Bar Review of Frog & Turtle

The Press Herald has published a bar review of The Frog and Turtle.

I was surprised to find that the drink was much sweeter than I expected, but it was still quite refreshing. I sipped my cocktail while munching on a rather large helping of the small order of poutine — a popular French dish with fries, smothered in gravy and topped with cheese curds.

Also in today’s paper is the latest installment f the What Ales You beer column.

Bar Review of Blue Spoon

Today’s Press Herald includes a bar review of Blue Spoon,

If you have the chance and get there at the right time, I would highly suggest trying this bar for brunch. The steak and eggs plate I ordered was absolutely delicious, as was Melissa’s eggs benedict.

If Blue Spoon is busy whenever you’re able to drop in, be patient. It’s worth the wait.

and the latest installment of the What Ales You column.

MRW Overview & The Beer Babe

Today’s Press Herald includes an overview of Maine Restaurant Week. The food event will be taking place March 1-10.

This is the fifth year of Maine Restaurant Week, and while there are some interesting changes in store, its basic structure will stay the same. The breakfast cook-off and the other major event of the week, a cocktail-and-dessert competition called the Signature Event, are extremely popular and usually sell out. These parties haven’t changed much because the basic formats have not yet gotten (pardon the expression) stale.

Also worth noting is a new blog from the Press Herald. The Beer Babe is written by Carla Companion. Her most recent post is a review of the beer list at Pai Men Miyake.

I chose a Hitachino Nest Commemorative Ale “Zymatore”, which is relatively rare even at Belgian beer bars. A third party – with agreements with many famous brewers – takes small batches of amazing beer, and then ages it in barrels – in this case Zinfandel barrels, and each release is unique and complex…

Allagash Tour, Rising Tide Profile, Lil One

The Blueberry Files has posted a piece on her recent tour of Allagash Brewing,

We stopped first where the tanks are, continued onto the bottling and keg line, and ended in the barrel aging room. The tour script is friendly to non-beer nerds, and our guide was also willing to entertain any questions, no matter how basic, like… what does ‘coagulate’ mean? (No joke.) I wanted to know why the big bottles are finished with a cork and cage, rather than a bottle cap (because of tradition and in-bottle carbonation).

the Insurance Guy Beer Blog has published a brief profile of Rising Tide, and Urban Beer Nerd has posted some initial tasting notes on Maine Beer Company’s new brew Lil One.

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Maine Beer Tours

Eat Maine has published a report of a recent trip with Maine Beer Tours.

The most obvious appeal of taking a bus when visiting 3-4 stops over an afternoon is that it eliminates any demand for getting behind the wheel, allowing for unfettered enjoyment of the plethora of beers that will be sampled. In addition to longtime Portland staples like Allagash and Shipyard, there is a new wave of brewers that are currently redefining the industry, like Rising Tide and Maine Beer Company.

Maine Beer Co. Moving to Freeport

According to a report from the Bangor Daily News, Maine Beer Company, maker of the ever popular Peeper Ale, plans to move to a new facility in Freeport this Spring.

The existing brewery produces 3,000 barrels of beer a year, or about 58,000 12-bottle cases.

With the expansion, Maine Beer will add four new fermenting tanks, which will boost production to 5,000 barrels per year, Kleban said.

The brewery will join two other like-minded businesses on Route 1: Gritty McDuff’s brew pub, and Maine Distilleries, maker of Cold River vodka and gin.

Reviews of Howie’s & Pom’s

The Press Herald has published a bar review of Howie’s,

While I wasn’t sure what I was getting into when I ventured outside the popular Old Port bar area of Portland, I’m glad I gave Howie’s a shot. It’s a fun little place if you’re looking to venture from the Old Port crowds.

and a review of Pom’s.

On a cold day, one of my favorite comfort foods is any kind of noodle soup, or noodles in broth. So I went for lunch the other day at Pom’s Thai Taste Restaurant & Noodle House in Portland in search of some warm comfort.

I found it, plus a little extra kick.

Today’s paper also includes a report on the sour and wild beer tasting that recently took place at the Bier Cellar.

The Flemish red ale Duchesse de Bourgogne from Brouwerij Verhaeghe is a classic for the style, with almost no carbonation and a rich flavor. It is a blend of 8- and 18-month-old beers, aged in oak casks, with just a bit of sourness. It was one of my favorites of the line-up.

 

 

Reviews of Micucci and Bonobo, Portland Beer Week

Today’s Press Herald includes a review of Micucci’s,

I’m already a regular customer of Micucci’s, especially the bakery/cafe part, where Stephen Lanzalotta’s Sicilian slab pizza is doled out to a long line of salivating customers jockeying for position. Lanzalotta’s pizza makes all the pleasure centers in your brain light up like a pinball machine until you want to cry for your mama.

as well as a bar review of Bonobo,

The pizza is the real star of this bar, with a thin crust and creative toppings to satisfy adventurous taste buds. The pies measure about 13 inches and come with a promise that no nitrates, hormones or antibiotics were used in the meats.

and a report from last week’s Portland Beer Week.