Last Thursday in Portland was a good day for fans of David Carlson and Marshall Wharf Brewing Company.
The Great Lost Bear featured Marshall Wharf in the weekly Microbrew Showcase. On offer were the Cant Dog IPA, the Brown Ale, Illegal Ale-ien, and the Hefeweizen, all at the usual bargain prices. This was a wonderful line-up of beers – on this evening I thought the Hefeweizen got the special nod. Kudos to The Great Lost Bear… after all these years The Bear remains the place to be on Thursday night.
At the close of festivities a small party adjourned to Novare Res where Eric Michaud tapped a keg of the Marshall Wharf Barley Wine, T2R9. The beer is named after a territory near Belfast… There is a reason for that, but after drinking Marshall Wharf beers all night, who remembers?
The T2R9 is a very special beer. At 11.5% one expects a monster; it is anything but that. Like all of the Marshall Wharf beers this one is beautifully balanced, and drinks well below the alcohol level. The malt and hops are present for sure, but there is no aggressive flavor attack, no awkwardness at all.The impact is huge, smooth mouth feel and soft, luscious flavors. There are no elbows to this beer, it’s all curved and rounded.
There won’t be much of this beer around, so try it any chance you get. I doubt there is any left at Novare Res, but it’s worth inquiring after. This beer alone would justify a trip to Three Tides Inn in Belfast.