Rising Tide Brewing Company, of Portland, Maine, announced that its award-winning Maine Island Trail Ale will now be available year-round for the first time since its introduction more than nine years ago. Until now, it has been available exclusively as a summer seasonal.
Maine Island Trail Ale is brewed to support and celebrate the Maine Island Trail Association (MITA)’s stewardship of Maine’s wild islands, with a portion of the proceeds going to support the nonprofit.
“The coast of Maine has inspired us from the start, as you can see in our labels and beer names,” said Heather Sanborn, Director of Business Operations and Co-Owner at Rising Tide. “We also knew, when starting the business, that we wanted to find meaningful ways to give back to our community. MITA put out a request for proposals for a Maine brewery to brew a beer way back in 2012. We thought it made complete sense to throw our name in the ring to work with them. We were a very small brewery at the time and didn’t know if we had a shot, but we were thrilled to be selected and have renewed our commitment with MITA every year since, becoming one of the organization’s largest corporate donors.”
In the craft beer industry, it is now common practice for breweries to publicly support causes through creating and naming beers in their honor. Having first released Maine Island Trail Ale in the spring of 2013, Rising Tide is a pioneer of what has now become one of the most common forms of philanthropy in the craft brewing world. Rising Tide’s nearly decade-long commitment to their relationship with MITA continues to stand out in a world where beer styles, flavors, and brands ebb and flow with increasing frequency.
“Rising Tide is such an important partner for us in terms of the awareness and buzz that they bring with Maine Island Trail Ale,” commented Doug Welch, Executive Director of MITA. “We’ve actually had members tell us that they learned about us through the beer, which is a fun story. Maine Island Trail Ale has been a great way for people to support our work, and we’re excited to know that it will now be available year-round, further extending its benefit to MITA.”
Maine Island Trail Ale is a crisp, flavorful 4.3% ABV session IPA. An early entry into the steadily growing session IPA market, it brings a slight pine character that is reminiscent of the Maine coast, while being citrus and grapefruit forward with subtle notes of mango and other tropical flavors.
“This is one of my favorite beers that we make, and it also happens to be our best-seller,” said Nathan Sanborn, Director of Brewing Operations and Co-Owner at Rising Tide. “It’s very well-balanced, with just enough bitterness to cleanse the palate without being overbearing. It appeals to serious beer drinkers and casual beer drinkers alike. It’s really exceptional, especially when it’s fresh.”
Freshness and availability are two of the reasons Rising Tide believes that consumers will be excited about the announcement.
“Every fall we hear from customers who stock up on Maine Island Trail Ale before it runs out so they can enjoy it through the winter,” continued Heather Sanborn. “While we appreciate their enthusiasm, we always cringe a little because this beer should be enjoyed when it is fresh. Now fresh cans will consistently be on the shelves year round. We view it as both a thank you to our customers who have supported the beer for so long and a way to extend and increase our support of MITA.”
Maine Island Trail Ale is now available year-round throughout all of Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.
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