Soju Review & Allagash's Rob Tod at The Bear

Soju received 3 stars from today’s Eat & Run review in the Press Herald.

…I opted for chicken breast teriyaki ($7.50) from the Japanese side of the menu and kimchi bokum, a pan fried pork, from the Korean side ($8.50).

Both were satisfying, but I far preferred the chicken teriyaki. Served over a bed of steamed white rice and a healthy mix of carrots and sprouts, the tender chicken tasted sweet and slightly sesame — subtle and not overwhelming.

Also in today’s paper the weekly What Ales You beer column went to The Great Lost Bear for last week’s craft brewing showcase where he got the chance to talk to Rob Tod, founder of Allagash Brewing.

“When I started in 1999, Maine already had breweries making great beer, British and German style,” Tod told me when I got him to join me on the Bear’s patio. “Geary’s and Shipyard and some others were already making great beer, so I wanted to try something different.”

Soju Review & Allagash’s Rob Tod at The Bear

Soju received 3 stars from today’s Eat & Run review in the Press Herald.

…I opted for chicken breast teriyaki ($7.50) from the Japanese side of the menu and kimchi bokum, a pan fried pork, from the Korean side ($8.50).

Both were satisfying, but I far preferred the chicken teriyaki. Served over a bed of steamed white rice and a healthy mix of carrots and sprouts, the tender chicken tasted sweet and slightly sesame — subtle and not overwhelming.

Also in today’s paper the weekly What Ales You beer column went to The Great Lost Bear for last week’s craft brewing showcase where he got the chance to talk to Rob Tod, founder of Allagash Brewing.

“When I started in 1999, Maine already had breweries making great beer, British and German style,” Tod told me when I got him to join me on the Bear’s patio. “Geary’s and Shipyard and some others were already making great beer, so I wanted to try something different.”

Kamasouptra Review

Kamasouptra has received 4½ stars from the Eat & Run review in today’s Press Herald.

The gazpacho was made with tomatillos, cucumber, various peppers, olive oil, cilantro and red wine vinegar. The combination was great. Even though it was smooth, it was filling. All the soups come with a pretty good-sized crusty roll, which was fluffy and fresh.

The paper also launched a new beer column today. Author Tom Atwell put together a survey of local summer brews.

Christian and I had a hard time deciding which we liked best, and finally said that if we were having a party of regular people, we would serve the Shipyard. If the guests were beer snobs, it would be the Casco Bay.

Maine Beer, Part 4

Josh Christie from Brews & Books has published the 4th installment of his series on Maine beer with entries for Allagash and Marshall Wharf.

In a far cry from that original 15-barrel system of the 90s, Allagash now occupies a space on the outskirts of Portland and brews over 5,000 barrels of beer a year. The beer lineup has ballooned from the original Allagash White to over a dozen different regular brews – not to mention a number of anniversary, vintage and collaborative beers. Allagash has also entered the world of the super-rare “white whale” beers with the release of Vagabond and Gargamel.

Baxter Brewing Co.

Blog About Beer author Luke Livingston has announced that’s he’ll be opening a brewery in Lewiston to be called Baxter Brewing Company.

What I am about to write has been a non-stop, full-time eleven months in the making (and many years in a dream): I am opening my own brewery.

Baxter Brewing Co. will be the first brewery north of Connecticut to can its entire line of beer. Located in the historic Bates Mill in Lewiston, Maine, Baxter beers will be distributed throughout the state of Maine beginning in September 2010 and across northern New England in 2011.

DL Geary & Maine Beer Company

Beer Blogger Josh Christie is writing a series of articles on Hop Press about beer in Maine. His first piece profiles D.L. Geary Brewing and the Maine Beer Company.

Today, I’ll introduce you to two craft breweries here in my hometown of Portland.  There’s a lot of history and potential in these two breweries – DL Geary Brewing is the oldest craft brewery in the state at about 24 years old, and Maine Beer Company is the newest.  I’ll start filling in the rest of the chronology next week.