A Full Circle Story
A Full Family Business
In 1993, Lake St. George Brewing Company opened its doors as the 6th brewery to operate in Maine. Started by Danny McGovern and his partner, Kellon Thames, the beer was brewed in the McGovern's basement on a 7 bbl system. There was no tasting room, no packaged product and all accounts were draft only. In between brew days and CIPs Danny would deliver beer along the coast of Maine from Portland to Belfast during a time when most folks had never heard of IPA’s or Oatmeal Stouts. In the 90's, craft beer held only 2% of the market share, and so a tough choice was made after a few years to decommission the brewery even as the beer was winning awards at the World Beer Festival.
Dan moved on to brew beer for Belfast Bay Brewing Company, and when this brewery sold its system to Marshall Wharf Brewing, Danny went with it. In 2012, Dan and his daughter Mary, along with her husband Matt, opened a brewery on Monhegan Island. With Mary and Dan creating the recipes and brewing and Matt managing the day to day operations, Monhegan Brewing has become a cherished part of island life. Stemming from that success and the fun we’ve all had with it, we felt it was time to bring back the brewery where this all started.
The resurrection of Lake St. George Brewing Company involves the whole family. Six partners, Danny and his wife Carol, daughters Mary and Elizabeth, and sons-in-law Matt and Jeffrey are the driving force behind the brewery. Things are a little different now than they were back then. The new Lake St. George is geared toward comfort and relaxation while sampling our beers, and there is plenty of room for Dan’s beloved Newlands Brewhouse.
Our goals are simple: give people the best beer we know how to make and a nice spot in the country to drink it. We hope that your visit to our family brewery will be a whole experience. From a quick tour of the facility, to our outside picnic area, or a warm spot in the loft as winter roars, our brewery has a place for you to enjoy a pint during all of Maine’s seasons. We’re proud to be in Liberty, just a stones throw from the pristine waters of Lake St. George, in a community we love, amidst the ridges and valleys of Midcoast Maine.
Look for the Loon!
