“Beer Meets Wood - A brew fest that will not ‘leaf’ you feeling ‘board.’”

“Beer Meets Wood - A ‘barrel’ of beer-soaked fun!”

“Beer Meets Wood - Beers that could be charged with ‘trees-on.’”

(Editor’s note: Stop it.)

All right, fine.

What is a spontaneous beer? Is it a beer that hates making plans ahead of time and is always ready to join you on your next great adventure?

No. Well, maybe. But not always. I’m not going to presume to know a beer’s personality.

Let me start by making one thing clear right off the top - there is absolutely nothing wrong with drinking a beer right from the can or bottle. Anyone who casts aspersions on those who do is a beer snob through and through.

Another week, another article about brew festivals. I might not work at a dairy farm, but I sure do know how to milk something, eh?

Summer Session, the annual celebration of Maine craft beer at Thompson’s Point in Portland, has come and gone. This year, more than ever, it is clear to me that there is a LOT of very good beer in Maine. 

This week’s Three Pint Stance is going to take a quick look at some of the activity going on at local breweries. It’s a chance to see what’s going on with your nearby favorites.

With the constant stream of breweries opening, new beers being released, collaborations being concocted and beer events filling up every weekend, it can seem impossible to keep a finger on the pulse of the burgeoning Maine beer scene. The frenetic pace of craft beer in Maine is quite energizing, but it can sometimes feel like there is too much to keep track of. 

Summer has arrived, and the best way to beat the heat is to go down into the basement and bring up the Saison that you have been storing all Winter/Spring. 

You’ve probably noticed the increase in availability and variety of barrel-aged beers recently.

The tradition of aging beer in oak barrels goes back to the origins of the drink itself. Before modern stainless steel tanks and kegs were made available, beers were stored in oak casks, where the product would continue to develop flavor and alcohol. Some of these flavors were desirable, some less so, but many of the more desirable traits are still caught after today in the creation of a variety of traditional and non-traditional barrel aged beer styles. 

Happy Summer! The height of the beer drinking season is upon us, and lucky for all of us tasty beer drinkers out there, 2017 is shaping up to be the Summer of Kölsch!