From Tap to Tap

This year’s Maine Maple Sunday will feature a special release on the Mast Landing draft lines. Shack Attack is a blend of barrel aged imperial stouts that was conditioned on Madagascar vanilla beans for two weeks and finished off with 9 gallons of locally sourced maple syrup from Cooper’s Heritage Farm in Windham, Maine. Given the small size of the batch that means it clocks in at over a gallon of maple syrup per barrel of beer! Creating a beer like this was another chance for us to speak to our roots here in Maine, and to channel the deep pride we have for the region’s agriculture.

While the selection of the weekend at Coopers will certainly be the maple syrup, there is also a massive array of livestock, farming, and tradition happening on their grounds in Windham. Miniature horses, cattle, chickens, and more reside on the farm, and we spent a sunny afternoon getting to know these friendly characters while learning about the syrup process.

The folks at Coopers take no shortcuts when it comes to producing their syrup in a traditional way. Rather than using electric or gas heat in the sugar shack, they boil their syrup over wood heat the way it was done in “the olden days”. Preserving this practice ensures that the finished product is reflective of the tradition and terroir of Southern Maine. In addition to the wood burning element, Coopers also conducts their boiling process out in the open, rather than in an enclosure. While this does cause some loss of steam, it ensures that visitors to the farm are able to see the boil in action, and creates an educational & sensory experience like none other.

Maine Maple Weekend is a big one at Coopers - the crew knows that it’s a lot of work, but similar to how we approach a busy day at the tasting room it’s the kind of rewarding and fun work that brings community together. The town helps out with logistics to ensure that the droves of locals and out of town visitors alike can make their way onto the farm. A deep passion for sharing their space & trades is clear in everything that the crew at Coopers does. If you visit them on Maine Maple Sunday you can expect an immersive and engaging time on one of the most authentic pieces of farming land around.

We hope you get a chance to visit both Mast Landing and Coopers this coming weekend to taste the wonderful array of treats that we’ve produced. As always it’s a true pleasure to work with our fellow craftspeople here in Maine, and we’re once again reminded of the joy that this region produces through community.