Saturday’s Press Herald reported on the impact the pandemic is having on craft beer sales.
With bars, restaurants and taprooms closed, Mainers are making sure they have plenty of liquor while they stay at home to slow the spread of the coronavirus. But the shift is coming at a cost to craft breweries.
Maine restaurants are now allowed to sell draft beer to go, as part of a Growlers To Go order.
Growlers to go must be accompanied by a food order and be tapped from kegs restaurants already had on hand.
Boston magazine reports that Definitive Brewing is expanding to Kittery.
For Definitive Brewing Company, the past month has been a rollercoaster. The almost-2-year-old brewery has temporarily closed its Portland, Maine taproom, and completely changed its business model to focus on to-go sales and home delivery in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. The owners have also continued to oversee buildout of a second Definitive location in Kittery, which cofounder and CEO Michael Rankin expects to open soon after the government allows businesses to reopen.
The Press Herald has published a report on an ongoing collaboration among breweries, distilleries and UMaine to produce hand sanitizer for Maine hospitals.
Breweries in southern Maine have been donating the base stock of fermented liquid – beer – and distillers have been refining it until the alcohol reaches the necessary potency. Chemical engineers at UMaine mix the alcohol with hydrogen peroxide and glycerol, and then the university distributes the final product to hospitals.
All Together is a collaboration beer being produced by brewers around the world with a common recipe and labeling to raise money to support hospitality professionals.
All Together is a worldwide, open-ended beer collaboration created to raise support for the industry we love so much. It’s an effort to raise awareness and provide relief, even in the smallest way, to those who are struggling. We’re inviting any brewer, from any corner of the planet to participate. The recipe is open source, the artwork is public, and the name is yours to use. The goal is to provide you with the tools to make the beer at the lowest possible cost.
Maine brewers participating in the project include:
The Brew Bus has announced a merger with Dave’s Travel and Events from Sydney, Australia. The newly formed joint company, Vestigo Travel Group, have also announced plans to purchase a majority stake in the North Carolina firm Brews Cruise which was founded in 2006 and “licenses brewery tour operators around the United States, with nine current locations in cities such as Asheville, Boise, Charlotte, Denver, and Raleigh.”
The Brew Bus was founded in Portland in 2012 and now runs tours in Maine, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Dave’s Travel and Events “was originally founded as Dave’s Brewery Tours in Sydney, Australia in 2014, and has grown to become the largest provider of tours and activities in Sydney.”
“We have always wanted to work together in some way since we met at a beer tourism conference several years ago,” said Zach Poole[, founder of The Brew Bus]. “Dave has quickly become part of the Portland community and we have plans to create new opportunities not only here in Maine but in other parts of the country.”
Today’s Sunday Telegram reports on the focus on sustainability of Maine’s craft breweries.
But overall, Maine’s craft breweries have embraced sustainable management of their breweries, to reduce or reuse waste and limit pollution. The state’s biggest brewery, Portland’s Allagash Brewing Co., has adopted practices so it uses only 4 gallons of water to make a gallon of beer – about half the national average.
“The type of person who decides to get into craft beer, there is a high likelihood they care about their community and the earth,” said Allagash head brewer Jason Perkins.
But it’s not just an environmental ethos that drives craft brewers to adopt “green” practices. It often also makes sound financial sense.
Mast Landing (website, facebook, instagram) has expanded with a new 20,000 square foot facility located on Saco Street in Westbrook that has begun production this month. The new brewery will more than double their production capacity from 4,500 to 11,000 barrels of beer.
…outfitted with a 30bbl brewhouse and a set of 13 fermentation vessels of varying sizes. Mast Landing’s new production-only location sits on Saco St. in Westbrook, just over a mile away from their HQ on Main Street. The brewery’s original location will continue to house their popular tasting room as well as specialized mixed fermentation and wild ale projects, while the bulk of the brewing and packaging heads down the street.
The new building won’t immediately be open to the public, “but down the road it could open up opportunities for tours, tastings, and other unique experiences.” In addition to the new building, Mast Landing also plans a renovation of the tasting room at their original location on Maine Street in Westbrook in the future.
For latest episode of the Food Coma Podcast host Joe Ricchio talked with Rob Tod, founder of Allagash Brewing Co.
He has been consistently one of the most prolific brewers in the country since he founded his business in 1995, and he received the 2019 James Beard Award for Outstanding Wine, Beer, and Spirits Producer. Both Rob and I have fond memories of the ’90s, especially in regard to Portland, but quite varied experiences.
This is the jumping-off point, and topics range from beer (obviously) to FroYo to my life as a teenager who looked like he was 35. Sometimes I get so damn excited to discuss the 90’s that I can barely complete a sentence. Sometimes we drink Allagash White. Sometimes it’s hard to believe how much Rob has accomplished thus far in his impressive career.
Mast Landing and Guster are collaborating to produce On the Ocean, a pale ale that will be released August 9th in time for a weekend of concerts by Guster taking place in Portland.
“We’re thrilled to brew another collaboration beer with Guster for On The Ocean weekend this year,” said Parker Olen, Co-owner of Mast landing Brewing Co. “Last year was a blast and everyone loved the beer, so we knew we had to brew a new beer for 2019. We’re also stoked to have the collaboration beer available in more places throughout Portland and Maine this year, including during the concert at Thompson’s Point!”