The Libations Librarian

Sunday’s cause conundrums for me. When traveling to new places, I never know what’s open! Some states have CRAZY blue laws which do not allow businesses to open until a certain time or do not allow food and drinks to be served until later in the day…if at all. So, travelers must do research to prepare for other cultures’ belief systems in order to prevent unexpected downtime.

Knowing Portland still has some “old school” tendencies, even being as hipster as it is, spouse & I decided to spend some time at L.L. Bean in Freeport. The flagship store is known for keeping very liberal hours. Those hours? 24/7/365. Pure capitalistic, shopping bliss. This place is open on Christmas, Easter, & Independence Day! No matter what a shopper needs – Bean has it. Except….the kayaks we hoped to buy had not yet arrived. I refuse to purchase a kayak unless I’m sure it “fits”, as no one should get stuck between Lubec & Campobello Island with a rudderless, too small boat. (Don’t ask, but YES, it happened.)

We got a Groupon for Island Dog Brewing. The lovely event included a tour, flight, & pint glasses – what a great idea to get people to visit!

We met the Brewers (please notice the authority I gave them – these guys brew with forethought!), Tim & Jim. These guys totally impressed me with their desire to work locally. They attempt to locally source as many ingredients as possible starting with their malt. They use Maine-grown malts from the Maine Malt House & Blue Ox Malthouse. LOVE THAT! Improve & grow local economies!

The Brewers have taken into account potential for growth. They rent a space which can handle expansion. They also put an expandable brewing capacity & plan to use it shortly. Since they plan to run IDB as a duo for the foreseeable future, the brewing system is quite automated for a small operation. My favorite part? Their keg washer! No accidents (Redhook Brewery, anyone?!), please. They do not employ any extra minions which could negatively impact their profits – Brilliant!

The beers were great! We each got 2 four part flights. The flights are 4 ounce pours and appear in little wire “baskets”. While I enjoyed the Omakeks, I enjoyed the Duegard & Captain Tucker the most. The Omakeks, an amber Dunkel, had a molasses flavor and a hop overtone that did not overpower the brew. The Duegard was supposed to taste of ginger, which I did not get. However, the Duegard reminded me of spring and (at least to me) tasted of wild mint – DELIGHTFUL. But……the Captain Tucker won the day! Lightly hopped with locally grown Hop Yard hops, this ale is a total summer porch pounder – light, refreshing, and completely drinkable!

While Tim & Jim plan on staying a 2-person operation, they have great social times! They host a homebrew group, open to brewers of all experiences, and openly advertise “newbies” to join in! Otto’s Pizza delivered a totally delicious set of flatbreads (Otto’s calls them pizzas, but what arrived was crispy flatbread!), which we ordered directly from the restaurant at conveniently located iPads on the bar. Again, supporting local business – these Brewers practice what they preach. The Sunday Trivia was packed – the seating area was totally full! The spouse & I left while we were still tied for the lead, as I like to leave while still having fun!