Wolfe’s Neck
Maine Beer Company

A - Mostly clear orange body, short white head, small bubble lacing, speckling the glass, with just a wisp of a cap.

S - Nose is quite bright. When cold, it is citrus out front. The nose turns more wild as it warms, and introduces melon over a pithy grapefruit note.

T - A softer, more nuanced hop forward experience than the nose, the taste opens with citrus acidity, lemon and orange, that quickly shifts to the mellow melon element through the middle, and just a bit of pith and bitterness in the close.

M - Light in weight, decent carbonation, and a bit of lingering dryness on the finish. A bit taxing over time is my only quibble.

O - Maine is always smart about how it builds its beers, and this is a superb example of what they do - an IPA that is delicious and layered, tightly built and quite satisfying.

 

Bottled exactly 2 months prior to tasting.

L: Pours a slightly hazy gold topped with a fluffy white head

S: Pine resin, candied orange, berries, caramel

T: Pine, grapefruit, orange, and pepper with a caramel malt backbone

F: Medium body and carbonation

O: An outstanding IPA. I prefer this one to Lunch.

 

After the chill haze passes, the resulting beer is almost clear golden amber. A three inch fluffy white head deposits lace ranging from delicate filigree to dense patches. Swarms of tiny bubbles swirl upward within a StrangeBird IIPA glass.

The initial aroma is filled with pleasant pine resin offset by floral notes. Lemon and orange zest is contrasted by a backdrop of caramel. Warmth draws out cedar shavings.

Bitterness is mild for the style. Pine flavors shine through alongside grapefruit and pepper. A long finish elevates the bitterness, while sweetness is a full step behind though not forgotten.

A medium body with an elusive texture. The carbonation forms a fine fizz and the alcohol is about as expected. There is a light astringency.

Wolfe's Neck is a welcome old school IPA on a cold sunny afternoon. The snow outside makes it seem much brighter and warmer, which would likely be a better atmosphere to consume this beer. Either way, pairing with hearty conversation and food is recommended.

A: Pours a relatively clear pale to medium golden honey in color with moderate to heavy amounts of fine active visible carbonation rising quickly from the bottom of the glass and moderate burnt orange + orange + golden yellow + bright yellow + copper colored highlights. The beer has a three finger tall dense sudsy foamy off-white head that slowly reduces to a handful of small patches of medium thick film surrounded by a large patch of slightly mottled thin film covering the remainder of the surface of the beer and a thick ring at the edges of the glass. Moderate to significant amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Slightly stronger than moderate aromas of citrus/orange + citrus/grapefruit + citrus/orange zest + tropical/pineapple + tropical/mango + gooseberry hops over the top of light to moderate aromas of biscuit + lightly toasted + caramel malts with a light amount of caramel sweetness.

T: Upfront there are light to moderate flavors of biscuit + lightly toasted + caramel malts with a light amount of caramel sweetness. That is followed by slightly stronger than moderate flavors of citrus/orange + citrus/grapefruit + citrus/orange zest + tropical/pineapple + tropical/mango + gooseberry hops which impart a light to moderate amount of bitterness which lingers for a short while.

M: Just shy of medium bodied with moderate to heavy amounts of carbonation. Slightly crisp with a light amount of dryness.

O: Easy to drink with well hidden alcohol and enough crispness in the mouthfeel to make it quite refreshing. Enjoyable hop profile with just enough bitterness.

On tap

Pours a hazy pale golden yellow with a one finger foamy white head that has good retention and leaves some lacing behind. Smells of citrus and tropical hops; orange peel, grapefruit zest, mango and melon. Taste is similar with zesty citrus, mango, ripe melon. Medium body with medium carbonation, foamy mouthfeel and crisp finish

 

 

 

 

 

A really good IPA. Nice color and flavor. Actually, quite complex. Not your typical NEIPA!

16.9 ounce bottle - $8.50 at Woodstock Beer Market in Woodstock, Georgia. 17 JAN 23.

Appearance: Lightly hazed, golden-bronze body with a full, frothy, near white head. Top-notch lacing.

Smell: Initially, a burst of juicy-leaking pineapple with berries given a dusting of earthy spice, coconut-cedar, tangerine lollipop with a tiny pinch of ground aspirin.

Taste: Slim, dry pale maltiness with a meager, rock-hard background breadiness. Slight sweetness. Tropical, tangerine candy followed by vegetal onion grass, pencil shavings in summertime lotion, a little late-arriving mint leaf. It's, for me, less than appealing hop flavors smoosh together for the finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium-low carbonation.

Overall: A bit of a dud, frankly. Far, far my favorite of the Maine lineup.

 

Solid. Super easy drinking west coast style.

 

 

Look - hazy, pale golden, small head
Smell - fruity, citrus, berries
Taste - sweet fruit, citrus, berry, caramel
Feel - on the lighter side of a medium mouthfeel, well carbonated. Tingling on the tongue, crisp, caramel in the finish.
Overall - Good brew. I liked it's balance of sweet fruit flavor followed by the caramel malt in the finish. Paid $8.99 for a 16.9 oz. bottle so I'm most likely a one done. Pairs well with Metallica - Of Wolf and Man though.

 

 

11/17/22

Wolfe's Neck

Maine Beer Company

IPA - American

I love what the Maine Beer Co. Does for IPA's in this day and she of big NE Hazies. A more traditional road here, with bottle conditioning to make it snappy and lively. The hops are deep but within a certain malty balance that keeps it more traditional.

