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The Maine Beer Co continued to grow in 2025, adding 3.9K bbls, up nearly 9% to reach 49K, COO Colleen Croteau told CBN. That marks the fifth straight yr of expansion for the Freeport-based biz, which produced 20K bbls in 2020 but hopes to break the 50K barrier this yr while work continues on renovations that will allow co to "nearly triple" its capacity by 2028. Driven by on-premise sales of its flagship Lunch IPA, the co can't currently keep up with the demand for its unique 16.9oz bottles and has been forced to "sacrifice package in order to keep up with keg demand" until the production expansion is complete, Colleen said. With overall craft draft sales down 2.4% by vol in 2025 BeerBoard stats and draft IPAs down 8.5%, tho, the iconoclastic co continues to swim against the tuff tide for the industry at large. Draft Drives the Biz, Remains Strong on Home Turf Draft is "over 70% of our business," Colleen said, and the co has seen consolidation of tap handles in its home market around local brews. "There seems to be fewer 'craft beer' bar-centric spots and less rotation from the places that have traditionally carried a wide variety of breweries," she noted. "More bars/restaurants are choosing to focus on being as 'local' as they can, while making sure the breweries/beers being offered are of high quality, high character, and then to give back to the local community in some way." Maine Beer is part of 1% for the Planet, giving at least 1% of its annual sales to environmental orgs.Distributor Consolidation Widens Reach Several of the co's smaller distributors were acquired by larger cos in the last coupla years, which has "increased access to resources" that have "helped us secure more accounts and reach more customers," Colleen said. (One of these happened over the summer, when Hensley bought Scout AZ.) Over the next coupla years, Maine will "sell most of our beer close to home, protecting the New England markets," she added, tho "post-expansion, we plan to get more beer back into some further away states, but we don't anticipate any new markets beyond our current footprint" of 31 states plus DC. In 2025 NIQ off-premise scans ending Dec 27, both Lunch and Whaleboat IPAs up mid-single-digits to low-double-digits in $$ and vol sales.Aiming for BA's Top 50 Colleen said the team "feel[s] fortunate to be in a position to expand production" in a down environment, and said co would "love to be a Brewers' Associated-defined top 50 craft brewery in the next year or so." Maine Beer was one spot shy of that mark in 2024 at 45.2K bbls, just behind Rogue. Part of that effort will involve making customers aware that flagship Lunch isn't named after the meal but after a whale spotted off the coast of Maine in 1982 with a bite taken out of her fin (hence the name). Late last yr, the co hung an actual whale skeleton at its HQ, a "literal dream come true for our founders." Clocking in at 53 feet long, "Finny" "fits the space in a way that makes it feel like she's always been here," Colleen said, "and in a way, she kind of has."Joins BI, Flirts With Politics, Focuses on Freshness Maine joined the Beer Institute last yr alongside Octopi/Asahi, Fiddlehead and Hofbrauhaus, among others, and founder Dan Kleban briefly ran for US Senate before throwing his weight behind Gov Janet Mills in a bid for Susan Collins' seat. Thru it all, co has stuck to its unique model, and doesn't appear to want to change horses - whales? - in mid-stream. Even if "retaining shelf space" for the 19.6oz bottles "will be difficult at capacity," Colleen said co is "committed to maintaining consumer and retail confidence by ensuring our beer is the freshest it can be, even far from home."

Lunch Draft Drives 9% Gain for Maine Beer in 2025; Kegs Key as Co Eyes 3x Capacity by 2028

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