Lunch - Maine Beer Company

enoisone

Virginia

2.65/5  rDev -39.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2.5

I poured it out into a proper glass.
A- Nice looking color and head.
S- Really great aroma, herbal,pine,resin and citrus.
T- Very disappointing taste considering how good the aroma. Did'nt get the aromas in the taste at all. Decent lawnmower brew at best. With this high rating,i was expecting a great IPA,but instead paid far too much for a very pedestrian ale.
M- Hardly anything at all,very thin. No remaining flavor on the palate.
O- Overall, mediocre and pedestrian.
I want my money back.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 15:44:57 | More by enoisone

MaineBrewing

Maine

3.38/5  rDev -22.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Picked up at RSVP in Portland on sale for $5 and some change for a 16.9 oz bottle. Per the label this was bottled two days ago :)

A - I poured lightly but it produced an immense head, beer was light almost amber in color, cloudy and unfiltered, head was three finger and frothy. After a few minutes it was reduced to one fingered light and airy with great lacing. Lace lasted thoughout the whole experience with a steady layer of head making the beer look lively and not ever flat. In fact the beer appears lively until the last drop, probably the best looking bottle conditioned IPA I've had.

S - great hop smell citrusy mostly grapefruit, sweet, piney, slight malt in background. Very fragrant, overall amazing nose. Making my mouth water.

T - All I can say is water has replaced the malt character that this beer sorely needs, maybe it's just me but it's certainly missing a lot of body. The taste is good but is lacking in comparison to the smell and appearance aspects. I get a good hop bitterness but the aroma hops I smell really don't come through as I would expect, they are there but take on a more grassy flavor over the beautiful nuances I was expecting from the nose. The taste generally lacks complexity.

M - Watery and slightly over carbonated. Does a great job at hiding the alcohol. This beer is 7% and from the taste and mouthfeel I would say this beer is sessionable, if only it came in 6/12 packs... It is certainly enjoyable and refreshing.

Overall I was let down from the taste, mainly from my own expectations and what I have heard of this beer, I was generally excited picking this up and seeing it was bottled 2 days ago.

But for what it is worth, it is a really good local IPA, which I could really dig if I wanted something of low complexity to enjoy with some casual fair and light conversation, or sitting by the pool in the summer, maybe a cigar with a connecticut shade wrapper to add to (or even escape) the flavor experience. For the price and format though I cannot see myself buying this again as there are many more examples in the segment that have a more fulfilling taste and a better price point.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2012 05:04:54 | More by MaineBrewing

PsilohsaiBiN

New York

3.48/5  rDev -20.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Amber with a moderate amount of carbonation.

Smell: It's an IPA, fresh fruity hops

Taste: Hoppy upfront. A brief malt respite fades into a bitter, grapefruit finish.

Mouthfeel: Not too thick with some carbonation.

Overall: Not bad, just nothing profound or overwhelming. They say this is an East Coast made IPA dedicated to West coast IPAs and I can see that. It leans more towards hops than malts and is definitely drinkable. Not my favorite, but this company donates 1% of its yield to environmental non-profits. Cool.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 04:49:34 | More by PsilohsaiBiN

stakem

Pennsylvania

3.55/5  rDev -18.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

500ml bottle into a snifter. Bottled date of 10/14/12 puts this at the freshest Maine Beer Co offering I have had at only about a month old. The brew appears a hazed golden copper color with nearly 4 fingers of mostly white, somewhat yellowish stained head. As the cap slowly fades, it leaves patchy to webby lacework on the glass. A swirl effortlessly revives a finger back on top.

The aroma of this brew is hoppy with fruity citrus elements that blend into strong herbs and grass. A bit of cheese and sulfur are also present mingling with the fruity elements. Grapefruit comes to mind here with a hint of pine and dank qualities.

The taste is predominantly citrus, pulp, zest and rinds of grapefruit and oranges. The hop flavoring comes first, with the bitter rind elements coming in after the fact. As the bitterness rests on the tongue, it gets to be quite herbal and shifts away from the citrus and fruit aspects. A bit of toasty grain is present along with a soft touch of neutral spirit-like alcohol. Across the back are some hints of minerals and more sulfur.

