Maine Beer?

Oxbow is legit. They're way up there tho

 

As a Mainer who grew up there, spent college in CT, then lived in Philly for 4 years and now Chicago for 5 I've seen a lot of the craft evolution and like to compare my locals and their "culture".

Chicago is a monster when it comes to breweries to support / choose from. What's more, the competition to buy the beers is so intense out here it could get you a trip to AMHI (it is always sunny at AMHI, as the saying goes).

The key issue with a lot of places is their proximity to a major city, relevance, cost and promotion.
The "localvore" movement LOVES small Breweries but most people out here in Chicago would find Maine beers as a novelty, not something worth seeking out.
Allagash is everywhere here but the price is NOT low. In fact I buy more Allagash when home in Maine then I do in Chicago due to the even higher-than-normal city cost plus our horrendous sales tax (10% - something for Mainers to consider when they complain about taxes, as they love to do).

I do think there is a stigma about all of the butter beers that come out of Maine, rather obviously.
Allagash is amazing and easy to get but there are cheaper local options. Why spend $10 ($11 after tax) on a four pack of White from a state most people out here hardly know anything about?

Also I've never, ever, met anyone who is promoting New England beers out here (aside from the Reps for Windy City Distribution / Allagash's Distributor).
When Smuttynose came back into the market last year and this year when Geary's sent 3 types of beer I felt like throwing a parade. But I've never met anyone promoting any of these breweries.
I'd gladly take the job as I have an intense love for and allegiance to Northern New England and the state of Maine but as it is now, there is just not enough push to sell these beers and get them the respect they deserve, in my opinion.

 

I think so.
The selection here in the MidWest is mind-blowing because we're in the middle of it all.
Maine is not an easy trip to make, it's not as "sexy" (or whatever) as the West Coast and people here tend to not know much of anything about Northern New England in general.

Take for instance NYC. There are probably a LOT more ex-pat Mainers there then in Chicago.

Please forgive my horrendous generalities with regard to this subject.

 

I haven't had a whole lot from Rising Tide since I don't make it over to Maine as often as I like but they definitely caught my attention with Daymark.

 

Boston Wine Exchange on Devonshire St. usually has Maine Beer Co. beers on the shelves. Charles St. Liquors on (you guessed it) Charles St. probably does as well. Haven't been there in a while.

Maine Beer Co. beers aren't too hard to find. It depends on when they ship their next batch. Sometimes there's a lag and supplies dry up before new bottles arrive.

 

Worth trying atleast... esp if into whiskey barrel aged beers... Ofcourse Allagash is great, but keep an eye out for Rising Tide once they are more distributed, esp with the expansion and keep an eye out for MW and Oxbow. If you can get ahold of a growler or 2 from either its worth it. MW is going to can soon, but Oxbow doesnt have any plans to bottle anytime soon, draught/growler only. Im ok with that since its pretty close.

 

Oxbow in Newcastle is "way up there"? HA! You must be from widdle bitty Massachusetts. Fort Kent is "way up there". Newcastle isn't even to the middle of the state yet. Boston to Oxbow in Newcastle Maine = 3 hour drive. Oxbow to Fort Kent = 6 hour drive.

That being said Oxbow has quickly become one of the top breweries in Maine. After Allagash it is probably my second favorite (with Marshall Wharf a close third).

 

Sorry if casually saying "way up there" made it seem like you needed to mock people that live in Massachusetts. You're right though, it's not Presque Isle...