Hike the River on October 30th

Join us on October 30th for the annual Hike the River at Sunday River. The hike starts at The Phoenix House and goes 2 miles up Sunday River's most beautiful trails.

Registration begins 10:00 AM with the hike starting at 11:00 AM.

100% of the funds raised will go to the Maine Cancer Foundation in support of Maine breast cancer research, education, and patient support.

All registrants will receive a Hike the River t-shirt!

Download a registration form by clicking HERE.

Entry fee is $25.00 and all participants are encouraged to collect pledges. Pledges are due at the hike. Make checks payable to Maine Cancer Foundation.

The hike is dedicated to the memory of Candace Forsley, sister of Hike the River's founder Fred Forsley. Diagnosed with breast cancer in 2003, Candace fought her illness with great courage. Even in her extreme illness, she made strides to reach out to others each and every day. Her optimism and happiness were contagious.

CellarMonk Beer

CellarMonk Beer is a relatively new beer website beer fans will want to check out and keep their eye on as it develops.

CellarMonk's motto: Revering life's liquid pleasures. You can also find the Monk on Facebook and Twitter:

Facebook: CellarMonk - Beer
Twitter: cellarmonkbeer

Cheers!

Alan Pugsley Returns from Brewing Shipyard Independence Ale

Shipyard Brewing Company’s Master Brewer, Alan Pugsley, has recently returned from his native England where he was brewing Shipyard’s Independence Ale at Banks’s Brewery (part of the larger Marston’s Beer Company family of breweries) in Wolverhampton, England.

Beginning on July 4th, over 500 of Marston’s brew pubs across the United Kingdom will be featuring Shipyard Independence Ale as a special collaborative guest beer.

The English, however, won’t be the only ones able to enjoy Shipyard Independence Ale. The brewers at Kennebunkport Brewing Company have brewed the same beer and plan to serve it during the month of July exclusively at Federal Jack’s Restaurant and Brew Pub in Kennebunk, the birthplace of Shipyard.

Shipyard Independence Ale is a blonde best bitter with a good hop bite and 4.2% alcohol by volume.

The idea for this collaborate beer stemmed out of Shipyard Brewing Company’s relationship with Marston’s. Pugsley, who is originally from Hampshire, England, moved to Maine in 1986 after working with Peter Austin at the world-famous Ringwood Brewery. Marston’s Beer Company now owns Ringwood and the brewery’s Old Thumper Extra Special Ale is brewed in the United States solely by Shipyard.

Whether you are rooting for the Stars and Stripes or the Union Jack in this year’s World Cup, one thing is certain, everyone can get around a good beer!

View more photos of Alan brewing in England HERE.

Audience Choice: Shipyard Best Local Brewery

Shipyard Brewing Company has been selected as Best Local Brewery in the Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram's 24th Annual Audience Readers' Poll. Cheers!

BEST LOCAL BREWERY -- SHIPYARD, PORTLAND

Shipyard is in a big old factory building on Newbury Street, so it fits the classic definition of a brewery. There are tours, and the place looks like Laverne and Shirley could have worked there.

The Anchorage At Sunapee Harbor To Host A Four Course Beer Dinner!

Join us on Tuesday, June 29th for a unique beer dinner sponsored by Shipyard Brewing. Serving on the famous outdoor deck, the exceptional staff at The Anchorage has really outdone themselves this time.
The special event will feature seared duck breast, scallops and crab cakes, as well as New Zealand Lamb Chops, (and that's just a start). All of the chef's creations will be paired with the perfect Shipyard Ale, (click on image to enlarge the full menu).

This promises to be a memorable night filled with outstanding food served in a lovely setting.
Incidentally, don't forget to leave room for dessert!

The toast begins at 6:30, with dinner promptly at 7:00. Reservations are a must, as a "sell out" is anticipated. Reserve your seat today by calling (603) 763-3334. The Anchorage at Sunapee Harbor is located at 71 Main Street in Sunapee, New Hampshire.

Down East Magazine: Shipyard is Maine's Best Beer

Shipyard Brewing Company has been voted Maine's Best Beer in Down East Magazine's annual Readers' Choice Awards.

Pick up the July issue of Down East or follow this link to view all the winners in this year's awards.

Best Beer
Shipyard, Portland
Readers decided that Maine’s largest brewery is also its best. Our appreciation for sudsmaster Alan Pugsley [Down East, May 2010] is no secret, either. 800-273-9253. www.shipyard.com

Keene, New Hampshire Dog Day's of Summer Pub Crawl

Join the crew from Shipyard Brewing Company on June 26th in Keene, New Hampshire for the "Dog Days of Summer Pub Crawl."

The event will hit 6 bars across Keene and proceeds will benefit the Monadnock Humane Society.

The bars on the crawl include:

• Lab N’ Lager 3:30-4:30
• Penuche’s 4:30-5:30
• Cobblestone 5:30-6:30pm
• McCue’s 6:30-7:30pm
• Vendetta 7:30-8:30pm
• Railroad 8:30-9:30pm
• Kil Kenney 9:30-10:30pm

We will see you at the first stop, The Lab N' Lager at 3:30 on the 26th!

St. John Brewers Bring A Tropical Taste to Three Dollar Dewey's.

St. John Brewer's Tropical Mango Pale Ale and Island Hoppin'IPA were showcased at a June 4th release party hosted by Shipyard and Three Dollar Dewey's.

Company owners Kevin Chipman and Chirag Vayas, (pictured above), were on hand for the event to answer questions about their upstart brewery as well as what life is like in The Virgin Islands.
Please refer to Friday May, 14th posting for the full back story.

