Harpoon Brewing’s parent company, Mass. Bay Brewing Co., is set to acquire Long Trail Brewing next week, Harpoon CEO and cofounder Dan Kenary said in a statement Friday.
The two Vermont breweries have a long history of partnership. Kenary said he and Long Trail CEO Daniel Fulham have been close friends for over 30 years.
“Through talks about all the ways we could potentially partner, it became clear that we’d be stronger together,” Kenary said.
As part of the agreement, Long Trail, Otter Creek and Shed beers will now be brewed at Harpoon Brewery’s Windsor facility. Shoreham-based WhistlePig Whiskey is set to take over the Otter Creek and Shed brewery in Middlebury.
Mass. Bay Brewing will operate both the Long Trail Riverside Pub in Bridgewater Corners and the Otter Creek Brewing Pub and Beer Garden in Middlebury. No other immediate changes in brewery operations have been announced.
Long Trail and Harpoon are both storied breweries in the New England craft beer scene. Harpoon started brewing in 1987; Long Trail followed in 1989. Harpoon’s expansion to Windsor in 2000 brought the two breweries closer together.
“We have a shared commitment to the Vermont community and passion for making great beer,” Kenary said. “We are hopeful that we can continue to grow both our brands and job opportunities in the Vermont community.”