Long Trail to Purchase Otter Creek?

I can’t find any other confirmation this morning, but Andy Crouch at BeerScribe.Com is reporting that Long Trail Brewing Company (opened in 1989) of Bridgewater Corners, Vermont is in the process of purchasing Otter Creek Brewing Company (opened in 1991) of Middlebury, Vermont.  If this is true, then it represents a noteworthy consolidation of two of Vermont’s original, largest and longest standing craft brewers.  Otter Creek, not that long ago purchased by Wolaver’s (2002), has continued to operate under its original name and continue to produce both its own brand beers as well as Wolaver’s excellent organic brews since that time.  Long Trail, located in the very small berg of Bridgewater Corners… really only a post office, small store and the brewery, has struggled over the years with their problematic location and yet was still able to produce a very high quality product.

Right now details are pretty sketchy, so it is hard to draw any conclusions about what might happen,  but it would be sad to think that we might forever lose access to the excellent product that Otter Creek produces.  Their signature Copper Ale and their newly introduced “Imperial Series” are real favorites of mine and I would miss them dearly.  Perhaps I can provide further details as more about this pending deal unfolds…