Ram Island line of iced tea meads, with Ginger Iced Tea Mead being the favorite. Our host Jessica was wonderful, telling us everything we wanted to know about the fermentation process, and showing us around the production and bottling facility. She even recorded a short interview for Two Brews, thanks Jessica!
Maine Mead Works can be found in Vermont at many stores stocked by Farrell Distributing, and they will ship to you in states which allow wine shipments. Check out their webpage to find out more.
After lunch we were off to the Fox and Anderson Street area, another central location for a numbers of breweries. Stopping first in the 1920's era garage building that hosts Bunker Brewing, a 3.5 barrel brewing operation with a tasting bar for their artisan style beers. We tasted three beers, all very hoppy and dare I say trendy, no so much to my taste as the more traditional styles of other breweries on the trip. The building and staff are great, and it's worth a stop if you like the bitter hop side of brewing and to see what this new (2011) brewery becomes.
Around the corner we found another distillery, and, one cannot live on beer alone, right? Maine Craft Distilling, on Fox Street in Portland creates small batch gin, whiskey, rum, and even a spirit similar to a gin make from carrots called Chesuncook which was a surprisingly tasty sipping spirit.
Next door to the distillery is Rising Tide Brewing Company whom we wanted to visit, but our timing coincided with a bus, so the tasting room was overflowing. Not the breweries fault, but not worth waiting around for either, when there are so many places to visit in the area.
With a recommendations in hand for the best places to drink and eat during the evening, we started at Gritty's Portland Brew Pub on Fore Street. Right in the middle of the hopping downtown, Gritty's has been around since 1988 and came highly recommended by our friends Steve and Russ at Vermont Pub and Brewery. The Black Fly Stout was the winner here, with six different grains and Oregon Willamette and Yakima Clusters hops giving this midnight black brew a great roasted malt and fruity dark chocolate flavor. Did I mention it's carbonated with nitrogen for that perfect silky smooth head? The food was also very good at Gritty's, classic pub fair with some Maine specials.
After Gritty's we made a stop for another beer and another snack at Novare Res Bier Cafe in Canal Plaza. I finally selected from their massive menu of local craft beers and imports of all kinds, Primus, a Belgian-style table beer made from noble hops and trappist yeast by In’finiti Fermentation and Distillation. The beer was well enjoyed as was the hearty BLT club with local bacon.
The final stop of the night for dessert and a last drink was Liquid Riot, formally know as In’finiti Fermentaion and Distillation, on Commercial Street. A big lively bar and dining room space with windows onto the brewing and distilling floor, we tasted a flight of beer and gave one of their signature cocktails a try. The beer was all very good, and the Port Royale (In’finiti Rhum Blanc, dry curaco, lime, pineapple syrup and a Kraken dark rum float) was a new take on a classic boat drink done very well with the house rum.
Portland, thanks for the drinks, food, and conversation about beer, mead, and spirits. I look forward to a return trip to check a few more locations off the long list. Next time I need a brewery bus tour schedule so I can try to avoid the crowds. The walk-able downtown is a fantastic destination for fans of beer, spirits, and good food. Should you have the chance, check it out, and if you don't make it to the Maine coast, keep an eye out at your local stores, bars, and restaurants for the names above and just about anything else brewed or distilled in Portland, Maine.
Cheers! ~Kris
Cheers! ~Kris