Peeper Ale - Maine Beer Company

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.38/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This one shocked the hell out of me I have to admit. I was nowhere near expecting it to be as good as it was. Served cold and poured into a pint glass, I enjoyed this one while playing in the yard with the kids on 04/17/2010.

The pour was huge, bright golden amber and incredibly hazy and cloudy with tons of carbonation just ripping toward the surface. Immense white foam just leaps over the top of the glass, reaching a height of near three inches before finally settling down into a firm two fingers of head and rich lacing that lasted the entire session. Aroma is sharp citrus, lemon, orange, nice notes of grasses along with a great little hint of light bready malts providing some nice balance. Crisp, clean, near perfect flavor as the sharp and lightly tart notes of citrus work perfectly and are so well balanced I was amazed. Such a light, and easy drinking ale, I cannot believe how quickly this one snuck up on me. I could see myself drinking this for days all summer long, it was just that good.

Overall as solid as the day is long. I was really amazed with this one. Could not really say a bad thing about it and would look forward to trying it again anytime! Going to make me seek out a few more of their for sure.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2010 23:11:43 | More by mikesgroove

WanderingFool

Massachusetts

3.98/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Spring Peeper Ale pours a clear straw yellow color with a big, white meringue like head on top. The foam dissolves very slowly and leaves behind a netted pattern of lace on the glass. A flurry of tiny bubbles rises up to the surface.

The aroma is filled with notes of orange citrus and pine. Very nice.

Each sip of this light to medium boded beer is soft on the palate with mild carbonation and a dry finish. The flavor is hoppy with notes of orange and lemon citrus. Mild bitterness in the background. It finishes with some malty sweetness and a touch of bready yeast.

This is a tasty, easy drinking beer with lots of hop character, but not the bitterness like in an IPA.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2010 20:15:01 | More by WanderingFool

jzeilinger

Pennsylvania

4.2/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

This beer came recommended from Mike at Novare Res and when I was beer shopping at RSVP, lo and behold, they had some, so I grabbed a few bottles to bring home to PA.

Pours a nice clear orange color with a really massive, white, rocky head with mild carbonation. The foam clings to the glass like cotton candy.

Smell is very, very piney, orange citrus, and a little trace of cracker underneath. The aroma is dominated by pine and oranges. The nose reminds me of a West Coast style of ale, hoppy. I'm digging this.

The taste mimics what was detected in the nose. Starts out with orange sweetness up front before the pine settles in for the ride all the way to the end. There's a very light cracker-like malt underneath throughout. The pine and orange coat the mouth and the hop bitterness lasts for a few minutes.

Mouthfeel is light and crisp and drinkability runs very high.

Overall, Peeper is a really nice brew, I've never heard of this brewing company before and I'm glad Mike turned me on to them. The aroma mimics an IPA but drinks like an Ale and the crisp finish is very refreshing. ABV is below 6% and in the warm weather, I could quaff a few of these. A brew worth checking out.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2010 02:06:21 | More by jzeilinger

mutterfudder

New Hampshire

4.05/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Very nice local brewery, second time I've had this. Out of the bottle into a Portsmouth Pint

A - Cap pops and there is a massive foaming. Whoa! Didn't expect this. Pours with 3-4 fingers of head and rising. Once settled, the clear copper beer is left with a long lasting finger or two of fluffy white head.

s - Fresh hops. A wonderful piney nose of hops. It almost smells like an IPA than an APA. Heck, I thought it was an IPA til I came here. One of the better smelling beers I've had in a while. Very inviting.

T - The hop notes are up front and aggressive. An APA for the hop heads, for sure. There's a nice effervescence to it that accentuates the hop notes. There's also a mild sweetness in the finish that I enjoyed.

M / D - Spring Peeper leaves a somewhat metallic aftertaste that I wasn't a huge fan of. Not sure where I'm picking that up from. Between the two times I've drank this, I wish I had more than the bottle. Very drinkable, especially if you're hop-loving.

Spring Peeper is a good, sessionable hoppy APA. I can't get over how well it smells, and would love to crack one open when the weather gets a bit warmer.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2010 05:03:54 | More by mutterfudder

heliosphann

Indiana

4.03/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

500ml bottle provided by a great BA, Casey10. Served in a pint glass.

