Lunch | Maine Beer Company

4.25/5  rDev -3.2%

3.38/5  rDev -23%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

If I didn't have principles, I'd pour this. How this beer has the hype it does is mind-boggling. No bright hop character, faint nose, boring malt bill, and just an uninteresting and mediocre IPA. It was pretty and the body of the beer was nice but that's where it ended.

 270 characters

4.1/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A good IPA, but the taste never lived up to the nose

52 characters

4.73/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

16 oz bottle (thanks Nathan!) poured into an oversized Modern Times tulip glass

A - An awesome, dark amber color. 2+ fingers of bright white head. Looks amazing in the glass.

S - Lots of tropical fruits. Mango, stone fruit, apricot, pineapple, some melon, maybe some sweet berries? Citrus - grapefruit, oranges. Little bit of piney, resinous, dankness underneath.

T - Delicious. Tropical fruits up front. Mango, pineapple. I get an almost raspberry sweetness. Middle of the mouth you get awesome grapefruit bitterness, and it finishes sweet to balance out that bitterness. Very refreshing, and easy drinking for a 7% beer.

O - The bottle was 6 weeks old when I got my hands on it, and it was still one of the best IPAs I have had. Highly, highly recommended.

 774 characters

2.77/5  rDev -36.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2.5

I poured it out into a proper glass.
A- Nice looking color and head.
S- Really great aroma, herbal,pine,resin and citrus.
T- Very disappointing taste considering how good the aroma. Did'nt get the aromas in the taste at all. Decent lawnmower brew at best. With this high rating,i was expecting a great IPA,but instead paid far too much for a very pedestrian ale.
M- Hardly anything at all,very thin. No remaining flavor on the palate.
O- Overall, mediocre and pedestrian.
I want my money back.

 494 characters

3.35/5  rDev -23.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25

32oz growler filled at Heinen's in Mentor, Ohio

Growler poured into a tulip. Pours golden with a subtle haze; fluffy white head that fades leaving nice retention and sticky lacing. The aromas are subtle with some fresh bread and some citrus. Some floral notes along with some grapefruit and orange in the mix. The flavors follow the nose. Some fresh grass along with more citrus. Grapefruit notes are there along with some lemon and lime zest. Some pine. More orange. Malts are there. It's not sweet and not really bitter. Finishes clean and the alcohol goes unnoticed. Mouthfeel is nice. It's on the lighter side of medium-bodied with active carbonation. Easy to drink.

This IPA is fine, but it didn't really meet my expectations due to everything I've heard over the years. It's nice, but seems to fall flat and comes off as nothing too special. It's not bad, it just doesn't live up to the hype, in my humble opinion. Maybe it would be different coming from a bottle.

 972 characters

3.16/5  rDev -28%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3

14 days after bottling

Appearance: a nice burnt orange color, very dull and earthy. A large 2+ finger off white head that fades slowly and leaves large frothy legs all over the sides of the glass. Hazy to the point that I can barely see my finger on the opposite side of the glass.

Smell: hops- resin, citrus, pine. Toasty and slightly sweet malt base.

Taste: opens with toasted grains. A fairly strong toasting at that. Very little sweet malt character to it. Backed is full of hops, some resin, quite a bit of earthy, small touches of citrus and pine a long with a subtle lemony finish

Mouthfeel: fairly thick for an ipa, pretty dry. A touch syrupy. Lots of lingering bitterness. No where near refreshing.

Overall: I feel I have give Maine beer a more than fair shot. This is the fourth and most highly rated hoppy beer I have tried from there and only 2 weeks old. And I can hardly stand to drink it. I usually love apas and ipas with a toasty malt base. But the earthiness and dryness just make it hard to drink and not the most appetizing.

 1,052 characters

4.69/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

IPA's do not get much better. It's hoppy, but at the description indicates, the hint of malt sweetness bring a superb balance to the beer. Absolutely delicious

 159 characters

4.59/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Giving this beer a very high rate based mostly solely on its smell; it is something out of the ordinary! Fruity and piney! the descriptions "east coast" version of a west-coast-style IPA suits it perfectly. A little bit too "watery" when it comes to both the taste and the mouthfeel; not terribly, but I think I am just getting too used to Tree House beers.

 357 characters

4.5/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Lookin' for the East Coast equivelent to Pliny the Elder? I found it in Maine Beer Lunch!

Opening with a bright glowing, burnt orange color- Its hazy "hop" appearance sprinkles in a few currents of yeast that float into the the ale as the pour concludes. A firmly cream-textured head tops the beer like ivory meringue and holds its creamy texture until the last sip, leaving rich islands of lace in its wake.

