5 minute read
Brew Review “A Toast to Munjoy Hill”
A Toast to Munjoy Hill
A tasting tour of Oxbow Blending and Bottling.
More than 200 years ago off the coast of Maine, a bloody sea battle marked by thundering cannon fire took the lives of two rival
BY PETE LYONS
naval commanders: America’s William Ward Burrows II, 27, and England’s Samuel Blyth, 28. The two—immortalized in the Longfellow poem “My Lost Youth” and honored by the Portland cocktail bar Blyth & Burrows—are buried side by side in Portland’s Eastern Cemetery in a pairing as uneasy as some of the couples we meet
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on Portland Maine Walking Tours—one thirsting for more of our fair city’s 400-year history, the other just thirsty. Happily Portland’s blessed with more breweries per capita than any city in the country, so for anybody wondering, “Where’s the beer?” the answer’s usually “Right here!”
PERFECT HIDEAWAY
Just north on Washington Avenue, tucked away at the end of a short alley, Oxbow Blending & Bottling and the Duckfat Frites Shack share Oxbow’s beautiful beer garden in a much more comfortable pairing. Oxbow’s refurbished warehouse space straddles the brewery/brewpub line with picnic tables appropriately spread out for COVID safety, art on the walls, a wellstocked bar, barrels of oak and steel filled with aging beer, and a performance space for their frequent musical guests, like Crunk Witch on April 14 and Kat Wright on April 21. Outside there are more tables, a fire pit, and the walk-up Frites Shack window. Despite both companies’ homages to Belgium and France, the eating and drinking is, at its soul, pure Portland.
To work up an appetite, take a walk! Munjoy Hill is just steep enough to get the heart pumping, and the stunning view from Fort Allen Park is guaranteed to take your breath away. It feels like you can see the battle site where Blyth and Burrows met their demises. (You can’t—it was even out of range for Captain Lemuel Moody’s telescope atop the Portland Observatory.)
WORTH A DETOUR
Oxbow is the gateway to, and arguably the anchor of, all things Inner Washington. Once industrial, Washington Avenue now features some of the best food and drink options in New England. The walk between Eastern Cemetery and the I-295 on-ramp passes by gin (Hardshore Distilling Company), mead (Maine Mead Works), and mixed spirits (Maine Craft Distilling); an oyster bar (The Shop); an ever-changing and ever-acclaimed Vietnamese restaurant (CÔNG TỬ BỘT); hard cider (Anoche); James Beard-honored pizza (Radici); world-class Tex-Mex BBQ (Terlingua); and Japanese pub grub (Izakaya Minato), among other five-star options.
beat of another New England poet, Robert Frost, who wrote of the road less traveled. In an era of ultra-hoppy IPAs, Oxbow mostly eschews these for Belgian-style saisons and other farmhouse-style beers. Oxbow’s flagship brew is the Farmhouse Pale Ale, a saison with a bit of a kick that features American hops and saison yeast. It’s thirst-quenching and extremely drinkable. Missing the taste of bread in a can since B&M left town? Oxbow’s flavorful Brown Bread darkfarmhouse ale has hints of molasses and nuttiness like its namesake. The Space Cowboy, a bière du pays (French farmhouse ale) brewed with oats, is light, a bit fruity, and very drinkable. Seaworthy is a bit more full-bodied, and may be as close as Oxbow comes to the tang of an American IPA.
Beyond their commitment to European-style farmhouse beers, Oxbow blends a wonderful range of beers running the gamut from sweets to sours, fruity or smoked, with stops along the way at savory and umami. In addition, they pour beer from other breweries, and offer wine, ciders, and canned cocktails.
TO THE FRENCH, FRIES ARE BELGIAN
There really is something for everyone, and Duckfat Frites Shack, overseen by James Beard Awardwinning chef Rob Evans, provides the perfect food pairings. The eponymous fries, poutine, and shakes are spectacular, and there are daily sandwich and salad specials with vegetarian options. On a recent winter night, a Mushroom Melt with cheddar and caramelized-onion mayo, and the Vermonter Sandwich—turkey, smoked cheddar, pickled apples, and maple mayo—really hit the spot.
The downside to Oxbow’s near-perfect location? Parking can be a bit of a challenge at busy times. Once you find a spot, take a stroll to enjoy the world-class view from the Eastern Prom, or drop down to the East End Beach and put your toe in the water. If you end the adventure at Oxbow and Duckfat, you’ll get a sense of why Portland’s foodie and craft-beer scene is as acclaimed as it is. n
Portland Maine Walking Tours explore Portland’s back alleys and beautiful panoramas on foot. In our new Brew Review column, tour guides Pete Lyons, Jeff Lyons, and Jason Singer review Portland’s breweries with a dash of history. Cheers!
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