Bull Jagger Dirigo Crimson Lager

Bull Jagger has already started making a recognized name in just two years by making the first micro-brew lager in the Portland, ME. But tonight I have their Dirigo Crimson Lager, the second micro-brew lager in the Portland area. I can already tell it's going to be a good one before taking a sip: A deep red hue for a lager and a foamy head that I know will leave a long-lasting foamy residue on my lips.

My nose knew malts would be a BIG player in the taste, but my first though from my tongue was angostura bitters with caramel malts! This might seem to be a negative taste to some, but it's a phenomenal taste to me. The malts have a slight sweetness to them, but bitter is a stronger effect than sweet. There is a very crisp overtone from a bit of hops and the lager body. It is quite full in the body for a lager as well.

Dirigo certainly isn't a lager that can be drunk quickly due to the strong tastes in effect, but it also isn't hard to drink and can easily be enjoyed by anyone who likes a fine beer. So I'm giving it a solid A (excellent) and I recommend you grab a bottle to see what tastes the Maine micro-brew scene is expanding to!

Sebago Brewing Full Throttle Double IPA

When I visit Sebago Brewing in Portland Maine, it wouldn't be unacceptable for the bartender to bring me a Frye's Leap IPA before even asking me what I wanted to drink because I ask for it almost every time! Strong floral-citrus hops in the Frye's Leap IPA brew is going to be hard to out-preform, but Sebago's Double Throttle Double IPA is released only once a year. So why is it anticipated?

Unlike many other brewers Sebago's special IPA isn't just more intense than their 'standard', (the Frye's Leap is already very strong), it's a different approach on an IPA by adding malts and using many varieties of hops. The Full Throttle is best described as tasting piney and like grapefruit instead of just crisp and citrusy, because the malt with the hops puts in a unique sweetness. It's still intense on the palate and it isn't hard to notice that this brew is unfiltered. The last thing noticed when put down your throat is that there is little taste of alcohol and the malty-sweet aspect doesn't take away from the tingling dry aftertaste once swallowed.

After you try Sebago's Full Throttle Double IPA the first time, you know why they make it almost every year and why people anticipate it so much. It adds so many flavors and keeps it all balanced. A (excellent)

Rising Tide Tempest

Beer and Coffee are Portland's biggest local drink interests, with brewers and roasters creating names that have traveled well beyond the Maine state. This review is about a porter that's from a correlation of Rising Tide Brewing Company, and Bard Coffee: The Tempest. Let's see what Rising Tide can do with a fine bean from Bard.

This beer poured impressively in my pint glass with a light foaming head, and a bit of carbonation seen on the walls. The aura given off of the head wasn't of brewed coffee, but of coffee beans. On the tongue the first thing noticed is the carbonation leaving a tingle of a texture, but the dark roast coffee comes right after and stays throughout the rest of the experience. Like the scent, it's more of beans but not a brewed coffee because this part is not bitter at all. Semi-sweet malts in a dark-chocolate way exist on the palate too, working their way through the initial coffee and carbonation elements after a few sips. It's mid-weight body makes the Tempest very easy to drink in comparison to other porters, even with the coffee and chocolate aspects.

The Tempest isn't the dark beer that will put hair on your chest, (despite the strong palate), because of how well the chords played by Rising Tide's Tempest play together. It's an A (excellent) in my book and will be a common choice of mine when I want something to sip at the end of the day. I hope it becomes a staple on the shelves of fine beer selections.

CiderMaker: Hard Apple Cider

Honey and apples both seem to have a taste that's exclusive to only a few natural things on earth. A sweetness that can't be found in any candy. Their's even an apple cultivar that has a title that connects the two as well: Honeycrisp. Tonight I'm sipping on a glass of CiderMaker: Hard Apple Cider which is a new release from Maine Mead Works. Apparently it's not a new concoction because it's been served under another's label only on tap. It'll be available on many shelves soon, and here's what you can expect.

The first sip I took of this was quite a surprise, because it's nothing like other hard ciders sold in a 6-pack. It's more like biting into a freshly picked apple. The scent on your nose is light but the happenings in the mouth can be described as zesty, crisp, and with apples of course. What makes this zesty and crisp is the sparkle it gives on your tongue in an almost citrus way without the bitterness. If it was only my tongue sensing this, I could mistake this as carbonated. The crispness matches well with the apple palate that leans towards the lighter kind without much bitter.

