- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Allagash Brewing Co
Categories: Food Beer, Wine & Spirits Food Breweries Beer, Wine & Spirits, Breweries [Edit]
50 Industrial WayPortland, ME 04103
(207) 878-5385
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
41 reviews for Allagash Brewing Co
Review Highlights
-
"I'm a fan of the beer, but the tour was awesome." In 28 reviews -
"In this case Jim Beam Bourbon barrels." In 4 reviews -
"I absolutely adore Belgian style beers." In 5 reviews
Loading...
41 reviews in English
-
Review from Gary R.
2/18/2012
Nobody in the USA does Belgian style beers better than Allagash. They are increasing exposure to new markets rapidly and finally many West Coast folks are getting the opportunity to experience what I was privileged to have right down the road for a couple years living in Maine.
The Allagash Belgian White is so creamy and smooth. It is balanced so well that it merges those who like hops and those who prefer the sweeter styles.
Allagash has several style of beer. They opened my mind up to the power of aging beer in barrels. The aging in barrels imparts complex notes in the beer. It also rounds their beers off nicely and makes for a smooooooth finish.
Overall, Allagash has a unique piece to the micro-brew pie. Their quality and careful, patient approach to making great beers will translate into continued success for years to come! -
Review from Ryan C.
East Douglas, MA
3/12/2012 1 Check-in Here
Overall a really solid tour. Tour lasted probably 30 minutes or so, and I actually really like that you sample the beers first as it really does make more sense when you're walking through.
Good size portions for samples, friendly tour-guide, got to wear fun safety-glasses and walk right on the brewery floor.
Cool to see the barrel rooms, and the bottling area. Hits home how small of a brewery it is, but I guess they're expanding soon.
Recommend it for a quick tour and a unique approach to brewing. -
Review from Kate F.
2/12/2012
Start by making a reservation on their website. (Though I'm sure you can walk in too, this way you know when your tour starts and your wait time is minimized.)
Leave your money at home, cause this tour is free.
Once the whole group has gathered they will pour generous samples of four of their beers (both the white ale and chocolatey one were delish, the others were not my style but at least they were interesting.)
If you are not wearing glasses, they ask that you take a pair of goggles along for the walk (beer goggles... heh heh heh.)
Walk through an organized, clean, beer-smelling factory, the two equally awesome highlights of which are the AMAZING facial hair (from fluffy beards to detailed sculptural mutton chops) on all the dudes who work in said factory, and the equally mesmerizing Laverne and Shirley style beer bottling conveyor belt. It will be difficult to hold yourself back from rushing up to these wonders to touch them with your very own hands, but check yourself before your wreck yourself (or someone's Fu Manchu.)
After the relatively quick jaunt around the tour you will be plopped out into the same waiting/tasting room as you started, where you will notice yourself much more inclined to buy a tshirt or 6 pack to commemorate your travels (and that Fu Manchu.)Listed in: The way life should be.
-
Review from John A.
5/1/2012 2 photos
These guys really do a great job with their brewery tour and I highly recommend it to any beer enthusiasts passing through Portland. The tour is very informative for all the beer nerds but also very fun for people just looking to have a good time and try new beers. I was so impressed by all of the specialty brews that these guys make. You'll get a chance to check out the cask room where they age all of the really high end small batch beers. I liked that they started out the tour with the tasting. Everyone got a nice little buzz going before we checkout out the brewery. Good times all around and a fun way to spend a Saturday afternoon!
-
Review from Albert W.
2/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
Los Angeles has now surpassed Boston as Allagash's biggest market, so you East coasters better pick up the slack.
After being a fan of their Curieux and White beers for quite some time, our hero was fortunate enough to be able to go to their actual headquarters for their brewery tour, which runs three times a day. Starting the tour off with tasters of four of their most popular year round beers was certainly a good beginning. It's tough for guests who are virgins to Allagash's liquid gold to appreciate the process or the Jim Beam whiskey barrel aging until they've let such decadence touch their lips. After that, they walk through their brewing process, kegging and bottling areas, and show the coolship and barrel aging rooms. It's a well run brewery that continues to experiment in producing more innovative beers, and it's only a shame that some of their rarer beers can only be tasted at the actual brewery location.
