Allagash Prince Tuesday
A couple of weeks ago, my in-laws stole away from the heat of the Virginia Summer for a quick trip to Maine. On their journey they stopped by Allagash Brewing and brought back with them a couple of tasty treats that ended up coming my way as a birthday gift. I don’t think you could ask for a better family to marry into. This is the first of the two bottles of beer from one of my favorite brewers that I would never be able to find here in northern Virginia.
Originally brewed for the 1st Annual Main Brewer’s Guild Festival in Boothbay, ME this Belgian IPA is a collaboration between Allagash Brewing, Rising Tide brewing and Maine Beer Company. Allagash provided the malt base and their proprietary yeast blend to the mix while Rising Tide brought locally grown rye and Main Beer Company brought the hops.
The end result is Prince Tuesday, an 8.1% ABV beer that has an assertive hop profile, yet is still quite drinkable and refreshing.
Appearance
A dense white crown of foam rests atop the straw colored liquid of Prince Tuesday.
Aroma
Peppery yeast, rye, citrus hops, grass, grain and a touch of malt sweetness all come together nicely. There’s no hint of the alcohol.
Taste
The flavors of this brew are pretty forward, attacking the tongue with plenty of earthy rye, grassy hops and fruity esters from the yeast strain. A crisp mouthfeel adds to the assertiveness of the beer and gives a bit of a sharpness to the hop bite that lingers for a good while after each sip. Medium bodied, with a slight warmth in the end, Prince Tuesday also has a touch of malt sweetness.
Overall
This is a tasty beer with a bold hop presence and an accompanying undercurrent of rye that adds nice depth. Despite the rather assertive nature of the beer, it’s still pretty darn drinkable which, at it’s alcohol level, can be on the dangerous side. It’s not often I get the opportunity to try special one-offs like this, but thank to my wife’s folks, I did just that — and enjoyed the hell out of the beer too.
Rating:4.25/5