I don't believe I'd want to have this on tap because it would add bubbles and make it overly crisp. Brittle and dry perhaps? So shelves in Maine should be stocking half-gallon bottles of this cider, or you can go straight to Maine Mead Works and get a bottle that you can bring back to re-fill. An A (excellent) in my book for thinking outside of the bottles of other hard ciders. Sweet in that natural way.

Maine Mead Works HoneyMaker Lavender Mead

Lavender and honey. Sounds like a relaxing and intuitive combination you'd find in an enchanted forest, doesn't it? You won't have to go that far for it though, because Maine Mead Works has a lavender flavored mead in their lineup. Is it worthy of accompanying you in your picnic-expedition to the tranquil forest grove though? Read on and find out.

Fair is a good word for this mead because it has a pleasantly light aroma and taste that's a bouquet. Lavender and the honey are apparent of course, but other things not in the title are appearing too. Light crisp fruits of different varieties (like pineapple) are everywhere but don't overpower the non-stereotypical lavender taste. I say non-stereotypical because the lavender has a "peppery" accent that isn't anything like perfume. The body to the mead isn't light though, it's actually well rounded.

It's not hard to drink at all, and I'm leaving Maine Mead Work's Lavender Mead with a A (excellent) because it's not one you just intuitively put down. You start with a few sips that give you the expected sweet and floral notes, but that penetrating and unexpected aspect that's somehow lavender requires your attention. A great way to end a meal.

Chimay Grande Réserve

Tonight's luxurious taste is from Chimay, a brewery that's been around for quite some time in a monastery in Belgium. They make fine cheeses as well but only their blue labeled Grande Réserve sits in front of me, waiting to be tasted. I'm sure monks making beer and cheese do their best to make it taste great, so lets see what they think makes a beer desirable.

It has a very foamy head that'll leave you with a mustache if you don't give it some time to settle, and like many Belgium ales it has a lot of yeast. In addition to the wheat scent there's a combination of clove, pepper, and dark fruits. On the tongue the fruit becomes a little more along the lines of apples though. Sweetened malts are strong on the tongue and mostly overlap any taste of the yeast. You can taste the crisp and dry aspect of the yeast though. It finishes with a dry "bite" (like some wines) and caramelized overtone that relates to the fruits on the nose and malts tasted.

It isn't the smoothest Belgium ale I've had, or even one with exclusive tastes, but I am impressed by it. This is because the order of the classic tastes and balance of them makes for a very enjoyable experience. I'm ok with it not being smooth to swallow because I want to keep it in my mouth until it's warm, not chug it. A (excellent).

Bull Jagger Original No. 19 Baltic Porter

Bull Jagger has released their first opaque brew recently, the No. 19 Baltic Porter. It would seem like quite a jump in styles from their lager wouldn't it? Well I found out the process isn't as different as you would think, but I'm not writing about that. You can contact the brewer if you would like to know technical details of the process. I'm writing about the taste.

The first thing my tongue noticed is the sweetness of the malt, which a friend characterized as a "fruitiness". This is a good adjective for saying it has an upfront sweetness unlike like sugar. Don't think that there's any fruit notes on the palate though. The rest is quite perplexing but with some hard thought and slow sips (done with extreme enjoyment), I found wheat/yeast, rye, and barley which is a seasoning crisp for tastes. It works very well together. These notes of spice imperceptibly convey to the liquid body sensations of a citric dry that leaves a tingle. Despite all this extreme taste and an ABV of 8%, it's very smooth to drink.

This is not the type of beer you choose to compliment a robust beef stew, you choose your dinner recipe to compliment this beer. This is because it'll be the focus of your taste buds luxurious experience. Undoubtedly an A (excellent).

Maine Mead Works HoneyMaker Dry Hopped Mead

Hops is an ingredient that I usually relate to beers, but tonight I have a wine-aisle product with it. I've done a few other Maine Mead Works meads before this, lavender and apple cyser, but I think this'll be quite a different experience than the others because of the hops. Read on to find out.

Putting my nose up to my glass reminds me that hops is actually a herb instead of a strong citrus (unlike an IPA's accent). Bringing this liquid past your lips brings the crisp hues to your tongue as well though. The body is round but I wouldn't say bold, and this works very interestingly with the zest. The taste of honey exists here too, but it's along the lines of clover instead of bee's. A subtle sweet that makes it quite easy to drink. Think of certain white wine's sweet.

