New destination brewery on the way in Maine

Now is the time for bold moves in the craft beer industry. Those who have been thinking of opening a brewery for years are doing so, and those who have already been open for years are investing in more capacity, new markets and different experiences. For Sebago Brewing Co. in Gorham, Maine, opened since 1998, this bold move is a new destination brewery that will be open in 2017.

Pending approval from the town of Gorham, Co-Founders Kai Adams, Brad Monarch and Tim Haines will invest $5 million to build a 30,965-square-foot building that would double the size of the current Gorham brewery to a four vessel and 40-bbl brewhouse to help Sebago keep up with the staggering demand for its products.

Of the 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. Additionally, there will be an outdoor patio and green space for seasonal use.

“Our vision for this brewery is to create a place where people can walk the trail system or go cross-country skiing, and then take a tour of our brewery and sample Sebago beers paired with small plates from our wood-fired oven in the tasting room,” said Adams. “It will be a great place to gather in the community and the ideal use of this unique land at the gateway to Gorham.”

RELATED: Brewpub Files: Russian River Brewing’s brewpub experience

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. Year-to-date, Sebago Brewing has been trending at over 44.3 percent growth.

Following a town planning board meeting on June 6, a site walk and planning board meeting in mid-June, the submission of completed preliminary site plans on June 28 and a planning board meeting on August 1, Sebago’s next steps are as follows:

• Submit Department of Environmental Protection permits by mid-August
• Submit revisions to plans by Aug. 30
• Meeting with planning board Oct. 3
• Groundbreaking November 2016

“Sebago Brewing Company has been part of the local community since 2001, and we are so thrilled to have found a location in town that can accommodate its growth,” said Thomas Ellsworth, president, Gorham Economic Development Corporation.