Downtown Portland! Such a delight for a beer lover like me, and there I was in the heart of it. Of course, Portland is more than beer, much more, and before I left it this warm September evening I would do a bit of shopping (gifts for the wife) and dining (Dimillo’s Floating Restaurant) as well. For now, though, I was happily wandering the streets of Portland, breathing in the salt air and in search of beer. First stop: Sebago Brewing Company.
I had been here before when the brewery first opened about 15 years ago. I ponied up to the bar and ordered up a sampler. Not cheap here, I think it was about $12 for 7 4-ounce samples, but hey, that is a lot of beer. Sebago did have an eclectic assortment of beers on tap, and I think my favorite beer here was the Sebago Bonfire Rye Ale.
I'll confess that I love rye beers, hoppy rye beers especially. There's something magical about the interaction of bitter hops and spicy rye, and that magic was definitely going on here.
From the website:
The combination of malts complement the generous amount of late-addition American hops, creating a perfect balance between the earthiness of the rye and the resinous hoppy aroma. A Bonfire makes any night better. We've done the research. Trust us, we're from Maine.
Ingredients from the website:
Malts:
2-Row Barley
English Crystal and Pale
Weyermann German Rye
Franco-Belge Coffe Kiln Malt
Thomas Fawcett
Dark Malt & Medium Crystal
Hops:
Simcoe
Columbus
Chinook
Citra
Sebago Bonfire Rye Ale has an alcohol content of 5.7% by volume with 67 IBUs.
My glass of Sebago Bonfire Rye arrived a deep russet red color with a medium head of creamy foam and a vibrant nose of light rye malt and floral citrusy hops. Tasking a sip, the beer has a solid malt backbone with subtle notes of chocolate and more caramel, then grainy rye toast and a delightful resinous, citric hop aroma combined with a long dry finish.
This was a treat for me and I really, really enjoyed it fresh on tap here. The spicy rye and resiny, citric hops danced together perfectly and I only wish I could get this on a regular basis.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft
(G)=Growler