I wish I had thought of honey and hops, because they match so well in an unexpected way. It's an A (excellent) in my book because of the equilibrium created. It doesn't have a huge variety of tastes, but there are many 'levels' of them. Adding something would throw it all off. Don't change the recipe Maine Mead Works.

Blason de Bourgogne Montagny 1er Cru 2009

While browsing the wines at a place I visit often, someone who was taking notes on inventory was eager to point this wine out to me. A french wine from a region famous for the products of it's grapes. It was at a fine price and they had just received it, so I though it would be a good one to share my thoughts on.

It doesn't say on the front label, but this Blason is one of their chardonnays that's been oak aged. Don't assume it'll be like many other oak chardonnays because many things are going on. On the nose there's the pear and almonds like many chardonnays but the aura is also dry in a chalky way, not sharp or crisp. I think this works better for the many things happening on my tongue.

One of the first things I noticed about the palate is a crisp pear on the tip of my tongue that also has an acidity accompanying it. After a second you get a mineral note as well which is indistinguishable from the soft and round body. Last but not least you get a liquorice note on the aftertaste that appears once your tongue gets warm again. All these aspects last for awhile.

Wow, unique. I don't hesitate to give this an A (excellent), and I'll be keeping this one always available on my wine rack.

Sebago Frye's Leap IPA

It's been a little while since my last review, but I think this is partially due to my focus being just on the drinks. The taste is still my prime focus, not the effects. (This applies to positive and possibly negative ones). Like today's beer that'll do the trick quicker, with a ABV of 6.2%. Sebago Brewing's Frye's Leap IPA.

Frye's Leap IPA is a bit of a leap from other IPAs, being more than just intense with regular hops. It pours with a large and foamy head like most micro-brewery IPAs. But once you put your nose to the glass the hops is strong like others, but it's of a very different character. The floral aspect is as strong as the citrusly crisp! The  malt note is a bit more diligent than other micro-brew IPAs as well. The commonly rich body is similar to typical IPA though. (Wouldn't be as good if that wasn't the case).

This is a common choice for me at Sebago's new location or the grocery store. So it didn't take me long to contemplate the score. I'm giving it an A (excellent).

P.S. Even once I'm well past my last sip I enjoy this beer. The hops is still there at the back of my tongue. Mmmmmm...

Shipyard Smashed Blueberry

Shipyard's best selling beer is their seasonal Pumpkinhead, and they made a Smashed Pumkinhead as a spin off of it in 2009 (still around). Today I have a spin on their Smashed Pumpkinhead, the Smashed Blueberry. It's only sold in single bottles, but that might be all you need because this brew is 9% alcohol! If that's what you want though, I'd recommend a plastic bottle of liquor. If you want a tasty beer in your glass, read on!

The back of the label reads that this is a "hybrid between a porter and a Scotch ale." I can see why because of the body and what's happening on the palate. Smashed Blueberry starts with the blueberry part paralleled by the sweet malty chocolate in the nose though. Once in the mouth things get pleasantly complicated. The body is more along the lines of a Scottish ale due to the 'round' body. I don't think heavy is a way to put it though. I wouldn't be surprised if your tongue gets confused by this one, but I've sorted out the sweet maltyness, a touch of coffee-like barley which works perfectly with the malt, a blueberry extract on the back of the tongue. The fruit note isn't very sweet, just true to blueberries. It ends dry with all the tastes lingering.

Turns out this has been a big hit for Shipyard and now I can see why. I've noticed this bottle on the shelves for awhile now, but I didn't pick one up because I'm not a fan of fruity beers. I'll be buying this one again though because it's a fine dark beer with strong tastes that work togeather. And it's the best use of non-citrus fruit in beer I've ever tasted. A (excellent)

Rising Tide Ursa Minor

It's a pleasant surprise to notice a new bottle when shopping for a social lubricant. Today's trip to the luxurious single bottle beer aisle didn't just show a new brew, but a new brewer! Rising Tide Brewing started just last year in Portland, ME. There's plenty of brewers in this city already, but if they can meet it's high standards in a pint-glass there's definitely room for them. My first Rising Tide:

Although labeled a stout, I think it's closer to a porter because barley exists but roasted malts are in front of it. The body isn't what most would think of a stout either with a brisk feel and head that doesn't stay as long. I think this is because it's a weizen too (wheat beer). The roasted malts and touch of barley participate well together with the yeast. These are not the only flavors because after your first few sips an aftertaste starts to accumulate in strength. Dark cherries.

