Jeff Powers, a founder of Maine craft beer powerhouse Bigelow Brewing Co., has died.
Powers died Tuesday evening, according to Bigelow Brewing Co. He was 61. No cause of death has been released.
“Our Bigelow family is struggling to come to grips with the loss of such a compassionate, loyal, hardworking man. He will be missed every day by his family and the Skowhegan community,” the company said in a Facebook post.
Powers opened Bigelow Brewing with his wife, Pam Powers, at their Skowhegan farm in 2014. Jeff Powers reportedly began his craft beer journey in 1989 when Pam Powers gave him a home brewing kit for Christmas, according to the Waterville Morning Sentinel.
Bigelow Brewing quickly became a top Maine brewery, with its beers available in more than 700 locations, the Sentinel reported.
The Sentinel reported that Bigelow Brewing is in the process of moving to the former Solon Manufacturing mill, but it’s unclear whether the death of Jeff Powers will affect those plans.
“Jeff’s spirit of generosity and kindness could be felt in everything he did. He always put others before himself, making sure that everyone was taken care of at Bigelow. His passion for serving his customers and community were unmatched,” Bigelow Brewing said in the post.
Customers, friends and family can attend a public memorial for Powers 12 to 5 p.m. Sept. 30 at Bigelow Brewing on Bigelow Hill Road in Skowhegan.