Definitive Brewing
35 Industrial Way
Portland ME 04103
Located next to the Beermuda Triangle as I like to call it (Battery Steele, Austin Street and Foundation), right across the street from Allagash, is a standalone building that houses Definitive Brewing. Definitive boasts a big variety of flavors and offers a really inviting, wide open tasting room with a full view of the brewing floor. They're dog-friendly so on this day we met a slew of adorable four-legged pals, and there's a bookcase full of board games to keep you busy (I lost at Jenga but was victorious at the old-school game Shoot the Moon, where you have to manipulate a ball bearing uphill across two metal rails - I made it to Jupiter).
Famous Portland landmark Holy Donuts had a table that day, so we tried a couple of their tasty offerings as well. These are decadent donuts, folks.
But I'm no donut expert, I'm here to talk about beer. Definitive lets you order full pours or flights, so we split a double-flight of eight beers, allowing us to try all but the two sours on tap; sour beers are not our thing, sadly. Let's hit it....
Definitive IPA (6.7%): Definitive Ale is our signature IPA dry hopped with Pacific Northwest and Australian hops and is bursting with tropical fruit flavors and aromas.
JB: I liked this one a lot. A juicy, balanced IPA with some nice citrusy tanginess.
Contee Kolsch Ale (4.6%): Our take on the regional classic from Cologne, Germany. Brewed with heaps of German and local malts and fermented for many moons at cooler temperatures providing a lager-like ale that is crisp, clean and refreshing.
JB: A very easy-drinking ale that tastes like a lager, with none of the sour aftertaste you sometimes get with beers of this type.
Fallstreak (7.4%): Fallstreak! In weather terms, it’s a rare cloud formation. This beer is a rare formation of hops; Citra, Galaxy and Nelson. Tastes like fulfilled expectations. It presents aromas of pineapple flesh, piña coladas and getting caught in the rain.
JB: This was another juicy, balanced IPA with the citra hops taking center stage. Quite nice.
Orbit (8.1%): The first of our anniversary beers is ORBIT, an 8.1% Double IPA with sabro, citra, and mosaic hops! Orbit tastes and smells like smashed coconuts, the first rains of summer, and fresh squeezed organic pineapples.
JB: This was very tropical tasting but slightly more bitter than the previous two IPAs. Still enjoyable.
Insensitive (7%): Insensitive is our evolving IPA series featuring different yeast & hops.
Version #6: Now the sixth iteration of our pillowy 7% DDH IPA, this time hopped with Mosaic and El Dorado. This batch tastes and smells like melon balls, tiny umbrella cocktails, and watermelon gummy worms.
JB: Yet another juicy IPA but with earthy tones. More complex than the others.
Stuffed (7.2%): Stuffed is our Double Milk Stout conditioned on chocolate sandwich cookies! Stuffed smells and tastes like an elaborate and expensive order at your favorite ice cream place, chocolate truffles, and vanilla frosting.
JB: I loved this one. It was like drinking Oreos out of a glass; super rich and desserty with the chocolate and vanilla competing for attention. This would be perfect for a cold rainy day.
Vanilla Superdome (9%): The fifth iteration of our Vanilla Dome series checks in at a rich 9% ABV. This edition of our Milkshake Double IPA was brewed with vanilla sugar, an extra dose of real vanilla beans, and lactose, producing a dreamy dessert-like experience for your palate. VANILLA SUPERDOME tastes and smells like orange julius, gently melting vanilla bean ice cream, and a shortbread cookie bakery at dawn.
JB: Who ever heard of a vanilla IPA? This boasted a really interesting combination of flavors, with tons of vanilla but a little bit of creamsicle.
Distant Gardens (8%): Distant Gardens is our double dry-hopped double IPA hopped exclusively with Southern Hemisphere hops. Distant Gardens smells and tastes like cotton candy grapes, orange juice with extra pulp, and melted melon sorbet.
JB: We finished the flight with another DIPA that for me was similar to Insensitive - juicy but with a bit of earthiness to it.
Another successful visit in our Portland beer tour, Definitive offers a good variety of beers and a really fun, relaxed picnic atmosphere. Plus if you like dogs you'll be right at home!
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