For those that're wondering what Ursa Minor is, it's the Little Dipper constellation. For those wondering what Ursa Minor beer is, it doesn't fit in a category like ale, stout, lager, and such. It's a drink you have to explore because much is going on, and I'll be enjoying again because I'm leaving it with an A (excellent). Rising Tide may be a small brewer but they leave a big impression, and a good one.

Tree Spirits Maple Demi-Sec

Real maple syrup is a luxurious liquid, but I wouldn't review raw maple syrup (or drink it). It only ever goes in my mouth with pancakes as a vehicle. Tree Spirits has created fine maple products for drinking though! Tonight I have a glass of their Maple Demi-Sec sparkling wine in front of me. I would think making a "semi-sweet" product of this type would be very hard, so let's see where it falls on the sweet-to-dry scale.

It pours like almost any champagne but you'll notice the difference between a grape wine and this one before it even touches your lips. You can smell the maple tree ingredient that isn't sweet like syrup, but it becomes more luscious on the tongue. The carbonation makes the body crisp, but it's actually well rounded in texture. The palate pounces on your tongue after swallowing with the maple accompanied by the semi-sweet. Clover honey is how I'd describe the level of sugar here; sweet but in a natural and compliant way. At the back of the throat you'll get an aftertaste of distinct maple, and it'll be on your tongue with a tingling.

I'm usually not a fan of sweet but, Tree Spirit's Maple Demi-Sec was not too sweet at all. It's a very different product and and I'm giving it an A (excellent) because you can taste maple, not just maple syrup in this drink. Tree Spirits makes a maple liquor as well as apple wines and spirits that're certainly worth trying as well.

Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale

It's easy to let the dimmer and shorter days get to you, but it can also be an excuse to spend more time relaxing. The antique characteristic of Samuel Smith's label makes me think this would be appropriate to enjoy in front of the warm fireplace with a book. For the younger, I feel it would be just a appropriate in a classic British Isles pub. However, this being the first time I've had this I feel obliged to share my thoughts so those of you reading can determine if this would be a good choice for you

Even before tasting this I knew this would be a good choice because the sensations it gave. The visual ones showed a head that could compete with a classic Irish stout, and the color of it matched the body's. Nutty brown with a touch of red. Before the beer touched my lips I could smell the malts that somehow were walnuts! Past the lips it also showed wooded and roasted notes through the malts. The body was medium weight but on the back of the tongue you got a hint of sweet and a nice crisp. I didn't get these last notes as much because it was hard to swallow, I loved it in my mouth.

It only took me a a minute at the end of my pint to add the plus with the A. It's an A (excellent) and I recommend it to anyone who can enjoy a beer that's heavier than a generic lite beer.

Twenty 2 Vodka

Vodka can be a hard thing to describe. Some people just want a cheap thing to make a drink of their choice alcoholic. Of course not necessarily a cocktail though. A few actually like notes of flavors added. I'm part of the group that wants a liquor that can make a fine drink with a few other pieces added. Twenty 2 Vodka is made by The Northern Maine Distilling Company in Houlton, ME. Let's see what category this vodka falls in.

Ethanol is apparent in the nose, but not in a biting way. This is certainly a hint of a good vodka that has no similarity to watered down alcohol in a plastic bottle. The palate is quite unique. I feel that it is a touch heavier than water in your mouth, but in perhaps a way of ethereal taste? I'm asking myself if there is drop of honey put in this bottle. Something I do know is the grainy ethanol is existing lightly on the back of the tongue. After sipping my glass I finished it by shotting the rest, and it was the first time I had any major burn.

Experimenting with cocktails such as the godmother and kamakazi, I could taste the difference in quality. I'm not hesitating to score this with an A (excellent) because it's a blank sheet to work with cocktails and is the first clear liquor besides gin that I've enjoyed straight. I'll be keeping this one in stock.

Maine Mead Works HoneyMaker Apple Cyser

Portland, ME is well known for it's breweries with beers getting national attention. Maine Mead Works is expanding Portland's drink spectrum. With a brand new location on the east end, being available at many more places, and more flavors since their start in 2007, there has to be a reason behind their success. Tonight I have a glass of their newest mead, Apple Cyser.

The fact that this has apple in the title and is a mead it should be quite obvious that honey and apple are the prime factors. They are but they work together so well. The body of this mead is lighter than others and not 'sticky' sweet so the crisp and light tang of apple compliment it great. When chilled the apple is more apparent and the honey comes out more when warmer. In either temperature you get a tart finish from the apple, but still the sweet in your mouth.

