When in Maine

[David M. Bueker]

Drink craft beer.

I think every town has its own craft brewery.

For sure. And there are some (Allagash comes to mind) that have pretty wide distribution.

-Paul W.

[Jenise]

True of Washington now too. I think Bellingham, population 100K, now has at least a dozen and another new one's about to open.

They are almost everywhere now, as are craft distilleries and cideries. It really is incredible how craft, beer, spirit and cider producers have sprung up everywhere you look. Perhaps it's even more surprising that the old time, global level producers have also managed to increase sales when so many small producers keep popping up.

[David M. Bueker]

There were four craft breweries and one distillery within 1/2 mile of our hotel in Freeport. Maine Beer Company was my favorite.

On the drive up Route 1 to Bar Harbor (we took the scenic route) we counted signs for 17 more.

[Jenise]

Perhaps it's even more surprising that the old time, global level producers have also managed to increase sales when so many small producers keep popping up.

Same question we've been asking ourselves. Who's buying it all?

Perhaps it's even more surprising that the old time, global level producers have also managed to increase sales when so many small producers keep popping up.

Same question we've been asking ourselves. Who's buying it all?

Certainly not people in bars.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/25/dining/drinks/craft-beer-bars.html

Just as there are wine enthusiasts, there are also beer enthusiasts--and probably a lot more of them than there are of us. Robin could probably set up a BLDG (Beer Lover's Discussion Group) here to great success. There's also been an explosion in the number of folks who brew their own beer. An outfit called IncrediBrew opened in Nashua, NH. They offered vats, tanks, and raw materials for those who wanted to make their own beer but didn't want to invest in the equipment. They were doing a booming business until the pandemic forced them to close.

I see an interesting parallel between the wine and beer worlds. In the wine world we have (at least IMO) the problem of OOFBs (Over-Oaked Fruit Bombs). The beer world (also IMO) has a similar problem of over-hopped IPAs. Oak in wine and hops in beer should (IMO) serve similar roles--as a spice, not a sauce.

-Paul W.

I see an interesting parallel between the wine and beer worlds. In the wine world we have (at least IMO) the problem of OOFBs (Over-Oaked Fruit Bombs). The beer world (also IMO) has a similar problem of over-hopped IPAs. Oak in wine and hops in beer should (IMO) serve similar roles--as a spice, not a sauce.

-Paul W.

Of course. The sour beer trend is a similar dynamic.

[David M. Bueker]

I see an interesting parallel between the wine and beer worlds. In the wine world we have (at least IMO) the problem of OOFBs (Over-Oaked Fruit Bombs). The beer world (also IMO) has a similar problem of over-hopped IPAs. Oak in wine and hops in beer should (IMO) serve similar roles--as a spice, not a sauce.

-Paul W.

Of course. The sour beer trend is a similar dynamic.

Ah sour beer. How can we make this smell and maybe taste like vomit!

My best friend from high school brewed his own beer. I remember him mentioning that sour beer was a hazard if you didn't observe proper hygiene with your brewing equipment. It smacks of sloppy brewers trying to market their mistakes. Or as we software engineers like to say, "that's not a bug, it's a feature."

-Paul W.