Brewery Spotlight: Geary Brewing Co. in Portland, Maine
In our latest brewery spotlight, we are so excited to introduce y'all to Geary Brewing Co. out of Portland, Maine.
We were so fortunate to get a full tour of Geary when we were in town, and we learned so much about this historic brewery. In this interview, we spoke with Robin Lapoint, President and Co-Owner.
Read on to learn all about what makes Geary unique.
About the Brewery
Work For Your Beer (WFYB): We are so excited to be chatting with you, Robin! What year did Geary Brewing Co. open and what's one fact people don't know about Geary?
Robin (R): Geary was incorporated in 1983, receiving National Brewer’s License #13! Geary’s Pale Ale was named the 22nd Most Important Craft Beer in America by Food & Wine Magazine.
WFYB: Wow! That's incredible! Very cool to have license #13. Outside of being one of the oldest breweries in U.S., why should someone stop by your location versus the others in Portland, Maine?
R: Geary Brewing Company is a dynamic Portland brewery with an important history in the craft beer world. Incorporated in 1983, Geary Brewing is New England's First Craft Brewery post-prohibition. This innovative brewery started a craft beer movement when it poured its flagship beer, Geary's Pale Ale, in the winter of 1986. Since then, it has developed an extensive line of heritage beers brewed in open fermentation.
Today, Geary Brewing additionally brings a new line of true-to-style contemporary beers brewed in closed fermentation and available in 12, 16, & 19.2 oz. cans. In the newly renovated tasting room and beer garden, guests can sample and purchase the beers they love in the packages they prefer.
There’s something for everyone at Geary Brewing: hazy, juicy IPAs, dark, sweet porters, stouts or brown ales, fruited lagers, sours, bourbon barrel-aged beer, a gluten-removed pale ale, and even a house-brewed root beer. During the summer you can enjoy your beer of choice in the garden and maybe even catch a local food truck or a Saturday event with a live band. Games and snacks are always available. The Presumpscot Walking Trail System is nearby so you can stop in after a hike, too!
WFYB: So much going on with Geary. We adored touring your facility to see the open fermentation in real-time — such a fantastic experience.
Let’s Talk Beer
WFYB: Let’s talk about the history of Geary’s Pale Ale — what makes it such a staple of a beer in New England?
R: Geary’s Pale Ale was more often than not the very first craft beer people cut their teeth on in New England and has been a very important right of passage for many New England craft beer drinkers.
WFYB: We adore this beer — tell us more about why you are so proud of this brew.
R: It has won several awards, has stood the test of time, and represents so much to many. This excellent beer is quickly followed by HSA, Hampshire Special Ale, New England and Maine’s first ‘Winter Warmer” which also has a very strong and loyal following.
WFYB: What is the most unique beer you’ve ever made (whether you sold it or not)?
R: An original Ben Franklin ale recipe. It was fantastic.
WFYB:Love that! What a cool little experiment. If you had to make the perfect mixed six-pack, what beers would you include in it?
R:
Original Pale Ale
HSA
Riverside American IPA
Pulling Traps NEIPA
Pick ME Blueberry Lager
Razzle Dazzle Raspberry Sour
WFYB: What a great mix — we'll take a six-pack of yours, that's for sure!
Let’s Focus on Community
WFYB: How do you contribute to the Portland, Maine community?
R:We support our local schools, Maine Lobstermen’s Association, Maine Historical Society, Preble Street Homeless Shelter and Kitchen, USM QC2 laboratory, and Good Shepherd Food Bank through financial donations, in-kind donations, and beer collaborations and proceed donations from these releases.
We also support many well-known and lesser-known not-for-profits with in-kind donations to support their events and fundraisers.
We also are active members of the BrewShed Alliance and work hard to preserve the beautiful clean waters of Maine. These are just a few of the many ways we support our local and state communities.
WFYB: That's amazing! It's so great to see how involved y'all are. How do you make sure your brewery is sustainable?
R: We prioritize sustainability and work as a team both within the brewery and in the brewing community to set and meet goals. Our efforts include, but are not limited to, donating all spent grain for feed and fertilizer, using 100% wind RECs to power our brewery, exceeding all Portland Water District high standards and expectations, and being a founding member of the Maine Brew Shed Alliance whose mission is to protect Maine’s clean water sources. Beer’s #1 ingredient is water and ours is sourced from pristine Sebago Lake, a natural resource we are passionate about protecting. We also recycle throughout the brewery and use compostable cups in our tasting room and beer garden.
WFYB: That's so incredible — final question: how do you make sure that your Geary is inclusive?
R: We have a full Code of Conduct in place to help create and maintain a work environment in which people are treated with dignity, decency, and respect.
WFYB: Thank you for sending over your Code of Conduct — it's so important to see breweries taking this seriously and providing the appropriate resources for employees and customers to feel safe in your space.
Huge thank you to Robin for taking the time to share Geary's story with us here on the Work For Your Beer blog.
If you ever find yourself in Portland, Maine, we highly recommend stopping by Geary for a Pale Ale and a tour.
Want to be considered for an upcoming feature? Email cheers@workforyourbeer.com to set up an interview!