Lunch - Maine Beer Company

Sebowski

California

4.25/5  rDev -3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Looks really good. Full thick creamy head. Big ol bubbles. Caramel coloring.
Smells like an IPA. Hoppy, Piney, IPA
Tastes like it smells. Hoppy, piney, little bitter, and delicious.
Good mouthfeel. Mostly dry.
Glad I got to have one of these. Good stuff. Hope I come across it again.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2011 06:12:46 | More by Sebowski

JJSmash

Connecticut

4.75/5  rDev +8.4%

05-25-2013 21:43:34 | More by JJSmash

jtladner

District of Columbia

3.75/5  rDev -14.4%

05-25-2013 11:35:33 | More by jtladner

mpedara429

Massachusetts

4.48/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours out a very hazy amber color. Three plus fingers of off white head. Retention lasted quite a while. Lacing created a picturesque netting around the glass.

S: Mango, grapefruit, and pine. Smell is pretty vibrant.

T: Grapefruit and pine are dominate. Mango is in the background. An earthy hop finish.

M: Medium body and carbonation. This one is pretty crisp, not leaving a sticky or oily feeling in your mouth.

O: A top notch brew. Actually, reminds me a bit of Heady Topper. Fruity and earthy. I think this one is slightly less malty and more bitter than Heady Topper. Nonetheless, it is quite the honor to have tried this beer and put it in the ranks of IPA's elite.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2013 00:32:06 | More by mpedara429

weiserr

Connecticut

4.96/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

Bottled on 5/21/13; poured into a Bell's nonic pint. I didn't seek this beer, it sought me and demanded that I consume it. Pouring itself into the aforementioned vessel, it jumped out of its holding container to exclaim, "I am IPA; marvel at me." A huge, two-finger cap of foam gives way to myriad lace patterns resembling broken guitar strings, frayed curtains, and shower-glass film residue. The nose is permeated by a citric cornucopia that is backed by just enough malt to create a majestic balance of hop perfection. To characterize the taste would never do this beer any justice, as words pale in comparison to the sheer pleasure that follows the first sip. As I consumed more, I began to sense a tectonic shift within the craft beer industry. This isn't just Maine Beer's version of a West Coast style IPA; this is their version of a better one. You know the brewer has struck a chord when you can hear the cherub and the seraphim rejoicing holy, holy, holy while you're drinking it. Maybe none of it was real. Maybe I woke up one morning and imagined what the perfect IPA would taste like. All I know is that this version of IPA is without rival. Rumors have already surfaced that it can re-grow hair on bald men, and resurrect lifeless medical patients from their catatonic state. You know what, I believe them. If you're fortunate enough to get your hands on this brew, consider yourself among the chosen. Ladies and Gentlemen, Lunch is served.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2013 20:45:16 | More by weiserr

2Xmd

New York

4.78/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Poured from a bottle with a date of 05/09/13 so fairly fresh (2 weeks old) wonderful yellow-orange color with a huge fluffy white head. A light piney, citrusy smell that I cant get enough of. Not overpowering but just enough. Goes down easy would definitely buy this again but too bad it's eight bucks for a 500ml bottle. I want more.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2013 12:10:11 | More by 2Xmd

JoeyBeerBelly

New York

4.46/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

500ml bottle served in a glass beer mug.

L - dull brass color with a white head that hung around for a long time leaving spots and some trails of lacing.

S - lots of tropical fruit and citrus.

T - sweet and tart it's a tropical fruit and bitter citrus flavored roller coaster ride for the palate.

F - medium bodied it goes down smooth and easy.

O - very good example of the style, it totally kicks ass if you drink it straight from the bottle.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2013 04:20:50 | More by JoeyBeerBelly

SwG237

New York

4.25/5  rDev -3%

05-24-2013 03:58:50 | More by SwG237

brewstervt

Vermont

4.75/5  rDev +8.4%

05-24-2013 01:48:26 | More by brewstervt

Billpare

Massachusetts

4.75/5  rDev +8.4%

05-24-2013 01:02:58 | More by Billpare

smccann

New Hampshire

5/5  rDev +14.2%

05-24-2013 00:41:08 | More by smccann

huddyball

New Hampshire

5/5  rDev +14.2%

05-24-2013 00:19:47 | More by huddyball

Bnoise11

California

4.25/5  rDev -3%

05-23-2013 21:28:56 | More by Bnoise11

AltBock

Ohio

4.38/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

500ml bottle with a plain Jane egg shell white label. Everything on the label is in small print. Break out the magnifying glass. The back of the label only contains the mandatory US info and a description about the brewery. Off to the left side of the bottle is an inked bottled date. My bottle was bottled on 03/26/13. MBC would like it if you drink their beer within 90 days of the bottles date. My bottle was close to being 2 months old when I cracked it open. Still good!

When poured into a Peg's Cantina Snifter, this lunch was an easy on the eyes hazy golden apricot orange with a faint streak of lemon yellow toward the bottom of the glass. The head of foam was equally impressive as the sweet ass color. On top was of this golden brew was a 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch cotton white head if foam. This head of foam didn't have to be somewhere else so a small skim of foam and a moderate sized string of rings stuck around until the last drop of beer was gone. Beautiful appearance!

The first whiff of beer was a subtle mix of tart citrus fruits and pine. It was pretty good, but I thought it could have done better. When I swirled the beer around a tad, that awoke the beast from its slumber. Out comes the strong aroma of tart citrus fruits. Leading the citrus pack was the grapefruit. Following the grapefruit was the lemon, apricot, pineapple, and oranges. When the citrus fruits settled down, it then let the pine to come in and play. This beer still wasn't done. After the pine, the beer then finished up with a subtle whiff of caramel, a pinch of grass, and a few floral notes. My eyes and nose couldn't get enough of this beer.