Quite the balance. I'm not hesitating to give this an A (excellent) and it won't be uncommon for me to keep a bottle of this in my stash. Maine Mead Works has many other choices as well and a quick visit to taste what they have will let you know which one would be your best investment. Portland is more than a beer town now.

Warre's King's Tawny Porto

In my mind when I hear port desert wine I think of extremely rare and expensive. King's Tawny is on the base of Warre's lineup though, and you'll see that you don't have to have deep pockets to sit in front of the fire with a glass of port just enjoying the moment. Warre's King's Tawny runs around only $13 a bottle.

For those that are use to other ports the first thing you'll notice is the lighter rusty red color, instead of the nearly opaque red of ruby ports. Matching the color the nose smells like raisins but you can sense much more is going on and is easier to clarify on the tongue. Woodsy-pepper, orange, black tea and plums all happen almost at once but the fruit notes lead into the wood and tea. It leaves you with a long aftertaste of the plums and oranges.

For those who know port wines well, get something else because King's Tawny isn't nearly as robust as others. As for the rest of you, what a port to try first! For the cost there's many levels happening and it's very easy to drink. I give it an A (excellent).

Long Trail Double Bag

It's been awhile since I've visited Long Trail but tonight I have a brew they seem to be very proud of, their dark ale Double Bag. I say they're extra proud of this beer because they state "you'd never believe it has an alcohol content of 7.2%!!!" on the neck before you even get to the bottle's label. I'm not drinking this to enjoy the alcohol content though.

When you glass up the beer it acts exactly like an ale with a foamy head that laces around the cup but once in your mouth the parallels to a pale ale end. The palate is very malty in a chocolate way and the body is surprisingly crisp and heavy. The nose doesn't show this as strong as the tongue with lighter notes of a homely earthiness (something like oak, toast and chocolate). Unlike the statement made on the neck I don't find it 'smooth', you can tell it's a little higher on alcohol. This isn't enough to make this uneasy to drink.

A quote I made that I share frequently is "enjoy the drink, not the effect." If I were to ever buy a Red Bull I'd break this rule. Long Trail's Double Bag may give you an enjoyable effect sooner than other beers but you can still enjoy this beer beyond an alcoholic buzz. I think it's an A (excellent).

Peak Organic IPA

Where I'm at going green and all organic is quite popular, so it's no surprise that there's an organic brewery here in Portland, Maine. I certainly don't limit my choices of liquids to organic but I do feel a little good about drinking a 'healthy' beer. But I'm not here to speak of a products health benefits but how it tastes.

With the bottle claiming the alcohol content is 7.1% I suspected this would be an intense IPA like others with higher percent. After pouring I was impressed to taste that it wasn't just that. It does have a strong taste of hops but it wasn't as tangy as other IPAs of this sort. The selection of hops brings out much more of the floral notes than just the citrus. The nose is like that, you won't sneeze taking a big whiff over the glass. Sweet malt is another taste behind the floral and citrus, but more interesting is a buttery affair that I don't think can be described as tasted but just felt. This buttery feeling is in the smell as well.

Not your typical American-style IPA, and I like this new approach. I'm leaving it with an A (excellent) and recommend Peak Organic's unique IPA to any beer drinker who enjoys hops.

Root: 1 Cabernet Sauvignon '08

It wouldn't surprise me if many of you have noticed Root: 1 on the shelf before because it's a rather charming bottle. With the tree and its roots digging between words describing the wine stamped directly on the bottle with no paper label, it's hard to miss. As you'll find out this wouldn't be a bad one to take home based solely on the bottle as long as you like a robust cabernet, let me tell you why:

After decanting the aura given off by this showed a 'spicy' blackberry along with cherry. Once on the palate things got much more complicated though. The fruit notes turned into plum, raspberry and darker cherry but what I found most unique was dark chocolate. Coco didn't overpower the dark fruits though, it's just very well placed so you can't miss it. The body was quite smooth too and a hint of vanilla feels tied to this. In aftertaste the chocolate seemed to linger on the back of my tongue. I found this to be very well balanced.

Root: 1's cabernet sauvignon is a A (excellent) in my book and I should have reviewed this a long time ago because it's a favorite of mine. I'm sure it'll be a favorite of many once people try it and realized the price tag on it (I find it around $10 a bottle).