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If it hadn't been for a failed real estate deal, Fred Forsley '83 might never have found his way to the beer—craft beer, that is. Now one of the biggest microbreweries in the nation (ranked at 28 out of 1,750), the Shipyard Brewing Company in Portland, Maine, started almost by accident in 1992, when Forsley stepped in to help save a landmark restaurant and pub in Kennebunkport, Maine, from creditors. Instead of becoming a landlord, though, he wound up as a business owner and started Federal Jack's Restaurant & Brew Pub, the birthplace of Shipyard ales. Two years later, he opened Shipyard's Portland site, and by 1996, the firm was the fastest growing craft-beer producer in the country.

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It was also facing daunting financial challenges. Forsley had racked up $400,000 in debt on eight different credit cards and was losing sleep over how to make payroll. "I'd basically borrowed everything I could," he says. "It was one of those moments when you know you're an entrepreneur." A deal with the Miller beer company helped keep Forsley going and extended Shipyard's distribution throughout the country. But a few years later, the winds changed again. "I got lucky," says Forsley, who was able to purchase Miller's shares back when the corporate giant decided not to focus on craft beer brands.

Today, Forsley is proud of the fact that Shipyard is independently owned. He and his two partners, cousin Bruce Forsley and master brewer Alan Pugsley, have increased production from 1,200 barrels of beer in 1992 to more than 100,000 barrels in 2010. Shipyard ales are sold in 40 states, and Forsley has opened eight restaurants with more on tap. The company has also acquired several other labels and won plenty of awards.

Forsley wasn't headed for a career in business—never mind award-winning beer brewing—when he started at UNH. He was, in fact, taking psychology classes when a friend encouraged him to try an internship in real estate. "That was the light-bulb moment for me," says Forsley. At 19, he started Fred Forsley Realty and became one of the youngest brokers in Maine to own his own firm. Through the years, he was involved with a few other startups in the fields of recycling, health care and marketing, but with Shipyard he found his passion.

"We brew our beer the old way—in small batches of 50-100 barrels. It's labor-intensive, and you have to be attentive to every detail and methodically stick to the recipe," says Forsley. He credits Pugsley as the mastermind behind Shipyard's 17 recipes, which include favorites like Wild Blueberry and the seasonal Pumpkinhead. Along with great Maine water, the critical ingredient in every recipe is the yeast; Pugsley brought it with him from the Ringwood Brewery in Hampshire, England, and it adds a distinctive flavor.

When Forsley sums up his entrepreneurial philosophy, he doesn't choose words like "focus" or "persistence" or "grit"—all of which have been integral to his success. "We try to have fun," he says. "That's our whole approach. We focus on where our customers are—ski resorts, golf courses, sailing, which are all fun places. And we try to connect with them and get involved with the community." Along with plenty of fun, Shipyard has had a few encounters with fame, too. Martha Stewart used the company's Old Thumper Ale in one of her recipes. And Presidents George Bush and Bill Clinton both have had tours of the brewery. "We're a product that crosses political boundaries," notes Forsley, chuckling.

When things get tough, as they often do if you're running a business, Forsley likes to point out that he can always draw on another of his UNH experiences. "If you survive Stoke," he says, recalling the famous—or, infamous—dorm, "you can survive anything." Forsley's accidental beer brewing business has, in fact, done more than survive—it's thrived. And while he intends to keep growing, Forsley has no intention of selling—his son, stepdaughters and several nieces and nephews are already part of the team. "Some people build a business to sell it," he says. "But my goal is to keep it in the family forever. I've put it in my will." Sounds like a plan worthy of a toast—with a frosty mug of Shipyard ale. ~

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