PROS:
- Excellent free tours that come with samples of their 4 best main production beers.
- Great Belgian style beers from one of the top craft breweries in America.
- They're a totally eco-friendly brewery that gets 100% of their power from wind power sources and recycles all their waste products.
CONS;
- Merchandise or beers are pretty much the same price as you can get it anywhere else. -
Review from Joseph A.
1/24/2012
Too bad this brewery is 3,300 miles away from me. I'm on the southwest corner of the country and Allagash Brewing is on the northeastern tip. It' would take me two weeks to get there. Trust me I'd know, my dad drove from LA past Maine and went up to Nova Scotia. He also drove up to Alaska once. I'll save that for another review.
Allagash White is a great beer if you like white ales. I don't drink beers that much anymore since I restrict my alcohol intake these days. They also have a few others but haven't tried them extensively. It's not like most domestic beers which are lagers. This is a great summer beer with a crisp, citrus taste. Not too strong and not light either. Simlar to that of Hoegarrden which is from Belgium and a Great White from Lost Coast Brewery which is from Northern California.
We're fortunate to have this beer served on draft at several bars and gastropubs in Southern California. If it's in the bottle, forget it. It's best on draft!Listed in: Libations
-
Review from Rob K.
1/22/2012
***See featured picture of Allagash barrel room***
Take a mental note and prepare yourself for the smell. It's the smell of Jim Beam oak barrels making sweet love to Allagash Curieux for eight straight weeks.
Easily the best smelling room in Portland, Maine.
Breath it in, now you're a man.Listed in: Irresistible New England!
-
Review from Tyler C.
Boston, MA
10/5/2011
I am a connoisseur of brewery tours, and let me tell you this is one of the better ones out there.
They were in the middle of construction while I was there, so the order of happenings might be different then normal. We started off tasting four different beers, including the Allagash White. They are mainly a Belgian Style brewery, so expect spicier and fruity flavors to come through while tasting. We were then led through the brewery and explained the brewing process, quite well I might add. Then, maybe the best part for all the beer nerds, they lead us into there two barrel rooms. This great wooden musty smell fills your nostrils and I began to dream of barrel aged Belgian strongs and the like. The look of 50+ barrels stacked in a room full of beer is a pretty impressive site.
All in all the tour was fun, the beer was great and the tour guide was super knowledgeable and friendly. What more can you ask for from a brewery tour? -
Review from Melanie T.
Boston, MA
3/2/2012
Super fun and worth the drive. Just too bad you have to drive there, because the tasting is great. Allagash is on the top of my favorite domestic beers. The tour was fun and they let you see a whole lot of the process. Bonus points for having to wear ridiculous safety goggles. The tasting pours were generous and tasted great... even at 11am! They seem to be a quirky brewery and I like that about them. Lots of fun at the tour.
-
Review from John S.
6/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
Allagash Brewing is, unsurprisingly, the home of the famous Allagash White. For my money, it's one of the finest beers of New England, and this is where they pump it out.
The tour of this wonderful facility is entirely free, and starts with the tastings. I personally approve of this technique, since you have the fresh flavors in your mouth and your mind as you eventually walk into the brewery proper and learn about the process. It also prevents random "free beer" jerks from barking out "where's the free beer?!?"
Our guide was knowledgeable and thorough, and the facility was clean and delightfully complicated. Oak barrels, whirring bottling lines, lots of different nooks and crannys that we got to see and enjoy free, gratis and for nothing.
It's certainly my favorite in the greater Portland area, beating out Shipyard easily. Overall, this is absolutely worth a trip, for the tour, the beer and the merch.Listed in: A Nation of Breweries
-
Review from Erin R.
7/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
One of the best brewery tours I've been on! We love Allagash, so we chose this as our one brewery tour we planned on going on while in Portland.
The woman leading the tasting and the tour was very friendly and knowledgeable and showed us a good time. The tastings were a lot more generous than the ones I've gotten at other breweries. The brewery is fairly small, so I was really impressed that they're able to produce so much of their beer out of that little place!
