Just got this news from their Facebook feed. "Sean and Karen Lawson, proprietors of the award-winning microbrewery Lawson’s Finest Liquids, are in the process of purchasing the warehouse buildings and property located at 155 Carroll Road in Waitsfield, VT with a goal of closing in the spring of 2017. Sean says, “It is our hope that this will become the expanded home of Lawson’s Finest in the Mad River Valley.” The craft beer company plans to open a new larger brewery, a tasting room and offer retail sales." As someone with a house in Rochester, not far from Mad River, this is great news. Link to their news page: http://www.lawsonsfinest.com/our-beer/lawsons-finest-a-new-home-for-the-future/
Agreed, this is awesome and welcomed news. But if it's a year until they even own the property, we're talking ~3 years before it's up and running, right?
Great, news. I don't mind that it is years out, don't mind waiting. Will just be one more great reason to hang out in the Mad River valley!
It says that they are targeting 2018. So 2 years. The build apparently won't take long. It doesn't seem as large as what the Alchemist is doing and is in an existing warehouse space, rather than a new facility.
That's right up there with an asteroid destroying North America among my concerns. I think the locals alone can drink whatever Sean can produce.
Ha. Jokes, I get jokes. But I think it is a concern for many in the industry. Lawson's has an established reputation and is still trying to meet demand. But there are definitely other breweries out there that are undertaking expansion projects where you have to wonder if they'll be left holding a lot of debt in a few years and scrambling to find consumers. Tastes change and the pace of growth can't continue forever. I cringe every time I see a brewer opening a new taproom and showing off the imported tap system or rare Brazilian wood bar they had custom built. That shit only flies during boom times and many newer breweries have only existed in the current expansionary market.
I agree, and as breweries continue to work on creating really awesome(what people call world class) beer and find ways to brew, package, and send out more to stores it could eventually change the whole small brewery lines/pick up days. Kinda what hobo expected to do. It's only a matter of time.
Yep. Hobo still has time to get it right. And based on their scale out of the gate, they HAVE to get it right. In the mean time, people are (apparently) lining up for flat hop juice (Pioneer Trailblazer) and calling it the next (fill in the blank actual world class IPA). It's like a game of beer mad libs.
Yeah. I have no worries about Lawson's, Alchemist, Treehouse or Trillium. They all started small, perfected their craft and built a following and are now expanding to meet even a portion of the real demand. The folks that should be concerned are those that make pretty mediocre stuff and don't already have a fairly decent piece of the market. Long Trail has upped its game and will be ok, but Baxter? The risk is that as the very best brewers expand, others get squeezed. If Maine ever ramps up production and goes to cans at a reasonable price...it is absolutely taking market share from someone. Folks like RockArt are going to have challenges when Focal Banger hits stores, or Lawson's grows, or if Foley ever expands and starts canning. The good news is that the best beer is mostly winning here in New England.
This is a huge win for the Mad River Valley, that took a massive hit this past winter with the lack of snow. Local businesses can now be busy year round with beer-traffic, not just ski & foliage seasons. The VT Tourism Dept. did a study to determine what the brewing industry contributes to jobs and revenue statewide, and it is significant. Now the MRV can get some of the love that's been concentrated in the Waterbury & Burlington areas re: beer tourism. So like Sean & Karen to plan with local biz in mind. Not to mention all the beercationers that will come to enjoy their goods more easily. Patience will pay off, Lawson's fans!
I don't know if that's true. I think it's true for Lawson's and others who established themselves as "big names" before the bubble really took off, but there are already good to great options that get old at liquor stores all over NE. I don't think it will take a popped bubble for some quality options to turn unsuccessful.
