USA, ME: Orono Brewing Co. announces plans to set up shop in downtown Bangor
Orono Brewing Co. is pushing south to Bangor, becoming the second brewery in the past month to announce plans to set up shop downtown, Bangor Daily News reported.
OBC co-owners Abe and Heather Furth and Mark Horton have been renovating the narrow, four-story building at 26 State St., converting the upper three floors into a trio of loft-style apartments. Until now, they’ve guarded the secret of their plans for the ground floor.
On May 5, the Furths and Horton, joined by more than 30 friends and supporters inside OBC’s cramped hub in downtown Orono, announced the first-floor retail space would become an OBC tasting room and small-batch test brewery.
“We’re really excited to join downtown Bangor,” Abe Furth said.
The announcement was met with raised glasses and cheers of “More beer!”
26 State St. was built in 1911, in the wake of the Great Bangor Fire, which destroyed much of the downtown. As the city worked to recover, G. Rockwell Youngs, a magician and cigar maker, decided to relocate his business, Bangor Cigar Manufacturing Co., from Harlow Street to State Street, where he built his new factory.
The factory closed in 1963. The upper three floors have been vacant ever since, but the first floor served several businesses over the years — most recently Downeast Coins and Collectibles.
The Furths bought the building in September 2015, launching an extensive renovation effort on the rundown property, including a complete overhaul of the building’s first-floor facade.
The Bangor brewery will serve as a playground of sorts for OBC brewmaster Asa Marsh-Sachs. He’ll continue to spend the bulk of his time brewing the regular flight of beers in Orono, which also will be served in Bangor.
“It’s going to be an opportunity for me to play around a bit again,” he said.
He said he’ll use the Bangor location as a base for experimenting with barrel beers, such as sours and wilds. These beers can take from six months to three years to complete.
“Everyone’s going to have to be patient with me, because these do take a while,” Marsh Sachs said.
OBC’s announcement comes close on the heels of another brewery in the works just a few blocks away. Last month, 2 Feet Brewing confirmed plans to start brewing on Columbia Street, with an opening date sometime in August or September.
The Furths said they’re thrilled to be joined by 2 Feet Brewing, that competition is good for the beer industry, and multiple breweries in close proximity can be a great draw for people interested in “beer tourism.”
The upstairs apartments are available starting in mid-May, with rent ranging around $1,500 per month, according to the Furths. The brewery is slated to open in July.
11 May, 2016
