Mainer has published an article about some of the local beer and coffee collaborations.
Most craft beer drinkers can — and, too often, will — talk ad nauseam about hop varieties and yeast strains. It’s not that they’re wrong about the subtle differences in flavor, it’s just that it’s all been said. So what’s left for a beer geek to nerd out about? Well, how about the various origins, roasts and brewing processes of coffee in beer?
A new brewery specializing in gluten-free beer is under construction in Biddeford. Lucky Pigeon Brewing (facebook, instagram) will be located in the Pepperell Mill complex in the same building as Banded Brewing. Lucky Pigeon will be the first brewery in Maine exclusively producing gluten-free beer, and will be brewing with millett, buckwheat and rice.
Head brewer Scott Nebel got his start in the beer industry at Sebago, and most recently was part of the team at Maine Beer Company. He’s been brewing test batches of IPAs, brown ales, Kolsch-style blonde, and porters. Lucky Pigeon plans to produce a range of styles along with seasonal and special batch beers.
Owners Kathleen Pigeon, Bev Pigeon, Nic Bramer and Lesley Bramer hope to launch Lucky Pigeon this spring. They have set-up an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign in hopes of raising $20k to pay for a high capacity canning machine. You can read more about Lucky Pigeon and contribute to the campaign on indiegogo.com.
A new brewery called Belleflower Brewing (website, facebook, instagram) has taken over the former Brewery Extrava space in East Bayside. Owners Zach Page, Melissa Page, Nick Bonadies and Katie Bonadies plan on launching later this year producing a line-up of hoppy beers and stouts to start.
As reported by Don Littlefield, Zach Page is the former head brewer at Lone Pine Brewing, and Nick Bonadies is a former VP at Trillium. Prior to joining Lone Pine, Page was the head of brewing operations at Trillium.
They’re currently in the process of going through licensing for Belleflower and will share more details about when they plan to open when they’re able. In the meantime follow them on instagram and keep your eyes on 66 Cove Street to keep apprised of their progress.
The Press Herald has published a report on Maine breweries that are launching and expanding.
When beer industry veterans John Callinan and Rick McCormick decided to open a brewery together, they jokingly asked themselves, what could go wrong?
For starters, the usual things that always go wrong with a brewery opening – federal and state licensing taking longer than expected, construction delays, trouble with equipment. But during a pandemic, all of these issues are amplified and joined by a host of others. Still, they’re among several brave beer lovers who moved forward with plans to open new breweries this year despite it all.
Congratulations to Lone Pine and Allagash Brewing. Both are winners in the 2020 Great American Beer Festival competition:
A pair of updates from Maine’s brewing industry:
The Press Herald reports that Maine breweries are facing a shortage of aluminum cans.
According to the Brewers Association, smaller brewers, like Corner Point Brewing, which goes through about 2,400 cans per month, are more likely to have their orders delayed or canceled, but larger local breweries are also concerned about maintaining their can supply and are trying to plan accordingly.
A growing number of Maine breweries including Allagash andd Bissell Brothers are participating in the Black is Beautiful international beer collaboration project. They are joining 800+ breweries from 50 states and 13 countries in producing a beer recipe developed by Weathered Souls Brewing in Texas.
Maine breweries participating so far are Allagash, Atlantic, Austin Street, Bissell Bros, Blaze, Definitive, Fogtown, Mast Landing and Orono. Check with the individual breweries on their release schedule and the local organization to which they’ll be donating proceeds to.
The Press Herald reports on an effort by the Brewers Guild to move up the date breweries can re-open their tasting rooms.
The Maine Brewers Guild said Tuesday that the current plan puts the breweries and brew pubs in the same category as bars, which aren’t allowed to reopen until July 1. But many of the breweries in Maine offer outdoor seating and are at least as safe as the restaurants, said Sean Sullivan, executive director of the guild.
Today’s Maine Sunday Telegram includes articles on the stickiness of new curbside beer pick-up and beer delivery services post-pandemic,
Though curbside pick-up and delivery were forced upon brewers by the pandemic, many have discovered how much customers like these services and may keep the systems in place for the foreseeable future. Sullivan surveyed more than 70 breweries about these services and found that 35 percent were interested in keeping some sort of curbside pickup available even after their tasting rooms re-open, while more than 21 percent said they’d be interested in continuing delivery.
and a look at the impact of being a Beard Award nominee during the pandemic.
Desjarlais knows this better than most. Between The Purple House and her much-missed Portland restaurant, Bresca, she has made the semifinal round seven times and the finals twice.
“Every time, it’s great for you personally,” she said. “And it also great for your staff and team, because obviously they’re doing a great job, but it gives them a kick in the pants because the nomination brings a new burst of business and things get can get really busy. But now there’s no chance for that.”