November 6th, 2009
by Jan
in
Beer Festivals, Beer Reviews |
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For those looking for an alternative to the Maine Brewers Festival, NERAX North is just down the road in Haverhill, Ma.
Our opening last night was a great success, with attendance up 50% over the same night last year. More important, the beers are terrific – just two of the 30 cask ales on the stillage needed another day to settle, and we expect them to be ready today.
We have fifteen British beers presenting the range of traditional cask ale styles, and we have fifteen American interpretations of the same styles. Comparisons are fascinating. One cool trend to watch is the way British brewers are picking up American hopping styles and adapting them to their own beers.
I’ll get back tomorrow with some tasting notes…
November 2nd, 2009
by Jason
in
Beer Events |
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Not to be left out of the cask drinking fun, Sebago Brew Pub in the Old Port (just up the street from Novare Res) is hosting a Cask Ale night tonight. Their “Day of the Dead” event starts the build up to the Maine Brewer’s Festival this coming weekend and begins tonight at 7:00 PM. While Novare’s NERAX event featured dozens of great beers from overseas, Sebago’s lineup features beers that have never left the state of Maine. The beers featured tonight (and until the casks are kicked) come from some of Maine’s great breweries, including:
- Andrew’s Brewing Company
- Liberal Cup – Run of the Mill
- Marshal Wharf Brewing
- Bray’s Brewpub
- Sebago Brewing Company
- Shipyard
Having sampled ales from all of these breweries (and cask ales from several of them), I am sure there will be some great brews to sample this evening. I plan an finding out, and I’ll let you all know!
November 1st, 2009
by Jan
in
Beer Reviews |
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Anyone who came by to NERAX at Novare Res last weekend knows that the first ever Cask Ale festival in Maine was a spectacular success. The 42 cask beers were in superb condition, and Novare Res turned out to be a wonderful venue. People left very happy… In the words of big Arnie, “We’ll be back…”
The cask fun goes on. Tomorrow, 2 November Sebago Brewing is launching their Cask Ale program with a mini-festival at their Old Port pub. There will be five cask ales in Pins on the bar. I’ll be there!
Finally, NERAX North opens up next Thursday in Haverhill Mass. All the beers are there, we set them up yesterday. 30 cask ales, 15 Brit and 15 American. Who could ask for more?
October 21st, 2009
by Jan
in
Beer Festivals, Beer News |
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The traditional question at every NERAX festival is, “Where is the imported beer?”. Well, the imported beer for NERAX at Novare Res, both German and British, is in Portland.
Weather of course will play a part this weekend, but everything looks great for the festival. Part of my job is to worry about what might go wrong, but to be honest I’m down to worrying about details. HAH, this could be famous last words…
We have no idea how popular this event will be. We know the cask ales will be great, but how will Portland respond? We’ll see. Novare Res is ready…
October 18th, 2009
by Jan
in
Beer Festivals, Beer News, Beer Reviews, Maine |
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This is a very good time for Cask Ale lovers in Portland. Next weekend, beginning on Friday, Oct 23, Novare Res in conjunction with NERAX is presenting a cask ale festival in the Old Port.
This is the first NERAX festival in Maine, and quite possibly the first cask ale festival ever in Maine. We will have 30 cask ales, 10 British, 10 German, and 10 American. Well, maybe a few more American…
We’ve been a long time putting this together, not without challenges, but we think this will be a spectacular experience and perhaps the beginning of a long term relationship between cask ale and beer lovers in Maine. Sorry for the pomposity, but we’re really excited about this event.
Novare Res opens at 3:00pm on Friday. Entry is $10 which buys a festival pint glass and your first pint.
The bounty of cask ale doesn’t end there. Sebago Brewing is launching a cask program at their Portland pub on November 2. They plan to offer 5 cask ales. Their intent is to offer cask ale on an ongoing basis at their pubs. This is good news indeed!
October 18th, 2009
by Jan
in
Beer Events, Beer Festivals, General |
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It’s been a while, but let’s get right into what’s happening in beer around here.
Yesterday, Saturday night, October 17 was the time to be in Belfast, Maine. On offer was the second annual Marshall Wharf Beer and Pemaquid Mussel Festival. They served Mussels prepared four different ways, Morse’s of Maine’s sausage and sauerkraut, and 22 Marshall Wharf beers on tap. It might get different, but it can’t get better.
Of special interest were the three bourbon barrel aged beers… MacFindlay Scotch, Old #55, and Cant Dog IPA. In my opinion these beers saw too much whisky barrel, and the beer characteristics faded from the picture. This was a first try, and I have no doubt the next will be well worth considering.
The regular range of Marshall Wharf beers was superb as always. It’s very special, but also very dangerous, to be able to enjoy all of them in the same night. It was fun to taste 40 Cream Ale again, but the old favorites were spectacular as always.
July 23rd, 2009
by Jason
in
Beer Events, Watering Holes |
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The Great Lost Bear in Portland hosts their annual Christmas in July tonight. This year, in addition to the usual holiday ales from Maine, they’re featuring Delirium Noel and St. Bernardus Christmas Ale. All of the locals, Sebago Slick Nick Winter Ale, Shipyard Prelude, Gritty McDuff’s Christmas Ale, and Allagash Grand Cru (my favorite for the bunch), will set you back only $2.75 a pint. The stronger Belgian’s will run you $3.50 for a 13.5 oz tulip. If you’re looking for a way to beat the rainy day blues, celebrating Christmas a little early should do the trick.
