Gorham, ME — Sebago Brewing Co. (SBC), in partnership with the Shaw Brothers Family Foundation, hosted a groundbreaking today at their new destination brewery on Lower Main Street in Gorham.
Co-founders Kai Adams, Brad Monarch and Tim Haines of SBC have invested $5 million to build a 30,965-square-foot building that will double the size of the current Gorham brewery to a four vessel and 40 BBL brew house to help the brewing company keep up with the staggering demand for its craft beer. Year-to-date, SBC has been trending at over 44.3 percent growth.
Of the new building’s total space, 21,485 square feet will be dedicated to the brewery and 9,480 square feet will be reserved for a tasting room with office space located directly above. The new brewery will be hiring up to 40 full- to part-time employees, and will specialize in new instrumentation that will help to maintain and advance SBC’s consistency and quality of beer.
“Our growth is directly related to our team,” says Adams. “We have a great culture here, where everyone has fun, cares about the beer and the success of the company. So when we say ‘brewed for times like these,’ we’re talking about our customers’ experience with us. This milestone has been years in the making through innovation and constant quality, and still, we know that Sebago has huge opportunity in Maine and New England.”
Pine State Beverage is one of Sebago’s largest distributors, and has been a partner and witness to their incredible journey for nearly twenty years. “Sebago Brewing is a significant leader in our craft beer portfolio, and I’m proud to say, has shown significant growth each and every year,” said Nick Alberding, Pine State’s owner and CEO. “This new brewery is a true testament to their commitment to excellence and overall success.”
In just 10 years, the number of craft breweries in Maine has jumped from 14 to 82, with more opening soon. Beer tourism has become a multimillion-dollar industry in the state.
“This is the perfect example of what growth looks like today in the craft beer industry. Sebago is making a major investment in the community that launched their brand, and bringing a world class experience for the craft beer tourists that are making their way to Maine in record numbers,” said Sean Sullivan, executive director of the Maine Brewers’ Guild.
Construction of the new brewery will be completed by the end of 2017, with beer available in the taproom starting in January 2018.
“Since 1998, when we poured our first pint, we have been part of Maine’s brewing industry, and a huge piece of our success has been our ability to embrace change,” says Adams. “We can’t think of a better way to celebrate and thank our employees and customers than to create something new and exciting for them to enjoy.”
About Sebago Brewing Company
Sebago Brewing Company is a Maine-owned and -operated company firmly rooted at the crossroads of food and beer. Since opening in 1998, Sebago has become Maine’s premier contemporary American brewpub and one of the fastest growing craft breweries in the state. Sebago offers a full line of year-round beers, five seasonal beers and several highly anticipated, limited-edition Single Batch Series beers. Sebago Brewing Company has a reputation for creative, high quality, unique beers that tempt and satisfy the palates of beer lovers.
For more information on Sebago Brewing Company’s events and beers, visit www.sebagobrewing.com.