New brewery looks to compete in Portland craft beer market
Photo/Robert M. Cook
Nathan Sanborn has launched Rising Tide Brewing Co. on Portland's Industrial Way
For Nathan Sanborn, making a living by brewing his new "Ishmael" beer at Rising Tide Brewing Co. is a dream come true. And with any luck, it will be a commercial success as well, tapping into a nationally growing market for craft beers.
"It's absolutely exciting," says Sanborn as he works on setting up his new 1,500-square-foot space on Portland's Industrial Way with beer barrels, fermenters and beer-making supplies. He has invested $30,000 of his own money to finance his passion for brewing after spending several years running Bush Fire Media, a graphic design and web development firm in Portland.
Rising Tide is a solo endeavor for Sanborn, which means he handles all the beer-making, bookkeeping and sales. He made a test batch last week and hopes to produce six barrels of what he describes as an American copper ale influenced by the altbiers of Dusseldorf, Germany -- a malt focus balanced with a moderate level of bitterness. Based on his research, Sanborn says there is not another craft beer like his product sold in Maine. Six barrels per week will yield 80 cases of 12 bottles, which is less than 1,000 bottles per week.
He plans to sell his beer in stores in the Portland region and other parts of Maine. "I would like to maximize my production in six to eight months," he says.
According to Fred Forsley, president of the Maine Brewers Guild, a group that represents more than 20 of the state's breweries, there is always room for more craft beer in Maine and elsewhere. Forsley, who is also one of the owners of the Shipyard Brewing Co. in Portland, says new craft beer products make people buy more craft beer rather than less.
"It keeps things exciting when more people get involved," he says.
Nationwide, craft beer retail sales increased from $6.32 billion in 2008 to $6.98 billion in 2009, according to the National Brewers Association in Boulder, Colo. Craft breweries also sold more than an estimated 9.1 million barrels of beer in 2009 compared to more than 8.5 million barrels in 2008, according to the association. The number of U.S. craft breweries also increased from 1,547 in 2008 to 1,595 in 2009, according to the trade group.
Maine has more than 20 brewers that make more than 100 brands. The Maine Brewers Guild does not have figures on Maine craft beer sales. However, the brewing industry in Maine produced 5,277 jobs and wages of more than $126.8 million in 2008, according to beerservesamerica.org.
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