My first two senses couldn't get enough of this beer. Let's see if my tastebuds couldn't get their fill of this beer. I could tell this beer didn't want to mess around. Right off the bat was the bitter citrus hops. These hops lingered on for a few seconds before it let in the tart citrus fruits. There was more of a fruit variety in the aroma. The taste still had its fair share of grapefruit, lemon, and orange. Following the fruits was a layer of pine. Once I got passed all of the citrus elements and pine, I found a tiny taste of toasted caramel malt. I would have though the citrus hops & fruits would have completely covered that up. After that the beer finished up with some floral notes. A very good taste, but my nose and eyes enjoyed this beer more than my tastebuds.

This was a medium bodied West Coast Style IPA that wasn't lacking in either carbonation or aftertaste. The aftertaste was full flavored and bitter with citrus hops, a select citrus fruits, pine, and floral notes. Like the head of foam, the aftertaste had nowhere to be so it stuck around. It will take about two glasses of water to rid your mouth of this nice bitter aftertaste.

Wow! What a beer. I've had 2 MBC beers so far and every one of them has been really good. They must be doing something right up there in Maine. Would I drink this again? I certainly would like another one! I would like to thank my good BA friend RCM505 for hooking me up with this winner.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2013 00:49:40 | More by AltBock

MarkIntihar

Michigan

4/5  rDev -8.7%

05-22-2013 13:34:51 | More by MarkIntihar

SpdKilz

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -3%

05-22-2013 13:13:30 | More by SpdKilz

Onenote81

North Carolina

4.25/5  rDev -3%

05-22-2013 00:53:16 | More by Onenote81

aslamm75

Indiana

4.25/5  rDev -3%

05-22-2013 00:30:10 | More by aslamm75

scoot64

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +2.7%

05-21-2013 22:53:17 | More by scoot64

Busker

Connecticut

4/5  rDev -8.7%

05-21-2013 18:02:07 | More by Busker

bahnfire

Vermont

4.25/5  rDev -3%

05-21-2013 13:51:59 | More by bahnfire

Hendry

Vermont

4.75/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

I'm always perusing the Maine Beer Co section in my local shops in search of the legendary LUNCH, and a stop in to get some jumbo shrimp for the grill was my lucky day. Bottled 5/7/13, this batch is nice and fresh and doesn't have time to age on the shelf as they disappear quickly in multiples.

Pours a cloudy off orange with an enormous cloudy white 4 finger head on a pour straight down the middle of the glass. Lively carbonation.

Aromas are hop forward and become prominent with a bit of warming: subtle nose of orange blossoms, tangerine, ruby red grapefruit: this has a juicy vibe to it with some noted pine needles.

Taste is more bold than the nose, and plays out as either a huge IPA or an 1.5IPA with regard to strength and bitterness of the hops. Tropical orange flavors along with grapefruit and piney resins end up as almost sticky, yet the finish is dry, zesty hops resting at the back of the palate for a long bitter finish that is a requisite quality for a great IPA

Mouthfeel is medium to full, enormous for what is supposed to be an IPA. Drying grapefruit rind aftertaste builds as you make your way through the 16.9 oz bottle.

Overall, I'm very glad I bought 4 of these. LUNCH is a top notch IPA with a thoughtfully balanced hop wallop tempered with careful malt selection. There is a noted increase in enjoyment as it warms and works its charms on you.

Those that complain that LUNCH isn't available in 6 packs, or that is overpriced expect too much from small batch hand crafted Northern New England brewers. I've spent the same or more on bombers that were mediocre at best, so you have to pay up if you want the quality.
Highly recommended and worthy of the legendary reputation.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 04:48:58 | More by Hendry

rodlavers

Pennsylvania

4.24/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

54 day old bottle, poured into my Founders snifter.

Bright/hazy light peach/orange color. Poured lightly so not much of a head, but initially there is a about finger of crispy white fluff. Not much lacing at all. Color is just awesome though, and I don't necessarily believe it's a letdown without a huge head.

Hop citrus aromas seem a bit subdued. Nonetheless, there's grapefruit/orange and light lemon zest, with a bit of pine in there as well. As the beers warms up a bit, a slight floral situation reveals itself.

Citrus zest is most noticeable in the flavor. Less malty than other IPAs I am used to. But really this beer is all about the hop-forward citrus -- grapfruit, orange, some lemon, and maybe a bit of pine in there as well. Flowery session character to it as well.

Feels smooth up front, and crisp on the end. Dry but refreshing overall. But probably a bit too carbonated for me to session.

This is a solid IPA. Not my favorite, but very nice. Flavors and aromas open up as it warms. The one thing it lacks that I think is present in most IPAs and APAs I enjoy is sweetness. Would love to grab this fresher. Cheers.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2013 22:48:18 | More by rodlavers

mahak213

New York

4.26/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

13 day old bottle into a FFF Teku-

Appearance- Really pretty, hazy, golden orange with a big, fluffy white head that leaves nice lacing around the glass.

Smell- Huge grapefruit, pine, and orange zest. Totally hop forward, with no real detectable malt presence.

Taste- Similar to the nose, tons of bitter grapefruit and orange. As it warms up I get a bit more sweetness and some peach flavors. Finishes with a big blast of pine

Mouthfeel- Carbonation is light, but present. Has a bit of a creamy feel to it, and a super dry finish.

Overall- I'm digging it, and glad I was able to get a super fresh bottle. I'll for sure be picking up another bottle next time it comes around.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2013 22:31:03 | More by mahak213

Mullen2525

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -8.7%

05-20-2013 17:43:08 | More by Mullen2525