Untold Brewery Reopens This Friday, With More Breathing Room

With the help of Bechtel Frank Erickson Architects, Untold Brewing will reopen its doors for the first time in over a year.

SCITUATE, MA | When breweries were told to shutter their doors, aside from takeout and delivery, to slow the spread of COVID-19, the initial measure was expected to last three weeks, not three months. As the phases, steps and new regulations rolled out - outdoor and indoor dining slowly returned - that is, if that establishment could follow the checklist of health and safety protocols. 

It didn’t take long for breweries like Untold Brewing in Scituate, Mass., to quickly work the numbers and realize that reopening for onsite consumption was just not possible. The quaint taproom - a renovated historic schoolhouse dating back to 1852 – has a capacity of 49, which also includes a small patio. The space only has one point of egress and the bathroom foot traffic also passes through the same area. 

“Pre-COVID, no one would have thought twice about passing strangers in a shared space, or being shoulder to shoulder on a patio in the sunshine. All that has changed,” says Matt Elder, Founder of Untold Brewing. “With social distancing not possible we kept the taproom closed and put all of our product into cans. That really helped us.” 

Small craft breweries sell the majority of their beer over the bar in their taprooms. This is also where breweries make the highest profit margin on their products. With restaurants sidelined alongside taprooms, keg sales were also down or nonexistent. With no sign of relief from Coronavirus, local architecture firm, Bechtel Frank Erickson Architects (BFE), located in Lexington, decided that they wanted to help one of their favorite industries during this difficult time. 

They launched a pro bono design competition through the Mass Brewers Guild to help brewers spatially conceptualize solutions to the challenges brought on by the pandemic and the restrictions imposed upon their businesses. A roundtable of brewing peers and design and construction professionals discussed the entries, and selected Untold Brewing as the winner. 

“The group deliberated and selected Untold Brewing because we felt the solutions, ideas and adaptations to their space could also apply to other breweries.” says Katie Stinchon, executive director of the Mass Brewers Guild. “Sharing the process and interventions with members might help more than one business. Ultimately, we want all of the state’s breweries up and running and I am excited to see the sketches jump off the page and get out there for a pint in real life.”  

The team at Bechtel Frank Erickson Architects offered two designs for Untold Brewing to consider. The brewery ultimately chose the less invasive option which involved very little disruption to brewing operations while creating new circulation paths by expanding their outdoor space. The designs open up the patio wall, add new customer walkways, and provides additional lawn seating. The architectural plan offered allowed the team at Untold Brewing Co. to immediately improve their outdoor space to make it a safer environment for our customers. 

“The major challenge to tackle for Untold, as with any brewery during Covid-19, is how to get guests to come out, feel safe, and to have a positive experience at a brewery again,” says Taylor Theriault, Architect at BFE. “As a result, we tried to give Untold the flexibility to adapt immediately, but also to incrementally implement a masterplan for their desire to expand in the future. The idea that any modifications should not just be reactionary, but a calculated step toward a future vision was imperative.” Overall, the team looked for areas of underutilized space and improved circulation patterns to better activate their spaces which hopefully will encourage people to come have a beer with a little more breathing room if desired. 

“The final plan presented far exceeded my expectations – it was a really fun process, and the drawings were beautiful. Having professionally drawn plans will be a huge asset as we begin to implement different elements of the design,” says Elder. “We can’t wait to have our neighbors, friends and family back in the taproom. It’s been a long year without our beer community in the taproom.” 

Untold Brewing is located at 6 Old Country Way in Scituate, Mass. and will re-open to the public on Friday May 7, 2021. Tentative taproom hours of operation will be: Thursday 3-8 p.,. Friday 3-9 p.m., Saturday 12-9 p.m., and Sunday 12-6 p.m.. The brewery remains open for beer-to-go only on Wednesday 12-7 p.m. For more information visit, untoldbrewing.com.

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Brewers Converge on Capitol Hill to Seek Relief

Small and independent Massachusetts brewers seek tax relief, resources to survive 

BOSTON, Mass. |  July 14, 2020 — Led by the Brewers Association—the national not-for-profit trade association dedicated to small and independent American brewers—the annual craft brewing industry hill climb went online this year to practice advocacy at a safe social distance.

