For the holidays, we’re continuing our series to shine the spotlight on Maine craftspeople who make products by hand. This week it’s all about locally crafted food or drink items. Each week, until Dec. 25, we will bring you this series until you can’t take it anymore. Ready. Set. Go.

Maine Beer Company ‘Lunch’

The back story

This small family business began between two brothers Dave and Daniel Kleban, and I love their “Do What’s Right” campaign, in which they give 1 percent of their sales to environmental nonprofits. They recently moved their operations from Portland to Freeport with a new tasting room. The Good Tern in Rockland carries a line of their tasty craft brews. Get a bottle of “Lunch” for a stocking stuffer.They call this their "East Coast" version of a West Coast-style IPA. Intense hop flavors and aromas of tropical and citrus fruits and pine dominate. A subtle malt sweetness brings the beer into balance.

In their words

“On May 2, 2006, I was traveling to Everglades National Park with my dad, my wife Heidi, and my daughter Zoe. I wanted to make something real. I thought, ‘What is better than beer?’  I mentioned to my dad that I should start a brewery. My dad joked, ‘You’ll drink all of your profits!’ By making enough beer, I figured I could solve that problem.”

Where to find them/price range

Online: mainebeercompany.com ($6.49 each), Offline: The Good Tern

World Salts Mini Kit

The back story

If there is a foodie or amateur chef on your Christmas or Hannukah list, this is a great little gift we found on Etsy made by a microbusiness in Bethel called Gneiss Spice. The three magnetic hexagon jars can stick to your refrigerator in a honeycomb pattern. These three mineral-rich sea salts come from Nepal, France and India.  

In their words

“Nepal: Mined form ancient sea salt deposits at the foot of the mountains. With 84 trace minerals, Himalayan Pink Salt is mined from ancient salt beds that have remained untouched by pollution and impurities since the crystals first formed more than 200 million years ago. France: Velvet De Guerandeby Le Trésor is light gray in color and almost the consistency of flour. This is a very delicate crystal that has a "buttery" feel. India: From El Salvador, Mayan Sun™ is a tropical sea salt formed from ocean water trapped in man-made ponds.”

Where to find them/price range

Online: Etsy.com ($20.25 each).

Coastal Maine Popcorn Co.

The back story

With stores in Boothbay and Portland, co-founders Paul and Julie Roberts just opened their latest popcorn shop in Rockland this past summer. Their sampler packs are a culinary version of a flight of craft brews. They’ve got three sampler packs, but the one we picked is The Classic, which has two cups each of five distinct flavors: Maine Maple, Salt & Vinegar, Buffalo Wing, Blue Cheese, and Key Lime Pie.

In their words

"After lots of requests from loyal customers who wanted an easy way to buy a variety of our flavors in one bag, we decided to offer a choice of three different Sampler Packs. The Fun Pack is aimed at our young customer base, the Chocolate Pack is for all of those chocolate lovers, and our most popular Sampler Pack is the Classic Sampler, which offers our five best selling flavors over the past five years."

Where to find them/price range

Online: coastalmainepopcorn.com ($14.99 each). Or visit the Rockland shop on 371 Main Street.

Stay tuned next Friday for our next guide. Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com