From Maine, With Love - An Allagash Brewing Podcast

S3 Episode 9: Real Spooky Stories Oct 25, 2024

Thrills. Laughs. And spine-tingling tales. In honor of Haunted House, our seasonal-favorite dark hoppy ale, we're recounting some real spooky stories to pair with the beer's haunting notes of cocoa, coffee, and devilish hint of hops. Sit back in your creakiest chair, crack open a Haunted House, and enjoy these personal spooky stories from Allagash staff, as well as historically creepy tales from all over Maine.

S3 Episode 8: For the Love of Lager Sep 17, 2024

With the arrival of Allagash Lager, our easy-drinking, crisp, and refreshing new release, we wanted to go on a trip down lager (memory) lane, to look back at all of the innovative, interesting, and totally unexpected lagers that came before it. We also talk about the development of this lager itself, and how it came down to a very difficult choice between three, very highly rated, lager recipes. Brett is joined by lager aficionado (and R&D Brewer) Corey McNutt and Hospitality Director Emily Wallace to give a full perspective, both inside the brewery and out, of our lager-brewing trajectory.

S3 Episode 7: Hazy Days Aug 12, 2024

We got some pretty amazing comments when we announced the release of our Hazy IPA. (Two of these are true, one is not.)

1: Never thought I’d see the day 😍

2: Definitely one of the four horsemen of the beer apocalypse

3: I’m going to name my baby Allagash Hazy IPA

In our latest podcast, we had our brewmaster read and react to comments like these, and more! Plus, we talked about our thought process behind the recipe, as well as the finished product. Give it a listen!

S3 Episode 6: Introducing Allagash Hop Water Jul 09, 2024

Are you looking for a zero carb, zero calorie, zero alcohol, carbonated drink that combines the best of hoppy aromatics with the refreshment of a classic seltzer? First, wow, that's a specific thing to look for. And second, you're in luck, because, we now make exactly that: Allagash Hop Water.
In this episode you'll hear from Zach and Matthew of our Quality team, who were behind the creation of our extremely tasty new sparkling citrus hop water. Available right now!

S3 Episode 5: Competitions, Judging, and Award-Winning Beers May 22, 2024

Allagash White is the most-awarded wheat beer in the world. And as of its silver medal win at the Great American Beer Festival in 2024, Allagash Tripel is also the most-awarded beer of its style.

In this episode, we sit down with Brewmaster Jason Perkins and Sensory Program Manager Karl Arnberg to dig deep on beer awards. What does it take to brew an award-winning beer? How are beers even judged? And what indeed are the top beer-judging competitions in the world?

If you've ever wanted to go behind the scenes in the competition beer world with two experienced beer judges, wait no longer: this episode is for you.

S3 Episode 4: The #1 Thing to do in Portland, Maine Apr 26, 2024

We're lucky to be living in a city with a ton, ton, ton, of amazing things to do, eat, see, and experience. That fact makes us even more grateful for our ranking on Tripadvisor, which states that visiting the Allagash Tasting Room is the #1 thing to do in Portland, Maine.
In fact, our guests—our wonderful, sweet, smart, kind guests—have ranked us so highly, so consistently, that in 2023 we won a Travelers' Choice award, placing us in the top 10% of highest-rated attractions, worldwide.
In this episode, you'll hear directly from Emily Wallace, our Hospitality Director, all about how we go about making sure all of our guests have the best experience possible while visiting us.

S3 Episode 3: Behind the Scenes with Tours and Tastings Mar 25, 2024

What happens at a tour or tasting here at Allagash? Much more than you might have guessed. We've got samples of deep-stash beers able to age beautifully for ten-plus years. We have pours fresh out of the barrel (shhh, don't tell). And we have passionate and extremely knowledgable people like Lindsay Bohanske, this episode's guest, to guide you through it all.

Come for a behind-the-scenes look into our tour, food-pairing, and tasting program. Stay for a brief explanation on the origin of agrarian societies.

S3 Episode 2: Deep Dive into Berry Wine Feb 16, 2024

You in the mood to geek out on wine making? Well, you better be if you're here to listen to the second episode of the third season of our podcast.

