Lake St George Brewing
Danny McGovern has played an important role in Maine craft beer for decades, stretching back to when he opened the original Lake St. George Brewing Company in 1993. After stints at Belfast Bay Brewing and Marshall Wharf, McGovern opened Monhegan Brewing with his daughter and son-in-law in 2012. And in 2017, he completed the circle, partnering with his wife Carol, their two daughters, and their two sons-in-law to open a second version of Lake St. George Brewing in Liberty.
Description of interview with Danny McGovern
Danny McGovern discusses his background and how he started brewing beer. Homebrewing was a hobby of McGovern’s beginning in high school, and he continued to brew until he opened Lake St. George Brewing Co. in 1993. McGovern describes his relationship with other brewers during this early era of craft brewing and how he drew inspiration from breweries such as Geary’s and Atlantic. McGovern recalls how the original Lake St. George Brewing Co. closed and how he applied the lessons learned from the closure to the other breweries he became involved with. McGovern worked at Belfast Bay Brewing and Marshall Wharf Brewing before he helped open Monhegan Brewing in 2012.
McGovern describes how the second iteration of Lake St. George Brewing Co. came to fruition. He discusses the differences between the original and current versions of the brewery. Lake St. George Brewing is a community gathering place for Liberty, something McGovern is quite proud of. He talks about the different types of people that visit his brewery and how customers regularly surprise him with their tastes in beer. McGovern attempts to form positive relationships with up-and-coming brewers and breweries in Maine. McGovern finishes the interview with positive words about craft beer in Maine.
The interview was conducted by Cameron Dyer and Allie Naccara in October 2019.