During the week of July 13, the Mass Brewers Guild and four of its members joined small and independent craft brewers from across the country to meet with members of Congress and staff and advocate for the issues that will help breweries in Massachusetts recover from the long lasting impacts of the coronavirus, such as making the existing federal excise tax (FET) rates permanent by passing the language of the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act (CBMTRA), and securing additional resources to ensure that small and independent breweries weather the global health pandemic and economic crisis.

Participants shared their stories and emphasized that making the current FET rates permanent, before the savings sunset in December, will be critical to small and independent breweries as they work to recover from the impact of the coronavirus. Making the FET rates permanent will provide certainty to the more than 8,300 small and independent breweries across the U.S. and allow breweries to continue re-investing in their businesses and hiring new employees.

“The lower FET rates have benefitted small and independent brewers in all 50 states and nearly every congressional district,” said Bob Pease, president and CEO, Brewers Association. “These savings empowered brewers to reinvest in their businesses and resulted in an annual tax savings of more than $80 million.”

Brewers reinvested the additional capital by creating thousands of new jobs, buying new equipment, expanding their operations, and improving employee benefits. Thanks to the recalibrated rates, craft brewing jobs grew by 15,000 in 2018 to more than 150,000 nationally—the largest job increase on record for small brewers. 

Congress overwhelmingly supports the lower FET, with more than half of Congress co-sponsoring the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act (S. 362/H.R. 1175), including 73 Senate and 345 House co-sponsors (as of July 9, 2020). 

Hit hard by the global health pandemic and economic crisis, brewers are also urging their representatives to ensure that their small businesses have the resources they need to survive these unprecedented times. They are requesting access to grants and economic stabilization funds, as well as support of a credit for businesses like breweries to help cover the costs of perishable goods. Thousands of kegs of beer in the marketplace have expired due to the closure of breweries, restaurants, bars, and entertainment venues. 

Breweries Are Re-Opening - Here's What You Need To Know Before You Go

Hoist the patio umbrellas! MOST of our breweries will begin opening starting Monday, June 8. But, before you grab your face mask and head out the door, here are a few things you should be prepared for:

• In accordance with the state’s guidelines, to be a qualifying business able to reopen in phase two, breweries must have a food permit. This means that not all breweries will reopen at the same time, and some may not be able to open for on-premise consumption during phase two at all. Also, just because they can open as early as Monday, does not mean they’ll be ready to. Check the brewery’s social media pages or website for updated hours of operation and to learn their official reopening date. 

• **As of June 22** Many breweries are open for outdoor seating only. Like the hearty New Englanders we are, prepare for any and all weather. Our breweries are doing their utmost to ensure coverage and shade, but you never know when a shower may pass by. Indoor seating begins on June 22 and it may take some taprooms/brewpubs time to transition. Please check their respective websites or social media sites to learn more.

• Due to social distancing protocols breweries may have fewer seats. Many breweries have put a reservation system in place to avoid wait times and congregating in tap room entrances. Check the brewery/brewpub’s social media pages or website to learn if a reservation is recommended. 

• A hostess and/or host will seat you upon arrival.

• Self-service is no longer permitted. A server will take your order at your seat. 

• Seating around the bar top has been removed. 

• Face coverings and/or masks are required upon arrival and anytime you are not seated. Once seated you can lower your mask. When your server arrives to take your order or to clear your table we ask that you re-cover your face to help keep everyone safe. 

• We ask that you do not float between tables and stay 6ft. from other guests when waiting to be seated or to use the facilities, while wearing a face covering or mask.  

• No parties larger than six people are permitted. Children/infants are counted in party sizes.

Complying with all of these new regulations will aid our breweries in a smooth reopening process, will keep our communities safe, and will allow our breweries to stay open. We thank you all for your help with this.

With all of these changes, here’s the good news. Here’s what will remain the same: Our commitment to creating delicious, fresh, high-quality beer and serving it with a smile (underneath our face coverings). Our commitment to growing the Massachusetts beer culture and keeping our breweries a fun space to gather with family and friends. Our commitment to keeping you and your loved ones safe. 

From all of us at the Mass Brewers Guild, we thank you for supporting #MABeer! We can’t wait to have a beer together soon.

