To us, beer has a wonderfully refreshing quality. It’s fizzy, flavorful, and just that perfect balance between light and full-bodied that almost requires a satisfied “ahhhhhh” after every sip. Of course, not every beer is perfect for a warm summer day. Some are better suited for winter evenings by the fire, others for pairing with dinner. But in this blog, we’re thinking of the lighter, fizzy beers—the Pilsners, the saisons, the witbiers—that perfectly complement a warm day. What exactly are the individual parts that make up a satisfying, flavorful, and refreshing beer?

When it comes to innovating new beer, we rely on every single person that works at Allagash. It doesn’t matter if they’ve been at the company for ten days or ten years. That’s how our pilot system works: anyone at our brewery with an idea can propose the next big Allagash beer.

Ten years ago, we sent our employees their first Best Places to Work in Maine questionnaire. Spanning all aspects of our business—from emotional support to physical workspace to compensation and benefits—and all departments of our company, the questionnaire gave us an accurate picture of how employees felt about working at Allagash.

To answer the question technically, wort is a liquid solution of extracted grains, a sugar source which brewers create and then ultimately feed to beer yeasts. Non-technically, wort is sugary grain water.