MAINE, Maine — If you couldn't get to a beach or a lake this weekend, finding your local Maine brewery is still a great way to beat the heat.
While restaurants and businesses are fully re-opened, or on their way getting there, breweries are stuck in a gray area.
With some taprooms still being closed, breweries have been forced to get creative when COVID-19 coronavirus restrictions forced their closure in March.
Since then, local spots are doing just about anything to keep customers coming in and buying beer.
Lake St. George Brewing Company in Liberty is one brewery that has done everything it could think of. The brewery is owned by six owners, all of them in the same family. When the pandemic came to Maine, co-owner Danny McGovern said they decided to serve lobster with their beer.
“(My son-in-law said) Why don’t you sell lobster, I can supply you," he added.
Since then, McGovern and the brewery got creative. In just its third year of operating, the 96th brewery in the state, symbolized by its No. 96 IPA, it couldn't expect the pandemic's effect on business.
“It’s been a little scary, a third-year business, you never know what’s going to happen," McGovern said. “I think we’ve gained a lot of confidence and pride in how we’ve adapted.”
Adapting in ways like adding food to the menu, non-lobster food that is. The Chef On The Run food truck parks by the outdoor seating area of the brewery serving customers helping the truck and the brewing company.
Owner Tina Cook said that food truck festivals and large events make up a majority of her revenue each year and without those, she was facing a big loss. But partnering with the brewery is helping save her season.
“When they were able to open up in the middle of June my sales just doubled," Cook said.
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Orono Brewing Company is also doing things a little differently. In fact, before the coronavirus pandemic came to Maine, the brewery was ready to update its outdoor seating space.
Manager Cassie Gourley said being closed for a while actually helped staff get ready for the summer.
“It gave us a really good opportunity to take our time and put it together, so we were fully prepared to reopen," she added.
Gourley added the brewery is more of an atmosphere than a place to sit and drink with friends. Luckily for OBC and other Orono businesses, thousands of University of Maine students will be back in town at the end of August.
“They really make the atmosphere here and we’re excited to get back to it,: Gourley said.
While grabbing a craft beer may look a little different for now, breweries across the state are working hard to deliver the same great tasting beer.