Craft brewers from across New England gathered in Portland, Maine on March 7, 2025, for the ninth annual New England Craft Brew Summit. This year supplied a crucial boost in morale as brewers grapple with the looming economic impact of proposed tariffs and the national beer industry seeing a 2% decline in production in 2024.
The event, hosted by the Maine Brewers Guild, brought together more than 400 craft brewers and industry professionals for a day devoted to camaraderie, craft brewing and the business of beer. This year’s summit theme was The Fermentation of Change: Redefining Craft Beer’s Future, with Dogfish Head Craft Brewery owner Sam Calagione kicking off the day with his keynote, Commerce, Creativity, and Community-Building. His talk touched on how these three pillars sustain a brand through industry ups and downs, drawing from his own brewing journey that began in Maine.
“Craft beer thrives through commerce, creativity, and community-building — especially in challenging times,” said Calagione. “Just as musicians adapt their sound to resonate with changing audiences, brewers must continue innovating and working collaboratively to navigate economic pressures and evolving consumer tastes. Our recent releases, the 30 Minute Light IPA and Grateful Dead Juicy Pale Ale, reflect this ongoing commitment to creative evolution.”
The New England Craft Brew Summit was launched in 2016 by the Maine Brewers’ Guild as the first conference in the region to focus on the business of brewing, bringing brewers together with legal experts, hop farmers, bankers, maltsters and more. It has grown to be the largest craft beer conference in the Northeast and a signature event for the industry.
“We were pleased to see such a strong turnout of brewers, vendors and industry professionals this year,” said Maine Brewers’ Guild board president Jenn Lever. “Maine’s craft beer scene continues to grow, but breweries are adapting to shifting consumer preferences, from exploring nonalcoholic beers finding new ways to stay competitive. This summit was about embracing those changes and shaping the future of craft beer.”
The Craft Brew Summit’s presenting sponsor, Allen Insurance and Financial, lead the day’s first workshop session with a panel on growth through brewery acquisitions. The rest of the day’s workshops ranged from a panel from brewery owners of 25+ years, the growth in popularity of nonalcoholic beer, and the importance of customer loyalty. The event also drew more than 40 vendors from across the U.S. The hall was filled with a range of exhibitors from booths presenting malts and hops, sustainability in brewing, and vendors that got down to the science of brewing.
“Craft beer is about community, and it’s essential for people in the craft beer industry to join together with like-minded professionals at events like the New England Craft Brew Summit to reconnect and to support each other,” said Sarah Bryan, Executive Director of the Maine Brewers Guild. “Our collective action as a guild and as colleagues across state lines creates meaningful change when we work with intention, consistency, and solidarity.”
Presenters, attendees, and vendors were able to join the night before at the Thirsty Pig in Portland for Freshman Orientation, a semiannual showcase of Maine’s newest breweries. Additionally, others were able to attend the New England Craft Brew Summit kickoff event presented by Sam Calagione at Novare Res. After Friday’s Brew Summit, ticket holders could join for the after party at Oxbow Blending & Bottling Portland for Battle of the Brewery Bands, with proceeds going towards the Maine Brewers’ Guild.
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