If that’s where you see yourself, then spend the time to really learn the craft. It’s instead an opportunity to live a life of passion for creative work. At least not for the vast majority of brewers. Craft brewing isn’t a get-rich-quick scheme. NS: If your reasons for opening a brewery don’t focus on a passion for exceptional beer, don’t bother. If we’re not making beers that we love to drink, we’re not doing justice to our consumers and fans.Īm I Drunk? Yes? No? I Have ALS: How Her ALS Story Is Breaking BarriersĪEW: Any advice for someone thinking of making a similar move?
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I think that puts us in a natural, organic development position and allows us to make the best possible beer that we can. I think it’s always important to keep an eye on trends in the marketplace and changing tastes, but we’re careful about following our own passion and trying to express that in the beer rather than chasing the next hot thing. NS: We are focused on doing what we love, and being authentically ourselves, and I feel like people really respond to that.
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Couple that with one of the best food scenes anywhere and you have a recipe for excellence!ĪEW: How does Rising Tide continue to stand out in what’s become a sea of craft breweries and beers? How do you stay relevant? But some of the things that make Maine’s scene great are a vibrant tasting room culture engaged and passionate craft beer fans and a hugely collaborative ethos, both between brewers and bar and restaurant owners. Not living and working in those other areas it’s hard for me to say what makes them different. Nathan Sanborn: Maine in general, and Portland, in particular, has a really vibrant scene. Weaver: How would you describe the craft scene in Portland right now? How does it differ from, say, Boston, MA, or Waterbury, VT? I caught up with him to talk about the brewery’s explosive growth, Portland’s position as a craft mecca, and, fittingly, whether the old moniker “a rising tide lifts all ships” still applies to the competitive beer industry.Īlex E. Nathan, a long-time homebrewer, is the man behind the beer. In addition to serving as Rising Tide’s director of business operations, she’s also currently an active member in the Maine House of Representatives. Before opening shop, Nathan was a former graphic designer and stay at home dad Heather was a high school teacher and lawyer. It got its start at One Industrial Way in Portland, a site that’s served as the incubator and launch pad for at least seven breweries in the area. Rising Tide was founded in 2010 by husband and wife Nathan and Heather Sanborn.
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But while newer outfits like Bissell Brothers hog much of the spotlight these days, one brewery deserves a lot of credit for putting the city on the map: Rising Tide Brewing Company. The Portland of the East has become one of the best cities for craft beer in the U.S., anchored by mainstays like Allagash Brewing Company and Maine Beer Co. But more and more, a question follows instead. A beery chat with the Prop Master of HBO’s funniest show.įor a long time, when someone said “Portland” and “beer” in the same breath, the assumption was they were referring to the craft scene in Oregon.