USA, ME: Waterville Brewing Company now open for business

Waterville's first microbrewery is now open for business, WABI reported on March 30.

Located in the Hathaway Creative Center, Waterville Brewing Company is yet another addition to the city's bustling downtown.

"This building is just, the first time we walked into it, it was just such a beautiful building. I mean it was an easy choice. There was a lot of empty spaces on this floor, but we could see the potential that it wouldn't be empty for long."

Not long at all. More than a dozen businesses and non-profits are expected to join Waterville Brewing Company inside the mixed-use facility this summer.

Ryan Flaherty co-owns the microbrewery with friend, and fellow Winslow resident, Eric Willett. They've been brewing at home for over a decade.

"Our friends always said that we should and our beer is really good, and then we just kind of decided to just go for it," said Flaherty.

They signed their lease last year and opened their doors in in the Hathaway Creative Center in February.

"We have a four-barrel brewery here and we brew a lot of classic styles. We have an amber ale, we have a stout, we have an IPA, we have a lighter beer - which is our blonde ale- which is very popular with a lot of people that are just getting into the craft beer sector," said Flaherty.

Garvan Donegan, with the Central Maine Growth Council, helped Flaherty and Willett procure the site and business has been steady since their soft opening.

"These new projects are like pouring jet fuel on a fire. We are seeing a population increase right now, we're seeing property values increase, we're seeing median family income increase. It is extraordinarily exciting to see," said Donegan, Senior Economic Development Specialist.

They're open Fridays from 3-8 and Saturdays from noon to 8. Flaherty hopes to expand hours to Thursday and Sunday this summer after Willett returns from active duty.

"We want to have our staple beers on tap, but we also want to be able to be creative and have a rotation of different types of beers," said Flaherty.

Their wives help run the business and the duo are looking into possibly distributing their custom brews in the future

"But right now we're just trying to make it work right here at Hathaway."

And they've arrived in the city at a time of transition from a mill and manufacturing economy to one focused on innovation, technology and education.

"I would expect to see Waterville be one of the faster growing cities throughout the state of Maine, and certainly regionally," said Donegan.

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