To celebrate Employee Ownership Month, local Vermont employee-owned breweries (ESOPs) Switchback Brewing Co., Harpoon Brewery, and Long Trail Brewing Co. collaborated on a limited-edition draft only beer: ESOP ESB.
ESB is an Extra Special Bitter English-Style Pale Ale. It is a hoppy and dark Amber Ale brewed with a traditional dark malt profile and new American hops.
“We met back in early August to discuss making a beer that was sessionable and approachable,” said Switchback brewer Morgan Capron. “We wanted to capture the feeling of Vermont in fall with the elements of brewing that make our ESOP breweries great.”
With this collaboratively designed recipe in hand, each brewery put a unique spin on the brew by using proprietary ingredients — so while there are minor differences in the brews, the result is a piney, medium bodied ESB that is super drinkable and refreshing.
In February 2017, at Switchback Brewing Co.’s annual meeting, owner and Brewmaster, Bill Cherry, announced to the brewery’s 30 employees that they had become partners in ownership of the 14-year-old company. They are the first 100% employee-owned brewery in New England.
READ MORE: Q&A with Bill Cherry, Switchback Brewing, on Switch to ESOP
“We were thrilled to be able to make this collaboration happen with a fellow employee-owned brewery,” said Harpoon brewer Dan Lipke. “Being employee owned is something we are very proud of, so this is the perfect beer to celebrate all of the hard work that goes into employee ownership.”
Mass. Bay Brewing Company — parent company to Harpoon Brewery and as of 2022, Long Trail Brewing Company — established their Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) in 2014. CEO Dan Kenary gathered the company together for a special meeting in the Harpoon Beer Hall in Boston, where he asked everyone in the room to turn to the person next to them and shake their hand and congratulate each other for now being the owners of the Harpoon Brewery.
READ MORE: ESOP: Employee Stock Ownership Plan
ESOP ESB is available exclusively on tap at Switchback Brewing Co. in Burlington, VT, Harpoon Brewery Taproom & Beer Garden in Windsor, VT, and the Long Trail Brewery in Bridgewater Corners, VT while supplies last.
Be the first to comment