The Mad River Valley, already host to Lawson’s Finest Liquids and Cousins Brewing, is getting another, smaller beer brewing company, nestled in Mad River Park, Waitsfield.
Collaborative Brewing Co. was started by four friends who all live locally in the Mad River Valley, two of whom are siblings. Partners Craig Isvak, Steve Parker, Jen Fleckenstein and Brett Seymour were interested in living their dream of brewing beer. Parker and Fleckenstein are also partners in Clear Water Filtration. Isvak handles taxes for Clear Water Filtration and Seymour is a childhood friend of Parker’s. The partners started off having their friends sample testers before trying to bring the brews to local shelves.
Seymour is no stranger to brewing as he won the Make the Cut homebrew contest victory in 2015 for his schwarzbier, a darker German-style beer. The contest was put on by 14th Star Brewing Company.
“The government shutdown has delayed our distribution license, so as long as it stays open now, we are on track to have beer out by mid to late March,” said co-owner Brett Seymour. The business hopes to deliver their first run of beverages and kegs to restaurants and retailers in mid-March to central Vermont buyers.
The brewery is zoned for production of the beer currently. The space won't include a tasting room or other amenities open to the public just yet. Compared to other Vermont-based brewers, the partners plan to brew mainly darker ales, lagers and other malt-driven styles unlike hoppy IPAs that Vermont is commonly known for.
