I am way behind in my beer reviews, first there was the CBC blacklist issue, then end of the year posts and the holidays, and all of a sudden it’s 2017 and I have some beers from November that I still need to review (I’ve already drank these beers and took notes, no worries that I am reviewing old beer). I’ll try to get caught up over the next few weeks and then get some porter and stout reviews up while it’s still brutally cold. Part of our Thanksgiving tradition has been a stop at Gritty McDuff’s in Freeport Maine for lunch on the way to my parents, and then a trip right down the street to grab some beer at Maine Beer Company. In addition to favorites like Lunch, Another One, Mo and King Titus I usually try to grab whatever is new. This isn’t usually much, while some breweries release new beers every month Maine Beer Company tends to focus on their core brews. One exception is the Hop Program series, where they design a beer to showcase an interesting blend of hops. I think the initial idea was for these beers to be one-off brews, but many of the popular versions have been re-released. The most recent release in the hop program is a first for Maine Beer (I think), Beer V is a hoppy lager brewed with a mixture of German, American and New Zealand hops. It is available on a rotating basis on draft and in 500 mL bottles.
Maine Beer Company Beer V pours a clear straw yellow with a small white head. The scent is mildly hoppy, mostly floral and earthy. The hops are stronger in the flavor, notes of grass, herbs and lime along with a crisp bitterness. This is balanced by a light malt body, touches of crackers, white bread and hay. Beer V is light and refreshing with reasonably low alcohol at 5.2% ABV. It has the distinct crisp and clean lager finish with just a hint of lingering hop flavor. Beer V is very different from most of the other hoppy beers that Maine Beer Company brews, mixing in the old world hops, but it’s still very tasty. Hoppy Boston score: 4.25/5.
Previous Maine Beer Co. Reviews:
Maine Beer Co. Thank You, Maine Beer Co. Mo, Maine Beer Co. Mean Old Tom, Maine Beer Co. A Tiny Beautiful Something, Maine Beer Co. Beer II, BREWERY OVERVIEW: Maine Beer Co., Maine Beer Co. King Titus, Maine Beer Co. Lunch, Maine Beer Co. Another One, Maine Beer Co./Allagash/In’finiti 2013 Ale, Maine Beer Co. Peeper
Hoppy Boston 
