WEST BATH — West Bath will get its first brewery in December.
Trinken Brewery Co., which will offer traditional German brews, was founded by Ryan Bisson and Tyler Inman, who have known one another since high school. Both were born and raised in Bath and started brewing beer as a hobby in Bisson’s home.
As a second-generation German-American, Inman said the brewery’s name and products are a nod to his heritage. “Trinken” means “to drink” in German, and Hanau, a Bavarian Hefeweizen on their menu, was named after the village in Germany where Inman’s family has roots.
Upon opening, the pair will offer eight beers ranging from New England IPAs to a traditional Cologne-style Kölsch.
“Not a lot of breweries around offer traditional German-style beers,” said Bisson.
The new brewery, at 144 State Road in West Bath, next to the West Bath Fire Department, is taking over the shell of a former auto body shop. The building will house a taproom as well as brewing facilities. The brewers plan to install a patio outside the 1,900-square-foot building’s existing bay doors, and Bisson said he plans to welcome food trucks.
“People are thirsty and they’re excited to have a traditional, standalone brewery in West Bath,” said Inman. “It’s time for West Bath to have something more than garages and gas stations.”
Trinken will join a bevy of other breweries in the area. The southern Midcoast is already home to Moderation Brewing, Flight Deck and Black Pug, as well as Bath Brewing Co., Maine Beer Co., Sea Dog and Stars & Stripes Brewing.
Between 2016 and 2018 alone, 41 new breweries sprouted in the state. The number of Maine-based breweries now stands at 117, according to the Maine Brewers’ Guild.
According to an economic impact study by the University of Maine and the guild, the brewery industry contributed more than $260 million to the state’s economy in 2017 and employed nearly 2,000 Mainers.
Christie Mahaffey, co-founder of Foundation Brewing in Portland, said in March that industry officials are predicting 15 percent growth in 2020.
Within the first year, the co-founders plan to hire one or two employees depending on demand, according to Bisson.
“We look forward to serving our community, a community that raised both Ryan and I,” said Inman. “We wouldn’t want to do this anywhere else.”
kobrien@timesrecord.com
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