284. Vermont Pub & Brewery Grand Slam Baseball Beer

Another growler that I brought back from Vermont. I tried lots of different beers at Vermont Pub & Brewery but never made it to their pale ale so decided to leave with a growler. 


I may have waited a bit too long before opening and drinking this growler as the beer seemed a little flat. The label states it is best to drink within 30 days which I certainly did but the beer still had very little carbonation and almost no head. Aromas are very subtle but has some solid malt character, minimal hop aroma. Taste follows the nose with a fair amount of malts and a slight hop bite. Overall this is a fairly simple beer but it is drinkable and worth trying if you find yourself in Burlington. 
Pros: Drinkable
Cons: Simple
Alcohol Content: ??% ABV
Calories: ???
IBU (Bitterness): ??
Rating: 
Brewers Website: Vermont Pub & Brewery
Brewers Description: A light-bodied American pale ale dry-hopped with Fuggles hops. This was the brainchild of Greg Noonan. He had said, privately, that he felt that he had nailed the style for what he had planned and hoped for. As a side note, the inspiration for the name of this beer came from an 8 year old girl named Jenny, about 25 years ago! The name stuck and style stuck. Go figure. Enjoy this light, summer ale while watching your favorite team play!

281. Hill Farmstead What is Enlightenment?

Another pale ale from Hill Farmstead and this one is special as it was brewed for their second anniversary and uses a different mix of hops than Edward. The beer is lighter in color than the others from Hill but has the same cloudy appearance and white head. Aroma had tons of citrus and tropical fruits, very enticing and certainly draws you into the beer. The taste has more citrus and lemon notes than Edward and is excellent with a hoppy finish that makes you want more. 


I really cannot say enough good things about Hill Farmstead's beers. They are everything I like in a beer; fresh, unfiltered with plenty of hops but not palate wrecking. Have a couple more bottles in the fridge and will get to them very soon. 
Pros: Everything 
Cons: 
Alcohol Content: 5.4% ABV
Calories: ???
IBU (Bitterness): ??
Rating: 
Brewers Website: Hill Farmstead

Brewers Description: American Pale Ale brewed in honor of our Second Anniversary. Simcoe and Amarillo hops.

269. Widmer Bros Drifter Pale Ale

When I don't feel like any specific style of beer I usually grab a pale ale from the fridge as I always seem to have a few on hand. Also when I just need to drink a quality beer I usually grab a Smuttynose or something from Widmer as it is hard to go wrong from these 2 breweries.


The Drifter Pale Ale from Widmer is a solid pale ale providing a nice balance of malts and hops. Color is a deep copper with slight white head. Aroma has a bit of malt and some nice hop smell. Nothing overpowering but certainly pleasant. Taste is much the same with some sweet malts that give way to grapefruit hops.


Very smooth and easy to drink. This is a great example of a pale ale and something most beer drinkers would enjoy.
Pros: Very well balanced and full of flavor
Cons: 
Alcohol Content: 5.7% ABV
Calories: ???
IBU (Bitterness): 28
Rating: 
Brewers Website: Widmer Bros

Brewers Description: Kurt and Rob Widmer have never been known to "follow the leader"; their take on a pale ale is no different. With its unique citrus character, smooth drinkability,and distinctive combo of hops and malts, drifter pale ale is truly an original. 

263. Oak Pond Brewery DoorYard Ale

Picked this one up on my first trip to Oak Pond Brewing in Skowhegan. They had a number of options available and because it was a hot afternoon I opted for the nice light DoorYard Ale. 


This beer is pretty simple but quite refreshing. Light in color with a solid white head. Aroma is minimal with a bit of bready malt. Taste starts off fairly sweet and finished with a slight hop bite. This is a beer that almost anyone could drink, even if they usually drink Miller, Bud or Coors Light. A quality brew but nothing too exciting. 
Pros: Light and refreshing
Cons: Simple
Alcohol Content: ??% ABV
Calories: ???
IBU (Bitterness): ??
Rating:  
Brewers Website: Oak Pond Brewing

Brewers Description: DoorYard Ale is a light crisp ale with a smooth, clean finish. Light hopping and a hint of wheat malt blend in a mellow brew with a creamy white head.

261. Founders Dry Hopped Pale Ale

Founders is a new beer in Maine and while I was able to get a Double Trouble through a beer trade this is the first time I am able to actually purchase their beer in Maine. I purchased this one at the Bier Cellar in Portland, ME and if you have not been I suggest you get their soon as Greg has a great selection of beer. 


This one pours a nice deep orange color with bright white 2 finger head. Aroma is fairly subtle as it is with many pale ales but there are some hops and malts in there. Taste is bitter at the beginning and then balances out with some nice sweet malts. This is a solid pale ale from Founders and something you could easily put in your fridge to enjoy with virtually any meal or share with anyone that enjoys a quality beer. Nothing spectacular but worth trying. 
Pros: 
Cons: 
Alcohol Content: 5.4% ABV
Calories: ???
IBU (Bitterness): 35
Rating: 
Brewers Website: Founders

Brewers Description: A testament to Cascade hops in a bottle, this medium-bodied pale ale has a refreshing citrus flavor and a distinctive floral hop aroma due to the aggressive addition of hops during fermentation. You'll notice a slight malty sweetness with a balanced hop finish. Perfect to enjoy anytime, anywhere.