This is a medium bodied brew with ample carbonation. I had high expectations for this one based off of it's freshness and how I enjoyed their pale ale at 3 months old. Unfortunately, this was a bit of a let down and I think I give the nod to the pale ale over this ipa. While it is decent and without fault, I felt it came up a little short and was lackluster. I would pass on spending $8 for 500 ml again in the future.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2012 02:26:03 | More by stakem

teromous

Virginia

3.55/5  rDev -18.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle date 021913 (19FEB2013)

A: Slightly hazy, light pumpkin-orange color with loads of carbonation shooting to a very fluffy white head. The head is extremely fluffy and large, and leaves loads of lacing.

S: I get a lot of citrus, with some grapefruit and a tangerine-like scent. There is some very faint pine resin scent in the background as well. Mostly this consists of citrus scent.

T: There is mild perceived bitterness in the flavor. It's probably a lot stronger than I taste, but there is very little hop flavor to drive the bitterness home. The flavor is very faint and mostly woody. There is a tad of pine flavor, but again it isn't that strong. Some mild caramel sweetness creeps out after the bitterness starts to fade in the mouth. There is a slight carbonic flavor that comes through as well.

M: The mouthfeel is very dry. It also feels a bit astringent but I wouldn't call it unpleasant...just there. Good carbonation, which helps it pop in the mouth.

O: Overall I thought the beer had good bitterness and a great appearance. I wish it had more actual hop flavor to marry with the bitterness. For an American IPA, I would expect to see more presence in the beer instead of just blatant bitterness. There was also a strange (what tastes to me) carbonic flavor that was off-putting. I'm on the fence about recommending the beer...it's good but I think it could be matched or beat by many of the other IPA varieties on the market. I probably won't by it again, given the available alternatives.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2013 16:54:30 | More by teromous

kawilliams81

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev -18.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from 16 oz bottle into a Half Acre tulip.

A- pours a cloudy copper with a huge frothy white 3" head. Lacing re,aims all over the glass.

S- really mild aroma. Some citrus and light pine.

T- Semi-sweet malts and citrus. Bitterness is really subdued.

M- light body, medium carbonation. Incredibly drinkable.

O- pretty underwhelmed. Aromas and flavors rather muted but the drinkability is great.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2012 00:17:14 | More by kawilliams81

dmsohyea

California

3.6/5  rDev -17.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Bottle courtesy of tai4ji2x, thanks. 500 ml bottle poured into an IPA glass. Reviewed from notes taken 7/14/11.

A - Looks a little thin with a huge 5 finger head that gushed over the glass. Retention is great and lacing is very thick and heavy on the sides.

S - Smell is not very impressive. Light grassy notes, but not strong enough to identify the hop variety.

T - Taste is pretty good compared the the smell. Moderate to high hop bitterness with some east coast hop styles. A little table sugar comes through toward the back. Finishes dry and bitter.

M - Mouthfeel is pretty thin and a little watery. Moderate to high carbonation.

O - A solid beer, but not a world class IPA. I probably won't seek it out in the future, but certainly wouldn't turn down another bottle.

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2011 20:12:08 | More by dmsohyea

UCLABrewN84

California

3.6/5  rDev -17.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle pour sampled at mrbubbler's tasting.

Pours a murky orange-brown with an off-white head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of citrus fruit, citrus zest, and some tropical fruit aromas. Taste is of citrus zest up front with a malty finish. There is a mild level of bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer but I think it smells better than it tastes.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2012 03:50:29 | More by UCLABrewN84

callmescraps

Massachusetts

3.68/5  rDev -16%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Had this one at the Hop Head Throwdown about ten days ago, but my palate was basically destroyed by then. So I'll review off this bottle I just bought. Was not overwhelmed at the Throwdown, but that probably doesn't mean much.

Appearance- A dull, almost apple cider color. Amber. It has a huge, rocky white head. The lacing is excellent. I usually like lighter colored IPAs, but the head is fantastic. It sort of balances out for me.

Smell- Big hops, thank god. Fruity, tangerine, grapefruit. Some citrus rind. Some real pine as well. Big and sticky smelling, with the pine coming on strong. Possibly a hint of biscuit, but nothing strong.

