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(Courtesy Magic Hat Brewery)
Like Boston Beer, Magic Hat Brewing is one of the breweries responsible for the rise of craft beer in the US. And without a doubt, the rise of craft beer in Vermont.
Founded in 1994 by Bob Johnson and Alan Newman, Magic Hat is one of Vermont’s oldest breweries, establishing itself in the Burlington community with events like the annual Mardi Gras parade in downtown Burlington.
It’s easy to forget that Magic Hat was once a force in the beer industry. At a simpler and less competitive time it was the 10th biggest craft brewer in the nation.
The parent company of Magic Hat Brewery, FIFCO USA, announced it would shift all production from its South Burlington location to a production facility it owns in Rochester, New York and that a local Vermont brewery Zero Gravity has agreed to take over the South Burlington facility.
Magic Hat employees will be considered for open positions within Zero Gravity according to US News, “or receive severance should they leave FIFCO USA.”
“Our ties to Burlington made this decision very difficult,” FIFCO USA CEO Rich Andrews said in the release. “In the end, this was the best long term opportunity for both us and our friends at Zero Gravity.”
“With the capabilities and capacity of our new brewery and the evolution of Magic Hat, moving the production to Rochester provided the best long-term opportunity. We have been brewing a portion of Magic Hat in Rochester for nearly a decade. Having one brewery with new equipment, creates consistent, high quality beer that our Magic Hat consumers have come to expect.”
But Magic Hat’s bittersweet exit from Vermont does afford an opportunity for Zero Gravity Brewing which began as a small brewpub in 2004 before expanding into a 30-barrel brew house in 2015.
In 2019 Zero Gravity Brewery produced 20,000 barrels of beer according to the Brewers Association.
“As we found ourselves needing more production space, this felt like the most organic and elegant way to expand,” Zero Gravity CEO Matt Wilson said in a press release….
“We feel fortunate to have the opportunity to increase our brewing capacity while staying rooted in the same community where we began.”
