Mainebiz

V O L . X X I I I N O. X X I I I O C T O B E R 2 , 2 0 1 7 28 O utside the Maine Beer Co. in Freeport, heavy equipment rumbles over what will be a new parking lot in front of a 24,000-square-foot addition, now under construction. Inside the tasting room, though, beer drinkers will still fi nd Peeper, the fi rst brew sold by broth- ers Daniel and David Kleban. At the time they developed their fi rst brew, Daniel was an attorney at Pierce Atwood in Portland and David was in fi nance. ey were brewing at home. e brothers have come a long way since the fi rst Peeper, originally Spring Peeper. In Maine's prolifi c beer brewing culture, Maine Beer Co. is a young adult, just a little older than drinking age. But it's been out of the house and on its own for a long time. e company immediately stands out — from the "Do what's right" motto under its name on the home page and charitable partners list, which appears before brews list, to the mission statement posted in the tasting room. e company's special issue brews attract hundreds of beer afi cionados, creating crowds and parking jams on U.S. Route 1, even in the middle of winter. e Kleban brothers, when they started out, wanted to make good beer, says Daniel, who goes by Dan. As he sits at a picnic table near the front entrance, he says they also wanted to have a positive impact on their employees, their customers, their community and, if possible, the world in general. "People want to know that the company they're buying from is a responsible one," he says. "Money isn't the end all and be all." e company is part of 1% for the Planet pro- gram, pledging 1% of its revenue to environmental organizations. "If every company did that, no matter how small, it would solve a lot of the world's envi- ronmental challenges," he says. e company's 12 charity partners range from the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund to Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument. "When we fi rst started out, it wasn't much [money]," Dan says. "But as you grow, as your sales grow, so does your contribution." P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY It's about more than the beer Grassroots following meets a grassroots giveback program B y M a u r e e n M i l l i k e n People want to know that the company they're buying from is a responsible one. Money isn't the end all and be all. — Daniel Kleban Maine Beer Co. 525 U.S. Route 1, Freeport Founded: 2009 Founders, owners: Daniel and David Kleban What they do: Independent craft beer brewery with tasting room that features eight beers on tap, active in 1% for the Planet program, with 12 charitable partners. Employees: 35 Contact: 207-221-5711 www.mainebeercompany.com Daniel, left, and David Kleban, co-owners of Maine Beer Co., are adding 24,000 square feet to the brewhouse in Freeport. Daniel and David Kleban Founders/owners Maine Beer Co., Freeport

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