I will definitely continue drinking Allagash, and I can't wait to try the couple of different types we bought while we were there!Listed in: BEER!
-
Review from Sam F.
Cambridge, MA
9/17/2011
Disclaimer: I'm a huge Allagash fanboy.
Twenty minutes out of town is a brewery producing some of the best beer in the country. You've had Allagash White, right? Tell me you've had Allagash Porter - my favorite dark beer hands down?
The brewery building was welcoming from the outside, with a great waiting/tasting room/gift shop. We kicked the tour off with a taste test of Allagash White, Allagash Triple, Allagash Curieux and Allagash Victor. A very friendly tour-guide talked us through the beers we were tasting, and answered any questions (none were too silly). We then went on the tour, while the brewery was in full brewing, keggine, bottling swing. A very informative overview of how beer's made. We also got a special glance into their barrel room, where Curieux is aged, as well as quite a few other beers that haven't been released yet!
I got some big bottles to go, and they package them in really artistic wooden crates, which will make great decorations later.
You should check it out! -
Review from Andy G.
8/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
I found that this brewery was really more of a walk through than a tour, but that might be a result of ongoing renovations. I still like the Witte though, and if you are a fan of Belgian brews, skipping Allagash would be a mistake.
My mistake was going with a bunch of non-drinkers and having to down all of their samples for them. And by mistake, I mean great decision. -
Review from Apolinaras S.
Somerville, MA
6/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
The best beer brewing tour you will get in New England (Harpoon in Boston is 2nd)! You know the owners are not cheap bastards. Not only you will be tasting their best stuff (yes, the $10 per bottle stuff), you can have a real conversation with brewers and see EVERYthing about the process of brewing.
I am a beer snob. I brew my own beer. I got LOTS of questions. Brewer on duty that day spent 15 minutes answering my questions and it was Memorial day. Yep, these folks are hardcore!
... and yes, I walked out with boxes of beer and merchandise, because everything is top quality and worth every penny I have spent.
Allagash and Harpoon - you get my beer dollars. You make New England proud. Not something I can say about the cheap bastards at Shipyard. -
Review from Tricia K.
7/11/2011
I am a bigger fan of Allagash now than I even was before the tour. First off, they start the tour with a beer tasting. Our hosts were energetic, friendly, and knowledgeable. Even though there were probably 50 people there for the tour, they got the beers out to us quickly (everyone in the crowd helped to pass out glasses) and the portions were generous enough that I had a slight buzz at the start of the walking tour.
The tour is interesting, fast paced, and really gives you a good sense of what goes into Allagash beers and how dedicated and creative the team is when it comes to developing new brews. I left Allagash with a sense that my beer comes from a group of people who truly love what they do.
We tried a full range of their beers, and purchased the delicious Cureiux. I'll be on the lookout for it at Whole Foods too. -
Review from Jeremy S.
Somerville, MA
3/24/2011
One of the best brewery tours I've been on.
* It's free
* They give you beer 'before' the tour.
* The 'experimentation' barrel room smells of whiskey and oak.
* The beer is decadent. -
Review from Melissa P.
Durham, NC
9/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
I've had their Allagash White locally, but was blown away by the other brew they had to offer. They have one that is fermented in old Jim Bean bottles. It's 11% alcohol with a taste of bourbon, but smooth as can be. And don't get me started on the Coolship. I won't get into that incase the 400 limited edition bottles have been sold out by the time you read this.
-
Review from Sean B.
New London, CT
11/5/2011
Excellent tour and beer. Well worth the stop.
-
Review from kim n.
7/25/2011
The Tripel Reserve certainly packs a punch. At almost 10% alcohol, with crazy fruitt, herbs, and random sweet notes through a pungent, long finish (maybe too long for me).It is certainly complex and pairs well with fatty, rich foods that are not too strongly seasoned.
-
Review from Caroline L.
Quincy, MA
5/31/2011
Interesting tour and great brews. Appreciated that they started with the tasting (White, Dubbel, Tripel and Curieux), but we couldn't keep the glass.
