BRUNSWICK, ME – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) released the April edition of his podcast focusing on positive trends in Maine’s craft brew industry and how federal policies can help to continue that momentum. In the podcast, he interviews Maine Beer Company founder Dan Kleban and Blue Ox Malthouse founder Joel Alex who highlighted the growth of Maine’s small brewers, outlined how the industry is helping to strengthen Maine’s economy, and provided insights on how policymakers can support the industry.

The “Inside Maine Podcast with Senator Angus King” is a 30-minute program that aims to help keep Maine people informed about issues of the day, how they affect life in the state, and how they factor into Senator King’s work as one of two independents in the U.S. Senate. Senator King’s podcast builds on his existing radio show that airs on Newsradio WGAN in Portland, Maine between 10 and 11 a.m. on almost every last Saturday of the month. His most recent guest was Senator George Mitchell, who joined the podcast to discuss the Supreme Court nomination process.

In Congress, Senator King has been a strong supporter of Maine’s craft brewing industry. He is an original cosponsor of the Small BREW Act, legislation introduced by Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Ben Cardin (D-Md.) that would reduce the federal excise tax on small craft brewers and change the definition of a small brewer to better reflect modern production levels. Senator King has also defended Maine’s craft brewers in the face of the merger of two larger beer conglomerates, urging the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate whether it would crowd out competition and hamper the growth of small breweries.

According to the Brewers Association, Maine craft brewers have generated an estimated $432 million in sales revenue in 2014. Maine Beer Company in Freeport is one of more than 70 licensed breweries in the state, and Blue Ox Malthouse in Lisbon Falls is a relatively new operation that provides brewers with locally-grown ingredients and supports local agriculture at the same time.

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