16.9oz bottle, small tulip, bottled 9/13/22.

Crystal clear lighter gold beer with a tight medium sized head in a papyrus type color.

White peach, coconut cream, and grapefruit. It isn’t overly powerful, but it is fruity and complex.

Hmm this is surprisingly similar to the session/low-cal IPA I had last night. Tis thin, it’s true, as other reviewers have noted. The hops don’t fully deliver either. There’s tried and true grapefruit, even some interesting creamy flavors (coconut, cream soda?), but no delightful fruity smack. There’s bready malt in the background and moderate bitterness.

Low carbonation, thin body, and overall a bit limp.

This is an unusual miss for Maine Beer Company, nobody ever bats a thousand. Don’t let it deter you from anything else in their portfolio, because they are an above average brewery.

WOOHOOOO!!!!! Howl with the wolves. This is a superb example of what an IPA should smell, taste and feel like. Everything about this beer is excellent. Very well done, as expected.

On tap at Provisions in Orange, CA.

Hold on for a second as I was a bit staggered at first like being in the box vs a Lefty Grove curve ball (I guess I guess I was sitting dead red.) how much for a 10 Oz pour? $11? Wow.

Moving along…

This one is pretty much an island. (And islands are cool, right?) Fiji, Tahiti…yeah, that kind of stuff. That said, Wolf’s Neck isn’t one that would be an answer to a question on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? Nor would it be the first one they talk about at your local travel agency. It’s a cool one, all tropical and stuff - but it’s nothing top tier (J-Lo will not be having her 6th wedding here). Again, it’s all floaty and cool and shit, but it’s just not grandiose.

Release me.

On tap at Hops and Pie

For an IPA, it pours a little too foamy to look like a great one. According to the bottle, 1 pint and. 9 fluid ounces have now left a brown one and temporarily reside in a clear glass Imperial pint mug. The brew is a dull and hazy dark amber, whilst the foam remains stark white. There's a good deal of hops to smell. The hop aspect is sharp, dry and with a blend of citrus and pine. No wonder there's so much foam and so little glass lacing. This is badly thin bodied. West Coast IPAs, not necessarily renowned for their mouthfeel, are often richer than this. All could be forgiven, but there's no hop bite to salvage it. There's more hops promised in the aroma than gets delivered in the taste. Even with all the unnecessary foam, this also drinks flatly for an IPA. Rare for this brewer, but this gets a don't bother recommendation.

500 ml bottle purchased at Stompers Beverage and drank at my campsite in Acadia National Park

pours into glass fairly clear - medium golden color, thick white head. A little fruiter than a classic WC IPA but nice bitterness. medium bodied.

Picked up a bottle at the brewery dated 13SEP22. Incredibly fresh with a uniquely delicious hop bill. Soooo easy to drink. Beers like this are why MBC are so important as beer makers and a local business.

 

500mL (bottled 4/19/2022) into a tulip. Pours a slightly hazy honey color with a nice head of foam that settles to a thin layer with modest lacing.

Aroma is bready, floral, subdued citrus. Almost certainly less powerful than this would be fresh, but still nicely balanced with hints of pine resin. Nice clean straightforward American IPA profile.

Taste is bursting with clean acidity. Orange peel, lemon zest. Nice pale biscuity malt backbone.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied, nicely balanced. Drinkable. Finishes clean.

Overall a pretty traditional take on the American IPA, more West Coast than East Coast. Good and solid, but not outstanding in any way.

Appearance: Golden glass holds a quarter-finger head of white foams that leaves some lacing on the glass. Firm chill haze.

Aroma: Citric hop notes, orange peel, a little pine. Little whiff of crystal malt.

Taste: Rose petals. A little tangerine juice, a little mineral water, but full on rose petals.

Mouthfeel: Gritty texture, prickly medium high carbonation, medium low body, clean finish.

Overall: A nice package. Not super hoppy, but a great flavor, so floral. Found a one off in Lakeway HEB, hope we see more of this brewery here in Texas!

500 ml bottle. Pours slightly hazy golden with tall, long lasting, fluffy white head. Aroma is of floral hops, bready malt and tropical fruit. Body is medium and crisp. Herbal hops, bready malt and ripe fruit fill the mouth. Finish is long and dry. Nice brew.

Bottled 19APR22. Looks deep orange amber color, aggressive pour to get head. Finger thick. Aroma is perfectly balanced and orange citrus. The taste is WOW. How wonderfully balanced with a perfect bitter linger. It finishes like it starts and just so good to the end. I just had my second beer and it remains remarkable. Overall one of the finest IPAs I've ever had. I got the last one today at Total Wine. I hope they come around. Again. Soon. Please.

 

 

 

 

Yet another absolutely delicious one from MBC that I'd somehow not ticked. A buddy was fishing up that way yesterday and returned with a couple cases of assorted brews, this one the only I'd not tried. Incredible flavor profile, managing to be completely distinct from their others of the style. I love them all.

Pours slightly hazy with a large white head. Appears medium and creamy-looking.
Nose is lemony-orange citrus zest with a floral bouquet, a hint of mango-like notes. .
Taste is hoppy citrus flavor, citrus/ orange/ grapefruit rind or peel. Malt balance seems alright too. Slight herbal note is there too.
Feels medium-light and crisp. Dry. It’s at the finish.
Tasty/refreshing, another fine craft from Maine.