Maine has lost one of Biddeford’s longtime craft-beer businesses as Banded Brewing Co. closes after 13 years, following other recent brewery closures around the country. The business, founded in 2013, was Biddeford’s first brewery.
Banded announced in July that its final day of regular operations would be August 31. Its official website now says the brewery permanently closed in September 2026, confirming that the planned end-of-summer shutdown went forward.
Biddeford’s first brewery closes
Banded Brewing opened in the historic Pepperell Mill complex in downtown Biddeford and became part of the city’s growing food-and-drink scene. Over the years, it produced a broad lineup that included IPAs, sours, pilsners and stouts while operating a taproom with food and community events. Its calendar regularly featured live music, trivia, fundraisers and other gatherings, making the brewery a social venue as well as a production business.
When it announced the closure, the company said the previous several years had brought “significant and sustained challenges” for independent brewers and that continuing operations was no longer sustainable. The brewery thanked customers and the community for supporting the business through its 13-year run.
The final summer ended in September
The Portland Press Herald reported that the brewery planned to cease regular operations at the end of August. Banded’s website, which remains online, now states plainly that the business is permanently closed and says it officially shut its doors in September.
No verified public layoff count was found in the sources reviewed, so the number of employees affected is unclear. Unlike large manufacturing closures that trigger detailed WARN notices, small brewery shutdowns do not always produce a public workforce filing.
The closure ends a local first
Banded’s importance in Biddeford was about more than the volume of beer it produced. It was the city’s first brewery and spent more than a decade in a former textile-mill complex that has become a hub for new businesses, restaurants and creative spaces.
The closure leaves another gap in Maine’s independent brewing landscape. Banded’s own website now labels the business “permanently closed” and dates its run from 2013 to 2026, removing any uncertainty about whether the end-of-summer announcement was only a temporary pause. For longtime customers, the final chapter is now confirmed: after a summer-long farewell, Banded Brewing’s taproom and production operation are permanently closed, ending a 13-year run in downtown Biddeford.
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