I will never forget the day my best friend, Kathy, gave me those four can-shaped beer glasses. They were from a brewery founded by a fellow Edward Little High School graduate. It was 2011, and I was living in New York. Kathy and I’s friendship began in childhood, and she knew the pride I had in Lewiston/Auburn. She guessed the excitement I would take in someone our age dreaming big, as well. It was a great gift for someone who never fell out of love with the place she grew up in. Long before Distinctly Maine became Baxter’s ethos, it was a part of me. It’s always been a part of this brand. It resonates in so many of the accomplishments this organization has completed in its ten-year journey.
Baxter Brewing was built to be a beer for the people, an introduction to craft beer that welcomes you and keeps you coming back for more. Through the years, Baxter has anchored its trajectory (pun intended) with the growth and development of Stowaway, our West Coast IPA. From Day One, this beer has inspired a lot of creative ideas both within our organization, and from fans across New England. These fans, dedicated, hardworking and appreciative of Baxter’s longstanding values, have consistently been the highlight of my work in market.
Their exuberance was present in the fanfare that followed our Silver Medal in the Great American Beer Fest with Window Seat, our Coconut Almond Porter. It was in the excitement that came with each release of Bootleg Fireworks. This history of positive energy laid the foundation for the work we were able to complete in 2020, and what will support much of our work in 2021. We are excited to find new and creative ways to expand our offerings, driving sales of 19.2-ounce single-serve cans, and being a better partner to the planet. Baxter has always prided itself in a quality experience – as well as our environmental conscience and consumer accessibility. These are our roots, and they are forever in mind as we look forward to our next ten years.
If you were with us for our 9th Anniversary last January, you recall there was an excitement in the air. Optimism was high as our team dialed in to launch the rebrand we had all worked hard on for so long. Job descriptions and titles aside, all were ready to contribute towards the best interest of the brand, and our individual players. As we launched Road to Reggae in our second year of sponsoring this beloved event, we also prepared to learn more about Rugby Union, and capture the hearts of a new crowd that loves beer. Then the world came to a halt.
It was hard and it was weird, but we are stronger now because we withstood and continue to pivot together. I made some of the toughest decisions of my career in the last year. My team’s support has kept me diligent to the cause and focused on what matters most: their mental and physical well-being, our brand’s quality, and the effort to make sure every consumer knows how hard the Baxter family is working, and how worthy they are of your recognition and trust when you purchase a Baxter.
There is no way we could embark on this next year, or the ten beyond, as prepared as we are, without the rich history we are built on. It’s the people that make up this work internally and externally, the fans’ commitment to support us, and the business partners that choose to represent us that give us the opportunity to showcase what we love to do. It has been the highest privilege of my life to represent this brand and the team we have. Please join me as we raise a glass to all we have accomplished in our first ten years, and to the very bright future we have in our next!
CHEERS TO TEN YEARS!
— Jenn Lever, President