A: Finger of fluffy white foam lines the top of the glass. Slowly fades into a bubble strewn, splotchy spill. Is that a Bud Light in my glass? I'm thankful it's not, but it sure looks that way with is crisp, golden body.

S: Light floral hops mixed with sweet malts and toasted grains. That almost sounds like a cereal commercial. It's not, but that does sound fairly appetizing.

*note* Right before I wrote this next section, I poured the rest of the bottle into the glass. Apparently there was a LOT of yeast sediment. So much that it changed not only the appearance of the beer, but the taste/smell as well.

T: Initially this was a very crisp pale, with a good toasted/bready malt profile, and some floral hops, with some slight citrus hints. Most impressive was how balanced I found it to be. Once I added in the yeast, it added some fruity esters and still retained a nice hop kick on the finish. I enjoyed it either way.

M: Light-Medium bodied. For being a pale, this has a very nice viscosity to it. Very well carbonated, giving it a nice creamy feel.

D: An extremely sessionable Pale Ale that doesn't skimp on flavor. I could seem myself putting back quite a few of these at 5.5%. Next time I'd leave most of the yeast in the bottle as I think it drinks better that way, especially for multiple servings.

I'm usually not a big fan of Pale Ale's, but I found this beer to be quite tasty and refreshing. I'd love to try this beer fresh, as I think there would be more of a hop presence to it. Looking forward to more offerings from Maine Beer Co.!

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2010 06:38:14 | More by heliosphann

goatgoat

California

4.15/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks GrittyMug345 for the opportunity.

Pours a clear lemon gold with a ridiculous head. Half of my pint is taken with head on the first pour and I was going easy. Billowing, white, beautiful. Lasts forever. It would get a higher score but I want some room in my glass for beer.

Nice clear citrus nose. Light breadiness. Simple subtle flavor. Clean finish with a good bitterness. Carbonation is good and it's rather dry, which I like.

If I lived up that way I'd drink this pretty often. Since I'm a hippy and what not, the whole backstory definitely hooks me.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2010 02:12:38 | More by goatgoat

beerbutcher

Maine

3.78/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

pours burnished gold with a quick two finger head.

aroma is hoppy. very american, though a bit faint. typical notes of citrus, pine and flowers. pretty. a bit yeasty.

on the palate the beer is quite dry. there is little malt action and a bit of citric bitterness with some background soft yeasty notes. clean quick finish.

mouthfeel is a bit too crisp for me, but fine. could use a bit more body. carbonation is good and the hops are in check for a pale ale.

overall, a very easy beer to drink. like said, the malt could use a ramping-up and some more complexity but the style lends itself to gulping. nice beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2010 06:02:24 | More by beerbutcher

paco1029384756

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Bottle thanks to Drazzamatazz.

Pours a cloudy straw color with two fingers of white head and nice retention.

Scent of sweet floral hops and with hints of citrus, butterscotch, wheat and soap. Not very hoppy, but entirely hop focused with a smooth maltiness to keep it in balance.

Taste of cereal, light bitter hops, grapefruit, and flowers. The upfront cereal flavor is strange, but welcome as the beer quickly opens up with a nice hop flavor. Each sip is an experience because the flavor starts malty, but finishes dry and bitter; it has the malt bill of an English Ale, but the hop profile of an American Pale Ale.

Mouthfeel is light bodied with a nice big, refreshing bite of carbonation, as would be expected from a beer with as much sediment in the bottle as this one.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2010 01:59:58 | More by paco1029384756

