Revolution: Novare Res

See, there's this hip new place tucked away in the Old Port, and the word of mouth is REALLY getting around. It's gone from "Nothin' to Somethin'" (title of a bad rap album by Fabolous) in just a couple weeks.

It is a place without equal, but maybe not for long, if anyone decides the revolution will continue at other bars.

"Novare Res, it's Latin to start a revolution," says owner Eric Michaud, who opened up shop two weeks ago. "It's just a little beer drinking revolution. I want to get people into better quality, craft-brewed beer because of all the crap that's out there."

This revolution brings with it 25 drafts, 250 bottles (some brews clock in over $40), a bunch of high-end tequila and scotch plus some light food. Novare Res also has a huge, 2000 square foot deck and a basement that mimics a European public house. Unfortunately, the bar also offers confusion.

Novare Res didn't plan to be so popular. My first visit, coming on the heels of the Old Port Festival, ended abruptly. Though it was packed with people, Michaud was shutting the bar down as I arrived. They had kicked kegs and run out of bottles, and the outdoor sign read, "Closing at 9 p.m. due to staff quality control."

So we went back on Tuesday (Monday: closed for maintenance) and things improved. Mainly, the bar was open. But confusion still abounded. It is going to take some time for the staff to become familiar with all their beers, especially which ones are currently in stock.

The first three of my five beer selections (more like guesses. I've never heard of most of the beers) were out of stock, and conspicuously, these were all beers on the less expensive side.

The current draft beer menu was handwritten because the printed one didn't reflect the tapped kegs. Ordering a draft required cross-referencing the two menus, increasing the complexity of an already difficult beer selection process.

There has to be a better way, maybe a large chalkboard or TV monitor listing available beers. By the time our beers were finally in hand, we had been sitting outside for 20 minutes.

I eventually went with a bottle of Smuttynose IPA that had some floaties in it ("I think it's some hyperactive yeast," our server said) but was drinkable. My lady friend went with Beamish, a close cousin of Guinness.

Trying out crazy new beers is great fun. The only places with a selection even close are Dewey's, Great Lost Bear and Local 188. The International Tap House on Fore Street should open soon, too.

"It sounds like they are pushing the envelope," Michaud said of his future competitor. "Being right there on the corner, we both might be pouring great beers next to each other."

Maine beer fans will likely scan up and down the beer list looking for their favorites. Shipyard, Sea Dog, Geary's, Gritty's...where are the Maine brews? The only one on the menu is Allagash.

"I wouldn't say Maine beer is great. There are plenty of breweries, but they're all doing the same thing," Michaud says. "Allagash branched out and is doing things different."

So if you need your Shipyard Export, skip Novare Res immediately. This place is more about discovering European beers (on the menu, Germany is abbreviated DEU for Deutsch) and beers from other states. And Michaud isn't importing the stuff straight from the Other Side; all the beers are available in Maine.

Soldiering on, I went with the Anchor Porter, which was so-so, and my lady friend tried the Einbecker Mai-Ur-Bock, which is like Heineken, but sweeter. It is so refreshing to see the different beers from across the land, the bottles they use and get a taste for how other cultures cope without Geary's Pale Ale. Even more wide-ranging than the tastes are the alcohol contents.

For example, Beamish Stout is at the low end of the spectrum, well under 5 percent alcohol. You could drink these gradually over time and stay reasonable. At the high end, you've got Dogfish Headfort 750 ml bottles. This Greek God of booze clocks in at $25 a bottle, and 18 PERCENT alcohol.

Drinking one of these is the equivalent of drinking half a bottle of Smirnoff. Cripes! Pay attention to the menu. Otherwise, you'll have to give Home Runners a call.

Novare Res is a great idea. The deck is beautiful and the location is tucked away, which helps keep the "riffraff out," as Michaud says. The beer selection is astounding, and truly encapsulates every different type of brew you can think of. But Novare Res still has some kinks to work out.

If Novare Res can tackle a couple of these issues, they will be a fixture in Portland for years and years. So give them some time, then hit 'em up.

(Whew, I just wrote 1000 words...a new record. There is a LOT to say about this bar)

Prices may have changed since this entry was posted.