Bold and zesty aromas of citrus hops overshaddow anything malt or yeast related. Grapefruit peels, freshly zested oranges, pineapple, lemongrass, and pine needles show a juicy and dry scent all at once. Low lying candy-ish malts never really announce its grain character, but rather give a riper presence to the impressions of fruit.

The beer's dry taste starts slightly juicy and vividly ripe with tropical and citrus fruit. But the beer has no problem shedding its malt sweetness in order to show supreme favoritism to hop flavor at middle palate and sharp citrusy bitterness to finish. Nearly teeth-grinding, the fruit impressions from hops are mouthwatering and succulent all at once. A quick and clean fade to dry bitterness of pine resins and citrus oils close the beer with a confident refreshing taste of citrus peels.

As with taste, the beer's texture starts with a short-lived sweet creaminess from early malt taste and racy carbonation. But the beer soon throws the malt and carbonation to the wayside and celebrates a bone-dry mouthfeel that celebrates hop bitterness, light alcohol warmth, and sheer drinkability.

With medium complexity and simple succulence, the beer is remarkably hop-balanced, dry, and clean- giving the ale a unique and clear near-perfect demeanor from the initial sip 'til its deeply resinous finish.

 1,749 characters

4.18/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Had on tap. Very good beer and my new favorite from the brewery. What impressed me the most about this beer is how light and delicate the flavors are, but also how well the melded together. Taste is citrus, orange, lemon, tangerine, and light malt. This is one I will pick up again.

 286 characters

5/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Absolute perfection. This is the best IPA I've ever had. Well balanced and extremely drinkable. Pours a deep amber color with good lacing that dissipates after a few minutes. Grapefruit and citrus flavors stand out as you keep drinking it. Definitely not an absurdly hopped beer (unlike some other East Coast IPAs), which gives it extra drinkability. This is literally a perfect IPA. If you can find it, buy an entire case. Its that good.

 438 characters

2.95/5  rDev -32.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

I've had this beer many times, but this latest batch tastes like a light version of itself. Not at all what it usually tastes like. Very thin..... On draught at Sunset ..6/28
..

 178 characters

4.22/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is a cloudy IPA--I know it's a matter of taste, but I have more respect brewers who can produce a dope clear IPA. The smell is nice, with some subtle tropical fruit, kind of like Zombie Dust. The taste just doesn't carry that fruitiness from the smell through, though. I think this could be a great beer, but it's missing something in the taste. Bottle dated 6/2/15 poured into a Spiegelau IPA glass.

 405 characters

4.26/5  rDev -3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Bottled 1/16/18, tasted 2/18/18
Poured with a great two fingers of head. Head retention ok, not great.

Smell: citrusy, not super strong, but smelled great

Taste: first impression, a thin head and body. Tasted nice citrus and pine. Not overpowering. The lingering hops were delicious. The body seemed a little thin at first but after pouring the second half of the bottle, felt a little more full.

This beer is hard to find in CT and at first I was a little let down after hearing how good it is. After having half the pint, the lingering hops on my pallet really made me understand how good this beer is.

 609 characters

4.31/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

First trip to Maine, found this night one. Poured from bottle light orange, slightly opaque, 3 weeks old. Aroma grapefruit but not super strong. Light malt bill with subtle hops it is very nice but a bit behind Dinner for me.

 228 characters

3.78/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Appearance: golden color with light haze

Smell: grapefruit and citrusy

Taste: citrus, piney, floral flavors come through quickly and then taste quickly dissipated.

Overall: I was slightly underwhelmed when compared with the New England top breweries and the reputation that preceded this beer. It is decent and worth a try, but I would not seek out consistently. Good not great.

 384 characters

3.44/5  rDev -21.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Love it when people smell lemongrass as one of their top 3 smells. Really? You can discern lemon from lemongrass in a beer but nothing else? Do you live in shrubbery?

Anyway, I'm not sure MBC understands the difference between smell and taste. But neither can the general populace, so they've found their niche I guess. As with all MBC beers, this smells excellent and tastes like crap. First time was on tap at the brewery. Not good. Second time I forced it down. Third time, drain pour. Not doing this again.

 520 characters

3.46/5  rDev -21.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Amber with a moderate amount of carbonation.

Smell: It's an IPA, fresh fruity hops

Taste: Hoppy upfront. A brief malt respite fades into a bitter, grapefruit finish.

Mouthfeel: Not too thick with some carbonation.

Overall: Not bad, just nothing profound or overwhelming. They say this is an East Coast made IPA dedicated to West coast IPAs and I can see that. It leans more towards hops than malts and is definitely drinkable. Not my favorite, but this company donates 1% of its yield to environmental non-profits. Cool.

 536 characters

4.76/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

From 16.9oz bottle, bottled 12/06/16 into tulip.