DoreenAndDave

Maine

4.33/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Beer is a hazy amber with a think ivory head. Aroma is fresh and piney. Taste is similar. Piney hops. Crisp and a little grassy. A hint of grapefruit. Mouthfeel is very nice. Sturdy but not heavy. Very drinkable. All in all, an excellent beer. Bright, hoppy, spring-like goodness.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2010 03:55:43 | More by DoreenAndDave

wwchamberlain

Maine

4.7/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This is the best non-Allagash beer in the State. Smells like Spring in a fresh hop field. I'm drinking In Mid-Jan. so I assume its holding up exceptionally well at 5.5%. Granted, I did order it from Lion's Pride, a fine establishment, who know how to handle a beer. Great quality bottle too. Looks strong enough to handle my fall cider.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2010 21:49:09 | More by wwchamberlain

bort11

Missouri

3.55/5  rDev -14.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

1 pt bottle with a cool hand-drawn looking label. A couple of seconds after the crown was a popped a small white mushroom cap of foam creeps out the top. Poured into a tall Hobgoblin shaker pint, a tall white head jumps up and has good air time. Color is a pale yellow, but gets hazier as the yeast mixes in. Speaking of yeast, huge chunks of yeast proteins float around at all levels. Nearly impossible to decant.

Smell is a light grassy hops. There is a dry pale malt character around the edges. Taste is also quite grassy with a little pine and grain.

Mouthfeel is a little over carbonated, which is what I would expect from the head. There is a little texture from the yeast sediment. This is an OK pale ale

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2010 05:41:36 | More by bort11

sprucetip

Alaska

3.65/5  rDev -12%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Extremely active, murky/hazy, pale straw color. It's slowly foaming out the top of the bottle as I wait for the several inches of foam to fall from a few ounces of pour. Prodigious white fluffy head gradually falls enough to gently pour some more. The overfoam out of the bottle continues. At first I slurp it up, then I pour into a second glass, very gently. Yeasty goo is visible in the overfoam (I don't necessarily consider this a flaw, though it is uncommon). Leaves a ridiculous amount of lacing, early and throughout.

SMELL is weak at first and for a while. A swirl gets me some grassy, piny and citrus hops. This fades. Not much else. Later some light graininess. Much later this all improves and grows stronger, or the score would be lower.

TASTE Grassy, piny and light citrus hop flavors and an assertive hop bitterness lead. Grainy favor, with just a faint hint of malty sweetness emerge later. I find this quite hop forward for an APA, which is appreciated and ballsy. Bitterness lingers, and the finish is quite dry. In fact, the dryness is a defining feature of the taste.

FEEL Dry, plenty carbonated, and a medium/full body. Some lingering bitterness in the drying finish. Feels much bigger than it is..

OVERALL I like that this is bottle conditioned, and the bottle that I got, at least, will make sure that I will not be deprived of vitamin B-12 in the near future. But they've got some kinks to work out, as evidenced by the overfoam out of the bottle (not gushing, just a slow foam). I also appreciate the aggressive hopping, as I've had IPA's with much less hop profile. I feel it could use a bolder malt bill, which would help to balance the hops, and decrease the dominating dryness in the flavor and feel. That said, this is plenty easy drinking and tasty. I get a good vibe from the brewery, and I'm confident good things will come from it. I encourage all y'all to give 'em a try.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2010 03:31:52 | More by sprucetip

dciBA

Maine

4.63/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Greeted with a nice loud pop, pssshhh when I cracked this one open. Poured from the 16oz bottle a beautiful cloudy straw yellow with tons of foamy white head. I gotta say, this has to be the most attractive, appetizing pale ales I've seen. Perfect color.

Tons of fresh hops in the nose. Floral, citrusy, piney, earthy, it's got it all goin on, with the citrus dominating. After the first smell you're expecting a blast of hops that doesn't happen. The hops are still a major player here, but some nice sweet malt balances the hops perfectly. I was initially disappointed about the hops not taking over the taste, but after a few sips I quickly started to really appreciate the balance.

The spring peeper ale has a dry, light mouthfeel. Noticeably lighter bodied than most pales out there, especially on the east coast. Everything comes together to form a very drinkable, enjoyable beer. Very nice effort from a small, local brewery. I'm looking forward to more bottled offerings from these guys.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2010 03:29:19 | More by dciBA

Deuane

Pennsylvania

4.53/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Thanks to shaebs99 for a chance at trying this Maine delicacy!

A-Golden yellow with medium white head that retains well and leaves nice lace.

S-Light but fresh floral and citrus hops flow out of the mildly sweet biscuit malt base. About as fresh as taking hops off the vine, crushing them up in your hands and inhaling the intoxicating aroma.