Impacts of COVID-19 causing millions of kegs to go out of code

Vanguard Renewables Offers Solution 

The out of code beer challenge is real for many Massachusetts brewers due to the closure of restaurants, bars, and supply chains. With the MWRA and other wastewater treatment plants without capacity to handle the volumes of beer needing disposal or recycling, finding an alternative solution is critical at this challenging time.  

In response to the need, the MA DEP, the Massachusetts Brewers Guild, and a few individual breweries recently contacted Vanguard Renewables regarding the recycling of the stale/out of code beer from kegs. Vanguard collects brewery waste as well as inedible or unused food and food scraps, then utilizes these energy sources to generate renewable energy at five Massachusetts dairy farms. We are the largest recycler of organics in the Northeast and we are also Massachusetts Brewers Guild members.

Because the Commonwealth knows us well and we are already working with a couple of brewers on this, we were asked to explore how we could expand what we’re currently doing with breweries and do so as reasonably as possible. To help, we are offering to accept this beer for recycling at an operating cost disposal rate, which is considerably less than the standard pricing for organic waste recycled at our farm-based facilities. 

When the beer arrives at one of our Farm Powered anaerobic digesters, we will combine it with manure from the farm and the other organic waste we receive in a large sealed tank called an anaerobic digester, where microorganisms naturally found in the manure convert it to biogas. The biogas is then processed to create renewable electricity. Other byproducts of the process are heat for the family farm, a chemical-free fertilizer to increase crop yields, and lowered greenhouse gas emissions. It’s a closed-loop system that benefits the individual farms, builds community resiliency, and positively impacts the environment as well. 

We hope this can help you. Here’s how Vanguard Renewables and Massachusetts breweries might work together in the coming weeks and months:

1)      Finding a temporary storage tank for your stale/out of code beer – There are many different size options ranging from small IBC totes to large poly or Frac tanks. Renting or purchasing a tank are both options and we can help with both. 

2)      Transportation and removing your stale/out of code beer – Vanguard doesn't make any money on the transportation or storage. We want to keep those costs as low as possible for you, and that feels like an important job given the current economic climate. Vanguard has an extensive network of tanker truck companies that we do business with regularly. We want to help find the lowest cost hauler in your area, and if there’s a few breweries nearby that also have stale beer, we would coordinate a truck pick up from each of you on the same day, thus reducing the overall transportation costs.

3)      End site/Disposal site – This is what Vanguard does best. We have five anaerobic digesters located directly on dairy farms throughout Massachusetts. Combined, our digesters can process more than 100,000 gallons of brewery and food waste per day. This can power more than 10,000 average homes, all year long, and it helps to financially sustain the farms as well. Given this, there is also a potential for getting some positive media coverage for your brewery during this time as well.  

Feel free to reach out directly to Ryan Harb at rharb@vanguardrenewables.com or 978-314-1176 to discuss your situation.  Our website is https://www.foodwaste.com/. We want to find ways to minimize your costs and get through this difficult situation together.

The Possible Effects of COVID-19 on Your Energy Bills

The spread of COVID-19 has had a significant effect on financial markets around the world. Virus-related shutdowns have impacted economies and businesses in ways that were not thought possible a month ago. The energy sector is one of the many industries experiencing an impact and communicating these impacts to end users can help them manage their risk and costs during this time. Energy suppliers are reacting to this global crisis and closely examining their risk, as concerns grow that many businesses are experiencing hardships and changes in usage and operations. These circumstances change the way that suppliers and end users may need to evaluate their own risk.

Below are the primary areas of concern, that we need to be aware of.

Credit Risk

The current market has made suppliers evaluate risk credit. They have reacted by tightening credit standards, which may require more information for immediate start dates through October 2020. With the uncertainty around certain industries, suppliers have been examining impacted business sectors more closely. Businesses in the hospitality (particularly restaurants and bars), gym, hotels and theater industries are currently facing the highest impact. While there may be some initial pushback, we can help you navigate the current market and find products that may present less credit risk to suppliers.