However, it's free and the tour is relatively short. If you can, try to go Monday to Thursday, when the brewery is actually in production. -
Review from David C.
Portland, OR
3/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
Came to Allagash on a tour last summer. I'm a fan of the beer, but the tour was awesome. They start you off with generously-sized samples of four of their beers (our group had the White, Dubbel, Tripel and Curieux) before taking you on a tour of the actual brewery. It's a small brewery and it didn't take long, but it was also very informative and interesting. It was my first time inside of a brewery, but now I'd definitely like to take trips to more.
If you're a fan of belgian-style beer and have the means to get to Portland, ME, you won't want to pass up a trip to Allagash. -
Review from Curt L.
Elmhurst, IL
3/14/2011
Allagash puts on a very nice and informative tour at their Portland Maine facility.
Tastings were conducted at the beginning (bring your ID's!). Our tastings were of Allagash White then progressively into Dubbel then Tripel and then finally the Allagash Curieux (French for "curious").
The Curieux is one of several beers that are aged in oak barrels. In this case Jim Beam Bourbon barrels. You defintely get the uptake of bourbon flavor into the ale. Very tasty and great for after dinner sipping.
The tour provided the brewing process highlights.....just enough knowledge to become a better beer snob.
We also were taken into the oak barrel aging room. Tried to sneak a full barrel into my back pocket but the barrels proved WAY TO LARGE!!
There is a souvenir store here where you can purchase shirts, refrigerator magents and,of course, beer.
My fridge now sports a slick Allagash magnet on the outside while housing a Barrel Aged Allagash Odyssey inside.
Cheers! -
Review from matthew s.
San Diego, CA
7/10/2009
Solidly, consistently brewing even your basic styles is an art that many breweries can't master. Allagash has sorted out some classic Belgian styles, and further distinguishes itself by using touches like barrel-aging, inspired adjunct sugars like dates and grapes, and wild yeasts to recontextualize the familiar styles and reward both the novice and the booze hound who is willing to look a little deeper.
I cannot overstate how much I love this brewery. -
Review from Sean S.
Philadelphia, PA
8/18/2009 1 photo
As a brewery, Allagash produces the finest Belgian-style beers outside of Belgium itself (and finer than many brewed within those borders); seeing it all go down really drives home the craftsmanship and attention to detail involved in every batch.
Your tour starts with a tasting of their staple beers, their flagship White, the Dubbel, Trippel, and Black (Belgian stout). Quality brews all around but I prefer their Confluence, Victor, Fluxus, with Curieux the all-time favorite. Although I was hoping to taste some of these before the tour, I realize they can't crack these open on a regular basis; if they did I'd be living outside their front door with a cadre of fellow beer snobs slowly bleeding them dry of their barrel-aged beers.
The tour is short and sweet; our tour guide knew all about the brewing process, the operations of Allagash in the business sense, and was able to answer all of my questions with ease (ask about the cool ship, not on the tour but awesome if you're a beer geek and they do have pictures).
Your tour is followed up with time in their "gift shop" to purchase clothing, proper glassware, and some of the finest beer crafted in America. -
Review from paige c.
7/12/2011
they give you beer first
you walk through brewhouse tipsy
cask room bourbon bliss
If you like beer and you're in Portland, you have to come to Allagash. It is my favorite beer, but the tour was ok. I went to a tour on Saturday at 3pm, and it was packed! the tour is FREE, and they start everyone off trying 4 types of their beer. We got to try the White, Dubbel, Triple, and Curieux (the triple aged in jim beam barrels). The tour guides talk about the beers, a little about the brewery, and then they took us on a walk through the brewery (basically a giant warehouse). The only thing that really stood out to me on the tour was the barrel rooms. They have a giant room of Jim Beam barrels and as soon as the doors open you get hit with some seriously delicious bourbon smell. It was pretty cool to see, and I would totally go again. -
Review from Kim K.
