Trout River Brewing about to start Springfield era

Exactly a year after a trio of Springfield friends bought the assets of Trout River Brewing Co., of Lyndonville, the relocated brewery is about to start making beer in downtown Springfield.

http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20151103/NEWS02/151109831

Photo by Len Emery Co-owners Kelen Beardsley right, and brewmaster Gabe Streeter give an explanation of the different brewing tanks during a pre-opening tour of Vermonts latest brewery, at the Trout River Brewing facility in Springfield. Published November 3, 2015 in the Rutland Herald Trout River Brewing about to start Springfield era By SUSAN SMALLHEER Staff Writer SPRINGFIELD — Exactly a year after a trio of Springfield friends bought the assets of Trout River Brewing Co., of Lyndonville, the relocated brewery is about to start making beer in downtown Springfield. The friends — Gabe Streeter, Kelen Beardsley and Trevor Billings — have set up their brewery at One Hundred River Street, the old Fellows Gear Shaper plant. In a nod to the building’s heritage, the friends incorporated their business as Beer Shapers. According to Beardsley, the fledgling brewery hopes to start production in December, with the beer available in late January or early February in the brewery’s tasting room. The past year has been a learning experience, Beardsley and Streeter said Monday. Beardsley, 28, and Streeter, 32, have been friends since high school, and Beardsley said he and Billings, 28, have been best friends since the second grade in Springfield. Beardsley is in charge of marketing, Billings, finance, and Streeter is the brewmaster. The brewery’s location, on the Pearl Street side of the sprawling building, was their third location within the former industrial plant. Other locations proved either too expensive to renovate and didn’t have a strong enough foundation for the beer-making equipment. The partners have been working hard, and late last week their fermentation tanks and finishing tanks were put in place. Each of the four upright fermentation tanks contain 40 barrels, and each barrel contains 31 gallons, said Streeter. Nearby are the brewery’s four conditioning tanks, which are former bulk milk tanks. Each one holds 1,500 gallons. In addition to the big tanks, there is the smaller hot liquor tank and the brewery’s kettle, or “mash tun.” On Monday, electricians were busy doing the wiring for the brewery. “From kettle to glass,” Streeter said, takes 30 days. Streeter and Beardsley said their goal for their first year of operation is 5,000 barrels Streeter recently quit his job and is the company’s only full-time employee, as brewmaster. Streeter said the first beer he plans on brewing will be an India Pale Ale, and then he will move into the Trout River beer recipes such as Rainbow Red, the brewery’s “flagship” and very popular brew, Streeter said, as well as its chocolate oatmeal stout. They will not be serving food at their tasting room, Beardsley said, although people will be able to buy and fill growlers. Streeter said that the Springfield municipal water is quality water for their brewing, and he said he would be adding minerals to the water to heighten his brewing. “It’s a quality water, I tested it,” he said. The chlorine dissipates during the boiling, he said. “I have a lot of cleaning to do,” said Streeter, pointing to the large stainless steel tanks, several of which started life as bulk milk tanks. He said that equipment traveled 100 miles last fall to Springfield, and the exterior of the tanks need to have the road salt cleaned off. Plus, he said, the tanks have been sitting in storage for a year. Beardsley, who is Beer Shaper’s president, said that the town and the community have been very supportive. And he saw the delays and the changes in the brewery’s location as an unforeseen benefit, giving the company more time to plan. Beardsley said they bought a secondhand cooler in Ohio and re-assembled it at their 10,000-square-foot location. Getting their federal license to make alcoholic beverages was actually easier than they thought it would be, Beardsley said. They can’t get their final Vermont inspection until the brewery is more set up, he said. And they are also waiting for their new Trout River trademarks to be accepted and approved. While the three friends kept the name Trout River, from the original owner, and have kept the names of several of its distinctive beers, they have come up with a new logo and labels for their cans. At least initially, the beer will be canned, not bottled, Bearsley said. Many micro-breweries in Vermont, including the legendary Alchemist in Waterbury, which produces Heady Topper, produce their beer in cans. It’s much cheaper, he said, and a traveling canning company can come to Springfield and can their production. They did get a small bottling line with the other Trout River equipment, so they may bottle some specialty brews, he said. There is no difference in taste, Beardsley said. While the town has loaned the new brewery $45,000 from its revolving loan fund, Beardsley said the brewery does have some local investors. “We’re pretty set financially to get things going,” he said. “We still have a ton of plumbing, and cleaning and painting still to do,” said Beardsley.