Liz and Brett are joined by Patrick Chavanelle, Senior R&D brewer, and potentially vintner, here at Allagash. We dive deep into the recent berry wines, berry wine/cider hybrids, and cider that we've created here at the brewery.

So pull up a chair and drink deeply of the fruit wine knowledge that Patrick has to impart!

S3 Episode 1: Collabs, Seasonals, and Wine, Oh My! Feb 09, 2024

In the triumphant return of From Maine, With Love for Season 3, we dive into something all listeners of this podcast can appreciate: beer.
First, we chat through two collaborations with Black-owned breweries: Cur-8 and Verb. Then, we dip into the details of our very first "seasonal" beer by having a brewery-side chat with Joe Jr., the brewer who came up with the beer's recipe. And we end by talking about our brand new, absolutely delicious house-made blueberry wine (and another secret blend you'll have to listen to the pod to hear about).
If that doesn't sound interesting to you, please go on with your life in peace and happiness forevermore. If it does, give it a listen.
Thanks, as always, for your support!

S2 Episode 9: Diving Deep on Company Culture Jul 12, 2023

In this episode, we're joined by Allagash HR Director Celine Frueh to get into the nitty gritty of building positive company culture. This was a fascinating conversation that touches on all sorts of topics like: how we use a yearly employee survey to figure out the biggest spots for growth, how to preserve the things people love as the company grows, and the business case for giving employees a sabbatical. If you have even a passing interest in the ins and outs of good workplace vibes, this one is for you.

S2 Episode 8: Partnering with Portland Trails Jun 26, 2023

Did you know: there’s a trail head within 10 minutes of every home in Portland, Maine? That’s thanks to the great work our friends at Portland Trails have been doing to make our city more accessible and connected through outdoor space. And we’re committed to a 3-year, $30,000 partnership, called Healthier Neighborhoods for All. Its goal is to help Portland Trails reach more of Portland’s immigrant community to help them experience the benefits of their extensive trail system.

S2 Episode 7: Homebrewing Q&A with the Experts Jun 06, 2023

We have a bevy of homebrewers at Allagash, so when a fan suggested we host a homebrewing Q&A, we did!
In this podcast, we're joined by three seasoned, professional brewers in Patrick Chavanelle, Katie Beaucage, and Corey McNutt. In it, we take fans' online questions and basically break them out into novice, intermediate, and expert-level questions. The best part? We suspect you'll learn quite a bit along the way, no matter your level.
So come along and hear all about homebrewing.

S2 Episode 6: Keeping Our Water Source Clean May 03, 2023

Since we started in 1995, every single Allagash beer has been brewed with water that came from Sebago Lake. This pristine, and plentiful, water source is amazing in its own right: there's enough water in Sebago Lake to give every person on earth 100 gallons each, and still have water left over.
And, like all good things, we need to make sure that we preserve it.
In this episode, we talk with Paul Hunt of the Portland Water District and Matt Markot of Loon Echo Land Trust—both members of Sebago Clean Waters, a nonprofit partner of ours that is working to preserve Sebago Lake. You'll learn some staggering facts about our amazing water source, the strides Sebago Clean Waters is making in preserving it, and what you can do to help!

S2 Episode 5: Explore The Cellars May 02, 2023

What will you find inside The Cellars at Allagash? In this episode, we're joined once again by Certified Cicerone and Hospitality Specialist Lindsay Bohanske to dive into everything involved in a Cellars experience. The types of beers you'll taste. The things you'll learn. And the fact that every visit is built to be enjoyed by beer novices, beer experts, and anyone in between.

S2 Episode 4: What is Wild Beer? Apr 05, 2023

What's the difference between wild and sour beer? What makes a wild beer wild? And how do bacteria like lactobacillus and pediococcus make beer taste deliciously tart? We cover all of this and more with the help of two seasoned beer experts: Jason Perkins, our Brewmaster, and Zach Bodah, our Quality Program Manager.

