Maine Island Trail Ale
Rising Tide Brewing Company

can dated 4/30/15
Incredibly pale yellow. Clear and light. Decent little white head that stays around and carbonation iz active. Looks like a positive example of the stereotypes you see on the cover of oktoberfest adverts. Beautiful lacing.

Nose is light and grassy, some floral hop notes and a touch of yeast. Maybe some like biscuits or crackers or something similar.

Comes in grassy and a bit soapy before digging back into yeasty crackers. Eventually merges into a piney bitter finish that lasts nicely. Some lemon notes peek in and there's a round malt lurking in the background that raises it's shoulders on occasion to peek out from under the rug.
Finish is like water crackers and grass and a touch of lemon, but not juicy, and maybe some pine. Crisp though!

On Draft at Oxbow tap house. 12oz plastic cup

Look: Lightly cloudy golden yellow, pouring a creamy 1 finger head which dissipated to a cap
Smell: Some pine and herbaceous hops. Lemon zest. Biscuity malt. Some home like sweetness. Weak nose
Taste: biscuity malt with strong herbaceous hops and some pine. Very light bitterness. Pithy orange and grapefruit. Pine and malt carry into the finish
Feel: light-med body, moderate carbonation, silky texture and crisp finish
Overall: good low abv IPA. Tasty and crushable

16oz can purchased from the fridge as a single for $4.50. Canned on 05.22.25, so this is just past 7 months old.

Look: Beautiful pale gold color with excellent clarity. There was a frothy white head two fingers high that has receded, leaving behind nice lacing.

Smell: Crisp, clean lemony aromas. A bit of green notes along with some pine and herbal/peppery notes. It smells really nice. Subtle honey notes. Really nice perfumy lemony note on the finish.

Taste: Flavors on the palate mirror the nose. In addition, I get more pithy citrus including grapefruit. This beer is very tasty and it is super drinkable and flavorful, especially for being only 4.3% ABV. I can totally see how this is an ideal session IPA. The finish is dry and moderately bitter. Overall, the beer is nicely balanced.

Feel: The mouthfeel is actually significant and impressive given the low ABV. It's a crisp, clean beer and nicely carbonated. The beer has a slightly waxy/oily mouthfeel. Medium bodied overall.

Overall: It's really tasty. One of the better low-ABV IPAs / Pale Ales that I have had. This is just my second beer from Rising Tide. I am a fan!

From the website:
With a bright malt body and bold notes of citrus and pine, Maine Island Trail Ale is the perfect companion for all your Maine adventures.

We are honored to produce this beer in celebration of the Maine Island Trail. The Maine Island Trail Association’s thoughtful use and volunteer stewardship of Maine’s wild islands mirrors Rising Tide’s respect and love for the coast of Maine.

Flavor Profile
Bright / citrus / clear / Cracker / crisp / dry / Grapefruit / light bodied / Pine / straw color / Tropical Fruit / White Head

Kettle Hops
Calypso / Citra / Simcoe

Dry Hops
Calypso / Citra / Simcoe

Yeasts
American Ale Yeast

Malts
2-Row Pale / 2-Row Pale (Maine)

Aging Method
Stainless

 

 

 

 

Taster at taproom. Clear golden, skimpy head. Aroma is bready malts with faint fruity notes. Taste is whisper soft crackers, mild sweetness and a trailing crisp bitter finish. Light and refreshing.

 

 

 

 

Stole a single can from my friend's Airbnb fridge. My first brew reviewed from these guys, gut have had several beers from them before. Canned on date of 5/2020. Decent, not great, but also 10-months old.

 

This is a solid summer session ale. The appearance is a mostly clear, yellowish color with plenty of head upon aggressive pour, which sticks around for a while. Citrusy burst in aroma popped on the aggressive sky pour. Lots of Citra, piney flavors but it all comes off very clean. Light end that has enough dryness to make it even more crushable (4.3% abv).

Picked up some at the brewery this week. One of my all-time favorite summer beers. Crisp and refreshing, just the right amount of bite, - and reasonably low ABV - to make this a great summer beer.

 

 

473ml Can from Beer 52:
Light, lemon amber coloured with a nice sized, fluffy white head. It's a light nose but citrus & floral notes show early, some grassy hops & the odd herbal touch then follow. The taste is similar but a little more bitter with lemon & citrus kicking things off, some grassy hops & lighter malts following on top of a crisp, dry body that was fairly light & clean but well carbonated; a nice beer but definitely a little light.