Serving from the Maine Beer Box at the Leeds International Beer Festival.
Photograph: Nicole Laplante, Soli DG
The Maine Beer Box was centre stage at the Leeds International Beer Festival as more than 12,000 international beer lovers enjoyed 78 different Maine craft beers at the four-day event.
Carrying forward an international beer trade launched last year with Iceland, brewers from across the state filled the Maine Beer Box with fresh craft beer and sent it aboard a freighter ship over 3,000 miles to Leeds.
The Beer Box contained more than 400 kegs from 65 breweries, and 78 different beers, ranging from New England IPAs and sour ales to an oyster stout and spruce ale.
The Maine Beer Box is a custom-built, 12-metre long, refrigerated shipping container, complete with 78 beer taps on the side and a fully self-contained CO2 draft system. It allows Maine beer to be served anywhere that can be reached by land or sea, and serves as a symbol of the collaborative spirit of Maine’s brewers.
Sean Sullivan , executive director of the Maine Brewers’ Guild, said: “We received an enthusiastic reception in Leeds, and enjoyed returning the hospitality. Maine brewers were able to meet people from around the world, hand them a freshly poured pint of Maine beer, and let them get a taste of one of the many reasons we love Maine and want to share our craft with the world.
“Our trip to the United Kingdom was a huge success and we look forward to hosting UK brewers this fall.”
Collaboration across the globe
More than an outlet to introduce beer to new markets, the Global Brewers Trade project is a way to forge collaboration between brewers across the globe, and give brewers from both countries a change to discover new flavors, techniques and styles.
Representatives from 25 Maine breweries travelled with their beer to the United Kingdom to meet local brewers, share their passion and knowledge for brewing quality beer, and invite them to collaborate upon their visit to Maine.
The Maine Department of Economic and Community Development contributed toward the cost of brewer scholarships which covered travel to the United Kingdom.
Maine’s North Atlantic Development Office joined Maine Brewers at Leeds as part of a nine-day trade mission throughout the UK.
Acting Department of Economic and Community Development commissioner, Denise Garland, said: “The Maine Beer Box is part goodwill trade mission, part economic development, and part marketing of Maine as the top craft beer destination in the United States.
“When we speak to businesses in other countries, the beer box is not only a conversation starter, it’s a testament to the can-do attitude of our people and the innovative business models that thrive in our state. The beer box is attracting more business to Maine.”
Brewers from across the UK will load the box with their own craft beer and ship it back across the North Atlantic to Portland, Maine, where the beer will be featured at the guild’s Winter Session Beer Festival on November 10.