Good (free) tour! We sampled 4 of their beers first while we learned about the brewing of them and special fermenting techniques. Afterward we walked around the brewery which was way bigger than I expected! We checked out the mash tons, fermenting tanks, bottling line, and storage area. The whole place is very impressive! Also our tour guide was great and super knowledgeable. The beers were quite good too, the White is definitely my favorite!
-
Review from Beck N.
6/20/2011 3 photos
They offer several free tours throughout the day & unlike many breweries, the samples are given before the actual tour. The brewery had just closed down for the weekend when we arrived, but we still enjoyed our time there. Our guide was very knowledgable & eager to answer any of our questions.
-
Review from Lena N.
6/22/2010
Allagash White is one of my favorite beers out there. I absolutely adore Belgian style beers.
The tour starts off with a tasting of some of their beers. We tasted the White, the Dubbel, the Trippel and the Victoria. After everyone was a little friendlier after all the beers, we took a tour around the small brewery. The whole tour itself was really short and our tour guide was really friendly and knowledgable.
This brewery tour is definitely worth a visit if you're in the Portland area. -
Review from Dana B.
Somerville, MA
8/7/2010
The feel of the Allagash Brewery is much more of a winery than a brewery. Their facility is very clean and immaculate. Oak barrels fill their store/tasting area, and their beer glasses are stemmed.
The tour was an older crowd, not like what you might find at Red Hook. The attendees really appeared to be people who like finer things. And Allagash is a finer thing.
Allagash beers are not really my cup of tea. I enjoyed the Victoria beer, but the Allagash White is a little too smokey for my tastes. They were very generous with their samples - making sure that everyone had a chance to try everything that they had available. If someone asked about a particular beer, the brewer opened one of the bottles of that beer that was for sale, and poured everyone a taste.
The tour was also great. Even though it was a Saturday and they were not in production, the tour guide explained the entire process and talked about how the equipment that they use is a different from some other breweries.
She also took us into the formenting room where they have the most enormous oak barrel I have ever laid my eyes on. It was glorious.
If you love Allagash beers, take comfort in the fact that their facility is spotless and the people creating it are just really, really nice people. -
Review from joshua h.
West Point, PA
7/28/2011 1 photo
Was up in Maine this summer on vacation. Made it a point to visit Portland and the Allagash Brewery.
The brewery is nice. It's small but they don't have an attached cafe or restaurant so it's not a big deal. The tour includes a free tasting of several brews. We walked through the giant vats of beer. If you like lots of shiny metal, this is the place for you! Also of interest was the different cooling rooms for the casks of beer. The tour guide was very friendly and knowledgeable.
One thing. Before you go to visit and buy beers at the brewery itself, check out your local beer place to see which Allagash they carry and the price. I was a bit disappointed to find some of the beers back home at the Wegman's for a cheaper price. -
Review from Maggie A.
Washington, DC
6/17/2011
Having been on a few brewery tours and beer tastings on the East Coast, this is by far my favorite. It's free. They start off with the tasting. Very generous pours for tasting. Tried four different beers, including the one where they use Jim Beam bourbon barrels. I don't even like beer that much, but these were pretty good. Took a 15 minute tour of the brewery. Very loud inside and a bit hard to hear the guide, but that was okay---it was more fun just to watch the bottling machine. The total tour with the tasting took about an hour. There were about 20 of us at the 11am tour, a very good size. I left with one of their soft Allagash gym shirts and a magnet.
-
Review from Erik M.
Boston, MA
8/3/2010
This is an elite brewery. 80% of their production is Allagash White. If you have not had this beer yet you can find it at most well stocked liquor stores. It is simply a must have.
Their tour is pretty standard, and best of all FREE. You start with a tasting of five to six of their beers ranging from their light white ale, to their darker Dubble, and their 9% Tripel.
They then take you where "the magic happens" and show you how they produce their beers, etc. The tour concludes with a trip to what I like to call the "happy room" where you will find barrel after barrel of beers that are in the experimental phase. Some of these beers will be released to the public but a vast majority will not. What I would give to be locked in the brewery after closing. -
Review from Matt L.
Palo Alto, CA
11/9/2006
I really ought to go on a tour of the brewery when I'm home for Christmas. It should be a good time.
