Business Leaders: Allagash Brewing founder Rob Tod puts a priority on sourcing local ingredients

PHOTo / Courtesy of Allagash Brewing Co. Rob Tod, founder of Allagash Brewing Co. in Portland, says he works to surround himself with the right people who are the best at what they do.

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By Renee Cordes

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Rob Tod, founder of Allagash Brewing Co. in Portland, is an industry pioneer and James Beard Award-winning brewer who has put a priority on sourcing grain from Maine growers, reducing waste and investing in clean water conservation.

Mainebiz: What sustainability efforts at Allagash are you most proud of and why?

Rob Tod: I’m really proud of all the strides our team has made regarding sustainability across the brewery. Underlying all of that work is the fact that we’ve stayed true to our core values while also formalizing and documenting specific goals. This has played out in tangible actions and results, such as continuing our now five-year-old Allagash Recycling Co-op, which has recycled over 250 tons of hard-to-recycle items, and brewing with more Maine-grown grain than ever.

In 2016, we made a pledge to brew with one million pounds of Maine-grown grain by 2021. At the time we were using around 65,000 pounds per year. We set out to do this even though Maine’s grain economy didn’t have the infrastructure at the time to produce one million pounds of grain. But fortunately, farmers in our area were receptive and we were able to work with farmers from Maine Malt House, Aurora Mills & Farm, and Blue Ox Malt House. They transformed their operations to produce the type and quality of malt demanded not just by Allagash, but by breweries across New England. Plus, local grain is now more plentiful and less expensive for bakers and other food producers. In December 2021, we hit the one million-pound mark, that year alone. That number has grown to 1.69 million in 2024. Working with local agriculture partners also helped in reducing carbon emissions since the grain didn’t need to travel far.

MB: What’s the biggest change you’ve seen in brewing since you started?

RT: Pretty much everything, to be honest. But I think the most impactful change for us was the acceptance and then celebration of Allagash White. When I started in 1995, the question I always got when I was trying to sell the beer was, ‘What’s wrong with it?’ It was hazy when most beers were clear. It had this citrusy, unique aroma. And people just couldn’t wrap their heads around it. It was like that for 10 years. Then, as craft beer started gaining in popularity, it really started to resonate, and it took off from there.

MB: Where do you source your ingredients from?

RT: We try to source as locally as possible, working together with farmers from Maine Malt House, Aurora Mills & Farm, and Blue Ox Malt House to produce the type and quality of malt demanded by Maine’s vibrant brewing community. Now, those farmers produce grain not just for Maine brewers, but for breweries across New England. Currently, we source about 30% of our grain locally — with the rest coming from a longstanding craft maltster, Briess, in Wisconsin.

MB: What are the biggest challenges in running a beer business today and why?

RT: Between changing consumer preferences and competition both within and outside of the beer sector, craft is not an easy business these days. But at Allagash we try to strike a balance between focusing on our bread and butter — Allagash White, which is around 80% of our sales — and experimenting with new innovations. For instance, we got our wine-making license and started making and serving cider and Maine fruit-based wines at our Portland brewery. We’ve also released our first non-alcoholic beverage, Hop Water, nationwide this year. But even Hop Water is a nod to our roots — its flavor profile is reminiscent of Allagash White.

MB: What’s next for Allagash?

RT: This year we’re celebrating our 30th anniversary and have a lot of fun things in the works, including a Hazy IPA, our first-ever year-round variety pack and the return of our signature House series. Outside of brewing great beer, celebrating our Maine community continues to be an ongoing focus.