Steam Mill Brewing Information

There's much to see here. So, take your time, look around, and learn all there is to know about us. We hope you enjoy our site and take a moment to drop us a line. Steam Mill Brewing in Bethel, Maine is owned and operated by James Kimball and Scott and Koral Fraser and is located at 7 Mechanic Street. Our beer features local ingredients such as Maine malt and local hops. We utilize local landmarks for inspiration in naming our beer, for example; Paradise Perle, Intervale Ale, Alder River Red, and Overset RyePA. Our story starts in 1994 after we graduated from college. We started brewing beer in Scott's house in the Steam Mill neighborhood of Bethel, where our name originates from. The Steam Mill section of Bethel is named after the steam mill that was located there in the mid 1900's. We put home brewing on the back burner for many years as we raised our children. Fast forward to 2015, while enjoying a pint at a small startup brewery in Portland, we had the light bulb moment that we could start a brewery. In 2016, after talking to our wives, we agreed to try to brew beer every other week for a whole year. Out of twenty-six opportunities, we were able to brew twenty-two times. We brewed the same five recipes over and over to try to perfect them so they met our standards. In 2017, we started the process of establishing a brewery. We started purchasing equipment, trademarking a name, and perfecting our recipes. In early 2018, we signed a lease for our brewery and taproom and started the remodel. We also applied for our state and federal licenses and we received all required permits in May of 2018. We brewed our first batch on the new system soon after and continued to brew through June and July. Our grand opening was July 21st, 2018 which coincided with the Mollyockett celebration in Bethel.