Whale Tail Brew Pub

I must admit that of all the brewpubs in Maine, I have had the most problems with this one. The comment that this is a seafood restaurant in Maine that has its own brewery may put imaginations and pulses racing in flatlanders, but I have to dash those hopes.

On the up note: the people here are awfully nice and are really proud of their beer.

Food: the chowder is unnuanced and thick white gelatinous stuff. The salad is same ol' iceberg with a couple of cukes covered with something from a large plastic jar. Most hot items appear to have begun the day in the freezer.

The clientele was a mix of palookas, families, and retirees. Hipsters will recoil in horror, but I don't think they go to OOB anyway.

The beer? Most that I have tried (at the pub, at Great Lost Bear, at the Maine Brewers Fest) had the off notes associated with brewing and tap lines that are not scrupulously clean. I keep using the "blue cheese" description to describe those unwelcome flavors; I think airborne wild yeasts and bacterias are alive and well at the Whale Tail. It's really too bad: these are beers you really root for, since cold local brew is perfect for a place like Old Orchard Beach, but I guess grabbing a Geary's Pale at some other bar is a better option.

Hey, the beer is good! However, the place is in a seafood restuarant and function spot in the tourist town of Old Orchard Beach. Think shadey guys with white, not-so-buttoned shirts. There are four or so fresh brews on tap that are solid brews. Nothing fancy, just well made tastey for warm summer nights. The service is very good, waitstaff and bartenderwise. The brewer was actually pulling my pints. We chit-chatted when it was less busy. He taught me a few things. The atmosphere is weak, but the beer and service are great. Stop by if you are in the area and love beer.