Vt. beer merger confirmed
|
|
Long Trail and Otter Creek beer is for sale at Terrill Street Discount Beverages on Monday. Cassandra Hotaling / Rutland Herald |
Toolbox
By Gordon Dritschilo Staff Writer - Published: December 1, 2009
A merger between two of Vermont's biggest brewers shouldn't mean any less choice at the local beer cooler, according to a company executive.
Long Trail Brewing Co. announced Monday that it had signed a letter of intent to purchase Otter Creek Brewery, confirming rumors that had been swirling around the two companies.
Long Trail CEO Brian Walsh said he hoped to close in about a month. He would not discuss the purchase price. Otter Creek owner and president Morgan Wolaver did not immediately return a call Monday evening.
Walsh said he intends to maintain Otter Creek and Wolaver's — a line of organic beers put out by Otter Creek — as brands.
"They have a number of flavors, like Oktoberfest and lager, that we don't carry," he said.
Walsh also said that the organic Wolaver's beers fit with an environmental effort the company has undertaken.
That doesn't mean Otter Creek's product line will remain static. Walsh said Long Trail reviews its product line annual, and eliminated its hefeweizen, a style of wheat beer, this year. He said the company will review each product line separately.
"If we trim, we'll add as well," he said.
Everyone at Otter Creek should still have a job, Walsh said, as Long Trail has no intention of removing people. He said Long Trail has expanded and added personnel and hopes to do the same at Otter Creek.
The two companies have different distribution patterns. While Long Trail only sells in nine states and only pursues contiguous expansion, Otter Creek is in 15, Walsh said, some as far-flung as California and Florida.
Walsh said he has no intention of scaling back the distribution of Otter Creek, which was once sold in 21 states.
"Some of the states they're in are the mid-Atlantic region where we're looking to expand," he said. "That's a pretty good synergy right there."
Walsh said Long Trail's production is at 76,000 barrels a year and estimated Otter Creek's at 25,000 barrels.
"Both of us have some additional capacity to go, so we're comfortable in that regard," he said.
Michael Coloutti, who chooses beer for Terrill Street Discount Beverages, said that while the purchase was a major shake-up in the area industry, the typical Vermont beer lover shouldn't notice much difference.
"I've got to believe it'll be good for Otter Creek," he said. "Otter Creek has always been a good brand, but Long Trail has been the stronger of the two, so I've got to believe it will help Otter Creek's sales."
Coloutti said Otter Creek comes up with good seasonal beers and that he "thoroughly" enjoys Long Trail.
Walsh said Long Trail is weathering the rough economy.
"We describe ourselves as an affordable luxury," he said. "People are drinking a bit less, but they find us affordable. … We've slowed a bit but we're happy with our growth."
gordon.dritschilo@rutlandherald.com
13