Maine Beer Mean Old Tom

Brewed By: Maine Beer Company in Freeport, Maine

Purchased: 1 pt .9 fl. oz (16.9oz) bottle bought at Binny's in IL; 2013 (bottled on 10/29/13)

Style/ABV: American Stout, 6.5%

Reported IBUs: ?

And now for part two. About the Maine Beer Company:

The Maine Beer Company is a brewery based out of Freeport, Maine, founded in 2012. The brewery focuses on American-style ales, with an emphasis on fresh beer intended to be consumed fresh. For more info, check out the brewery's website. 

The Mean Old Tom is not a racial epithet, and is actually an American Stout/Porter/thing. Brewed with a malt base of American 2-Row, Chocolate, Roasted Barley, Midnight Wheat, Caramel 40L, and Flaked Oats; and featuring US Magnum and Centennial hops; this beer punches in at 6.5% and is aged on vanilla beans. 

Maine Beer Mean Old Tom

The beer pours into a black body that has some ruby red tones. Such tones. The beer also kicks up three fingers of magnificent, ice cream float-like head. The head is a nice khaki/tan color, and leaving lacing as it drops off. Bright light confirms much of the same.

It seems like not often that I indulge in a non-Imperial Stout/Porter, and I'm happy to say the aroma here is good. I'm getting rich vanilla, vanilla bean, Porter-like-roast, coffee, dusty/powdery cocoa, and some caramel and toast. The vanilla really stands out.

This tastes pretty good, with lots of coffee, bitter chocolate, cocoa, some creamer, and tons of vanilla. You also get quite a bit of roast with some hints of toasted bread and biscotti, and lots of caramel sweetness. Hints of nutty, like a Brown Ale.

For a drinkable, affordable, 6.5% Stout...I'm already leaning towards a light above average. I really think the vanilla and coffee in here elevates what would otherwise be a very simple Stout/Porter into something memorable and worth stocking. Palate depth and complexity are both solid, and the mouthfeel is medium-full. The beer is supported by nice carbonation, and rounds out with tons of bitter coffee and roast. It's light, but robust. You get coffee, vanilla, and bitter chocolate up front; that rolls into more vanilla, some roast, dense body; the back end trails coffee, throws in the toast 'n' roast, and finishes dry and attenuated. Simple in the best ways possible.

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

This is a Light Above-Average. As I just said, a memorable, lower-ABV Stout/Porter drink. Super drinkable, and only smells. The best smells. You can pair this beer with a burger, a steak, coffee braised anything, chocolate and coffee desserts, or breakfast. Actually, pairing this beer with some chocolate chip pancakes and home made chocolate syrup sounds pretty effing fantastic. Will consider.

Random Thought: This is so much better than Shipyard. Come at me, Maine bros.