In York County, brewing site will have new operators, name

Photo / Courtesy Auxiliary Brewing Co. Dearborn prepares the brewing tanks for production.

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A pair of siblings teamed up to open Maine’s latest brewery, Auxiliary Brewing Co., off the beaten track in the small York County town of Limerick.

Blue Iris Acres LLC bought 94 Patterson Road from Willow Tree LLC for $873,872.

Chris Gallagher and Joe Italiaander of the Boulos Co. brokered the deal.

The property has a 4,000-square-foot retail building that’s the right fit for a brewing operation and a tasting room, said Elliot Dearborn and Korali Day, who own Blue Iris Acres LLC and founded Auxiliary Brewing Co.

A view of a space with a counter and metal ceiling.

Photo / Courtesy The Boulos Co.

A 4,000-square-foot retail building a 94 Patterson Road in Limerick, formerly occupied by Gneiss Brewing Co., is now being fitted up for Auxiliary Brewing Co.

“This is a perfect fit for us,” said Dearborn. “It’s the size we wanted to start at. There’s room for growth.”

The property was previously occupied by Gneiss Brewing Co., which specialized in German-inspired wheat beers and closed last year after more than 10 years in business.

The site is about 30 miles west of Portland.

First-time business owners

Dearborn has been in the brewing industry for about a decade, working for a handful of breweries in southern Maine, both large and small, including Gneiss Brewing.

“I’d gotten into the industry initially with the long-term goal of wanting to have my own brewery,” he said. “Working at different-size locations and doing various positions everywhere I worked, I figured out what I wanted to do.”

Photo / Courtesy Auxiliary Brewing Co.

From left, siblings Korali Day and Elliot Dearborn and Dearborn’s wife Amanda.

Day is helping in the brewhouse and the taproom and back-end administration. Her career background includes work with peer support and mental health organizations, with an advisory committee for disability rights in Maine and with a group events organization.

“It’s a lot to learn for both of us,” she said of setting up the brewery business. “Elliott has the brewing experience, but neither of us have owned a business. So we’re making sure we have really good support.”

A gravel area outside has picnic benches.

Photo / Courtesy Auxiliary Brewing Co.

The property came with a beer garden.

That includes Dearborn’s many connections in the brewing industry, which Day characterized as community-driven. The plan is to line up community events such as fundraisers and holiday gatherings.

“We want to be involved in our local community,” Day said.

Updates

The real estate purchase included seating, a bar and brewing equipment. The siblings added and replaced some equipment and will likely add furnishings such as high-top tables to the taproom.

Photo / Courtesy Auxiliary Brewing Co.

An existing taproom came with furnishings.

There’s a beer garden out back with picnic tables, cornhole boards and fire pits.

“We plan on updating and making the spaces a little better and a little more cozy over time,” said Day. “But they were definitely good to go as is.”

The siblings are doing most of the physical upgrades themselves, with friends helping out when they can. Dearborn’s father has a plumbing and heating business and is helping on that side. Contractors were hired for a couple of jobs, such s installing new draft lines, which are part of the draft beer system that lead from keg to tap.

As a small brewery, the plan is to self-distribute, at least starting out. Dearborn's wife, Autumn Dearborn, will help in all areas of the brewery, with main roles as taproom manager and social media coordinator.

Business support

Before the acquisition, there were a couple of occasions when Dearborn almost pulled the trigger on building his own facility. But when he became aware that the Gneiss property would become available, he went for it.

Photo / Courtesy Auxiliary Brewing Co.

Day refurbishes cornhole boards.

To set up the business, the siblings consulted with friends in the industry, organizations like SCORE and their accounting team. The project is financed through cash, the U.S. Small Business Administration 504 program, which provides loans advantageous to borrowers for certain commercial purposes, and M&T Bank.

The Southern Maine Finance Agency facilitated the SBA 504 loan. The agency is a community development financial institution and certified development company.

The siblings are getting word out through social media updates. Although an opening date hasn’t been set yet, brewing is expected to start soon, with the taproom to open afterward, maybe late this fall. The operation is licensed to bring in beer from other producers, too, and to sell prepackaged food. The plan is to install a kitchen at a later date.

“We’re going to hit the ground running,” said Dearborn. “We plan to get the taproom open, get the beer flowing.”