Tasting

A glass of Allagash White starts with the look. The beer is pale yellow and milky hazy, topped with a fine-pored white head. On the nose come orange peel and coriander, on the palate a light sweetness from the wheat and a fresh, almost dry finish. Bitterness is barely perceptible.

A tulip glass or a tall wheat-beer glass suits it well, holding the foam and concentrating the aromas. Serving temperature sits between four and seven degrees Celsius—cool, but not ice-cold, so the spices don't disappear. Anyone opening a bottle with yeast sediment should pour it clear first, then swirl the rest in.

Coolship Resurgam calls for more patience. The beer is more complex, tart and lightly woody, and served too cold it shuts down. Ten to twelve degrees Celsius is a good starting point. A small glass is enough, since the acidity demands attention even in modest quantities.

Geary's Pale Ale and Shipyard Export are far more straightforward in the glass. Both are malt-forward, amber-colored, and drink easily, with notes of bread, caramel, and gentle hop spice. They're usually served in a pint glass, which holds 473 milliliters by US measure, at eight to ten degrees Celsius. That's warmer than for a pilsner, allowing the malt aromas to come through.

In Portland's taprooms, beers are poured straight from the tap, often into small tasting glasses. Those doing a comparison start with the palest beer and finish with the strongest. The water in between isn't just courtesy—it helps reset the palate.