What is beer? Where does one buy it? How does one drink it? The object of this course is to foster semi-critical thought regarding mankind's oldest and most beloved fermented beverage. We will cover a wide range of topics including, but not limited to, glassware, spontaneous fermentation, hop varieties and yeast strains. In accordance with the college's recent "Directive of Liberalization with Respect to Quasi-Intellectual Endeavors", co-authored by this professor, all readings and assignments are optional. Your professor is currently petitioning for an adequate classroom and meeting space, in addition to academic recognition of the Beverage Studies Program on behalf of Bowdoin College. Until then, class meetings will be held in my basement on Boody Street. Attendance is strongly recommended but not required. In fact, don't even bother coming to class, as I will most likely be both sloshed and sloppy.
Congratulations. If you're reading this, it means that you have the potential to deviate from the norm. Perhaps you find the standard student swill soporific. Maybe you enjoy the occasional Orval, rare Rochefort or uncommon Unibroue. You might even be a certified beer snob, hop head or maltivore. Regardless of your beer intelligence quotient, it is my duty this semester to expose you to the world of craft beer.
So, what is craft beer? As a wise drunkard once said, there are two kinds of beer: the good stuff and the other kind. There's also the cheap and the not-so-cheap. More often than not, craft beer falls into the good and not-so-cheap categories. But, the beauty is that in the world of beer, unlike many other industries and markets, you usually get what you pay for. Their consistency, wide distribution, television commercials and large portion of the market share aside, the big three—Budweiser, Miller, and Coors (BMC)—opt for quantity over quality. If musty, corn- and rice-tinged water isn't your bag, then have no fear, better beer beckons.
The terms craft beer and craft brewery do not actually have standard definitions, but most people are familiar with the term microbrewery, which can be used loosely as a synonym. Small breweries that have a modest output are microbreweries, whereas a company such as one of the BMC is what the beer community calls a macrobrewery. According to the Brewer's Association, a craft beer is made by breweries that are small (annual production under two million barrels), independent (majority ownership is craft brewers) and traditional (all-malt, limited or zero adjunct use). To me, craft beer means exactly that: beer that is crafted, rather than industrially mass-produced. It follows that craft beer emphasizes quality over quantity, flavor over profit: it's the good stuff.
The world of craft beer is vast, my friends. Water, malted barley, hops, yeast and other ingredients can be combined to create a variety of flavors, colors, and sensations. The number of beer styles is huge and perpetually increasing as breweries, especially those in America, think up new and interesting elixirs. It can be overwhelming to even the most seasoned beer advocates. Many of you may be wondering how and where to begin your beer odyssey. Well, I am here to help. Here are a few stores in the area that sell beer, including the gateway brews you should seek out. Maine also boasts a bevy of craft brewers, so that you can drink local in addition to drinking well.
Hannaford and Brunswick Variety: Convenience Can't Be Beaten
Aside from stocking all of the bare necessities, Hannaford has quite a bit to offer in the beer department. The recently reopened Brunswick Variety—located on Harpswell Road, right at the end of Longfellow Avenue—is another nearby stop for your everyday craft beer needs. Allagash White is a tasty wheat beer crafted by the rockstar brewers at Allagash in Portland. Styled after a Belgian Witbier, the White is brewed with both wheat and malted barley, exhibiting a refreshing, citrusy flavor and a bready, yeasty aftertaste. This brew is an excellent choice for those looking to discover craft beer.
Uncle Tom's Market: Beer, Bumper Stickers and Beyond
Located on Pleasant Street and displaying a large, vintage Budweiser sign, Uncle Tom's might be the quintessential Maine beer store. It boasts a wide selection focused on American craft brews, in addition to selling offensive bumper stickers and "reading material" that some beer drinkers might find entertaining, to say the least. Uncle Tom's assortment of sundries is something that each Bowdoin student needs to experience in his or her time in Brunswick. Chamberlain Pale Ale is a copper-colored, moderately-hopped beer crafted by Shipyard in Portland. Featuring a stunning image of the Civil War hero and Bowdoin grad on the label, this pale ale is more bitter than your average macro, but you'll be rewarded with a buttery flavor and biscuit-like maltiness by this local brew.
Bootleggers: Worth the Drive
Just off Route 196 in Topsham, this self-proclaimed "Beverage Warehouse" boasts an excellent beer selection. Though it represents all of the Maine breweries well, Bootleggers also offers a large number of other American craft beers and even Belgian Trappist ales. The wine selection ain't too shabby either. But that's a whole new column. Sierra Nevada Kellerweis is a new but nonetheless solid offering from the Chico, California brewery. Like Allagash White, Kellerweis is a wheat beer, but rather than demonstrating a Belgian influence, this Hefeweizen (a beer style) takes its cue from the open-fermented wheat ales of southern Germany. Unfiltered, smooth and easy to drink, with subtle notes of clove, banana, and citrus.