FREEPORT — Maine Beer Co. is planning an expansion that will more than triple the size of the business.

The project will include added production space, a larger tasting room, an outdoor patio, and more parking.

The owners of the brewery at 525 U.S. Route 1 submitted a conceptual plan to the Freeport Planning Department on July 27 to add 20,300 square feet to the existing 6,000-square-foot facility. The proposal is going before the Project Review Board Aug. 10 for site plan review.

Maine Beer Co. hired Terradyn Consultants of New Gloucester to plan and design the expansion. A representative from Maine Beer Co. declined to speak about the project.

The brewery, which is owned by brothers David and Dan Kleban, moved to Freeport from Portland in 2013.

According to the proposal submitted to the town, the expansion is necessary to keep up with production and to give employees “proper office space.” The proposal notes that no additional staff will be hired as a result of the project.

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If approved, both the production area and the brewery’s tasting room will increase in size. More seating is proposed inside and outside, and a food truck is being considered to serve the patio. 

Maine Beer Co. also wants to increase the number of parking spaces from 30 to 125. An upper parking lot will have 67 spots, a lower one will have 58, and employees will park behind the building. 

The plan proposes that the entrance on Route 1 be moved 100 feet to the west to allow for the parking lot expansion.

A projected timeline for the expansion project was not available.

Kate Gardner can be reached at 781-3661 ext. 125 or kgardner@theforecaster.net. Follow her on Twitter: @katevgardner.

Maine Beer Co., at 525 U.S. Route 1 in Freeport, is going before the Project Review Board Aug. 10 to propose a 20,330-square-foot expansion at the 6,000-square-foot facility.

Maine Beer Co. co-owners Dave and Daniel Kleban at their Freeport brewery after the business moved from Portland in April 2013.


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