Increased Risk Premium Modeling

The energy industry is dealing with big changes in clients’ usage patterns, previously unheard-of government policies and regulations, as well as other uncertainty in fundamental market functionality. Suppliers are changing their pricing models to account for the uncertainties of energy volume consumption fluctuations, potential renewable requirement impacts, and most importantly capacity cost complications. There are several components that go into an energy bill besides the cost of the actual energy, with the second largest charge usually being the capacity component.

Why capacity risk is a concern?

To better understand capacity, think of it as a form of electricity insurance. Capacity is a daily dollar cost, not a per unit cost. It is priced based on customers’ estimated cap costs and usage volumes. If there is uncertainty on suppliers’ end, an additional risk premium is added to make up for the risk.

Here’s an example:

Before Covid-19

• If the capacity cost per month for a customer is $2,000

• Customer uses 100,000 kWh/month

• Cost per unit kWh is $.02

·       After Covid-19

• Capacity costs stay the same at $2000

• Usage drops to 75,000 kWh/month

• The cost per unit is $.026, which means a $.006 difference per unit that needs to be built into suppliers’ risk.

While Covid-19 has had an impact on the energy markets and the components that make up the total cost there are different solutions that are available that can help balance the risk and the cost through this time. Please reach out to Patriot Energy and we will work with you to find the right solution for your individual circumstance. We are here to help you navigate through the changes and to work together so we can all come out of this on the other side. 

Additionally, if you’re experiencing financial hardship in this unprecedented situation, government assistance programs are available to small and mid-size businesses. Some of these programs available include:

Federal Government

·       Paycheck Protection Plan – The Paycheck Protection Program is a loan designed to provide a direct incentive for small businesses to keep their workers on the payroll.

·       Economic Injury Disaster Loan Emergency Advance – This loan advance will provide up to $10,000 of economic relief to businesses that are currently experiencing temporary difficulties.

·       Employer Tax Relief – Businesses that have been severely impacted by coronavirus (COVID-19) will qualify for two new employer tax credits – the Credit for Sick and Family Leave and the Employee Retention Credit.

·       SBA Debt Relief – The SBA is providing a financial reprieve to small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

State and Local Resources

·       S. Chamber of Commerce – The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation has compiled a list of programs providing financial assistance to small businesses impacted by COVID-19.

·       Mass.gov – Mass.gov has provided a resource page to help business navigate the outbreak of COVID-19 and support them during this time.

·       Texas Economic Development – News, resources, and programs regarding the Coronavirus (COVID-19) available for Texas

Although we cannot advise you specifically about the details of these programs and resources, you should consult with the sponsoring agencies to determine your eligibility and the current availability of these and other state and local business assistance programs in your area.

Patriot Energy values our business relationship with you and we are committed to moving forward with you through these challenging times.

We are all in this together.

If you have any questions, please reach out to:

Tina L. Patnode-FisherSenior Account Executive
Email: tpatnode@patriotenergygroup.com     
Phone: 781-376-1888 x 210   |   Cell: 781-496-6135   |   Fax: 413-736-1904
201 Westfield Street | West Springfield, MA | 01089

New beer will support United Way COVID-19 Funds across Central Massachusetts communities

WACHUSETT BREWING COMPANY AND ATLAS DISTRIBUTING LAUNCH GLORY AMERICAN IPA TO SUPPORT LOCAL UNITED WAY CHARITIES

Wachusett Brewing Company and Atlas Distributing are releasing a new beer together that will directly raise money to support three COVID-19 response funds in the communities where they operate.  The funds are the United Way of North Central Massachusetts Stand United Fund, the United Way of Tri-County Community Response Fund and ‘Worcester Together’, a joint effort between the United Way of Central Massachusetts and the Greater Worcester Community Foundation. 

“During these difficult days, we are humbled to partner with Wachusett Brewing and United Way to offer some assistance to our local communities”, said Jamie Salois, of Atlas Distributing. “We are so grateful to both Wachusett and United Way for their continued work in the community we serve every day.” 

“We are incredibly proud to be partnering with Atlas Distributing and United Way” said Christian McMahan, President of Wachusett Brewing Company.  “We work in these communities, our employees and their families live in these communities, and we want to do everything we can to help support these communities when they need it the most.  These are crazy times, if we can find a way to do some good through of all of this, that’s exactly what we will do”

“We could not be more grateful”, says Tim Garvin, President & CEO of United Way of Central Massachusetts. “Atlas and Wachusett both have a long history of philanthropy in Central Massachusetts and to do something like this during this crisis is incredible.”

