(Portland, ME) – The latest update from Gritty McDuff’s, courtesy of Thursday’s email newsletter…

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PORTLAND

Noonan’s Wee Heavy is on tap in Portland

Take 2 brewers from the Vermont Pub & Brewery; mix with 2 brewers from Gritty’s Portland Brew Pub. Add some peat smoked barley from VT; imported dry-aged hop flowers from the UK and pure Sebago Lake water from Maine; then age for a month or more and you get one of the most unique and strong small batch ales Gritty’s has ever done: Introducing “Noonan’s Wee Heavy.” Ed Stebbins, Gritty’s brew master and brewer Shane Noble, teamed-up with Steve Polewacyk, the owner of the Vermont Pub & Brewery and Russ Fitzpatrick, head brewer from the VPB to create this 8% Scottish style ale. On tap now, but going fast.

New beers on tap this summer:

Nuptial Ale (coming around the first or second week in June) A true English Style Mild. This beer is darker in color than Pub Style, but lighter than Red Claws. Its flavor is described as malty and low in alcohol content (4.2% abv). As part of our 25th year I have been bringing back old recipes from the past. This was one of our most popular beers about 15 years ago.

Raspberry Wheat Ale another beer that was very popular in past years. We have decided to brew & serve “Razzy” for the entire summer in Portland! Look for this beer to go on tap right after the Old Port Festival. Once again this is a session beer that features a lovely straw color and a nice raspberry flavor that is not too overpowering. We add pureed raspberries to the beer during fermentation & this helps reduce the sweetness but the flavor remains. This is a great beer for folks who are new to craft beer.

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AUBURN

Brewer Jay has been busy all winter aging a selection of our BIG BEERS in decanted Bourbon Barrels from the Heaven Hill Distillery in Kentucky. Look for Bourbon Barrel aged SOS, Big Blonde and IPA to be pouring at the pub all month long! These are going to be big, strong beers with intense flavors! They will be sold in 12 OZ glasses at the regular pint price. Sorry but Pitchers and Growlers of these beers will not be available for purchase at the pub.