[VT] Trapp Brewery to expand from 2k to 50k barrels per year

Discussion in 'New England' started by jamesewelch, Jul 6, 2013.

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  1. jamesewelch

    jamesewelch Initiate (0) May 11, 2012 Vermont

    It sounds like Trapp Lager is going big, very soon. It'll take a while for construction to finish and equipment to be shipped and installed, but probably by next year, the new brewery should be operational. They have a lot of open space to expand and the scenery is incredible.
     
  2. Jwale73

    Jwale73 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,942) Aug 15, 2007 Rhode Island
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Great news - I really enjoy their beers and hope to see them in distribution.
     
    FrankLloydMike likes this.
  3. brownswisscow

    brownswisscow Initiate (0) Feb 9, 2012 Vermont

  4. SunDevilBeer

    SunDevilBeer Pooh-Bah (1,945) May 9, 2003 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah

    Love the the non-geekified Trapp lagers. Assume with that capacity they could reach all of New England?
     
    edward_boumil likes this.
  5. MarkF150

    MarkF150 Zealot (675) Feb 9, 2009 Massachusetts

    The deck at Trapp overlooking the mountains is without a doubt my favorite place to enjoy a beer in VT. Cant wait to check out the new brewery.
     
    Aaron58 likes this.
  6. duchessedubourg

    duchessedubourg Savant (1,157) Nov 2, 2007 Vermont

    Heard this was another EB-5 deal like Jay Peak - recruit some foreign investors to invest in your business expansion with the reward being guaranteed visas and dual-residency in the US for them, and a nice chunk of capital for the business. Any confirmations out there?
    [Edit] Just read the article - guess it is true.
     
  7. jakeaustin

    jakeaustin Initiate (0) Dec 23, 2007 Maine

    People worry about all the new breweries coming online but this sort of unbridled expansion is what I worry about. 2k to 50k? Is that sort of demand really there? In the beer geek community absolutely not. I enjoy a good lager every now and then but it seems like most don't.
     
  8. brownswisscow

    brownswisscow Initiate (0) Feb 9, 2012 Vermont

    Considering ALL is the largest category of sold beer, I'll say that yes, demand exists.

    Also, it reads like they are no where near having their funding in order, still reads like a pipe dream to me.
     
    Janeinma likes this.
  9. jbertsch

    jbertsch Pooh-Bah (2,710) Dec 14, 2008 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    I hope the guy from Magic Hat doesnt try to infuse the Magic-Hat-esque silliness into the traditional lagers of von Trapp. Boy, talk about 2 breweries on opposite ends of the branding spectrum.

    Super excited I could maybe get trapp lagers in cans. But I'm curious what they'd charge for them because the beers at the brewery aren't cheap.

    And if this happens, I hope they are careful to not ruin the beautiful land they have there. Who knows how much of that hillside will be lost to a larger building....because thats a big jump in production.
     
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  10. brownswisscow

    brownswisscow Initiate (0) Feb 9, 2012 Vermont

    Magic Hat has produced several exceptional brewers in the state, I'd expect nothing less from one at Trapp.

    Also, they own over 2k acres in Stowe, it'll be a minor blip on their land.
     
  11. jakeaustin

    jakeaustin Initiate (0) Dec 23, 2007 Maine

    Ya but what does American light lager have to do with craft brewed helles, dunkel, etc? BMC drinkers are fiercly loyal to their preferred cheap as shit brand of choice. They won't be jumping ship yo start drinking some obscure brewery from VT that costs way more. Beer geeks don't care about lagers unless they're intensely hopped like Jacks Abby. That leaves trapp in between, catering to Sam Adams type drinkers who want better beer but don't want to pay a ton for it. That's a perfectly viable market to go after I suppose. The production increase just seems incredibly ambitous to me.
     
  12. youbrewidrink

    youbrewidrink Initiate (0) Apr 9, 2009 Vermont
    Deactivated

    I could care less where the money comes from as long as they make good beer.

    The new head brewer is very capable and will do a great job. My guess would be the Von Trapp family already have a marketing plan in place to brew traditional European styles to be distributed to metropolitan market on the east cost.

    They is absolutely no way Trapp would become a Magic Hat like circus.
     
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  13. brownswisscow

    brownswisscow Initiate (0) Feb 9, 2012 Vermont

    Point was plenty of people like 'lager' and Trapp is in no way chasing beer geeks.

    They sell 2k barrels in VT with hardly any marketing and without many tap handles. As long as quality doesn't change, they'll do just fine, 50k barrels brings huge economies of scale that will leave their product priced right I suspect.
     
  14. bleakies

    bleakies Maven (1,319) Apr 11, 2011 Massachusetts

    I've been interested in trying the Trapp brews for a while now, and I've penciled in a visit to the lodge for that purpose during an upcoming VT visit. I'd be stoked to have access in MA to a solid lineup of regionally produced, traditionally minded lagers, and if they help me spin about alpine meadows or traverse mountains to escape the Anschluss, so much the better.
     
  15. drocpsu

    drocpsu Zealot (577) Dec 25, 2006 New Hampshire

    I just had a beer here last weekend after playing a round of (free) disc golf there. Fantastic view. The beer seemed a bit expensive for a fairly normal lager in central VT, but it was enjoyable none the less.
     
  16. youbrewidrink

    youbrewidrink Initiate (0) Apr 9, 2009 Vermont
    Deactivated

    Nothing associated with the Trapp's is ever cheap .
     
  17. drocpsu

    drocpsu Zealot (577) Dec 25, 2006 New Hampshire

    The disc golf was! They even lend out free discs for those who do not have them.
     
  18. Longstaff

    Longstaff Initiate (0) May 23, 2002 Massachusetts

    Right now, Otter Creek VT lager is doing it for me.
     
  19. tehzachatak

    tehzachatak Initiate (0) Sep 19, 2010 Massachusetts


    That's the pilsner, right? Had that this weekend sandwiched in between a lot of HF, Lawsons, and Heady, and thought it was surprisingly good. Perhaps my palate has just been shifting more to pilsners recently, because I've been enjoying a lot of them, but I always used to be very hard to please on pilsners.
     
  20. bleakies

    bleakies Maven (1,319) Apr 11, 2011 Massachusetts

    Thanks for the word. I've had some Otter Creek and Wolavers stuff and liked but I don't think I've seen that one yet. I'll be watching for it; my lager consumption goes way up in the summer.
     
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