Round up of all the breweries that opened in 2022
American Craft Brew Week is upon us and for Maine beer lovers, that means another dozen options to choose from when stamping their passports on the Maine Beer Trail.
According to Maine Brewers’ Guild, as of early 2022, Maine is home to 165 active, licensed breweries, representing over 100 unique brands. While Portland tends to be the city with the most concentration of breweries, the surprising fact is that the majority of new breweries opening in 2022 were north of Bangor.
Here they are from the south to the north.
‘Brewers are optimistic for a great summer of tourism and will be open for business,” said Sean Sullivan, Executive Director of Maine Brewers’ Guild. “Above all, beer is meant to be shared and bring people together and brewers are looking forward to seeing new and old faces in their tasting rooms and at their breweries.’
Southern Maine
Riverstone Brewing Co. is Sanford’s first microbrewery owned by Sanford resident, Michael Gill. He is currently working full time out of his garage, producing lager and ale full time while he looks for a commercial location. But his brews can be found on tap at The Run of the Mill Public House and brewery, and the Springvale Publick House.
Portland
Portland’s mecca for craft breweries attracted a number of expansions this year from established breweries such as Stars ‘N Stripes, which opened up a new location at 3 Spring Street. Banded Brewing opened up a new location at 82 Hanover Street. (Suite 6). Also at the same location, Batson River Brewing and Distilling opened up another location at 82 Hanover Street. Après, which makes hard seltzer and hard cider, opened up at 148 Anderson Street. And, in other news, Sebago Brewing shut down their Old Port location.
Midcoast
Olive Pit Brewing Co., at 16 Main Street Lisbon Falls, took three years to come together. A woman-owned business, Christy Cain named her brewery after her beloved pittie, Olive Roo,. The first brewery in Lisbon Falls, its mission is to produce a full spectrum of beers focusing on less hoppy styles.
Kennebec and Moose River Valley
Sidereal Farm Brewery is a brewery and winery situated on an organic produce farm on 772 Cross Hill Road in Vassalboro. Many of their ingredients are grown on their farm, or locally and regionally sourced as much as possible from farms with similar values.
Maine Highlands
Who thought the northern region of Maine would have the most breweries opening? Katahdin Brew Works at 10 Katahdin Street in Patten is a new nano brewery by Joel and Jona Fitzpatrick with a family-friendly tasting room. Two Knights Brewing Co. located at 136 Mcphetres Rd, Sangerville, is family-owned and operated. TKB is named in honor of the two Sangerville Maine-born men that went on to be Knighted by the royal family of England. And Bryant’s Brewing, at 1009 Great Moose Drive, Hartland, just north of Bangor, is so new that there is scarcely anything online about them.
Check out Maine Brewers’ Guild’s Maine Beer Trail for your summer beercation!
Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com
