Brent Angevine and Scott Fraser, brewers and owners of Steam Mill Brewing in Bethel, will be the first to admit that they’re not trained brewers. “We’ve just been doing it for a long time,” says Angevine. Of course, some might argue that time is the best trainer of all—and once you’ve had one of Steam Mill’s brews, it will be hard to want to argue about anything.
By trade, Angevine is a heavy equipment mechanic and Fraser is a pharmacist. Although the two come from drastically different industries, their friendship, which started at birth, has always been bolstered by a strong work ethic and a shared love of beer.
While they do love running a brewery, they make no bones about the labor involved. “It’s not a romantic job—it’s a lot of cleaning,” says Angevine. The reward is what you might imagine: being able to drink the beer they’ve made and enjoy the company of their many guests. “We call beer people ‘our people’ because we share the same passion for craft beer,” says Fraser.
The two started brewing beer in 1994, after college, operating out of Fraser’s house in the Steam Mill neighborhood of Bethel. From this experience they took their brewery’s name—although the brewery itself didn’t come to fruition until more than two decades later, when their children were raised and they’d spent some time perfecting their recipes. The brewers’ wives share in Steam Mill’s ownership and contribute in different ways when they can outside of their day jobs.
Steam Mill Brewing had their grand opening on July 21, 2018. They currently run nine beers on tap at a time and rotate a few out depending on the season. For spring, Steam Mill offers more session IPAs. Heading into this summer, they plan to bring back their saison and Mexican lager.
Steam Mill’s guests find themselves in Bethel for different reasons, “and it’s always interesting to hear how they ended up at the brewery,” says Angevine. For some, Bethel is a landing place for a second home. For others, it’s a weekend getaway for golfing, hiking, fishing, mountain biking, and winter skiing.
Steam Mill’s beers are sold at several Maine restaurants and businesses, including Brian’s (Bethel), Cho Sun (Bethel), Butcher Burger (Bethel), The Meeting House (Newry), Chamberlain’s Tap & Table (Rumford), River Haus & Well (Newry), The Gem Theater (Bethel), River Lanes (Bethel), Black Mountain of Maine (Rumford), and Mt. Abram Resort (Greenwood). But if it’s just a beer you seek, Fraser recommends getting it at the root. “People who visit the taproom can see how beautiful it is in the glass. The creamy foam and lacing left on the glass are the hallmarks of quality beer. Ours will not disappoint.”
