Sarah Bryan recently took over as the new executive director of the Maine Brewers’ Guild. Courtesy of the Maine Brewers’ Guild
The Maine Brewer’s Guild recently appointed former Après operations head Sarah Bryan as its new executive director.
Bryan is a New Hampshire native and former New Hampshire Brewers Association board member who has worked at several breweries in that state, including Earth Eagle, Portsmouth Brewery, Schilling Beer Co., Smuttynose and Twin Barns Brewing. She started work in January 2021 as director of operations and branding at Après in East Bayside.
Bryan said it was the quality of Maine craft beer and beer culture that compelled her to apply for the directorship with the Guild.
“Without upsetting any of our New England colleagues, I really think Maine beer is the crown jewel of New England brewing culture,” Bryan said. “It’s a truly diverse set of very talented people here working to make excellent liquid, and they do it in a variety of styles and methods. It’s really special.”
Bryan plans to spend much of her first year on the job becoming familiar with Maine brewers. “I have a lot of work to do to really get to know our member breweries,” she said.
“I’m really very proud to continue the legacy of the Maine Brewers’ Guild, and work toward our common aim for the good of all of our members, but also for our neighbors across Maine who really enjoy craft beer,” she added.
Bryan replaces Shea Cusick, who joined the Guild as executive director last spring and recently resigned after less than a year at the position. “She continues to be a respected member of this community and we wish her nothing but success,” Guild President Jenn Lever said of Cusick.
Red’s Dairy Freeze in March 2017. Derek Davis/Staff Photographer
ICE CREAM SEASON KICKS OFF
In what may be a truer harbinger of spring in southern Maine than groundhogs or robins, Red’s Dairy Freeze has opened for the season.
Red’s, the iconic South Portland ice cream stand, launched its 2024 season on March 9. Lib’s Dairy Treats in Portland opened this year on the same day.
Both Red’s and Lib’s kicked off their 2023 seasons on March 9 as well.
Meanwhile in Scarborough, another favorite local ice cream shop, The Dairy Corner, remains closed for now. The Dairy Corner opened on April 14 last year.
ONGGI GETS BON APPETIT SHOUT-OUT
Washington Avenue’s fermentation-focused market and cafe Onggi was included in a recent Bon Appetit magazine story on how “American Baking is More Creative Than Ever.”
The piece lists Onggi as one of nine bakeries around the country pushing the boundaries of the craft. Onggi is the only New England-based shop featured in the story, which also lists bakeries in Austin, Texas; Detroit; Greater Los Angeles; New Orleans; New York City; San Francisco, and Seattle.
While Bon Appetit notes that Onggi isn’t exclusively a bakery, they say “some of Onggi’s finest work is tucked into a small pastry case near the register. Co-owners Marcus Im, Amy Ng, and Erin Zobitz, who opened the shop in April 2021, offer a tight rotating roster of baked goods that highlight fermentation, including chocolate chip cookies bearing an unmistakable sourdough twang and savory kimchi-cheddar-corn soufflés reminiscent of Korean American corn cheese.”
LUKE’S LOBSTER ROLLS AT FENWAY
Maine Red Sox fans may not be totally excited about the team’s chances this season, but they can at least enjoy some Luke’s Lobster rolls at Fenway this year.
Maine-based seafood company and restaurant group Luke’s Lobster recently announced it will be selling its rolls at two locations at the park, including inside the first base concourse and from a stand alongside Fenway on Jersey Street.
“We are thrilled to partner with the Boston Red Sox and bring our lobster rolls to Boston’s beloved ballpark, Fenway Park,” Luke Holden, CEO & founder of Luke’s Lobster said in a release.
LOST KITCHEN OPENS RESERVATIONS
Freedom’s ultra-popular Lost Kitchen announced Tuesday that it is now accepting postcard submissions for reservations for the 2024 dining season.
During the month of April, the Lost Kitchen team will pull cards one at a time at random to assign reservations. The restaurant then calls the people whose cards are chosen to determine a date and time for the reservation.
Thousands of hopeful diners submit postcards each spring for a chance to dine at the restaurant. Find more details on their reservations process at the Lost Kitchen website.
OTTO x TERLINGUA PIZZA COLLABORATION
Otto Pizza has launched a seasonal pizza in collaboration with Washington Avenue Tex-Mex barbecue restaurant Terlingua.
The spring pie features chicken coated with Terlingua’s housemade ancho chili spice rub, along with red onions and sliced jalapeños. The pizza, also drizzled with Terlingua’s own barbecue sauce, is available for a limited time at all Otto locations, including 11 restaurants in Maine.
Otto will donate $1 from every Terlingua pizza collab sold to several New England nonprofit groups working to make music education available to kids, including the Maine Academy of Modern Music, Berklee City Music Boston, and Portsmouth Music & Arts Center in New Hampshire.
Copy the Story LinkSend questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.