This string of Maine posts has surprised even me - and I was there - but who knew that by the Maine seacoast there was an excellent Belgian brewer like you find in more obvious spots like Quebec and in the leatherstocking region of New York? I thought I had picked up a 750 ml each of Allagash's white, dubbel reserve and triple reserve but had doubled my double by mistake, foresaking the white. I had had their white at Bull Feeney's in the Old Port and was mightily impressed but took no notes. I was also impressed to see that they make a dubbel and a dubbel reserve. Conscientious readers will recall that we like dubbels hereabouts.

The Allagasheen at their work

The Dubbel Reserve from Allagash is a classic: some boozey heat, a rich mahogany hue, sweet brown sugars and burlay funk. A bit light for a dubble at 7%, it is still a lot of beer for one bottle having as much of that organic chemical as about 3.5 regular brown pops. Say what you like, but it is all about the yeast strain when you are talking dubbles and this one is nice: chalky, nutmeg spicy, soy milk and vanilla. Sub-creamy. The front end is east Indian spicy, exotic seed at the first, moving to a glow suggesting chili. Between that and the yeast is a nice warm brown malt seam. Real nice dub.

A few weeks later, I popped the Allagash Triple Reserve after reading the Belgian Beer blog. This ale is quite bright with rocky but shallow head supported by quite active bubbling, attractive in an Orval glass. It is hot at 9% as a triple should be with a good candi and pale Belgian malt body up to the task. The brewery says:

This golden hued ale is marked by passion fruit and herbal notes in the aroma, with subtle suggestions of banana and honey surfacing from its deep and complex palate. The Tripel's finish is remarkably long and soothing.