Mainebiz

V O L . X X V I N O. X X I S E P T E M B E R 7 , 2 0 2 0 22 S TA R T U P S / E N T R E P R E N E U R S H I P F O C U S contributed $82.9 billion to the U.S. economy in 2019 and provided more than 580,000 jobs. e $82.9 billion figure measures the total impact of beer brewed by craft brewers through the entire production and sales cycle, as well as related products such as food and merchandise sold by brew- pub restaurants and taprooms. e same report puts craft beer's 2019 economic impact at $668.13 million in Maine. at translates into a per capita amount of $642 per adult of drink- ing age, putting the Pine Tree State at No. 4 behind Colorado (No.1 at $796 per capita), Vermont (No. 2 at $766 per capita) and Oregon (No. 4 at $695 per capita). Maine moved up a notch from No. 5 the previous year. "ere are lots of different ways to measure the relative positions of the craft beer industry by state, and the economic impact numbers are a decent synthesis since they combine the market share, production value, as well as other ripples throughout the economy such as supplier industries and tourism," says Bart Watson, chief economist for the Brewers' Association. "By nearly ever metric," he adds, "Maine is a top per capita state for craft brewing, as these numbers underline." While craft beer still makes up only 14% of beer production volume nationwide and 25.2% of sales revenues, Watson says there's still plenty of opportunity for new craft producers. He also notes that Maine's "fairly friendly" regula- tory environment helps, along with Portland craft pioneers like Geary and Allagash that paved the way with strong brands, as well as enthusiastic consumers and a bit of luck. ere's been some bad luck this year because of the pandemic, includ- ing the permanent closures of Nuts & Bolts Brewing in Biddeford and Andre's Brewing Co. in Lincolnville. Sullivan says that while neither cited COVID-19 as the sole reason for shutting its doors, in both cases it was the final straw. Noting that the market in general is more competitive than ever, Watson recommends entering with a clear niche as well as high-quality beer and service. "It's good to see people still excited to enter the industry, even in these chal- lenging times," he adds. 2020's 'Fab Four' ough they've all taken different paths to beer and business ownership, Maine's newest craft entrepreneurs are equally excited to finally open after pandemic- related delays. "e waiting has been the most diffi- cult part, but we've had a lot of enthu- siasm from everybody we've talked to," says Pepper Powers, a long-time home brewer and former NASA contrac- tor with Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., who founded Bath Ale Works in Wiscasset with his wife, Jean. With some help from friends, they self-financed the venture with no debt, and aim to open the midcoast town's first brewery and taproom around mid- November in a leased 5,328 square-foot space inside the Wiscasset Marketplace shopping center along Route 1, directly across from a Shaw's Supermarket. As the landlord's team works to get the space ready with a new HVAC system, reworked sprinkler system, refinished rest rooms and new floor drains being cut and poured, Powers says there will be more outdoor seat- ing than originally planned because of the pandemic. "Six months ago, we felt this busi- ness was going to be a slam-dunk, but we've had to change our approach and put more emphasis on outdoor seating," Powers explains. "It's not the best time to be opening a new business, but it is what it is and so we're pushing on." Even if November isn't the best time for al fresco seating, Powers says they're look- ing into heat lamps and other solutions, adding, "We'll have to push as deep into the winter as we possibly can." He says the business expects to employ about seven people and get its primary income from the taproom and some distribu- tion to local restaurants, and eventually also cans. Just as Bath Ale Works is a play on Bath Iron Works about 12 miles away, the starting product lineup includes beer names that pay homage to vessels built at the shipyard, like Arleigh Burke India Pale Ale and Zumwalt Porter. "We're trying to build names around the midcoast theme, especially the ship- building," Powers says. About 50 miles up the coast in Belfast, husband and wife Daniel Waldron and Kathleen Dunckel are the new own- ers of Marshall Wharf Brewing and ree Tides brewpub restaurant, two previously distressed businesses they purchased earlier this year. "e opportunity came up and we said, 'What the heck, let's jump on it,'" says Waldron, who has a background in both brewing and property develop- ment, as president of Whitecap Builders in Belfast. With their new ventures, they'll have 1,361 square feet of brewhouse, 750 square feet of office and storage space and a 750-square-foot tasting room at Marshall Wharf, and two floors of indoor dining at ree Tides, with » C O N T I N U E D F RO M P R E V I O U S PA G E P H O T O / DAV I D C L O U G H Daniel Waldron, president of Whitecap Builders in Belfast, and his wife, Kathleen Dunckel, have big plans for Belfast's Marshall Wharf Brewing and Three Tides brewpub restaurant, which they bought at a public auction earlier this year. It's not the best time to be opening a new business, but it is what it is and so we're pushing on. — Pepper Powers Bath Ale Works

• Cover