BeerJunkie: Bissell Brothers Brewing ‘The Substance Ale’ IPA Review

'This is the kind of beer you don't let your dumb brother-in-law have.'

Written by Adam Ruggiero Aug 09, 2024 3:40 p.m. ET

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Ol’ Paulie Pabst is back with a vengeance on this week’s BeerJunkie review. If you haven’t had the pleasure of visiting Portland, Maine, and its bevy of brickroad breweries, you’re missing out! This New England destination somehow manages to be simultaneously trendy and quaint, and it punches well above its weight class with its craft beer offerings.

And what better place to start than with a brew Pabst says has a “Breaking Bad feel.” Tune in for a full rundown of Bissell Brothers Brewing’s flagship beer, The Substance Ale IPA — a heavyweight, 6.6% beer that somehow drinks mellower than its stats suggest.

Did you miss previous episodes? Check out GearJunkie’s full library of BeerJunkie beer reviews. And be sure to follow @ppabst34 and @thegearjunkie for more beer and gear reviews!

Adam Ruggiero

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Adam Ruggiero is the Editor in Chief of GearJunkie and host of the GearJunkie Podcast. He cut his teeth as a freelancer, and then news reporter for the site in 2015.

Along with founder Stephen Regenold and Editorial Director Sean McCoy, Ruggiero graduated from the University of Minnesota School of Journalism. He was the recipient of the 2022 Outdoor Media Summit “Editor of the Year” award, and regularly co-hosts the industry’s “Gear Guide” at both summer and winter Outdoor Retailer trade shows.

In addition to accurate and impartial news reporting, and compelling, original storytelling, his interests include camping in all climates and conditions, track cycling and bikepacking, all forms of fitness, the resplendent majesty of coffee, and sports of every kind.