I've been drinking and writing about beer professionally since 2006. Every year, without fail, I ask myself: What are my desert island beers?
In this tropical scenario, I'm stranded on an island with only three of my favorite beers. Two slots rotate between hop bombs, crisp lagers, and bold abbey ales. But one beer has remained in my lineup for years: Allagash White.
It wasn't easy for Allagash to earn its place. Today's beer aisles are an embarrassment of riches that include world-class craft options like Firestone Walker Pivo, St. Bernardus Abt 12, and Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. Sierra Nevada, for instance, is the quintessential American pale ale that's been subtly tweaked to perfection since brewer Ken Grossman's first batch 1980. But depending on my mood, I might reach for Three Floyds Zombie Dust or Carton Boat Beer to scratch my hoppy itch instead.
In the Belgian witbier style, however, Allagash White stands above the competition. Other world-class witbiers certainly exist. St. Bernardus makes a sublime option in Belgium, and Hitachino’s Nest Ale is superb when in Japan, but both must travel over oceans to reach my glass, losing character along the way. Allagash White, which is brewed in Maine, is more accessible to me and much fresher when I drink it.
Matt Allyn
Its greatness is backed by history. Since its 1995 debut, Allagash White has won 18 medals at the three biggest beer competitions in the world: the Great American Beer Festival, World Beer Cup, and European Beer Star. When I contacted Allagash to check that number, they made sure I knew that no other wheat beer—Belgian-style or not—had ever won that many medals. I wasn’t surprised.
Allagash White checks many boxes. It's crisp and thirst-quenching. It has enough body to let me know I'm not drinking seltzer but not so much that I feel like I just drank a cookie. It’s also among the most complex beers that’s widely available. At its base are gentle layers of oats, wheat, and barley. Then, the natural spice profile of Belgian-style yeast blends with added coriander and orange peel. While some breweries add too much spice—which tastes as subtle as a kick to the shin—Allagash keeps it gentle.
That's not easy to pull off. Belgian ale yeast is particularly capricious and challenging for scores of brewers. If the water pH is a little off, or more likely, the fermentation temperature isn’t quite right, it won’t produce the defining clove and light fruit aromas and flavors. At worst, unhappy Belgian yeast delivers a beer that smells like Band-Aids and tastes no better.
In a market dominated by IPAs, Allagash White isn’t a particularly hoppy pick for an all-time beer. Although it’s made with a blend of American and Czech hops, their herbal oils serve to expand the verdant citrus character. Thankfully, I have two more desert island beers to get my lupulin fix.
Unfortunately, Allagash White isn't available everywhere, and for that, I apologize. Based in Portland, ME, Allagash distributes to 22 states from coast to coast. If it hasn’t reached your beer aisle, grab a case on your next road trip, book a ticket to Portland to taste it at the source, or find me on my desert island. I'll happily share.
Related: I've Tried Hundreds of Craft IPAs. This Cheap, Easy-to-Find Beer Is My Go-to in a Pinch
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