S2 Episode 3: Helping Immigrant Women Find their Voice in Maine Mar 21, 2023

Claudette Ndayininahaze came to America as an executive with 15 years of experience in the brewing industry back in her home of Burundi. When she arrived in Maine, she could only find work in housekeeping. So, she decided to lift herself by lifting others.
By starting In Her Presence, an organization built around English language learning, Claudette and her team is helping immigrant women in Maine not just find their footing, but thrive—for the betterment of themselves and our community as a whole.
In this episode, Jeff Pillet-Shore, our Marketing Director, and Zoe Malia, our Sustainability Coordinator, chat with Claudette and Mary of In Her Presence about their mission, their journeys, and how we’ve created a durable, and fruitful, relationship between our organizations.

S2 Episode 2: Crowns & Hops Collaboration Extravaganza Feb 17, 2023

In this episode, Rob Tod, our founder, and Brett, our hopefully enjoyable host, chat with Beny Ashburn and Teo Hunter, co-founders of Crowns & Hops Brewing. What's bringing us together? The chance to dive deep into our recent collaboration, a crisp and curiously tasty beer called Cur-8. In this episode, you’ll learn how we met in the first place, how the beer came to be, and how its proceeds help promote racial equity in the craft beer industry.

S2 Episode 1: The Report Series, Special Releases, and More Feb 17, 2023

In the first episode of our second season of From Maine, With Love, your faithful hosts Liz and Brett celebrate the series’ continuation! First, we run though our Report Series of beers, containing: Wildlife Report, Beach Report, and Snow Report. Then, we share some happenings in and around the brewery that have us excited. For a brief update of everything exciting happening at Allagash right now, there’s no better episode than this one.

S1 Episode 16: A Look Back and Tellings of the Future! Dec 29, 2022

We did it! With our first season finished, we look back at some of the notable numbers, moments, and memories that made this year of podcasting so special. Plus, we give you a sneak preview of what you can expect from our next season. Spoiler: it's going to be fun.

S1 Episode 15: Hop Reach - How Does It Taste? Oct 05, 2022

In this final episode covering our upcoming IPA, Hop Reach, we answer the question on everyone’s mind: what does it taste like? To help us answer that question in delicious depth, we have Corey McNutt, a senior brewer who was on the team that created Hop Reach, and Lindsay Bohanske, our resident tour & tasting aficionado and Certified Cicerone. Keep a beer nearby, because this one might make you thirsty.

S1 Episode 14: Hop Reach - Branding our Ideal IPA Oct 05, 2022

So we knew we wanted to brew a delicious IPA, but what to call it? And, for that matter, what should the packaging look like? And then what should we sell it in: bottles or cans? In this episode, we’re joined by Naomi Neville, our Sales Director, and Jeff Pillet-Shore, our Marketing Director, to talk through the thought process, absolutely humongous number of options, and crucial decisions that led us to the name, and brand, of Hop Reach.

S1 Episode 13: Hop Reach - Brewing Our Ideal IPA Oct 03, 2022

The task was clear: brew an IPA that is exactly what we’d want to reach for. But with so many options for hops, malt, and everything else, how did our brewers land on that perfect recipe? That’s the question we’re tackling on this podcast with the help of Jason, our Brewmaster, and Patrick, our technical R&D brewer. In this episode you’ll hear all about the various versions, the company-wide feedback, and the many, many tasty beers that eventually led us to the recipe for Hop Reach IPA.
This is part one of a three-part podcast series that’s all about our upcoming IPA, Hop Reach, which we’ll be releasing in January of 2023.

S1 Episode 12: Tasting Beer For Your Job Sep 15, 2022

Beer sensory is a fancy way of saying "tasting beer." It's also a fancy way of tasting beer, because it aims to break down why beer tastes the way it does, and how we can go about making beer taste consistently delicious, every single brew. If that sounds interesting, it's because it is! And, in this episode, we dive deep into our sensory program with Karl, our beer-tasting guru here at Allagash.

S1 Episode 11: Selling Beer & Eating Chocolate Chip Cookies Aug 18, 2022

In which we talk about secret ingredients and techniques for the perfect chocolate chip cookie, the broad strokes of a decadent béchamel, and what it's like to sell craft beer. Seriously, we had so much fun recording this episode with Suzy and Mike of our sales team, talking through basically everything you'd want to know about selling craft beer. How does beer selling work? What's the Allagash selling philosophy? And, most importantly, what are those cookie secrets?!

