E-Malt.com News article: USA, ME: Sebago Brewing sells installed brewery in Gorham to Lone Pine Brewing Company

Sebago Brewing Co. (SBC), announced on October 16 the sale of its 13,000-square-foot installed brewery in Gorham to Portland-based Lone Pine Brewing Company. The additional brewing equipment, packaging and warehouse space included in the sale will quadruple the size of the young brewery from 5-barrel to 20-barrel capacity.

SBC has been brewing and packaging their beer in the Gorham industrial park since 2005. Since then, co-founders Kai Adams, Brad Monarch and Tim Haines have experienced amazing growth leading to their recent news of the construction of a new 31,000-square-foot destination brewery on Lower Main Street in Gorham, which is schedule to open in mid-February.

“It was always our intent to sell the brewery installed and in place to a Maine brewer who was growing and needed the capacity or a new start-up looking to find a home,” said Adams. “We know what it takes to start up a brewery and the costs and planning it takes to install all the equipment. John, Tom and the team at Lone Pine worked hard in a short timeframe to make this happen, and we’re really excited to see what they will create here.”

Lone Pine, which started brewing at its Anderson Street location in March 2016, is already brewing its well-known Portland Pale Ale at the new location. Co-owners Tom Madden and John Paul will keep the tasting room location in Portland open and plan to enhance the draft list there, using the location as more experimental space.

“Diverting our core brands to a larger facility will allow us to expand our product line with our current small batch system,” said Madden. “Moving into a turnkey facility will allow us to focus almost exclusively on product quality and consistency, while positively contributing to the legacy of Maine breweries.”

Paul and Madden credit their success not only to hard work and dedication, but to the local support they’ve received from their SBA lender Northeast Bank and Coastal Enterprises Inc. (CEI).

“Growing over 400 percent in 20 months, our proof of concept has encouraged our financial partners to move forward with us in this venture,” said Paul.

Lone Pine expects to add at least seven new hires to their 10-person team once they take over the lease from Sebago in February.

“When Tim, Brad and I opened this brewery, we had help from people in the industry locally who wanted nothing in return but to see us brew great beer,” said Adams. “We want to do the same for someone else, while creating a hub in Gorham for more great craft beer.”



16 October, 2017