Orono Brewing Company and Wyman’s have collaborated in crafting the quintessential taste of Maine summer in every sip — Wicked Maine Blueberry Ale. Unlike fleeting seasonal releases, Wicked Maine Blueberry Ale, or Wicked for short, promises to be a year-round delight, offering Mainers, visitors, and beer aficionados a perpetual taste of the Pine Tree State.
“My first earned dollar came from raking wild blueberries in downeast Maine,” said Abe Furth, co-owner of Orono Brewing Company. “Crafting Wicked allows us to pay homage to my deep Maine roots, and to share that heritage with beer lovers across the state.”
Brewed using Wyman’s wild blueberries and brewed with a light malt and hop recipe, Wicked highlights the delicious flavor of Maine’s official state fruit and offers a refreshing taste at every sip, even pairing well with a lobster roll.
“Wicked is quickly becoming our second-best seller behind Tubular,” said Furth. “Restaurants, bars and stores are excited to feature Wicked because it combines the best Maine ingredients to make a superior blueberry beer.”
Wicked Maine Blueberry Ale is now flowing on tap across the state, including Luke’s Lobster Portland Pier and Geddy’s in Bar Harbor, ensuring that enthusiasts can savor the taste of Maine wherever their adventures take them.
“The wild blueberry has been synonymous with Maine for more than a century,” said Colleen Craig, Wyman’s Senior Brand and Communications Manager. “It’s only fitting that we partner with one of Maine’s top emerging industries- craft beer- as we celebrate our 150th anniversary and toast to the future of wild blueberries.”
Orono Brewing Company was founded in 2004 by lifelong Mainers who met through the University of Maine. Orono Brewing has steadily grown since 2004 and is now one of Maine’s largest and most well-loved breweries. The brewery employs over forty people, and their flagship Tubular IPA is one of Maine’s most popular beers.
Based in Milbridge, Wyman’s was founded in 1874 by Jasper Wyman and is in the fourth generation of family ownership. Wyman’s is one of the world’s leading growers and processors of wild blueberries, and the country’s top-selling retail brand of frozen fruit. The company owns 55,000 acres of land throughout Maine and Canada and works with partner farmers around the world. Wyman’s provides 300 year-round jobs, plus hundreds of seasonal jobs during the harvest. Learn more at wymans.com.
Wild blueberries, vaccinium angustifolium, are Maine’s official state fruit. The low-bush berries took root in Maine 10,000 years ago, after the glaciers receded, and Maine is the only state in the U.S. where wild blueberries are commercially grown in abundance. Learn more at wymans.com.