“We are proud to partner with Wachusett Brewing Company on this important initiative to support our community during this unprecedented time” added Kory Eng, President of United Way of North Central Massachusetts.

Glory American IPA is an approachable and modern expression of the IPA style that is double dry-hopped with Galaxy, Citra and Azacca hops.  It will be released in 6pks the week of April 13th.   

For more information about Wachusett Brewing Company, visit www.wachusettbrew.com

For more information about Atlas Distributing, visit www.atlasdistributing.com

About Wachusett Brewing Company 

Celebrating 25 years in 2019, WBC produces a diverse, award-winning line of beers ranging from their best-selling Blueberry Ale to their highly-rated Wally New England IPA series. WBC was named of the top 50 largest craft breweries in the US in 2019.

About Atlas Distributing

Atlas Distributing, Inc. is a family owned and operated, full-service beer and beverage distribution company servicing licensed and non-licensed customers throughout the central Massachusetts market. Atlas has proudly served customers, consumers, and the community since 1933. The Atlas Team is proud, honored, and humbled to be serving this community for over 86 years!

Alcohol Producers Join Forces to Lift Spirits of First Responders

Creating and Distributing Free Hand Sanitizer to Community

PLYMOUTH, Mass. | If you’ve tried to get your hands on hand sanitizer or Clorox wipes lately you might have noticed quite a shortage. The barren shelves and low inventories across the country amid the coronavirus outbreak is a serious and dangerous problem, especially for our first responders, who don’t have access to a sink and soap while helping citizens on the road. 

During this ever growing health epidemic, local alcohol producers are joining forces to help lift the spirits of police officers, firefighters, home health aides, senior center employees and more  – by creating much needed hand sanitizer and delivering it to their locations and places of business, for free. 

When news that COVID-19 was rapidly spreading across the U.S. causing a hand sanitizer shortage, Dirty Water Distillery owner Patras “Pepi”  Avizonis, and Head Distiller Brenton MacKechnie, quickly jumped into action and found a recipe on the World Health Organization’s website.

“We had the alcohol, the peroxide, and a jug of Propylene Glycol or Glycerine, a thickener that stays on your hands long enough to get good coverage,” said Avizonis. “We also put a call out to the community to get our hands on additional raw materials to increase our volumes and the response has been incredible.” 

Several South Shore breweries have joined the effort donating further dissyllables – beer that is past the brewery’s freshness standards. Barrel House Z, Burke’s Ale Werks, Indie Ferm, Mayflower Brewing Co., Stellwagen Beer Co., and Untold Brewing Co., have all contributed to the effort by donating beer. It’s then distilled down to create a high concentrated alcohol, the main ingredient in the hand cleanser.  

“This was a no brainer for us to be a part of,” said Dan O’Donnell, president & general manager at Barrel House Z. “We want to have as much community outreach as we can right now - supporting restaurants, small businesses and helping our first responders. We all want to help in as many ways as we can even while dealing with our own issues during this health crisis.” 

To date, Dirty Water Distilling has produced and donated 175 gallons of free hand sanitizer and they are hard at work to produce more. The solution is 80% alcohol and can be used to sanitize high-touch areas and surfaces quickly and effectively. 

While Massachusetts currently has a ban for on-premise consumption until May 4, the distillery and breweries are open for to go sales through their retail counters. Those looking to support these small businesses can visit their locations at:  

** Please check the businesses websites & social media channels for updated retail hours of operation** 

Dirty Water Distilling & LlamaNama Beer Labs
10 Water St, Plymouth, MA 02360

Barrel House Z
95 Woodrock Rd, Weymouth, MA 02189

Burke’s Alewerks
200 Webster St, Hanover, MA 02339

Indie Ferm
127-3 Camelot Dr, Plymouth, MA 02360

Mayflower Brewing Co.
12 Resnik Rd # 3, Plymouth, MA 02360

Stellwagen Beer Co. 
100 Enterprise Dr., Marshfield, MA 02050

Untold Brewing
6 Old Country Way, Scituate, MA 02066

Supporting Massachusetts Breweries While Social Distancing

Keeping our communities safe and protecting our most vulnerable is the most important thing we can do right now. Under current state ordinance, all Massachusetts brewpubs and taprooms will be closed for on-premise consumption until May 18. 

