Allagash – Haunted House Hoppy Dark Ale 2016 & Hoppy Table Beer

Allagash Brewing Company is bringing something new to the table. For the first time since 2014, the Portland, Maine-based brewery has added a new four-pack to its year-round roster: Hoppy Table Beer. This dry hopped Belgian-style ale features a hop-forward aroma with notes of grapefruit, while flavors of pine, citrus, and stone fruit round out its finish.

“Table beers are a traditional, less-known, Belgian-style beer,” said Jason Perkins, Brewmaster at Allagash Brewing Company. “We’re really excited to be able to share this beer with people year round.” Hoppy Table Beer will appear in 12 oz. bottles and draft and release to all of Allagash Brewing Company’s areas of distribution.

Traditionally, table beers were brewed to be low in ABV (1.5-3%) yet still flavorful enough for everyday drinking. Tafelbier, as it’s called in Flemish, has traditionally been enjoyed during mealtimes. “We basically took a semi-obscure Belgian style and super-sized it,” said Perkins. “Hoppy Table Beer is inspired by Belgian tradition, but it’s a hybrid American style.”

“We knew we wanted to use coriander,” Perkins continued. “It’s a key ingredient in Allagash White, our flagship beer. Then we added Maine-grown organic oats, which gives Hoppy Table Beer its silky body. We also ferment the beer with Belgian yeast for fruit and citrus notes.” The ABV is a touch higher than tradition, coming in at 4.8% ABV. The beer is brewed with four different hops (Chinook, Cascade, Comet, Azacca), then dry hopped again, which gives the beer its piney citrus notes.

Zach Bodah, Quality Manager at Allagash Brewing Company, describes the beer as “hop-forward with an aroma that’s full of grapefruit. Flavors of pine and stone fruit balance the beer’s clean, refreshingly bitter finish.”

“A huge part of Belgian tradition is using different ingredients and brewing methods to create new flavors,” said Rob Tod, Allagash Brewing Company’s founder. “I really believe that’s what Hoppy Table Beer is, a new beer made from age-old Belgian tradition.”