The Press Herald has published a report on an ongoing collaboration among breweries, distilleries and UMaine to produce hand sanitizer for Maine hospitals.
Breweries in southern Maine have been donating the base stock of fermented liquid – beer – and distillers have been refining it until the alcohol reaches the necessary potency. Chemical engineers at UMaine mix the alcohol with hydrogen peroxide and glycerol, and then the university distributes the final product to hospitals.
The Whisky Advocate. has published a brief write-up on Maine Craft Distilling’s Fifty Stone.
Along with Westland in Seattle, Maine Craft Distilling is one of the few American distilleries using locally sourced peat to make single malt whiskey. Peat is an abundant resource in many parts of the world, reflective of the local plant life and terroir. We look forward to more distilleries experimenting with local peat—the taste profiles should all be quite unique.
Tickets for the New England Cocktail Conference went on sale this morning. You can see the full program on the NECC website.
Ticketed events include:
The 2016 Food & Wine cocktail book includes a set of 3 recipes (Norseman, In Cold Blood and Mexican Tricycle) from Hunt & Alpine c-owner/bartender Andrew Volk.
Hunt & Alpine has landed on the Liquor.com list of the Best Bars in America.
Portland’s first craft-cocktail bar continues to shine with a deep cocktail list that spans from approachable to geeky. There’s a smoky spin on a Negroni made with Cynar, tequila, mezcal and Fernet Branca and the simple Green Eyes: a gin sour sharpened to a keen edge with a healthy splash of green Chartreuse.
Squirrel Farts has posted an article about and tasting notes on Aguardiente de Agave, the newest spirit from Liquid Riot Bottling Co.
Aguardiente de Agave is Liquid Riot Bottling Company’s latest spirit offering, releasing this Friday, November 20th, 2015 at the brewery/distillery/restaurant on Commercial Street in Portland. Roughly translated as “Agave Firewater,” this is an 80 proof spirit made from 100% organic blue agave syrup. So, it’s pretty much tequila.
Except you can’t call it tequila.
I’ll explain.
Aguardiente de Agave is being released noon tomorrow.
Imbibe magazine has published a feature article on Portland in the November/December issue of the magazine. The article addresses Portland evolving cocktail scene, distilleries and breweries as well as touches on coffee roasters, retail shops and restaurants.
Mentioned in the article are: Allagash, Austin Street, Bissell Brothers, Bunker, Central Provisions, Cold River, Eventide, Foundation, Geary’s, Gritty McDuff’s, Hunt & Alpine, Liquid Riot, Maine Maine Craft Distilling, Mead Works, New England Distilling, Novare Res, Rising Tide, Shipyard, Sur Lie, Tandem Coffee, The Bearded Lady, Three Dollar Deweys, Urban Farm Fermentory and Vena’s Fizz House.
Vena’s Fizz House has a small stack of the new issue on sale at their Fore Street store.
This week’s Phoenix includes a set of articles on non-alcoholic drinking options including a report on the “peaceful coexistence” of mocktails and cocktails in Portland.
Punch has published an article about Allen’s Coffee Brandy.
To call the stuff a cultural phenomenon in Maine is an understatement. Statistically, one in eight bottles of alcohol purchased in Maine is Allen’s. The top-selling spirit in the state is the Allen’s 1.75-liter bottle, and its sales dwarf those of the number-two contender, Orloff Vodka. Overall, the coffee brandy occupies four out of the ten top-selling SKUs in the state, with popularity decreasing by the size of the bottle. On YouTube, you’ll find songs detailing nicknames for the product: The Champagne of Maine, Bitch Whiskey, the Trailer Park Toddy.
The March issue of Maine magazine includes a feature on the state’s growing craft spirits industry.
The forerunner of the temperance movement is now home to some of the most exciting names in craft distilling. With source ingredients from the humble potato to the wild blueberry, these forward-thinking companies are bringing locally grown products off the farm and into your flask.