Long Trail Brewing Company
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Brewing |
| Predecessor | Mountain Brewers |
| Founded | 1989 |
| Founder | Andy Pherson |
| Fate | Acquired by Harpoon Brewery in June 2022 |
| Successor | Harpoon Brewery |
| Headquarters | Bridgewater Corners , United States |
Area served | New England, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, District of Columbia |
| Products | Beer (including Long Trail Ale, Sticke Alt/Long Trail Double Bag, Blackbeary Wheat, Limbo IPA) |
| Owner | Harpoon Brewery (since 2022) |
| Parent | Harpoon Brewery |
| Website | longtrail |
Long Trail Brewing Company is a regional brewery situated in Bridgewater Corners, Vermont. Established in 1989 by Andy Pherson within the basement of the Bridgewater Woolen Mill, the brewery relocated to its present-day facility and visitor center in 1995, at which point it adopted the Long Trail Brewing Company name, having previously operated as Mountain Brewers. In 2006, ownership transferred to Fulham and Co., a private equity firm based in Massachusetts. Located alongside the Ottaquechee River amidst the Green Mountains, the Long Trail site encompasses brewing operations, a visitor center, a farmhouse pilot brewery, and a wastewater treatment plant.
The brewery’s signature product, Long Trail Ale, is a German-style Altbier and stands as Vermont's top-selling craft beer. In June 2022, ownership changed hands again when Harpoon Brewery acquired Long Trail.
Beers
Long Trail offers a range of beers with an emphasis on English-style top-fermented ales, highlighted by its flagship Düsseldorf-style altbier, Long Trail Ale. The brewery also produces "Sticke" Alt under the name Long Trail Double Bag, which is available throughout the year. During the 1990s, their portfolio included a Kölsch-style ale released seasonally in spring.
In 2006, Blackbeary Wheat was introduced as a summer seasonal hefeweizen before becoming part of the regular lineup in 2007. The Farmhouse Pilot Brewery debuted Limbo IPA in 2013, marking its first pilot brew available year-round.
Brown Bag Series
Initiated in 1993 to experiment with new recipes economically without premium packaging costs, the Brown Bag Series yielded popular brews such as Double Bag, a strong ale offered year-round, and Hit the Trail Ale, a limited-edition English brown ale. Although discontinued during the early 1990s, the series was revived in October 2012 as a limited small-batch release utilizing the pilot brewery. Draught versions can be found at the brewery itself and select East Coast locations. Past releases have included styles like an American IPA, Belgian Smoked Porter, Milk Stout, and Maple Maibock brewed with maple syrup fermentation.
Distribution
The distribution network for Long Trail Brewing Company spans across New England, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Approximately 45% of its beer sales occur within Vermont.
Misc.
The brewery’s name takes inspiration from the Long Trail, a 272-mile hiking path traversing Vermont's Green Mountains.
In 2010, Long Trail Brewing expanded its portfolio by acquiring Otter Creek Brewing, which included ownership of Wolaver's Organic Brewery.
The brewery appeared on the Discovery Channel program Dirty Jobs in episode #1.7 titled Chick Sexer.
In August 2014, Long Trail filed a lawsuit alleging trademark infringement against Bent Paddle Brewing Company due to similarities in hiker-themed logos. The matter was resolved amicably by December 2014 when Bent Paddle agreed to retire their logo; both breweries contributed to hiking-related charities within each other’s states as part of the settlement.