May 2011 Archives
On the last day of my summer 2010 vacation, I stopped in to the Bar Harbor Brewing shop in the quaint downtown district of Bar Harbor and picked up a six-pack of this brilliant beer named for one of the defining geographical features of Mount Desert Island. Now nine months later, I've busted out the last bottle to see how it fared.
Characteristics: Opaque brown color, medium-to-heavy body, low carbonation and minimal head, strong vanilla flavors throughout the deep roasted malts. Sugary taste is rather moderate considering the depth of the brew. Definitely more on the milk/oatmeal end of the stout spectrum.
Minor Gripes: Bar Harbor doesn't have the greatest distribution connections, so you may have to be in northern New England (or a real specialty shop) to score your own sample.
Bottom Line: Quite simply, the best stout I've ever had. Rich, creamy, complex, smooth, balanced -- from start to finish, regardless of age. A must-try for anyone who's ever thought about stouts.
Rating: 9 / 10
Not quite sure what Blue Point is going for this time... it's called a "copper ale" on the label (which made me think "maibock") and yet the malts never showed up. Eek.
Characteristics: Pale orange-yellow color, light body, average carbonation, slight yeasty notes quickly drawn into battle by piney hops.
Minor Gripes: My mega-hop anti-bias is pretty well documented in these parts... this isn't exactly the Troegs Hopback Amber, but the limited biscuit malts here just can't keep up.
Bottom Line: If you're on the east coast and looking for a locavore alternative to Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, then the Spring Fling should work just fine. And though I wanted to say that the Otter Creek Copper Ale was superior, it seems they are pretty close (assuming my tastes haven't shifted over 5+ years of occasional reviews).
Rating: 4.75 / 10