The head on this is beautiful. Super fluffy; a lightly tinted white. Builds up like a little mountain and remains, like a snow covered landscape. Great lacing.

Color is a muted yellow/light orange and hazy. Like an unfiltered fruit juice. Glows an inviting color when held up to light.

Nose is very fragrant and pure. Flowery, light, crisp, hops; citrus and exotic fruit notes. Strong in magnitude, yet perfectly even—not overbearing or cluttered; Just what I want.

Feel is foamy, light, and refreshing. Aside from the micro-bubble, mild sharpness, the feel is airy and smooth. A little insubstantial upon first contact with the mouth, though resolves into a drinkable, measured texture of froth and carbonation. Excellent.

Due to the looks, and my often consumed style of beer, I subconsciously expected a IIPA taste. However, I was initially surprised, but reassuringly gladdened by the balanced, and very drinkable flavor provided by this beer. There is a citrus presence, resolving into uplifting and floral, not dark and sticky hops, finishing with a brush of malty sticky sweetness. This is a hop dominated beer, but without bitterness, and a good distribution of flavors which let the hops step forward and shine out, without becoming overly dominating. I think this may be the best IPA I have ever consumed; good enough to take this title until a back-to-back match with some close contenders. Another great one from Maine Beer Company.

 1,502 characters

4.6/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

From a growler, from a just-tapped keg. Look is very nice, a rich light gold with a hint of green, and almost completely clear except for a tiny bit of haze. One-finger head is off-white and dense, leaving some pretty lacing. Head dissipates fairly quickly, but a gentle swirl brings up a film of fine white bubbles all the way down the glass.

On first pouring, I was hit with a blast of tangerines, which moved to a more citrus/pine smell, then to a ripe cantaloupe/dank/spicy herbal/grassy deal. A real kaleidoscope on the nose (yeah, mixed metaphor, sorry).

The taste is what I've come to expect from Maine Beer--amazingly complex and subtle, yet completely satisfying. I love a good hop bomb as much as anyone, but there's something dialed back and restrained about Lunch that I totally dig and appreciate. Hop bombast vs elegance. Pop-and-lock vs. Fred Astaire. I love both, but this is elegant, and I approve. It moves through citrus to ripe fruit and earthy herbs, to a finish that lingers and changes for a long time.

Feel is very smooth and full, with an oiliness that doesn't veer into an unpleasant slickness. That gives way to a mild drying bitterness. This beer is so drinkable it's honestly hard to keep from plowing through it. Almost too drinkable, if there is such a thing.

Overall I really like and appreciate this beer, but I may love Another One even better for its slightly more austere and crisp body. Certainly bears further inspection.

 1,466 characters

4.24/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Pours a very lightly hazy pale orange in color with a finger of bone white head. Aroma has a bit of pine, grapefruit, and indistinct tropical fruits. Taste has a bit more of a focus on the still indistinct tropical fruits but I get definite grapefruit and pine in the finish. Medium body and moderate+ carbonation. Overall a tasty beer that I definitely enjoyed.

 362 characters

4.21/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle born on 2/2/15 (sent by MNishCT77) into IPA glasses; one clear, one with lees added.

The core is a glowing clear golden amber with an eggshell white foamy head with fair retention. Lacing is nice, but does not persist long.

Pithy citrus, orange over the top of lemon and a squirt of lime waft up perfumy. Thick pine sits behind, but is big, too. fill the nose. Malts are sweet, almost bready in the glass on the lees.

It jumps up sharp and bitter into the mouth with almost pickled fruit wedges. Sweetness comes in behind on the point of a pine needle. It turns sharp, then and fades into a floral clean. A bit short, along with the mouthfeel.

Juicy and astringent, both punctuated by heavy carbonation. Again, clean, but thin.

Overall, I find this brew goes past citrus clean to downright angular. It's a pungent array of compelling sensations, and killer IPA elements, and I'd go back for more. I appreciate the craft, but can't deeply enjoy it without food. Thai and mild Indian work well.

 1,018 characters

4.68/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Bottled 6/7. Poured into a snifter. Golden orange with healthy lacing, a surprising amount of particulates for an IPA (in my limited experience). Strong hoppy/malty smell with a slight funk on the back end. Malt forward taste, slight bitter hop background. Well balanced, refreshing mouth feel, very tasty beer. Glad I finally got a chance to try it.

 350 characters

3.59/5  rDev -18.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Light and see through orange color with one finger head. Aromaa is nothing much. Taste isn't much. It has a decent malt backbone with some pine. Mouth feel is crisp and a little over carbonated. This one was disappointing. No need to trade for it. Your locals are just as good.

 279 characters