236. Baxter Brewing Celsius Summer Ale

I was really looking forward to the fourth offering from Baxter Brewing and when they announced 6-packs of cans were available at the brewery I was the first one there. My office is less than a mile from the brewery so it was not difficult to get over to the brewery at lunch. Picked up a 6-pack, Baxter glass and a sticker for the truck. Stuck the beer in the fridge at work and patiently waited for 4:30 to come so I could go home and give it a try. 

This is the first unfiltered offering from Baxter and I prefer unfiltered beer. It also is a summer beer with a low ABV and plenty of lemon flavor for those warm Maine summers. Beer pours a nice deep yellow with thick white head. The smell is where this one seems off. I could not quite figure out what the aroma was but it was not pleasant and not something you usually get from beer. With 235 other beers reviewed prior to this one I can honestly say I have never smelled something like this from a beer. I chatted with a few others that have had this beer and they all mentioned an unpleasant smell so it does not seem to be just me or the batch I had. (Read more)

73. Baxter Brewing Amber Road

This beer was just released today so I am happy to be one of the first to drink and review it. Amber Road pours a beautiful dark amber color with a solid head that last and leaves great lacing on the glass. Slight hop aroma and bite but I like beer with this amount of hops. Not a fan of the really hoppy beers (60+ IBUs) but at 35 this beer is just right. Feel is perfect, easy to drink and tasted very fresh - which it probably was since I purchased it from the brewery on the day it was released. This is my favorite Baxter beer so far and I will certainly enjoy the 12 I purchased today and probably many more. Luke and the others at Baxter did a great job with this one and I am looking forward to their next release whatever that might be. 

Pros: Color, bite but not a lingering aftertaste

Cons:  Minimal aroma

Alcohol Content: 5.5% ABV
Calories: ???
IBU (Bitterness): 35
Rating: 

Brewers Website: Baxter Brewing

Brewers Description: A malt-accented amber ale which features a rich toastiness and a balanced hop flavor that lingers through to the finish. This wickedly smooth beer refreshes year ’round.

Technical Specifications:

• A proprietary blend of North American 2 row malted barley including barley grown in Northern Maine’s Aroostook County
• 8 different domestic and imported “Character” malts provide complexity, color and body
• 3 different hops varieties grown in the Willamette Valley region of Oregon
• Cold conditioned for a smooth, crisp and clean flavor
• Clean, well attenuating, top-fermenting American ale yeast
• Pure, soft water from Lake Auburn, Maine

24. Baxter Brewing Stowaway I.P.A.

If you have been following my blog you know that IPAs are not my favorite beer. This is better than some of the other IPAs tried but still not my favorite beer. The IBU rating on this one is 69 which I believe is the highest rating to date and you can certainly tell the difference. If you like IPAs I am sure you would enjoy this beer.

Pros: Great color

Cons:  Extended aftertaste - typical of an IPA

Alcohol Content: 6.9% ABV
Calories: ???
IBU (Bitterness): 69
Rating: 

Brewers Website: Baxter Brewing

Brewers Description: Bold, complex flavors with a solid malt backbone and assertive hop profile, along with cold conditioning, give this beer its crisp, clean, hoppy finish.
Technical Specifications:

• A proprietary blend of North American 2-row malted barley, including barley grown in Northern Maine’s Aroostock County
• Domestic and imported “Character” malts provide complexity, color and body
• 5 different hops varieties grown in the Pacific Northwest
• Double dry-hopped during fermentation and conditioning
• Clean, well attenuating, top-fermenting American ale yeast
• Pure, soft water from Lake Auburn, Maine

Flavor Profile:Deep amber-to-orangish in color; pours with a nice, creamy head; huge hop aroma of citrus, pine and grapefruit rind notes with a big, complex, and intense hop flavor that lingers for a very long time. The malt flavor up-front turns dry and crisp; full bodied and a dry finish with a pleasant, long lasting, hop aftertaste and beautiful lace left in the glass. Stowaway leaves you wanting more.

23. Baxter Brewing Pamola Xtra Pale Ale

You will notice the photo on this one is not my normal bottle beside a glass. Two reasons for this - first Baxter Brewing is one of the few craft brewers to choose cans over bottles (see their website for more details on this) and second I enjoyed this while camping in Baxter State Park last weekend. I was going to wait and enjoy this at Pamola Peak but thought it may not be a good idea to hike down a mile high pile of rocks after having a beer or two. The beer itself is a very easy to drink refreshing pale ale with a low IBU rating (which I like). Like some of the other beer I have reviewed this would be a good session beer. 


I live and work very near the brewery and this one of the few breweries I have actually visited. They are doubling in size and have recently expanded their reach to Massachusetts. Hopefully this beer will continue to do well and they will introduce more variety soon. On my most recent visit to the brewery they had a sample red and light brown ale and both were excellent. I am looking forward to trying more from Baxter Brewing as they continue to grow. 
Pros: Crisp flavor, easy to drink
Cons: Hard to get used to drinking from a can
Alcohol Content: 4.9% ABV
Calories: ???
IBU (Bitterness): 26
Rating: 
Brewers Website: Baxter Brewing
Brewers Description: Subtle, sophisticated flavors from choice barley and select hops, combined with cold conditioning, give this beer its exceptional drinkability.

Technical Specifications:

• A proprietary blend of North American 2-row malted barley, including barley grown in Northern Maine’s Aroostock County
• Domestic and imported “Character” malts provide complexity, color and body
• 3 different hop varieties, all with European roots and grown in the Pacific Northwest
• Fermented cold and then cold conditioned
• Clean, well attenuating, top-fermenting American ale yeast
• Pure, soft water from Lake Auburn, Maine

27.5 IBU’s
Flavor Profile:
Brilliant clarity, bright golden in color. Pours a nice creamy head. Subtle malt and hop aroma. Crisp, clean, effervescent start with a touch of malt character and a balanced bitterness. Hop flavors linger nicely. Finishes clean, crisp and dry with a light body. Beautiful lace left all the way down the glass. Extremely drinkable.