Judge’s Review: 87 Rating – Maine Coast by Fogtown Brewing Co.

Session IPA | Year-Round | United States

By Michael Heniff

Judges Rating: 87
Aroma: 21
Appearance: 5
Flavor: 36
Mouthfeel: 9
Overall Impression: 16

Maine Coast by Fogtown Brewing Co. is a Session IPA and is being evaluated as a Specialty IPA (category 21B in the 2015 BJCP Beer Style Guidelines). Session IPAs are lower gravity (and hence lower alcohol content and lower calories) versions of IPAs that retain the same hop-forward aroma and flavor profile. Maine Coast is brewed with Maine-grown grains and is dry hopped with Ella, Mosaic and Citra hops.
Maine Coast pours dark golden in color with a slight haze and a huge off-white head. The aroma is of moderate hops of mango, citrus and pine with a light nutty maltiness. The flavor is moderately light nutty and grainy malt with an even balance of resiny and piney hops. The beer finishes moderately bitter with a moderate nutty and grainy maltiness that balances evenly with the moderate resiny and piney hops.
Maine Coast is a well-brewed hoppy ale, but this beer is a little malty for a Session IPA; the malt and hops are evenly balanced and the body is a little high for the style. The malt character of the beer is a little grainy, but that’s forgiven for being brewed with locally sourced grain. Enjoy this hoppy beer but think more American Pale Ale than Session IPA. Cheers!