KITTERY, Maine — Famed local brewmaster Tod Mott hopes to open his own microbrewery in Kittery by next fall — if the town will agree to expand its zoning to allow it.

KITTERY, Maine — Famed local brewmaster Tod Mott hopes to open his own microbrewery in Kittery by next fall — if the town will agree to expand its zoning to allow it.



Mott, longtime brewmaster at Portsmouth Brewery in Portsmouth, N.H., and creator of its renowned Kate the Great stout, will likely join forces with Andrew Bevan of Salmon Falls Winery to create both a brewery and winery.



"We want to be in southern Maine," said Mott, whose business partner is his wife, Galen. "Kittery has cool food going for it, a great regional land trust, a lot of cool things happening right now."



Mott said plans call for a microbrewery making less than 3,000 barrels a year, perhaps a winery using "a lot of the same equipment" along with a retail merchandise store.



Beer and wine tastings would be offered, but there are no plans at this point for a restaurant or pub.



Mott said he envisions offering three "flagship" beers — including one that will be identical to Kate the Great. When he left Portsmouth Brewery, he kept the recipe and owner Peter Egelston kept the name, he said.



In addition, the brewery would offer "one-offs," a specially brewed beer, each month, Mott said.



Bevan's Salmon Falls Winery is a boutique winery offering a limited variety of wines each year. His wines have been offered at restaurants such as Arrows in Cape Neddick and Hugo's in Portland.



Bevan said he and Mott have been talking, but do not yet have a formal agreement. He said the idea of opening a winery and brewery combination is unique.



"I want to be in Kittery. It's going to be an up-and-coming place once the bridge is open," he said, referring to the new Memorial Bridge under construction and due to open this summer. "My license is in Maine. Todd and I both live in South Berwick. It just makes sense."



First, however, they have to get past some municipal hurdles.



Mott said although they have looked at several sites in town, at this point they have zeroed in on the space next to the Kittery Post Office on Shapleigh Road.



However, a microbrewery is not an accepted use under the town's zoning ordinance, not only there, but anywhere in town.



That could change, if first the Planning Board and then the Town Council approve a proposal being put forth by Town Planner Gerry Mylroie.



At next Thursday's Planning Board meeting, Mylroie will submit a report that calls for adding the terms "microbrewery" and "brew pub" to the town's business, commercial, business park and mixed-use zones.



Mylroie argued that such facilities are not unlike restaurants, bakeries and grocery stores, and said a microbrewery can currently meet town water and sewer standards.



If the board agrees to make the change, after public hearings, it would then have to go to the Town Council for approval.



"Operationally, it's more like a restaurant or a bakery, and at the scale he's considering, it could be at Post Office Square," Mylroie said.



"The question for the Planning Board and council is whether they would like to consider that change."



If both bodies approve the zoning amendment, then Mott and Bevan would still be required to come before the Planning Board with plans for the facility as any applicant would have to do.



When he was told a microbrewery wasn't allowed in Kittery, Mott thought "it wasn't going to happen" there and he may have to look elsewhere.



However, lately he has been encouraged by the fact Mylroie is warming to the idea.



"I think he's seeing the light," Mott said.