Taste- It's killing me a little bit, waiting for the big head to dissipate somewhat so I don't get a snoot full of froth. It starts off big and sticky for sure. Tons of pine and orange rind. More malt than anticipated. Light bitterness. Something I can't quite pin, a sweet, almost nuttiness. A little booziness? Unexpected. The finish has an almost buttery quality. Not my favorite.

Mouthfeel- Certainly nice. A little light, but that's fine.

Overall- A little underwhelmed, honestly. I like the first burst of hops, but the rest leaves something to be desired. Not as dry as I prefer. Certainly tasty, but nothing too special in my mind. Oh well, it's a nice hop fix.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2011 00:19:23 | More by callmescraps

BobZ

Massachusetts

3.7/5  rDev -15.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a weizen glass.

Appearance: Cloudy yellow with an amber haze, nice frothy head which builds to 1” to 1 ½” and recedes to a ¼”. Very nice sticky lacing.

Smell: Big floral hops, as expected citrus and pine.

Taste: Pine and grapefruit in all their hoppy glory. This is pine resin wrapped in bitter, bitter, grapefruit citrus. Fits the description of an IPA to a tee, actually more like a DIPA.

Mouth feel: Smooth with the hoppy bitter finish cleaning the palate with some bitter burn.

Overall: Very solid example of the style, not a style I love, but this beer certainly meets expectations.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2012 00:02:09 | More by BobZ

brystmar

New York

3.73/5  rDev -14.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottled 3/20/2012.

Dark, muddy pour with tons of frothy white head. Great retention & lace. Lots of fresh hops and caramely malts in the aroma. Sharp, piney hops dominate the taste. Malt backbone is there but not as prominent as I'd like. Creamy body sells the experience.

A solid IPA that adheres to the West Coast style, though I prefer the citrusy, malty East Coast brews.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2012 02:02:03 | More by brystmar

Duff27

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Crazy 3 inch frothy head that sticks around, good sticky lacing. Hazy copper orange in color.

Sweet oranges in the nose.

Pretty mellow hop presence really. Decent malt backbone. Doesn't show it's abv.

Medium to medium-thin mouthfeel. More of a creamy smooth carbonation.

I found this highly seasonable for 7%abv. No flavor dominated another. Slight disappointment from an IPA I've wanted to try for a long time but would have again. Thanks kawilliams82 for the share.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2012 22:39:25 | More by Duff27

Dreadnaught33

District of Columbia

3.75/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle thanks to Darrell, 6/25/12 on the bottle.

The beer pours a really dark orange color with some nice fluffy white head, very sudsy and delicious looking.

The smell is good, not a huge aroma to me. Certainly some citrus hops jump out without a lot of malt to back it up. Some lighter fruit aromas too.

The taste is pretty solid, but not awesome. It has a decent amount of citrus and plant like hops, but again has this strange fruity overly sweet taste, not a lot of a big malty backbone but also not a ton of hops. It's not that old, but maybe this is supposed to be had really really fresh? Almost a kind of oily onion skillet like overtone? Hard to put my finger on.

The feel is good, nice thicker sudsy feel.

Overall not at all what I expected, not super hoppy and not super malty, just some kind of strange in between.

Serving type: bottle

07-26-2012 23:24:50 | More by Dreadnaught33

CuriousMonk

Virginia

3.78/5  rDev -13.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Was able to share a bottle of this with a friend that I bought from Tru Beer, a bottle shop in Northampton, MA. Nice find there! Pours a slightly hazy orange copper color with a two inch off-white head that laces well throughout and settles into a nice creamy-looking top. The aromas are rich tropical fruit, citrus, sawdust and a bit of malty sweetness. On the palate, it is full of flavor - pine sap, cedar, earthy spice and a nice counterbalance of ripe fruit; pineapple, grapefruit, and a bit of mango. The finish is long and woodsy with a good bitterness bite. A bit overrated as I’ve had better IPAs, but this was a solid beer nonetheless.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2012 21:21:52 | More by CuriousMonk

womencantsail

California

3.8/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to Mike for this one.

A: The pour on this is an orange-ish color with a big white head and some sticky lacing.

S: The nose starts out with a sharp citrus note of lemon zest and grapefruit. Beyond the citrus, there is a somewhat mild pine and a nice bit of floral character. It's rounded out with just a little bit malt.

