David L. Geary

David “DL” Geary, founder of D. L. Geary Brewing Company, was born in Brighton, Massachusetts on April 19, 1945, to Jack and Joyce (Goldman) Geary. He grew up in West Quincy where explored the outdoors with his best friend Rusty Sweeny. Their neighbor, Ms. Agnes, often chased DL, Rusty and DL’s brother Steve from Ms. Agnes’ field, where they played Red Rover, Hide & Seek, and King of the Mountain.

In 1961, the Geary family relocated to Portland, Maine where David graduated from Deering High School. He attended Purdue University where he met his wife Karen Kramer and earned a degree in English Literature. After graduation, DL, Karen, and their daughter Kelly moved to South Portland, Maine where they welcomed son Mathew. DL spent many years working for Ross Laboratories/Abbott Labs and eventually settled in Westbrook.

DL and Karen spent time in Portland’s Old Port and frequented the newly opened Three Dollar Dewey’s. Owner Alan Eames introduced David and Karen to his passion of lesser-known and small-batch beers made in Europe. Alan was the importer for Traquair House Ales and introduced David and Karen to Peter Maxwell Stewart, the 20th Laird of Traquair. The Laird invited DL to Scotland and taught him the basics of brewing in his 600-year-old brew house. DL followed this with a stint at the Ringwood Brewery in England where he continued to learn brewing under the tutelage of Peter Austin.

With a business plan in place, DL and Karen founded the D.L. Geary Brewing Company and kicked off what would become an explosion of craft in the state and beyond. In December of 1986, Three Dollar Dewey’s would pour the first pint of Geary’s Pale Ale. Ten years later, DL was one of three keynote speakers, alongside Charlie Papazian and Michael Jackson, at the National Craft-Brewers Conference and Trade Show in Boston. He was recognized as a pioneer and entrepreneur throughout the state and across the industry. FAME, the Finance Authority of Maine, awarded David with Entrepreneur of the Year in 1996, and the Maine Historical Society awarded him in 2018 as a Maine History Maker.

In his free time, DL loved to fish with friends and family at his favorite fishing hole Black Bog. He was a longtime member at the Purpoodock Club. Most of all he loved his taverns and restaurants. Brian Boru was his favorite where he had many friends on his nightly visits.

DL is predeceased by his parents, as well as his business partner and former wife, Karen K. Geary. He is survived by his brother, Steven, wife Linda, and niece Colleen and nephew John, and his brother Kevin, wife Gerarda, daughter Kelly Lucas and husband Donnie, and son Matthew, wife Lorie and grandchildren Benja and Raqui.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in DL’s memory to the Maine Brewers Guild, P.O. Box 2817, South Portland, ME 04116

A celebration of DL’s life will be held just the way he would have liked it...at a happy hour at the Great Lost Bear. Please join us on Tuesday, September 12th from 4 to 7 pm at the Bear and bring your favorite memories so we can all raise a glass in his honor.