T-Citrus and floral hop attack in a pleasurable, unassuming and inviting way---not in a tongue pounding way. Backing sweet biscuit malt doesn't overwhelm the hops but gives the body of work a nice balance. Very well done and delicious.

M-Medium-light bodied sharp, crisp, bright with good lingering hop bitterness.

D-Outstanding! For such a light bodied and low ABV brew this has all of the hop flavour even the most hard core hop head will love. Absolutely exquisite...a beer I could drink by the gallon! Certainly a beer that must be drank fresh but when it is...WOW! Most impressed with this beer from the tiny Maine Beer Company! Keep up the good work folks.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2010 02:38:08 | More by Deuane

HopsyBrown

Florida

5/5  rDev +20.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Great pale ale. Just the right amount of hop, not bitter at all. The taste was exceptional, and the nose was even better - very floral and peppery, kind of earthy, green. Smooth mouthfeel. Great head. Absolutely delightful to smell and sip at the same time. Great combo.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2010 23:07:09 | More by HopsyBrown

ffejherb

Pennsylvania

4.18/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to FooFaa for sharing a 1pt. bottle from this little-known brewery in Maine. Enjoyed on 12/28/09.

A - Poured a cloudy, pale golden body with a sparse white patch on top that reduced to a thin ring and a bit of sticky lace.

S - Fresh, juicy hop aroma with lots of citrus zing. Simple yet quite pronounced and very pleasant.

T - I reckon one could confuse this as alcoholic orange juice with a jolt of lemon zest. Ultimately, Spring Peeper is a very citrus-forward pale ale that drinks much like a fresh hopped Harvest Ale.

M - Medium body with a syrupy texture and slight oily hop residue. Carbonation is quite subtle overall. Finishes with a moderate hop bitterness on the palate.

D - Really nice, fresh hopped ale with a juicy citrus character. I'll be on the lookout for more stuff from Maine Beer Company.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2009 18:28:55 | More by ffejherb

lordofthewiens

Maine

4.05/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A visually perfect beer. In an imperial pint glass it was a hazy straw color, nicely carbonated, with a thick white head. The head showed good persistance, and left a wall of lace down the side of the glass while I drank. It had a sweet floral aroma. Mostly a pine taste, maybe a little citrus, and peppery. A wonderful beer, very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2009 12:20:30 | More by lordofthewiens

nkersten

Illinois

4.05/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A- Pours a golden straw with huge white head even when poured gently. Head settles quickly and leaves some great lacing. Lots of sediment in the bottle kept me from pouring more then half of this bottle.... Will let this settle while i drink the first half.
S- Smells of lots of american C-hops, maybe some amarillo as well. Amazing hop aroma for an APA, better then a lot of IPA's. Some, but not much, malts in the smell as well.
T- This is a very hop forward APA. Piney hops, some malts and yeast dominate the taste. Not a lot of sweetness to balance out the hop flavor, but that's ok with me.
M- Lots of carbonation in this one makes it a bit overwhelming. Once the carbonation dies down a bit it is a lot easier to drink and pick up the flavors. Very dry finish.
D- This one is a little overcarbonated but otherwise a great APA. I also really like the 16 oz bottle, I wish more US breweries would use these bottles. Overall a great beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2009 01:10:44 | More by nkersten

Monkeyknife

Missouri

4.33/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Much thanks to joepais for this bottle.

Poured from the bottle a cloudy light yellow with a huge rocky white head. Lots of sediment at the bottom of the bottle. Lacing is quite sticky.

The aroma is earthy with a nice medley of floral hops and light lemon.

The taste is nice and floral along with a yeasty bite and light grain. Finishes clean.

Lighter bodied with a fizzy carbonation.

This is a very nice APA indeed. A must try.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2009 20:14:49 | More by Monkeyknife

berley31

New Brunswick (Canada)

4.45/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Poured with an average-sized, frothy white head that lasted for quite a long time. Great retention, and some good lacing too. Body is dark yellow and cloudy.

S: Great-smelling beer... the hops are present, as they should be, but the dominating scent here is pineapple. Awesome!

T: Fantastic flavor... fruity citrus (pineapple again) in the beginning, with a nice hop bite in the finish. Very nice balance between the hops and the fruit, which complement each other perfectly.

