Over the past several days I’ve been relaxing up in Maine, figuring out the cross-country trip and hitting up some breweries. Recently, I’ve stopped in at the Portsmouth Brewery and Restaurant in New Hampshire, Gritty McDuff’s Brewpub and the Allagash Brewery in Portland, Maine.
All of them were great, but Allagash was the only one of the bunch that only brews beer. If you have never tried any of the brews Rob Todd makes at Allagash, please rush out now and buy a bottle. The small brewery—with 18 employees and distributing in 18 states—creates fine Belgian style ales. Best known for their White Ale, a Belgian style wheat beer, Allagash makes some truly delicious and surprising brews.
When I went to the brewery I was fortunate enough to pick up a bottle of Gargamel, a supremely limited edition sour ale. Gargamel came out yesterday and despite people driving up from all over (our tour guide told us about a fellow who left NYC at midnight the night before the beer’s release) the brewery had a strict two-beer limit.
After our urging, our tour guide popped open two bottles of Gargamel for the group to try. The beer is wrapped in paper and carefully labeled. It pours a rosy-red and has a strong raspberry nose. A truly beautiful beer, Gargamel is absolutely delicious! Tart and refreshing, Gargamel has the piquant bite of a perfectly balanced sour ale. If you get the chance, try it immediately. If you can’t find a bottle, pick up any Allagash brew (I’m partial to the Dubbel) and enjoy the complex, Belgian flavors straight out of Maine.
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