Aug 28, 2023
Saco River Brewing is celebrating its 7th anniversary after first opening in July of 2016 in a former sheet metal fabrication shop in downtown Fryeburg, Maine. Mason Irish, Founder & Head Brewer, was a seasoned arborist at the time with a passion for homebrewing. Irish was looking to make a change when the opportunity arose to start a brewery in Fryeburg and he jumped at the chance…the rest is history.
In the beginning, all the beer produced was on a 1-barrel system and sold only in Saco River Brewing’s taproom and a few local restaurants. When demand grew, Saco River Brewing upgraded to a 7-barrel brewhouse and looked into distribution.
For several years, Saco River Brewing grew its in-state distribution and scaled up again with a 15-barrel brewery and an addition to the existing property in order to hold more fermentation capacity and its own canning line. Most recently, Amoskeag and Saco River Brewing decided to team up with Amoskeag acquiring the rights to sell their products in the state of New Hampshire. “We couldn’t be more excited to be working with Amoskeag to further our distribution in New Hampshire,” says Irish.
When asked about Saco River Brewing’s style, Irish stated, “Saco River’s brewing style is based on our fantastic water. Water is the main ingredient in beer and Fryeburg has some of the finest quality water in the world. We can brew any style with such soft, clean water by adjusting it to our needs. We have typically been heavy on the IPAs, but we brew a wide breadth of beer styles to appease a large variety of tastes. Saco River Brewing always uses the highest quality ingredients from around the world and within Maine.”
If you visit the brewery, Lazy River, a soft, juicy IPA, Hornets’ Nest, a double IPA and Clearwater, an easy-drinking pale ale are three beers that are always in the rotation, as well as various seasonals and limited releases.
During the summer months, Saco River Brewing is open 7 days per week and has lots going on. Food trucks, music, axe throwing and even mobile escape rooms grace their outdoor beer garden and pole barn. The best way to keep updated with events and what’s on tap is to follow Saco River Brewing’s social media, Instagram @sacoriverbrewing, Twitter @sacoriverbrew and on Facebook, they update a schedule every week for a complete breakdown of what’s happening and their current beer lineup.
Irish and his crew work hard every day brewing only high-quality, flavorful beers and are thrilled to share them, so swing by Saco River Brewing for a fresh pint or two or pick up a 4-pack at your local store.
www.sacoriverbrewing.com 10 Jockey Cap Lane Rt. 302 Fryeburg, ME * (207) 256-3028
Words: Kelly Kirkpatrick, Editor, The Heady Times
Photos: Mike Lianza, Marketing Director, Amoskeag Beverages