| Industry | Alcoholic beverage |
|---|---|
| Founder(s) | Rob Tod |
| Headquarters | Portland, Maine, United States |
| Products | Beer |
| Production output | 4800 barrels/year |
| Owner(s) | Rob Tod |
| Website | www.allagash.com |
Allagash Brewing Company is an American brewery located in Portland, Maine.
Founded in 1994 by Rob Tod, Allagash sold its first batch of beer in the summer of 1995. Tod had been working in breweries around the U.S. and recognized a void in the craft brewing movement. While both German and British styles had become prevalent throughout the country, Belgian-style beers were very difficult to find. He established a small 15 barrel brewery initially and began brewing Allagash White, modeled after Belgian Wit beer. This style of beer gets its unique flavor from the use of wheat in place of barley as well as the addition of Curaçao orange peel, coriander and other spices.
All of the beers Allagash produces are bottle conditioned. The technique calls for two fermentations, the first in the fermenting tanks and the second in the bottle itself (a process known as the methode champenoise).
Before the beer is bottled, a small amount of yeast and sugar is added and a second fermentation occurs. It is this second fermentation which produces a notable increase in carbonation, a softer feel and remarkable complexity. This method of bottle conditioning leaves a small amount of yeast in the bottle, creating what is known as a "living" beer.
Allagash is currently distributed in over 20 states in the US. Though it no longer brews the Summer Ale it has expanded its portfolio to include a barrel aged series of beers and a tribute series of beers. The barrel aged beers include: Curieux, Odyssey and Musette. Allagash's tribute series of beers, through which they donate $1 from each bottle of beer sold to a Maine organization, includes: Victor, Victoria, Hugh Malone and Fluxus. Allagash also has a beer, Interlude, that is brewed with their own proprietary yeast strain.
CLASSIC ALLAGASH
BARREL-AGED BEERS
TRIBUTE SERIES
SERIE D' ORIGINE
COLLABORATION
COOLSHIP SERIES -A coolship is a large shallow pan used to cool wort overnight using outside air temperature. During the cooling process, naturally occurring yeast from the air inoculates the wort. In the morning, the cooled wort is transferred into barrels where the fermentation process begins.