Gritty’s McDuff’s Brew Pub and Restaurant, on U.S. Route 1, will celebrate its 20th year in Freeport on July 10, with an event appropriately named a “20th Beerthday Party.” The Outerspace Band will perform at the bash, which begins at 6 p.m. There is no cover charge.

Freeport resident Billy Stebbins, co-owner of Gritty’s Freeport with Jon Soule, said that the party will feature food, tunes and plenty of beer.

Stebbins, 51, grew up in Arkansas. He lived in Brazil for two years from 1978-80, at his father’s farm.

“We grew popcorn, wheat, soybeans and corn,” Stebbins said. “I was wanting to actually distill corn down there, but I didn’t get a chance to do that. Their alcohol was sugarcane based. So, I was interested in distilling and brewing at age 16. I came up in 1990 to brew with Ed Stebbins, my cousin. I learned to brew there in Portland.”

Stebbins answered questions about Gritty’s Beerthday and the company’s history and role in Freeport for the Tri-Town Weekly.

Q: It seems as if the name “Gritty McDuff’s” is synonymous with the brew pub movement in Maine. Go back to those early days for us, and how the beer-drinking public reacted.

A: Gritty’s McDuff’s is Maine’s original brew pub. The first in Maine. Since 1988, Gritty McDuff’s has been creating fine handcrafted ales and traditional pub fare. From our humble beginnings as a small brew pub in Portland’s Old Port, we’ve grown to become the brew pub of choice for Mainers and folks “from away.” From the start, Gritty’s was at the forefront of the brewing renaissance in Maine.

Q: How many varieties do you brew, and what are the favorites? And trends?

A: We currently brew five ales that are available year around: Original Pub Style, Best Bitter, Best Brown, Black Fly Stout and Maine’s Best IPA. We also brew four seasonal ales. One is available for each season: Vacationland Summer Ale, Halloween Ale, Christmas Ale and Scottish Ale. If you can’t make up your mind, you can buy the Gritty Dozen. All the beer we brew for Gritty’s Freeport and the draft beer we brew for other restaurants and bars throughout New England is brewed at our Freeport location. All the 22-ounce bottles are bottled there, too. The trend in craft brewing is moving toward hyper-local brands and lots of innovation. Which basically means the customers are supporting their local brewers/brew pubs more than ever and they expect new beers on a pretty consistent basis. We are meeting that demand by offering new beers at Gritty’s Freeport. For example, we brewed a German “Alt Bier” this past spring. That was a completely new style of beer for us because it used a different yeast. In June we brewed a brown IPA and this month an English wheat beer is going on tap.

Q: How do you like operating in Freeport?

A: Freeport is great. Gritty’s Freeport is an integral part of the community. We support several local charities, events and organizations. We would like to think we’re a part of the fabric of life in Freeport for locals and for the tourists.

Q: How many brews or gallons of beer do you think have been brewed in Freeport since 1995?

A: The July 2 brew will be No. 4,417, for 1,766,800 gallons. July 3 will be No. 4,418 for 1,767,200 gallons.

Q: How many employees work there?

A: 90 to 95.

Q: How many pints are served in a typical July?

A: 16,000.

Q: The competition is hot and heavy for the craft beer market in Maine. There are dozens and dozens. Do you think it’s reached a “saturation point?”

A: There are now 61 brewers in Maine. Ten years ago there were 18 breweries. And they all want to sell their beer in Maine. Besides the Maine breweries, there are many other breweries from other states that sell their products here, too. The good news is there is still only a handful of brew pubs – and we’re still the largest one in Maine and in New England, according to the American Craft Brewers Association. So yes, the competition has gotten intense out there. We don’t know if it’s reached a saturation point yet, but the Craft Brewer’s Association is predicting growth in the industry for at least the next five to 10 years. More people are drinking better beer, which is great for us.

Billy Stebbins, left, and Jon Soule are founding partners and co-owners of Gritty McDuff’s Brew Pub and Restaurant, which celebrates its 20th year in Freeport on July 10. Courtesy photo