Baxter Brewing Company

Let me be abrupt and upfront with everyone who reads this blog: Abby and I love beer. If you know us, then you know we like to try as many beers as we possibly can. I remember back in late 2010 and early 2011, I heard about a new beer company starting up in Lewiston. Baxter Brewing bought a part of the old Bates Mill Complex, rebuilt it, and started up a brewery. Some of you may be asking, what makes Baxter so special? It all comes down to one word: cans! Cans block sunlight from entering and ruining the great taste of beer. Their cans are airtight, so the flavors never weaken from sun exposure. Plus, they are very portable for outdoors activities, and more eco-friendly, as people are more likely to recycle aluminum.

Currently, Baxter has five beers: Pamola Extra Pale Ale, Stowaway IPA, Amber Road, Celsius (their summer ale), and Autumn Hay Ride. Recently, they announced a sixth beer, which will be a winter stout called Phantom Punch. Abby and I both agree that the Stowaway IPA is their best beer. Don't get me wrong; all of the other ales are great, but they just cannot beat the India Pale Ale. The beer is quite bitter, coming in at 69 IBU, or international bitter units. The beer starts off crisp with hints of citrus, followed by a hint of fruit at the end.

Recently, Baxter Brewing announced that they will be expanding beginning early next year because they cannot keep up with demand. They also have opened a tap room where you can go in grab a beer and a soft pretzel. Many people will overlook this great brewery because it is not located in Portland. Hop in your car (see what I did there?) and check out Baxter Brewing Company. They give amazing tours and at the end they will let you sample each one of their beers. At times, you can be a test subject for any future flavors they may have.

So all in all, go check out Baxter Brewing in Lewiston. It is a great young brewery, making great beers and offering a fun tour for all you beer fans!

Cheers!

Friday Picture Delight

George's Pizza

It wouldn't truly be Lewiston/Auburn week if we didn't cover George's Pizza. The place has an almost unbeatable reputation in the area, and consistently wins taste tests in the area (and is ranked #1!). They have also recently been named one of the best pizza places in Maine by Maine magazine. One bite of their pizza would give you a good idea as to why that is.

Now, I would like to make one disclaimer before you read any further: I am not very biased when it comes to pizza. I pretty much love it all. I dream about it. If I could eat pizza every day while still remaining healthy, I would do it in a heartbeat. With that said, I have also eaten my fair share of pizza, and I have a pretty discerning pizza nose.

Ok, end of disclaimer.

I can remember the first time I ate George's Pizza. Sean and I were visiting the area for the afternoon, and we stopped in for lunch. It was warm and cozy inside, and we sat in a red vinyl booth as we waited for our pizzas. Cars drove past the huge windows overlooking busy Center Street.

Then, our pizza arrived; warm, gooey, cheesy, with just the right amount of zest. The crust is one of the sturdiest I've ever experienced, which is great because you can pick up a slice and it won't flop down and dribble sauce and grease down your hand. It has a very satisfying sound when you tap the bottom as well, which you will of course want to do immediately (if you're me). The cheese is perfectly melted with beautiful brown spots bubbling on the surface. Really, what is better than golden brown, bubbly cheese? My favorite thing about George's pizza is that some of the cheese has made its way to the edge of the crust, and crust and cheese have fused into a deliciously crunchy bite.

George's provides you with a typical Maine pizza experience; it is very similar to a lot of our House of Pizza joints that are sprinkled throughout our towns, but in my opinion it is constructed a lot better. The interior of George's Pizza is, admittedly, not the most spectacular sight, but it gets the job done. George's also offers dinner baskets, pasta, and Italians (another uniquely Maine experience), but to be absolutely honest I have never tried any of them because the pizza is just too good. They do also offer a pizza buffet every Monday - Wednesday for only $6.80, and they have a great website where you can find their menu and coupons for special deals.

We are only on this planet for a very brief space of time. So really, get out there and start eating more pizza. Especially George's. What are you waiting for?

L/A River Walk

The Lewiston/Auburn river walk may not seem like your first destination in the area. But trust us when we say, rethink where you go first. The river walk is located behind Gritty's Brewpub and snakes along the bank of the Androscoggin River. It crosses the old Maine Central Railroad Bridge into Lewiston, and to fine establishments such as Fishbones and DaVinci's. A family could easily finish the riverwalk in under an hour. But check out the playground before crossing the bridge or bring a soccer ball to one of the parks.

If you start your walk near Gritty's, be prepared to see a few dozen ducks milling about around the bank of the river as you can see below.  As you progress further along the trail you can see remnants of the canal system used by many of the old mills in Lewiston. The trail perfectly blends together nature elements and art deco architecture from the turn of the century.

Ducks

A few more ducks

My favorite feature of the trail is the old Maine Central Railroad trestle that has been converted into a walking path. Although the railroad is gone now, it is a reminder for future generations that Lewiston/Auburn was once a rail hub of Central and Western Maine. Throughout the trail you will see sprinklings of railroad history. So be sure to check it out if you are a history buff!

Former railroad trestle

Last night, Abby and I took a walk at dusk and boy, was it worth it. The last vestiages of fall foliage were charming and in some cases still vibrant. We stopped on the railroad bridge and Abby took some lovely shots of the sunset and one of me because she was sneaky.

The L/A river walk is used quite a bit by locals, primarily as a site for exercising, crossing between the two cities, or just for the nice change of scenery and a break from everyday life. But as you can see from our pictures, it's a great spot for visitors to view the two cities from afar while also enjoying the outdoors. So don't forget about this hidden gem for your next visit!