Digest>Archives> July 2001

Shipyard Brewing Steps Forward to Help Lighthouses

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Tim Harrison, president of the American ...

Shipyard Brewing Company of Portland and Kennebunkport Maine has taken a giant step to help save American lighthouses with the release of its new Shipyard Light Ale which features six different lighthouseson the bottles’ labels. The bottles are packaged in beautifully designed six packs that featured Maine’s Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse and the logo of the American Lighthouse Foundation.

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The new Shipyard Light Ale features Spring Point ...

The packaging also includes information on why it’s important to save our lighthouses and their history and how to join the American Lighthouse Foundation and even how to subscribe to Lighthouse Digest. To take it one step further, Shipyard Brewing Company will also donate a portion of all sales of Shipyard Light to the American Lighthouse Foundation to help the non-profit group in its efforts to save lighthouses and their history.

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Fred Forsley (l), president of Shipyard Brewing ...

In a press conference that was called to announce the partnership in saving lighthouses, Fred Forsley, President of Shipyard Brewing Company said, “While most of us tend to think only of the well maintained lighthouses that are popular tourist destinations there are many more that are in remote and outlying areas that are in danger of being lost forever. It’s important that these lighthouses which are a vital link to our nations maritime past be saved for future generations.”

Tim Harrison, president of the American Lighthouse Foundation and editor of Lighthouse Digest couldn’t agree more. He said most people are unaware of the real plight of many of our nation’s lighthouses until they actually see photos, as is evident by the recent books that he coauthored. Referring to the book Lost Lighthouses, Harrison said the reason the book is selling so well is that people want to know why these lighthouses are gone and why they were not saved. Then he went on to hold up a copy of the book Endangered Lighthouses, which is loaded with photographs of lighthouses on the brink of being lost forever.

The press conference attended by throngs of media and well-wishers looked something like a presidential press conference with the glare of the TV lights and reporters taking notes. Apparently Fred and Tim were able to convince some of them that this was a worthwhile cause because they received lots of TV coverage on that evening’s news and the following morning TV broadcasts.

Shipyard Brewing Company was founded in the early 1990’s when Fred was trying to find a way to revitalize a troubled retail development in Kennebunkport, Maine, which was the site of several 19th century shipyards which in their heyday built schooners known throughout the world for their grace and speed.

Along the way he met British-born Alan Pugsley, Master Brewer and one of the most influential people associated with the development of craft brewing in the United States.

Those meetings eventually led to the founding of Federal Jack’s Brew Pub and restaurant named after one of the most famous ships built on that site in 1908-the Federal Jack. They then came up with a logo, designed by Maine artist Kenny Hendrickson, a history buff who found a photo of a similar schooner built at the same location. Kenny’s artwork combined with Alan’s recipe and Federal Jacks then became the birthplace of the Shipyard Brewing Co.

As demand for the Shipyard’s world-class beer grew, Portland, Maine’s working waterfront became the location for Shipyards second brewery, founded on the site where American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was born in 1807.

The Shipyard Light bottles feature six different images of lighthouses from Maine to Massachusetts. They’ve left the lighthouses unmanned and are inviting people to guess the names and locations of the six-featured lighthouses. All correct answers will be entered into a drawing for a weekend lighthouse package at Maine’s famous Elms Bed and Breakfast in Camden.

Currently Shipyard Light is only in New England and Florida, however if its popularity continues to grow it will most likely be found throughout the United States. If its not carried by your local retailer or restaurant ask them to carry it. After all, every time you have a glass of it, you are helping to save a lighthouse.

For more information on the Shipyard Brewing Company you can visit www.shipyard.com or call 1-800-BREW-ALE. The Shipyard Brewing Company is located at 86 Newbury Street, Portland, Maine and offers tours daily between 3:00 - 5:00 PM and they have a wonderful gift shop. More photographs of the recent press conference can be found at www.LighthouseDepot.com

This story appeared in the July 2001 edition of Lighthouse Digest Magazine. The print edition contains more stories than our internet edition, and each story generally contains more photographs - often many more - in the print edition. For subscription information about the print edition, click here.

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