Category: Beer

Under Construction: Yes Brewing

| Posted in Beer, Under Construction

yesbrrewingA new brewery called Yes Brewing (facebook, instagram) is under development in Westbrook. Owner John Bigelow plans to start off using a “1 barrel wort/8barrel ferment system”.

The American Journal reports,

Yes Brewing, owned by John Bigelow of Portland, is looking to operate the new brewery at 609 Main St., Unit 2, which is behind Mister Bagel. City Planner Jennie Franceschi said the unit is roughly 2,400 square feet.

The Planning Board will host a public hearing on Tuesday, Oct. 4, and could vote to approve the project that night. If approved, it would mark the second new craft beer tasting room downtown since early 2015, when Mast Landing Brewing Co. opened at 920 Main St. Since that time, Mast Landing has become a popular destination in the city.

Beer in the Classroom

| Posted in Beer

Today’s Press Herald reports on an innovative collaboration between USM and Maine breweries.

She began using beer as a testing medium to teach chemistry. Now Benedict is in charge of the school’s new Quality Assurance/Quality Control and Research Laboratory, which started with a $488,514, three-year seed grant from the Maine Economic Improvement Fund. The lab has partnered with the Maine Brewers Guild to provide testing and training for breweries and brewmasters.

Dirigo Brewing Opens in 1 Week

| Posted in Beer, Openings

Maine’s newest brewery, Dirigo Brewing Co. (website, facebook, twitter, instagram) is set to open one week from today on August 19th.

Please join our brewmaster Tom Bull, his wife Molly, and their partners Mark and Meesha Paulin on Friday, August 19th to sample Dirigo Brewing Company’s first three offerings: a German Pale Ale; a Rotbier (red ale); and a Schöps Bier (chocolate wheat ale derived from a 16th century Polish recipe).

Dirigo is located in downtown Biddeford in the Riverdam Mill. The doors open at 11am.

Frosted Glasses & Gruits

| Posted in Beer

The Beer Babe column in The Bollard explains why frosted beer glasses are not a craft beer’s best friend,

Across a busy table of work colleagues I tried, in vain, to gesture for the server to stop — to prevent the exquisite and complex taste and aroma of the beer from entering into an unholy communion with the frosted vessel. While I helplessly watched, she poured the beer directly into the glass, which was so cold that the edges of the beer’s head turned to spiky ice crystals. I grimaced.

and the beer column in today’s Press Herald reports on the gruits being produced by Urban Farm Fermentory.

A gruit is a beer flavored with a variety of spices and herbs instead of hops. Gruit recipes date back thousands of years and remained en vogue throughout Europe until hops became the flavoring ingredient of choice around the 1200s.

Maine Beer Co. Expanding

| Posted in Beer, Under Construction

Maine Beer Company is in the early stages of planning to quadruple the size of their brewery in Freeport, according to a report from the Press Herald.

The expansion would add a large production and office building and expand the existing tasting room, outdoor seating area and parking lot. In a sketch plan submitted to the town, the company said the expansion is needed to meet demand for its beers, which have gained a national reputation and a legion of dedicated fans.

Beer Advocate Profile of Bissell Brothers

| Posted in Profiles, Beer

Beer Advocate magazine has published a profile of Bissell Brothers authored by Adam Callaghan.

In two and a half years, the Bissells have positioned themselves as pioneers pushing limits: their own, their customers’, the beer world’s. Their company’s design and mentality seem to appeal to fans as much as the actual product does. Theirs is a lifestyle brand, selling a signature triangular logo and the image of the carefree cool crowd, which happens to drink dank, hoppy beers that are hazy as hell.

Draft 100: Novare Res

| Posted in Beer, Reviews

Draft magazine has recognized Novare Res in their annual list of the 100 Best Beer Bars in the nation.

The 33 draft lines give diverse attention to hoppy American gems from Night Shift and Sierra Nevada, German classics like Einbecker Pils and Kultbücher Monchshof Schwarzbier, plus Belgian darlings and “best of” Maine breweries. You could also go for the 500-deep bottle list, or the seasonal proprietary beer brewed by Liquid Riot…

Beer Cocktail Interview with Vena’s

| Posted in People, Beer

For their new episode Great Beer Adventure interviewed Vena’s co-owner Steve Corman on his personal journey to be becoming a bartender and about beer cocktails.

As we explore beer cocktails, we learn (yet again) that we should be willing to take more risks in our beer drinking. Steve Corman of Vena’s Fizz House joins us to teach us a thing or two about adding booze to our beer. (Really it’s all about the bitters.)

Under Construction: Foundation Brewing

| Posted in Under Construction, Beer

The Press Herald has published a report on Foundation Brewing’s expansion.

The Portland brewery, located at One Industrial Way in a cluster of craft breweries, is taking over three spaces formerly occupied by Bissell Brothers Brewing. The project will bring Foundation’s total square footage to 7,500 and is paving the way for further expansion in 2017, according to a release from the company.