A spiced rye ale combines with warming rye whiskey, black pepper vodka, ginger, and orange, hops, and charred cedar bitters to create a spicy beer cocktail with a depth of flavor.
Ben Low chose a career in brewing as an alternative to a life as an academic specializing in classics. That one decision point resonates through Low’s approach to brewing at Baxter Brewing Company, the Lewiston, Maine-based beermaker where he serves as director of brewing operations.
Increasing sales don’t necessarily translate into easy times for brewery owners. As the craft beer segment grows, many brewers are finding it just as hard to expand, as it was to initially get the doors open.
No one knows what lies ahead—but if these intrepid small-business owners are any indication, craft beer will be just fine. Here are just a few of the stories that made 2011 one of the best years for craft beer in the country’s history.
Six months after Baxter Brewing started brewing and canning their beers, demand is soaring, and Livingston has made Lewiston, Maine, a destination for craft beer fans.
