We stopped in at Allagash to pick up some supplies yesterday, three hours early for the tour but that was fine. I was really looking just to shop on the one rainy morning during our week in southern Maine. I plan to be on the beach most days at 3 pm. Not that I usually mention landscaping but Allagash sits in what must be one of the nicest industrial parks going, nestled amongst mature pines. Not that that makes the beer different but driving into the place with the malty sweet brewery smell mixing with evergreen forest as the grain truck unloaded was good.

The staff person who helped us was nice as all get out, even remembering my pal who had schlepped a mixed six of their big bottles when he visited up north months ago. And the prices were excellent. Stan would be slapping me on the back of the head, calling me a doofus for thinking it wouldn't be so. A 2-4 of their white ale, my favorite white going, was just 48 bucks. The Four and Black were under eleven bucks for a 750 ml cork top. Who knew? Maybe I have been buying their beer just too far from hom when I find it in upstate NY. Maybe I'm just a doofus. It's quite an operation with eleven brewing staff as well as four in the office. Not huge, not small. Dedicated to Belgian brewing only in a land with no cultural or gistoric connections to Maine...other than seafood, which the white goes unbelievably well with. Last night, I doused scallops with the white after they had spent just about a minute in a hot buttery pan. I had their stout, Black, as well. Tasty but not overly Belgique in terms of spiced yeast. And why no Allagash saison? Hmm??  read more »