T: Things aren't too different on the palate. Opens up with some bread and citrus along a decent pine note. There is a mild to moderate bitterness as well as a nice fruitiness from the hops, particularly grapefruit and mild pineapple.

M: The body and carbonation both sit at medium.

O: Wasn't sure what I was getting myself into with this one, but it was a pretty nice IPA.

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2011 22:02:30 | More by womencantsail

jmarsh123

Indiana

3.8/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a light brown unfiltered as always from Maine. with a big off white head. Good lacing.

Smells of some citrus and earthy hops with a cracker and grainy smell.

Similar flavor to the nose. Some earthy and citrus hops with a good lingering bitterness on the finish. Good but nothing overwhelmingly great about it.

Good mouthfeel with lowish carbonation levels.

Good, but not quite as awesome as I expected. I may actually prefer Mo to this. It was a little light on upfront flavor for me.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2012 00:39:02 | More by jmarsh123

viaingo

Maine

3.83/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Type: American Style IPA
Color:Foggy dark gold color/ copper color.
Body: Foggy and lightly carbonated.
Head: Half inch white head. Lingered for a little bit.
Taste: Bitter, dry and hoppy. Despite its bitterness it is very smooth.
Aroma: Hoppy yet citricy smell. Very full bodied, a great IPA.

Overall this was a great representation of an IPA - Bitter, hoppy, foggy , yet smooth craft beer. I have not had the chance to drink an IPA for some time and this beer definitely got me infatuated with IPAs again. With only 4 types of beer available to purchase, Maine Beer Company is still a brilliant local craft beer maker that you need to check out.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2011 01:46:48 | More by viaingo

FosterJM

California

3.88/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

1221st Review on BA
Bottle to Tulip
500Ml

Bottled 3/22/12
Thanks to Twstandley for this one

App- A whole hell of a lot darker than I thought. Very murky and cloudy and more like a caramel thats not burnt yet. A bit orange, brown, yellow and gold. A large 2 finger head with some great cling that just sticks to the glass.

Smell- A bit of a damp, old, biscuity hoppy aroma with an undercutting of citrus. A tad bit muddled in the glass but doesnt smell bad by any means just not as vibrant or alive as other American IPAs

Taste- Has a very nice hoppy creamy flavor with a bit of a peppery note to balance out some damp orange and grapefruit citrus notes. Not the most vibrant flavors but I get where they wanted to take this one.

Mouth- The body is a tad too thick for me. It needed to be a bit less creamy and a bit thinner to let some flavors shine. This has a medium low carbonation level with a bit of creaminess behind it as well.

Drink- A very nice larger ABV at 7% IPA. Was a bit damp and thick but not all IPAs are super bitter hoppy and dry. I would like this one again.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2012 02:19:26 | More by FosterJM

kbuzz

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev -11%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 16.9 oz bottle into a snifter. Dated 091511. Received in a trade.

A: Beer is a very cloudy deep copper/orange color. Very little off-white head, maybe a finger at most – all froth. Carbonation is evident.

S: All hops on the nose. Nice fruity aroma…mango, passion fruit, grapefruit, lemon…a little orange peel. Some floral notes as well.

T: All bitterness up front…first sip: hops, second sip: hops, third sip: hops with some very mild caramel malt notes, enough to balance. Nice soothing grapefruit taste, some pine…definitely some lemon zest in there as well.

M: Very soothing, creamy full bodied beer. Coats the mouth completely. Finishes dry – very nice…and leaves some of that extra bitterness in the nooks and crannies of the mouth that you usually get from an IPA.

O: This is a very good beer. I can see why this has gotten the grades that it has. I don’t know that I necessarily prefer these softer fruity/floral hop notes in my IPAs…but that being said, there aren’t any negative aspects to this beer at all. It is well crafted and highly enjoyable. The mouthfeel is especially impressive. Would love an opportunity to try this one again.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2011 00:38:44 | More by kbuzz

PeterIngemi

Massachusetts

3.9/5  rDev -11%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

fresh shipment of lunch picked up today, poured into a duvel snifter

A- pours a hazy amber/copper almost brownish... nice white almost 1 finger fluffy tight bubble head.