M: Light-bodied and creamy, with average-to-lively carbonation.

D: This is an awesome beer... I could drink a few of these, even with the hoppiness. Looking forward to what the Maine Beer Company has to offer us in the future!

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2009 17:15:00 | More by berley31

Mistofminn

Minnesota

4.1/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Got this bottle as an extra from rrheisler. Thanks Ryan!

Pours a light golden color, very hazy and cloudy. Nice thick white head with excellent retention. Leaves great lacing all over.

The nose is very strong on floral hops, very appealing to me. I also detect a light malt backbone, but the floral hops are definitely the showcase here.

The taste is about the same, but not as floral as the nose. If it were, it would have to be an IPA with the amount of hops in the nose. I get a spicey hop note too that I wasn't expecting, along with a nice smooth malt backbone. This one is very well balanced.

Mouthfeel is creamy and smooth, with an appropriately low carbonation. Drinkability is great, what a great Pale Ale.

Overall, as an introductory brew to this brand new brewery, I can say I'm rather impressed. I wonder how good their other brews are?

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2009 04:41:18 | More by Mistofminn

twelvsies

Maine

4.55/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Picked one of these up while in Portland the other day, after hearing something or other about it. Always like to support new breweries, and scope out the new product. Fortunately for everybody, this is a really good one. Pours a hazy clouded yellow and orange, with a nice white head sticking around for a while. There is a lot of sediment - but I did have it on it's side in the fridge for a while because there is not much room for beer with all the Thanksgiving leftovers! But anyway, the yeast is good for you and doesn't negatively impact the beer, unless you are looking for exceptional clarity of appearance. Ok moving on to more important things... Great nose on this one. It just screams fresh. Grassy and hoppy with plenty of earthy flavors and a touch of citrus. Nearly perfect balance of light bready malt. Both dry and quenching at the same time. Nice and lively on the palate but substantial with a bit of prickle. Uber drinkable. I hope I can find this locally in time for spring/summer weather. Definitely impressed by this first offering from the Maine Brewing Company. Looking forward to more beers from these guys in the near future.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2009 00:19:50 | More by twelvsies

Sean9689

Illinois

3.35/5  rDev -19.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Another thanks goes to twelvsies for the bottle. Split several ways with friends into tulips.

A - Pours a mirky dark golden color with a white fluffy head. Lots of bubbles along the sides of the glass that stick pretty well. There's a nice white cap covering the body of this beer, head retention seems spot-on.

S - Light and hoppy, floral, some citrus noes. Not a whole lot going on here, just light and average.

T - Really subtle hops, not even that aggressive for an APA. Floral and citrus notes. Very close to a lager, IMO.

M - Light, crisp, good carbonation.

D - Meh, really forgettable for me. Not that it was bad by any means, just didn't impress me like some top-notch APA's that are out there.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2009 22:23:59 | More by Sean9689

DIM

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Great name, spring peepers are my favorite sign of spring. Love the minimalist label too.

a: I poured carefully to leave the sediment behind, yet I still got a thick, creamy head that turned to chunky lace. The color was a slightly hazy gold.

s: Wow, surprisingly hoppy nose. Fresh grapefruit with just a little pine and minimal caramel sweetness. Great smelling APA.

t: More bitterness than in the nose. Fresh lemons and grapefruit before the piny caramel sweetness.

m: Creamy carbonation and a slick body.

d: Thanks to joepais for what tastes like an extrememly fresh sample. Great beer, and I love the pint size bottles.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2009 11:42:56 | More by DIM

shaebs99

New York

4.1/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Picked up a couple of these while visiting Portland

Pours a cloudy golden, not quite dark enough to be apple cider not quite light enough to be apple juice (I had some apple cider prior to this...). Poured with a good white head that leaves lacing on the sides of the glass (not sticky lacing)

Smell is mostly hops. Fruity, citrusy, some pine notes

Taste follows the nose. good dose of hops, but no real malt backbone to balance it. Lemony citrus hop taste, a little pine.

A good little pale ale. I would proud to support this local brewery. Unfortunately I don't think it's likely that I travel to Maine ofter.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2009 02:21:45 | More by shaebs99