Category: Beer

Signature Event, Museum Cafe, 15 Exchange & Geary’s

| Posted in Reviews, Events, Beer

Today’s Press Herald includes a report out on last night’s cocktail and dessert competition,

Asked what he was looking for in a winner, [John] Myers said, “It’s that X factor.”

“I want something that’s going to stand out, something that I don’t know exactly what they made it of, something that I wish I had come up with, you know,” Myers said. “And something that I want two or three of.”

a 4 star review of the Museum Cafe,

My sandwich tasted entirely original. Served cold on dark bread with fresh greens, it included moist flanks of freshly prepared chicken with a creamy, zesty sauce. It came with a few chips on the side, and was entirely satisfying.

a bar review of the 15 Exchange Grille,

Under a sign that reads, “think different,” the full bar is displayed with some choice liquor bottles placed on cubed shelves. That’s where I spotted a bottle of Crown Royal and opted for a Crown and ginger that cost $8. After a few sips, I determined that was pricey, considering there was more ginger ale in the glass than whisky.

and this week’s What Ales You column.

Bull Jagger Baltic Porter

| Posted in Beer

This week’s What Ales You column reports on Bull Jagger’s upcoming release of their 2nd beer, a Baltic Porter.

The Baltic Porter, which I tasted before it was carbonated, is an intense beer, with quite a bit of sweetness and notes of chocolate, coffee and toffee, and had just a bit of bite at the back of the palate from the rye. I liked it a lot, and expect it will be even better once it is bottled and carbonated.

What’s New at Allagash

| Posted in Beer

Today’s What Ales You Column in the Press Herald reports on Allagash’s new products and a recent expansion in brewing capacity.

The bunker was designed so two more of the tanks can be added when business warrants, Perkins said. As of now, Allagash brews about 25,000 gallons — about 800 barrels — of beer a week.

Allagash also will be adding a new bottling line this year. Its bottling system handles both its 12-ounce bottles and 750-milliliter cork and cage bottles. The 375-milliliter (12.7 ounce) bottles used for the limited-release beers sold only at the brewery are bottled by hand.

The article also reports that both the new batch of Coolship Resurgam and the new honey beer Saison Mihm are both due out soon.

Review of Borealis & Honey-Based Beers

| Posted in Reviews, Beer

Today’s Press Herald includes a Eat & Run review of Borealis Bistro,

The panini comes on your choice of bread, and you’ll have a large variety of choices, because all the bread is made right on the premises. The sandwich we tried consisted of a couple of slices of rosemary bread filled with real scrambled eggs, cheddar cheese (your choice of cheese) and sausage links (meat costs extra) that had been sliced in half and grilled. The sandwich stayed piping hot all the way to the office, and was large enough to share.

and a What Ales You column about the honey-based beers for sale at The Honey Exchange.

The favorite honey beer among my tasters — and they varied over the past month from a crowd of seven to just me — was Brooklyn Local 2, a strong, dark Belgian ale with 9 percent alcohol that cost about $8.50 for a 750-milliliter bottle.

The honey was just a background in this fruity, spicy and complex beer with a wonderfully thick body. The Belgian dark candy sugar combines with the wildflower honey. Seven people tasted this one, and they all loved it.

 

Review of Moran’s Market

| Posted in Reviews, Beer

The Press Herald has published a review of Moran’s Market.

Here’s another way to judge a market: If it prices food by the pound instead by some predetermined serving size, you know you can bulk up. At Moran’s, the hot bar costs $4.75 per pound. I loaded up a pound-and-a-quarter of some of the best home-cooked food you can find for this price anywhere in Portland.

Today’s paper also includes the latest edition of the What Ales You beer column.

Tasting Notes from the Maine Brewers Festival

| Posted in Beer

Beer columnist Tom Atwell relays some of his tasting notes from this past weekend’s Maine Brewers Festival.

I was surprised by the complexity of the Honey Rye from Kennebec River Brewing Co. in The Forks. When I have had their beers, both at their pub while on fishing trips and in bottles, they have been good middle-of-the-road brews. But the Honey Rye had a wonderful sweetness upfront from the honey and an absolutely dry finish. I could see this as a superb beer for warm days.