Oxbow Question

They have their drafts all over Portland, but you can only get their bottles and growler fills at the brewery in Newcastle. The brewery is awesome you should definitely make the trip.

 

One of my favorite breweries in Maine. Absolutely worth a visit to the tasting room for bottles and excellent Hahn's End cheeses.

 

Definitely make the trip, people could disagree but in my opinion they are the Hill Farmstead of Maine, their barrel aged beers are extraordinary.

 

Do they fill growlers that aren't their own?

 

No, you have to use theirs.

Also pro-tip, bring some food and make a day of it with some full pours or a flight.

 

Had their barrel-aged blend Synthesis this weekend, along with the Stillwater collab Stillbow Oxtisanal - both very complex but completely different. (And only available at the brewery.) I began calling them the "Hill Farmstead of Maine" when I realized what an out-of-the-way, laid-back place it is - although still an easier trip from Portland than I make locally to Hill's. Yet, I don't wish them the traffic that Hill's endures.

 

Oxbow is the best brewery in New England. There I said it.

 

And I'm pretty fond of how long their bottle releases last as well

 

Tasting notes on the Synthesis?

I loved the Stillbow, but didn't trade for as much as I should have as I heard a rumor it would hit VT. Unfortunately, this rumor doesn't seem to have panned out.

Blended Oxtober fest has been my favorite offering so far. BA FPA b8 was good, but not was I was expecting. I think some age will do that beer wonders. I have a b7 that I haven't opened up yet, but hoping to be able to compare the two.

 

That would be illegal in Maine.

 

I know OP was asking about Maine distro, but you can sometimes also get their bottles in a very few locations in DC (Churchkey, Meridian Pint), Philly, and NYC....entirely dependent on whether the gang has traveled to any of those places and brought beer with them recently, or not.

Draft distro to DC and Philly on a somewhat more regular basis, but still only a few spots.

 

VT has been getting a little more keg love lately. It's been much appreciated

 

Yeah, here too. Just hoping.

 

Want to see them brew the Farmhouse Pale Ale? Here you go.

 

I dug Synthesis a lot, was similar to a flemish red but more complex flavors. Was blended with a multitude of barrel aged beers (including some other blends), but you definitely got some wine character and smoke from what i'm assuming was Oxtoberfest or saison noel. Killer brew overall.

 

Sounds awesome. What I loved about blended Oxtoberfest was how eclectic and all over the place it was. This sounds right up my alley

 

FYI there was (last Wednesday) some Synthesis remaining in the tasting room. Stillbow sold out the prior week.

 

Wow.

That's awesome.

 

Saw Tim on Sat. at Infiniti getting a growler filled and he said there were a few Synthesis left. The Stillbow was very delicate compared to the robust wood & sour profile of the Synthesis.