Allagash (2020)

It’s nice - an interesting beer. I wanted to like it more than I did. Maybe I’ll revisit it again for a second take. Had it last summer.

 

This was my experience last summer as well. “Allagash doing a Pilsner? F ya sign me up.” But I found it to be just fine.

 

I had it for the second time this summer, I picked up a 4 pack. I do like it a lot but its certainly not a classic Pilsner (its not meant to be). I think if you really want a Pilsner you'll be disappointed by the beer, if you just want an enjoyable, easy to drink beer that has a few Pilsner qualities then its quite good and refreshing.

 

I've never tried Truepenny. And I see Two Lights is coming back. I'm far from a freshness snob, but when I had TL I checked the date only after having one and it was almost a year old. I'd be interested in trying that beer again.

 

We had Two Lights at the brewery right around the time it was released and thought it was pretty good. I will say that when my wife had a bottle of it sometime later (that we bought at the brewery) she felt it wasn't as good. So perhaps you might enjoy it more fresh. That being said I have bottles of Allagash Odyssey, Curieux, and Saison from 2018 in my fridge that I've drank recently that all taste nearly as good fresh. The Odyssey and Curieux I'm not surprised about but the Saison still being good does surprise me.

We took a tour of the brewery when we had Two Lights and that was the most recent beer to graduate from their small batch test system. The story the tour guide had given us is that Allagash encourages all of its employees to work with the test system to come up with new recipes. If your beer graduates to production I believe the person who came up with the recipe gets a free amount of that beer every year for life or something. This particular beer was from a woman in accounting who didn't like beer. Since she liked Sparkling wine she went for a recipe that had elements of that which formed Two Lights. Its kind of the goal of what Brut IPA's is but instead of creating a really horrible IPA its a pretty interesting and refreshing ale. It really outlines the difference between an ok brewery and a great brewery, IMHO. An ok brewery tries to experiment with IPA's to find something that will be the next NE IPA, a great brewery has an idea for an experimental beer and tries to find the best match for style to make it. Sometimes luck also plays a hand such as is the case with Curieux.

 

I said it last week and I’ll say it again: Hugh Malone is drinking terrific. Highly suggest picking this up while it’s available if you visit Allagash.

 

#saisonsaturday

 

I remember really enjoying Moselle on draft last year, glad it's back but those cans are pretty ugly and it's a confusing 'style' to communicate. "So, like, we pitch two yeast strains..." you've lost 80% of beer drinkers. BUT anything to get more folks enjoying the saison flavor profile is a positive though.

 

One of the things that makes Allagash great is that they make beers that are approachable but they also make beers that appeal to the 10-20% of beer drinkers who aren't lost by a description like that. Wish I could get my hands on Moselle, would love to try it.

 

Blending beers made with two different yeast strains that will most likely attenuate to completely different levels... and then putting it in cans... 1% of the 10-20% will understand how technically difficult that is and I’m sure they’re not pasteurizing cause they’re not that kind of brewery.

It constantly amazes me how these guys can come up with new beers to stay relevant and touch on something that might be trending but stay 100% on brand. The authenticity is refreshing in such an unauthentic landscape that is craft beer these days.

 

Tumeric, huh.

 

Does tumeric have much of a taste? I've only used the dried powdered kind and it seems to play more of a role in adding color than flavor. I suppose it does have a vague sort of dusty earthiness but it's pretty mild.

Maybe it has a lot more flavor fresh? And/or maybe I need to buy more expensive versions of the powdered kind.

 

Yea it definitely has a taste. Maybe not curry or ginger level. But its definitely discernable. Idk about in the beer yet though.

 

It definitely has a taste.

 

I’ve used turmeric/ginger in a homebrewed saison. It definitely has a lot of flavor. Very earthy/bitter. It goes perfectly with the peppery/citrus saison yeast.

 

Thx. I'll have to grab some fresh some time.

 

Tumeric? The Allagash beer? His homebrew?

 

All of the above tiger!