Aside from its lobster, perhaps the best-known commercial item that comes out of Maine is the boots made by L.L. Bean, the family-owned clothing and outdoor recreation equipment company based just north of Portland. Easily recognizable and famously durable, the boots are like ambassadors of the state.
A state with a long history of manufacturing, Maine has also become a beer powerhouse, thanks to early pioneers such as Portland’s Allagash Brewing Company and more modern entrants who have embraced the haze craze and brought people from all parts of the state, from the mountains to the coastline.
Sean Sullivan, the executive director of the Main Brewers’ Guild, says that beer has helped change the nature of the way people see the state. What was once paper factories and tourism centered on bed and breakfasts lined with ornate wallpaper is now a thriving food scene with adventure and outdoor tourism and a renewed focus on the made-here, can-do spirit that has long embodied the Pine Tree State.