260. Long Trail Pollenator

Grabbed a single of this beer somewhere over the past month or so. Probably from Hannaford or Shaws on one of my visits for groceries. I really was not expecting much from this one being a spring seasonal pale ale.


Pours a clear orange color with solid two finger head. Aroma is minimal with a bit of hops, maybe some honey (or maybe that is just my imagination due to the name and bee on the label). Taste is OK, well balanced with a sweet finish but certainly nothing special. Refreshing and OK for a warm spring day but nothing I would seek out again. Just an average beer from Long Trail.
Pros: Refreshing
Cons: Simple taste
Alcohol Content: 4.6% ABV
Calories: ???
IBU (Bitterness): 23
Rating:  
Brewers Website: Long Trail

Brewers Description:  Date of Introduction: 1996 / Malts: 2-Row and Crystal / Hops: Nugget and Cascade / Description: Features a medium amber body, balanced with a modest amount of Willamette hops. This spring ale is highly drinkable, flavorful and finishes clean and crisp.

255. Rising Tide Daymark (Growler)

Rising Tide started selling growlers last weekend and since I was in the area I stopped by to get myself one. I decided on Daymark as the weather is getting warm and I am the only beer drinker in my household so I had to drink all 64 ounces - poor me :)


Rising Tide's new brew location on Fox Street is about 5,000 square feet and when I visited the brew system was still being installed but they did have their tap lines installed and Heather was filling growlers. Their growlers not only have the great logo on the front but also have the varieties of Rising Tide beers on the bag with a box for them to check what the growler contains which is a nice touch.


Daymark is just as good from a growler as it is from the bottle. Pale ale at its finest and fresh from the brewery. Really enjoy Rising Tide beer and now that they sell growlers I am sure to be enjoying more in the coming weeks and months. 
Pros: Well balanced 

Cons: 

Alcohol Content: 5.5 ABV
Calories: ???
IBU (Bitterness): ??
Rating: 
Brewers Website: Rising Tide

Brewers Description: Chart a new course with Daymark as your guide. We start with a classic, clean and crisp American pale ale brewed with spicy Columbus and Centennial hops. Then we accent the grain bill with rye grown on small local family farms right here in Maine and malted to our specifications at Valley Malts, an artisanal malt house. Finally we dry hop the finished beer for a bright floral aroma.

daymark [dey-mahrk] (n)—a navigational aid distinctively marked for daytime visibility, normally attached to a permanent structure in the water

252. Kona Brewing Fire Rock Pale Ale

I will admit that I bought this one simply because it was from Hawaii and I had not had a beer from Hawaii yet. Color is a very nice orange with thin white head, an excellent looking pale ale. Smell is well balanced with some nice hop aromas and sweet caramel malts.


Taste is excellent for a pale ale with lots of hop in the beginning and ends with a balanced malt finish. Quite complex for a pale ale and something I would certainly buy again. I have to say this one surprised me as I was not expecting much.
Pros: Complex for a pale ale 
Cons: 
Alcohol Content: 5.9% ABV
Calories: ???
IBU (Bitterness): 35
Rating:  
Brewers Website: Kona Brewing

Brewers Description: Fire Rock Pale Ale is crisp, refreshing “Hawaiian-style” pale ale. Its signature copper color results from the unique blend of specialty roasted malts. The pronounced citrus-floral hop aroma comes from the liberal amounts of Galena, Cascade & Mt.Hood hops added to each brew.

251. Anchor Summer Beer

I have heard a lot about Anchor Brewing - specifically their Steam Beer so when I found their Summer and Steam at Tully's in Wells I decided to buy both. I am hopeful the Steam Beer is better than the Summer as this did not impress.


Color is a pale yellow and very clear. Thin white head that leaves minimal lacing. Minimal aroma but a bit of cut grass. Taste was very simple, not bad but almost no lasting flavor and not something that you will remember. Finished this one fairly quickly with the low ABV but certainly not something I would go back for another. 
Pros: 

Cons: Very simple

Alcohol Content: 4.5% ABV
Calories: ???
IBU (Bitterness): ??
Rating: 

Brewers Website: Anchor Brewing

Brewers Description: The crisp, clean flavors of Anchor Summer ® Beer are refreshingly light, a thirst-quenching American-style filtered wheat beer.

Released each year in advance of the summer season, Anchor Summer ® Beer is an all-malt beer, with over 50% of its malt derived from malted wheat. It is fermented with a traditional top-fermenting "ale" yeast, yielding a clean, balanced flavor that highlights the refreshingly light flavor of malted wheat. The head is unusually abundant due to the natural protein deposits of wheat, with a thick consistency similar to meringue.

First brewed in the summer of 1984, Anchor Summer ® Beer is the first American wheat beer in modern times. Anchor Summer ® Beer is intended to be a lighter beer for those who don’t want to sacrifice tradition or character.