While you won’t be able to sit and have a pint with us these next few weeks, we hope you’ll include locally made Massachusetts beer in your supply runs by purchasing beer to-go at breweries or at package stores. Curbside pick up is available at most locations to ensure social distancing protocols are being met and many breweries are now offering home delivery. Package stores can also deliver your favorite brands through Drizly.

Online stores are always open for merchandise and gift card purchases. See below for a list of breweries that are currently open and operating retail operations and CLICK HERE for a detailed chart with the services and physical addresses of each brewery location.

From all of us at the Massachusetts Brewers Guild, we thank you for supporting our small, family-run businesses during this unprecedented time.

We can’t wait to have a beer with you soon.

Breweries Open For Retail Operations
10th District Brewing
3cross Fermentation Coop
Abandoned Building Brewery
Altruist Brewing Company
Amherst Brewing
Amory’s Tomb
Article Fifteen Brewing
Bad Martha Brewing Co.
Barrel House Z
Bent Water Brewing Co
BearMoose Brewing Co.
Berkley Beer Company
Big Elm Brewing
Bolton Beer Works
Bone Up Brewing Company
Brato Brewhouse and Kitchen
Brick & feather brewery 
Bright Ideas Brewing
Building 8 Brewing 
Bull Spit Brewing Co. 
Burke's Alewerks
Buzzards Bay Brewing
Canned Heat
Cape Cod Beer
Castle Island Brewing Co. 
Channel Marker Brewing
CraftRoots Brewing
Crue Brew Brewery
Democracy Brewing
Devil’s Purse
Distraction Brewing Company
Dorchester Brewing Company
Drunken Rabbit Brewing Co.
East Regiment Beer Co.
Element Brewing & Distilling
Essex County Brewing Co.
Exhibit 'A' Brewing Company
Faces Brewing Co.
Fieldcrest Brewing Company
Flying Dreams - Marlborough & Worcester
Gentile Brewing Co.
Greater Good Imperial Brewing Co.
Harpoon Brewery
Hitchcock Brewing Company 
Honest Weight Artisan Beer
Hopster’s Brewing Co.
Idle Hands Craft Ales
Independent Fermentations Brewing (IndieFerm)
Iron Duke Brewing
Jack's Abby Craft Lagers
John Harvard's Brewhouse
Kismet Brewing Company
Lamplighter Brewing Co.
Leadfoot Brewing
Lookout Farm Brewing & Cider Co.
Lord Hobo
Lost Shoe Brewing and Roasting Company 
Mayflower Brewing Company
Medusa Brewing Company
Merrimack Ales
Mighty Squirrel
Milk Room Brewing 
Moby Dick Brewing Company
Moon Hill Brewing Co.
Naukabout Brewery
Navigation Brewing Company
New City Brewery
Night Shift Brewing - Everett & Lovejoy Wharf
Notch Brewing
Offshore Ale Co.
Old Colony Brewing
Old Planters Brewing Co.
Outlook Farm Brewery
Percival Brewing Company
Purgatory Beer Co.
Rapscallion Brewery
Rapscallion Table and Tap
Redemption Rock Brewing Co
Remnant Brewing Co.
River Styx Brewing
Riverwalk Brewing Co.
Second Wind Brewing Co.
Seven Saws Brewing 
Shovel Town Brewery
Skyroc Brewery 
Somerville Brewing (Slumbrew)
Start Line Brewing
Stellwagen Brewing Co.
Still Life Farm
Stone Cow Brewery
Timberyard Brewing Co.
Trillium - Canton, Fortpoint & Fenway
Troy City
True North Ale Company
Turtle Swamp Brewing
Two Weeks Notice Brewing 
Untold Brewing Co.
Vanished Valley Brewing Co.
Vitamin Sea Brewing
Wachusett Brewing Company
Wandering Star Brewing Company
Widowmaker Brewing Co.
Wormtown Brewery

We’re all in this together!