S- tropical citrus, pine, a nice aroma... the only thing that stopped me from giving it a higher mark here was i wish the aroma was a bit more full bodied and pungent.

T- a nice brisk piney hop bite, citrus, pinneapple, orange peel. a very nice blend of flavors, everything working very well, well rounded.

M- as mentioned above, well rounded medium/light, just right to be highly drinkable, goes down smooth, with a slightly bitter/dry finish. oh yah and just the right amount of light/medium carbonation. almost creamy.

O- a very good ipa, one that i try to grab a bottle of whenever a fresh case comes to town, always a nice treat and a must try, very well done.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2012 02:13:44 | More by PeterIngemi

ShanePB

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev -11%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

500 ml bottle dated 3/22/12, consumed on 3/28/12
Poured into a pint glass

A: Bottle conditioned so naturally quite a bit of haze in the body. Orange/brown with some amber red hues in the direct light. Head is fluffly and billowy looking slightly off-white in color. Lacing is huge and sticky, the same goes for the retention leaving a thick cap behind.

S: Let this one warm up a bit as initially there wasn't much of anything other than faint earthy hops. Nice citrus notes come through with a bit of pineapple and orange, but there's a very grounded earthy hop profile here. Some pine and good amounts of caramel toasted malts on the back.

T: Nicely bitter up-front with some pine elements. Mid-palate brings in the subtle citrus fruits - more orange and a bit of mango. It's not forward in these flavors however, it's incredibly balanced out by its malt backbone. Bready and toasted malts take the back end.

M: Well carbonated, medium-bodied with a nice coating feel to it. Not overly creamy and smooth like others in the style but not too much to complain about.

This was a nice East Coast made IPA that had a good balance of citrus and earthy hops, along with a grounded malt base. Not my favorite IPA ever but a really tasty and enjoyable one at that.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2012 14:16:28 | More by ShanePB

RuckusDu

Colorado

3.9/5  rDev -11%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

An awesome extra from an awesome BA. Thanks! It may not be lunch time, but I poured this beautiful IPA into a Duvel tulip. Dated 081012. Larger than 2 finger off-white/yellow/straw colored head that sticks around for a while. As it falls it leaves minimal lace. Aroma is of simple sweet citra hops. Floral and lemony. Flavor is a bit more harsh and bitter. Still very floral with a little bit of pez sweetness. Body is great, full body and good carbonation.

Overall a quite nice beer. Nothing spectacular, but I feel it is a little different from anything else I have had, so I'm glad I got to try it. Would be nice to get a sip direct from the tap to see how that compares.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2012 02:55:18 | More by RuckusDu

SFLpunk

Vermont

3.93/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

16.9 oz brown glass pry-top bottle bought at Beverage Warehouse.

Pours with a good haze, brownish amber with thick off-white sudsy head that has great retention (had head until the last sip). Nose is a bit muted and not super exciting, but the palate is crisp with hop bitterness - not over the top, but refreshingly bitter - with massive flavors of piney "bud" hops, citrus (fresh) and herbal notes out the wazoo.

This is exactly what I wanted after a long shift slingin' booze in a non-A/C warehouse. Delicious and more refreshing (but just as good as) than Zoe.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2011 23:15:31 | More by SFLpunk

badbeer

Iowa

3.93/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Hazy amber color with a big white head the retains very well. Smell is of pine and grapefruit. Taste has a combo of tropical fruit and pine and some malty sweetness coming through about midway. Nice mouthfeel, about medium carbonation and body. This was a pretty tasty beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2011 05:10:57 | More by badbeer

Gushue3

Massachusetts

3.93/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

7/21/11 bottle dating

A- very big head (3fingers..) coming from the bottle into my snifter. Serious retention as this head just stays. Hazy amber with an orange tint. Head is now very foamy and white. Looks very nice.

S- Big grapefruit notes along with grass, pine and a decent malt backbone, grapefruit definately dominates the nose. nice but not overpowering

T- Nice citrus grapefruit, lemon zest and a little bit of sweetness from the malt. Very well balanced IPA that even my girlfriend likes :).

M- Lighter mouthfeel with medium carbonation which makes this guy very drinkable and refreshing.

O- Very nice IPA. West coast take on an East coast brewery. Wish there was more of this.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2011 00:19:18 | More by Gushue3