S1 Episode 10: A Trip to the Warehouse Jul 21, 2022

To make beer, you need stuff. And our friends at the Allagash warehouse know a lot about sourcing and storing all of that stuff. In this episode, you’ll hear from Dave, Mitch, and Pete about: the oddest things we happen to store in our warehouse, how we check and maintain the quality of all of our ingredients, how we unload big old barrels from a truck, and so much more.

S1 Episode 8: Witbier vs. Wheat Beer vs. Hefeweizen (What's the difference?) Jun 23, 2022

Our resident Certified Cicerone, Lindsay Bohanske, is back again with a breakdown of three very similar styles of beer: witbiers, wheat beers, and hefeweizens. Beyond the styles themselves, we talk about some great examples you can try, what wheat actually does in beer, what “haze” really is, and also the types of food that we love to pair with each of these tasty styles.

S1 Episode 7: Every Employee Gets a Trip to Belgium Jun 02, 2022

After five years with the company, Allagash employees get the chance to go on a fun-filled trip to Belgium with Rob, our founder, and Jason, our Brewmaster. In this episode, we chat with Rob and Jason about that very trip. What breweries do we visit? What beers do they love to enjoy? What is it about Belgian beer culture that makes it so special? Come for the list of breweries that are “must-visits,” stay for a story of how Rob ended up lugging a stone clock around the streets of Ghent.

S1 Episode 6: The Brewery Lab May 19, 2022

Breweries have a lab? For science? You bet. And we got to chat with Zach Bodah, our Quality Manager, and Hannah Johnson, our Quality Specialist, about what it's like to work in the lab here at Allagash. Stuff like, what do we focus on in our lab? How does it help us make sure beer tastes fresher, longer? And what the heck is a zahm? You’ll find answers to all that and more.

S1 Episode 5: Answers to the most-asked questions in beer May 04, 2022

With the help of Lindsay Bohanske, our Tour & Tasting Specialist and Certified Cicerone, we run through some of the most-asked questions we hear from guests at the brewery. In this episode, you’ll find the answer to questions like: is it OK for cold beer to warm up and then get cooled down again?; what is the difference between an ale and a lager?; should I put a lemon slice in my Allagash White?; and many, many more!

S1 Episode 4: The Allagash Pink Boots + Team Apr 20, 2022

In this one, we interview three members of the Allagash Pink Boots + team: Hannah, Katie, and Leah. You’ll hear how the Pink Boots society empowers and educates women and non-binary people in the fermented beverage industry, the details of our newly released Pink Boots black IPA, plus the definition of “Aroma Dome.”

S1 Episode 3: The Green Team Apr 07, 2022

In which Zoe Malia, our Green Team leader and Sustainability Coordinator, and Tom Halstead, our former Green Team leader, talk about all things Sustainability. Come for tips on how you can build sustainable practices in any business, stay for Tom’s favorite movie to watch at a drive-in.

S1 Episode 2: Our Pilot Brewing System Apr 06, 2022

Patrick is obsessed with fermentation (his words). That would be Patrick Chavanelle, our Technical and R&D Brewer here at Allagash. In this episode, we got together to run through the process of how new beers are born, how everyone in the brewery is involved, and how (FUN FACT) you can harvest yeast off of a raspberry.

S1 Episode 1: One Million Pounds of Maine-Grown Grain Apr 06, 2022

We talk with our Brewmaster, Jason Perkins, and Senior Brewer, Branch Rothschild (until his wifi cuts out halfway through), about our pledge to brew with one million pounds of Maine-grown grain, per year, by 2021. Fun times were had talking about local grain, building beer recipes, and heading up to “the county” (Aroostook County, Maine).

Episode 0: Trailer Apr 04, 2022

We're the folks at Allagash Brewing Company and this is our podcast. It's all about beer, our community here in Maine, and things that generally make us happy. We hope you have as much fun listening to it as we do making it.

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