2 O'Clock Tasting: 
Peak Organic Brewing Company

Updated on March 30, 2016

Back in the 1990s, when organic foods were generally associated with hippies and bland versions of "the good stuff," brewer Jon Cadeaux set out to combine beer and sustainability without sacrificing flavor. Brewing with local, organic ingredients, Cadeaux found that not only did the beer taste better, but that the possibilities of brewing organic were virtually limitless.

Now based in Portland, Maine, Peak Organic still utilizes local and organic ingredients in each of their innovative brews and has even helped Maine farmers cultivate organic commercial hops, something that hasn't been done since 1880. How's that for community service? We've decided to take on the arduous task of tasting their beers for you. Thank us later.

1. Pale Ale

   5.1% ABV

   Marigold-colored with a light caramel sweetness in both aroma and taste, this pale ale could easily be mistaken for a slightly hoppy kolsch. It's light in body and balanced out by moderate hopping - much like a German and American pale ale combined.

2. IPA

   7.2% ABV

   This IPA is similar to the pale ale in terms of color, but with a very pleasant hop character in both scent and taste. Well-balanced and not overly bitter, it has the flavor of a true IPA, but with a hint of pine; think summer in the woods, or what a baseball bat factory probably smells like.

3. Nut Brown

   4.7% ABV

   This brew looks, tastes and smells like, well, a nut. Teak-colored with a nutty, pecan-like scent, this beer has a malty scent and up-front sweetness but bitter finish. As for body, it's surprisingly light and easy drinking, despite its appearance. The balance, however, is great - instead of tasting like a liquid pecan, the drinking experience is similar to that of eating nuts in a room full of hops, or vice versa.

4. Winter Session

   5% ABV

   This mahogany-colored beer does have the pine and smoky aromas befitting a winter beer, but in terms of drinking, it's probably more appropriate for a southern Christmas. With a nice hop bouquet in the aroma and hints of winter spice in taste, it's actually quite light in body and easy to drink. However, it's less a beer you'd have a hankering for on a cold day and more appropriate as a spring/fall session beer. Unless you live in the south or on the west coast, that is, where winter weather is just as pleasant as an East Coast September.

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