The Allagash White is a tasty summer beer. It's a little over spicy at times, but still very drinkable and light.
The Curieaux is also a good beer, though hard to find at times. Batches are numbered and aged, this beer is part of the reason I want to get a beer fridge, so I can keep the beer around for another year and try it against the next year's batch.
The dubbel is definitely worth trying too. Actually, I put my trust into Allagash. I'd try anything they make. -
Review from Rodney S.
Madison, WI
7/30/2008
My girlfriend and I went for a tour this past March during a weekend in Portland. It was just us and two other guys. We started by having a several ounce sample of their White, Dubbel, Triple and the Imperial Stout. Beer quality is outstanding, and we ended up taking home a reasonably priced 4 pack of the Triple and their complex and delicious special bourbon barrel aged Curieaux(12.99 i think vs. 18.99 at whole foods).
After the tasting, the woman--who was incredibly nice and worked maybe in the marketing or accounting department for the brewery--showed us around the brewery. Pretty standard small brewery, but they're an outstanding operation with an great product and it showed. The whole thing took 20-30 minutes with lots of Q and A time. Very interesting as always
If you're interested in goodies, they offer options that are a cut above some of the other breweries i've visited. Their t-shirts are American apparel and fit really well and look legitimately cool.
If you're in Portland on vacation or live in the area, it was a great way to spend an hour on a friday afternoon. -
Review from Topher D.
Salem, MA
2/23/2011
Excellent tour and tasting. We went on a weekday and were the only ones onboard, so we got some generous (and delicious) samples. Then a pretty standard brewery tour, but you get to walk on the floor of the brewery unlike most local tours. Seeing bottling up close was interesting as well. Then you get to see the giant fridge full of barrels of experimental beer - the first room smelled of Jim Beam because they are aging beer in Jim barrels, very cool. The tour then sadly ended, but it was a great 30-45 minutes. And free of course.
-
Review from marissa p.
San Jose, CA
10/28/2011
Almost missed a chance to stop by the Allagash Brewing Co - tours end at 3 PM and made it just in time, so glad made effort! (yes, ran into road construction too.) Friendly folks providing the tour and tasting. Am a fan of the Allagash White and Curieux. The Curieux was my first time tasting an ale that was bourbon barrel aged - was a nice treat. Also my first tour where start with a tasting, which was rather nice too. Gives you a chance to have a potential fav from the tasting, and gets you wanting to know more about how they achieved those flavors.
-
Review from Heather S.
Boston, MA
5/3/2007
This used to be one of my favs. Always quality.
-
Review from Timothy W.
Scotchtown, NY
5/10/2008
The four stars are for the beer! Tours are offered weekdays at 3pm. The best part of our tour was the free beer tasting! We got to sample the White (their flagship brew), the dubbel, trippel and one of their most recent brews Black ( a belgian porter). We did the tour, but it wasn't very informational. The new receptionist walked us through the brewery while reading from a highlighted crib sheet. She certainly isn't a beer connoisseur but I'm sure she'll get better as she studies up. But who am I kidding the only reason I went was for the beer!
-
Review from Megan S.
2/28/2010 1 photo
I love, love Belgian style beer, so I love, love Allagash. Great tastings, knowledgeable guide and an up close view of the brewing process. Definitely worth the trek.
-
Review from Russell B.
Fontana, CA
7/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
I'm definitely glad I got to squeeze in this tour while on my trip to Portland. There were just seven of us on a midweek tour, which made hearing the guide and asking questions so much easier. Our guide was also very nice and was able to answer every question I had, even those semi-technical ones. Their barrel room was quite impressive for such a small brewery with all their experimental beer. The tasting before the tour was definitely tops in terms of quality and quantity of beer, although felt a little rushed trying to down some high alcohol beers. Although that possibly could've been because I was also finishing off the wife's beer as well. The Curieux, which I have been wanting to pick up for a long time was a real treat to taste as was the new Fluxus just released that week. Although a very simple tour, its intimacy was superb. Well worth the short drive out of the main Portland area and the price of admission (free).
