On the first day of November, Pam and Jeff Powers, co-founders of BIGELOW BREWING COMPANY, are gearing up to take a five-hour road trip to scoop up 100 pounds of cranberries. Their dedication to sourcing as many ingredients from Maine as they can for their brews is why they’ll drive 2 ½ hours from Skowhegan to SUGAR HILL CRANBERRY CO. in Columbia Falls, Maine, and then back again with the freshest cranberries. That will produce at least 15 barrels of their holiday brew, Cranberry Peak, an amber colored ale brewed with Maine malted barley, Galena and Kents Golding hops.

“BIGELOW BREWING has a belief that beer can and should be about a place,” said Pam, who, along with husband, Jeff, founded BIGELOW BREWING COMPANY in December 2013. “We strive to make beer from our community, using local ingredients to feel a sense of ownership of where we live.”

“We source as many local, Maine products for the beer as possible,” she said. “A hundred percent of our base malt in every beer we make is Maine grown. We use local maple syrup from Smith Brothers Maple and Strawberry Hill, sap houses that are within walking distance from our brewery for our Rowe Road Maple Porter. Avery Peak Summer Wheat uses wheat berries from the Porter Farm and Aurora Mills in Aroostook County. Maine Grains and Aurora Mills provide rolled oats for our Bigelow Brown Ale and Jailbreak Chocolate Chili Stout. Witch’s Tit Pumpkin Ale is made with organic pumpkins sourced from Moodytown Gardens in Palmyra, Maine. The pumpkins are roasted in our Maine Wood Heat Co. wood-fired oven before peeling and putting them in the mash. Using local products is a chance to support small farmers and preserve our agricultural heritage.”

With an on-premises hop field, featuring Cascade and Centennial hops, Jeff was able to brew the pumpkin ale with their fresh Cascade hops and develop a new seasonal, Hop Yard Harvest, utilizing both Cascade and Centennial hops.

Like many on-trend breweries, BIGELOW BREWING also makes great use of its spent grains. Two years ago, they contacted their local bakery, THE BANKERY, to produce a pizza dough using their spent grains. The end product is a versatile pizza dough made with spent grains and flour milled from the local grist mill that is for Bigelow Brewing’s specific use. With the addition of a full time chef, they continue to find creative ways to use spend grains in products such as granola, baguettes, and toppings for desserts to name a few. The Le Panyol wood-fired oven is stretched to its limits every Friday and Saturday throughout the year, serving pizza topped with locally sourced meats, cheeses and toppings, paired with Bigelow’s fresh craft beers.

Not only do they strive to keep other local purveyors in business, but Jeff and Pam also have a strong commitment to their community. “One of the things we love about Maine and specifically the Skowhegan community, is how local customers and businesses support one another,” said Pam. Since opening, they’ve donated the space of the brewery for multiple fundraisers, from nonprofit organizations to individual family-and-friends events, ensuring that all proceeds go back to the organizers and the community.

“Every brewery in this state gives back to their community in some way and I think that’s significant,” said Pam. “With numerous manufacturing industries closing and moving out of Maine, it’s important for us to take care of our community and help out wherever we can.”

BIGELOW BREWING is located on the local Skowhegan Sno Hawks Snowmobile Club trail #33, a connector to ITS 87 in Norridgewock and with wooded trails on their 25-acre premises, they’re open to the public to snowshoe and cross-country ski. It’s worth checking them out this winter—maybe get a bite of locally sourced wood-fired pizza and sample a Cranberry Peak ale or any one of their IPAs, stouts or porters.

As owners Jeff and Pam like to say, “Bigelow brew is always a great companion for your next outdoor adventure!”

— Text & photos: Bigelow Brewing Company