40 Under 40: Jon Stein works as an Ellsworth brewer, City Council member
PHOTO / Courtesy of Fogtown Brewing
Jon Stein is the owner of Fogtown Brewing in Ellsworth, where he's also on the City Council.
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Significant professional accomplishment: My business, as it stands currently, is an accumulation of many small accomplishments that once seemed impossible. I’m very proud to have amassed a number of practical skills along the way, from bookkeeping to plumbing.
Most significant has been the confidence to troubleshoot the seemingly endless issues and learn from the innumerable small failures that come with running a small business.
Current state of mind: Tired! My business was just starting to hit a stride as the pandemic began. The constant flux in operation and difficulties with financing, as well as the struggle to find and train employees amidst worker and housing shortages in a rural, seasonal economy can be exhausting. But, as an entrepreneur I’m also ever-hopeful.
Passion project: I’m currently two years into my first term as City Councilor in Ellsworth, where my business is located. Through my business, I’ve been able to connect and collaborate with local nonprofits and conservation groups in our area.
And now through my role as councilor, I can be a part of the incredibly dynamic conversations on housing, natural resources, municipal budgeting, and all the other complexities faced by a growing city.
‘Lightbulb’ moment: I realized there was a notable lack of community spaces (sometimes referred to as third spaces) in our town.
Small breweries have often served as these social hubs for art, music and conversation, and there are many great examples of breweries in Maine that fill this need. I saw that Fogtown could serve as the first community space and really focus on filling this need, and this realization was largely the inspiration for starting the business.
Audacious goal: I’d like to develop a system for converting food waste back into value-added products in our state.
We’ve often taken Maine-grown goods like unpicked apples, winnowed blueberries, potatoes that are “too far gone” for food pantries and have created unique fermented beverages. I believe fermentation can serve as a great mechanism for preserving or converting would-be food waste on a larger scale.
Favorite quotation: “Whichever of the two occurs, be patient”
Influential book: “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” by Dr. Seuss
Best way to recharge: As we brought on and trained more employees, I found I rarely partook in the more creative aspects of the business, such as beer brewing and development, and label design. As our busy season winds down in the fall, I have developed a passion for cider: I’ll go foraging for wild apple trees or abandoned orchards, and make small-batch dry ciders from the collected fruits.
Learning about the history of heritage cider in Downeast Maine, and the endless varieties of fruits has been an amazing adventure, and an excellent way to recharge amidst the rugged beauty of the coast!
At age 60: Perhaps building a cabin in some wooded foothills.
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Awesome guy, fabulous enterprise!
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