The two entrepreneurs made appearances throughout southern Maine and New Hampshire to promote their island born brews. They claimed the turnout at Deweys was one of the largest, and the pair were were very grateful for the local support. Everyone on hand really enjoyed the beer.

The Company's products are brewed and bottled exclusively by Shipyard Brewing Co. in Portland. We wish Kevin and Chirag the best of luck as they grow their business. Cheers to you both!

I wonder if they would consider a return visit in February when we Mainers could desperately use a taste of the tropics?

Shipyard Brewing Company's Imperial Porter wins award at San Diego International Beer Festival

Second West Coast Award for this Maine-made Beer

PORTLAND, MAINE (June 9, 2010) – Shipyard Brewing Company’s Pugsley’s Signature Series Imperial Porter was awarded 3rd place in the Porter category at the San Diego County Fair’s 4^th annual San Diego International Beer Festival. Approximately 640 entries were judged from 15 states and 22 different countries.

More about the San Diego International Beer Festival can be found at this link.

The full list of San Diego International Beer Festival awards can be viewed at this link.

Imperial Porter is part of Shipyard’s award-winning Pugsley’s Signature Series which is named after Shipyard’s master brewer, Alan Pugsley. This is a full bodied, very dark, malty beer with a good roasted character. Imperial Porter has an OG of 1.070, rounding out after fermentation with just a slight residual sweetness and cutting dry at the finish.

Malt: Crystal, Chocolate and Black Patent

Hops: Warrior, English Fuggles, and East Kent Goldings

OG: 1.070

ABV: 7.1%

Other awards for this beer include a silver at the 2010 Australian International Beer Awards and a 2^nd place award in the porter category at the 2009 West Coast Brewers Festival.

In 2007, Shipyard Brewing Company took home three awards from the San Diego International Beer Festival, including Best of Show for Shipyard Export Ale.

Shipyard Brewing Company is located on the historic waterfront in Portland, Maine and produces more than a dozen varieties of award-winning English-style ales. Its products are distributed in over 35 states.

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Senator John Tester, stops in to "test" Shipyard Ales.

The staff that runs shipyard's gift shop and brewery tours were visited recently by Senator Jon Tester and his wife Sharla. Senator Tester is a Democrat from Montana, and was in the area to lend his support to some candidates running for various offices in New Hampshire and Maine.

The Testers were quite interested in the brewing process, for when the Senator is not in D.C., they operate an organic farm in their home state growing wheat, barley, and other grains used in the brewing of fine ales. Interestingly, the land they farm was homesteaded by Senator Tester's grandparents nearly 100 years ago.

The Senator claimed that he hadn't found a brew around Washington that he really likes. Regarding his reaction to Shipyard's selection, he liked Blue Fin Stout, but overall I would say Old Thumper has a new fan.

Shipyard Brewing Wins Two Australian International Beer Awards

PORTLAND, MAINE (June 4, 2010) – Shipyard Brewing Company received two awards at the 2010 Australian International Beer Awards (AIBA) in Melbourne, Australia. AIBA is the showcase awards event in the Asia Pacific Region and, this year, 1,170 entries were received from 243 breweries across 34 countries.

Shipyard Brewing Company’s XXXX IPA was awarded a Bronze for Class 03-Ale Packaged and Imperial Porter gained a Silver for Class 05-Porter Packaged.

Both these beers are part of Shipyard’s award-winning Pugsley’s Signature Series line of beers which is named after Shipyard’s master brewer, Alan Pugsley.

XXXX IPA is a non-traditional American IPA with a brilliant copper color and the classic citrus nose of Cascade Hops. This beer demonstrates a unique balance of malt-inspired, delicate red grapefruit sweetness and lingering hop dryness. In 2009, XXXX IPA won Silver Awards at the United States Open Beer Championships and Stockholm Beer & Whiskey Festival. This beer pairs well with Cajun dishes, blackened fish, and BBQ.

Malt: Malted Wheat, Pale Ale, Crystal, and Caramalt
Hops: Cascade, Warrior, Summit and Glacier
70 IBUs
OG: 1.092
ABV: 9.25%

Imperial Porter is a full bodied, very dark, malty beer with a good roasted character. The beer has an OG of 1.070, rounding out after fermentation with just a slight residual sweetness and cutting dry at the finish. In 2009, Imperial Porter took home a 2nd place Porter award at the West Coast Brewers Festival. This beer pairs well with meat dishes, shepherd's pie, and stews.

Malt: Crystal, Chocolate and Black Patent
Hops: Warrior, English Fuggles, and East Kent Goldings
OG: 1.070
ABV: 7.1%

Shipyard Brewing Company’s Chamberlain Pale Ale took home Bronze and Silver medals at the Australian International Beer Awards in 2007 and 2008.

Shipyard Brewing Company is located on the historic waterfront in Portland, Maine and produces more than a dozen varieties of award-winning English-style ales. Its products are distributed in over 35 states.

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A Central Maine Brewers Festival.

Memorial Day has come and gone, so we now begin, (unofficially), Maine's Outdoor Festival Season. There will be many to choose from,
BUT, this celebration deserves your full attention.

They're calling it A Taste at The Top, for the event is being held on "Point Lookout" in Northport, Maine on Saturday, July 24th, and man it looks like fun.


Sponsored by Maine brewers and vintners, the event offers samples from the state's premier micro-breweries and wineries,(too many to mention here), gourmet food, and live music in a spectacular mountain setting. Check out http://www.centralmainebrewfest.com/ for all the info you need, including directions, and a list of vendors that are selling tickets now!
You may also email for tickets: tickets@centralmainebrews.com.
I've already got mine, and the lounge chairs are in the trunk. I can't think of a better way to spend a long summer Saturday outdoors in Maine, can you?
Hope to see you all there.