Beer has thrown some struggling American dairy farms a lifeline and the Carter and Stevens farm, now home to Stone Cow Brewery is one of them…

Here’s the deal…

Driven by high supply and falling demand milk prices have taken a hit across the nation, forcing some dairy farmers to get creative and supplement their income other ways, like adding a brewery. to their daily operation.

According to the New York Times the Carter & Stevens Farm, a 100 acre spread in scenic central Massachusetts is just one of a growing number of dairy farms in the US, that in addition to milking cows twice a day have broadened their passions to also include brewing beer.

In 2016 the farm opened Stone Cow Brewery and they’ve never looked back.

Created in an effort to keep the 5^th generation dairy farm afloat and sustainable for future generations their brewery and taproom operation has attracted a passionate following and offered the family farm owners an income source that helps them survive the ups and downs of milk price fluctuations.

You see, Stone Cow beers like their Farmhouse Saison, sells for $7 a pint in their taproom.

But as noted beer author Joshua M Bernstein reports for the New York Times, “that makes the beverage much more profitable than the dairy’s raw milk, which currently sells wholesale for about 16 cents per pint, even though it costs more to produce.”

Stone Cow’s farm-brewed beer is currently only available for flights, pints and growler fills at the farm (the taproom will be open Thursday to Sunday during these colder months), but if dairy farm country and seriously local beer speaks to you, we’re thinking a trip Barre, Massachusetts is in order.

For more on this Farm to Brewery trend visit Dairy Farms a Lifeline: Beer …it’s a great piece.

Also check out Joshua M. Bernstein’s Complete IPA while you’re at it…He’s one of our favorite beer writers.

All Image credits: Stone Cow Brewery