Bar Harbor Thunder Hole Ale

Thunder Hole is a landmark of distinction in Acadia National Park in Maine. The natural rock formation provides a cavern that waves crash into with such force that the result is a thunderous boom audible for quite a ways.  Maine weather can get rough (my friends and I have camped in ME several times, so we've had a taste) and the surf can get angry. So let's take this Thunder Hole Ale seriously, huh?
Unbelievably smooth brown ale with a little hoppiness up front, followed by a caramel and brown sugar earthy sweetness. The mouthfeel is a little bit astringent, with a coppery undertone that provides a mineral finish to the sip.

It's funny, but after hearing the description of Lazy Magnolia's brown ale as told at #Savor, the differences in brown ales have become much more distinguishable to me. The water that is used to brew an individual ale is paramount in deciding the brew's finish. Softer water (like they have down South) results in a mellower finale, while harder water brings about that mineralistic finish that you might be familiar with if you've enjoyed a Newcastle recently.

That being said, Bar Harbor Thunder Hole Ale is bigger and more full-bodied than Newcastle. It is overall a hearty ale with a roundness that makes it stand out from the crowd. If you see this beer anywhere, I would recommend you buy it.  It's worth buying, even if it's only available in a larger format.  You won't have any trouble handling a bomber by yourself.  I'm not sure what the abv% is, but my guess is that it's around 6% or so.  Big enough to provide richness and flavor, but not so big as to prevent a happy session of drinking.  Cheers!

Photo by Greg Hartford of AcadiaMagic.com

You can find out more about Thunder Hole and Acadia National Park at www.AcaciaMagic.com.  I highly recommend visiting Acadia... Plan your trip by visiting AcadiaMagic first!