This summer featured a small piece of return to normalcy, namely multiple trips up to Maine to visit my family. My parents house is right on a lake in mid-coast Maine, and the trip is a favorite for the whole family. While summer days in a serene setting is cause enough for excitement, I also use the trip as an excuse to hit up a few Maine breweries. Maine has an amazing beer scene and there are plenty of options that are convenient stops on the coastal route I take to get to my parents place, but there are also many excellent breweries that would be well out of our way. Fortunately I’ve found a store in my hometown that keeps an excellent selection of local beer, and I’ve discovered many new favorites on my visits. One brewery that I was introduced to at this shop was Orono Brewing Company, and on one of my trips this summer I grabbed some of their Tubular IPA. In addition to having a great name, one that any child of the 80’s or early 90’s would appreciate, Tubular has built some buzz even in the extremely crowded NEIPA market. Orono Brewing Tubular is brewed with Citra, El Dorado, Topaz, and Galaxy hops and is available year-round on draft and in 16 oz cans.
Orono Brewing Tubular pours hazy light yellow with a mild white head. The aroma features a solid burst of fruity hops, plenty of tropical fruit on the nose. The flavor is also very hop forward, notes of mango, pineapple and tangerine but minimal bitterness, very much a NEIPA. This is balanced by a sturdy malt backbone, hints of bread dough and cereal. Tubular is medium bodied, smooth, and at 7.2% ABV is on par with similar beers in the style. The finish is crisp with some lingering hop flavor. This is another very good NEIPA from Orono Brewing, I look forward to drinking more of their beers in the future, especially when I am up in Maine! Hoppy Boston score: 4.25/5.
Previous Orono Brewing Reviews:
Hoppy Boston 
