Otter Creek Brewing
Otter Creek Brewing is a Vermont craft brewery known for hop-forward ales, lagers, and the production of beers associated with the Shed Brewery line.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Otter Creek Brewing is a craft brewery based in Middlebury, Vermont. The brewery began production in March 1991 at 616 Exchange Street, where it brewed its first Copper Ale and shipped its first keg soon afterward. In 1995, the company expanded and moved to a larger facility at 793 Exchange Street, increasing its production capacity to approximately 60,000 barrels. The brewery developed a regional distribution footprint across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic United States, with its beers sold in as many as fifteen states in the later period described by reference material. At an earlier point, in 2005, production was reported at approximately 30,000 barrels distributed across 22 states. Otter Creek presents itself as a small-batch Vermont producer. Its brewing process uses natural Vermont water, domestic malt and hops, and top-fermenting yeast. The brewery has historically maintained a portfolio of year-round, seasonal, and occasional beers, with a strong emphasis on hop-forward flavor profiles. Its established Otter Creek Craft Ales portfolio has included Copper Ale, Stovepipe Porter, Black IPA, Free Flow IPA, Berner IPA, and Ella India Pale Lager. A later production overhaul retired several of the original flagship beers and introduced or emphasized a newer core range centered on Free Flow, Berner, and Ella. The company has also served as a production base for other beer businesses. From 2002 through 2015, Otter Creek brewed Wolaver's Organic Brewery beers. Wolaver's had roots in California and was recognized as an early USDA-certified organic brewer. Its beers were consolidated at the Middlebury facility after Wolaver's acquired Otter Creek in 2002. The Wolaver's line included organic Brown Ale, IPA, Oatmeal Stout, and seasonal offerings, using organic ingredients and, in some cases, agricultural products associated with Vermont and Addison County. Brewing of Wolaver's beers ended in December 2015. Otter Creek and its associated operations expanded again in 2011 through the acquisition of the Shed Brewery, a Vermont beer brand whose former owners had decided to close. The Middlebury brewery continued producing Shed beers including Mountain Ale, The Shed IPA, Profanity Ale, and Nosedive Vanilla Porter. This gave Otter Creek a broader brand house spanning its own craft-ale portfolio, the organic Wolaver's range during its production period, and the Shed line. In 2010, Fulham & Co., a Massachusetts private-equity firm, acquired Otter Creek Brewing through its Long Trail Brewing Company subsidiary. The transaction placed Otter Creek within a larger Vermont brewing structure while preserving its identity as a Middlebury-based brewery. Publicly available reference material does not provide a current corporate leadership roster, detailed ownership percentages, or independently verified current production figures. The brewery's documented identity remains that of a Vermont craft beer producer with regional distribution and a portfolio built around ales, IPAs, lagers, seasonal beers, and acquired or contract-produced labels.
History
Otter Creek Brewing began brewing in March 1991 at 616 Exchange Street in Middlebury, Vermont. Its first beer was Copper Ale, and the brewery shipped its first keg shortly after production began. The company expanded within four years, moving to 793 Exchange Street in 1995. The larger site supported a stated production capacity of approximately 60,000 barrels and enabled the brewery to develop distribution beyond Vermont. The brewery's early identity was built around Vermont-made craft beer, including Copper Ale, Stovepipe Porter, and other traditional ale styles. Its production model emphasized small batches, natural Vermont water, domestic malt and hops, and top-fermenting yeast. By 2005, reference material reported annual production of approximately 30,000 barrels and distribution in 22 states, while later descriptions identify a more concentrated distribution footprint across roughly fifteen Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic states. Otter Creek became connected with Wolaver's Organic Brewery in the early 2000s. Wolaver's originated in California and had been recognized as the first USDA-certified organic brewer in 1997. After Wolaver's acquired Otter Creek in 2002, the Middlebury brewery became the production site for the Wolaver's Organic line. The portfolio included organic Brown Ale, IPA, Oatmeal Stout, and seasonal beers. The arrangement also supported relationships with organic agricultural producers, including growers of barley and hops, and incorporated wheat and oats associated with Addison County, Vermont. All Wolaver's beers were brewed at Middlebury from 2002 until the line was discontinued in December 2015. The Otter Creek portfolio evolved over time. A major production overhaul retired several original flagship beers, including Copper Ale, Stovepipe Porter, and Black IPA, and established a newer core group consisting of Free Flow, Berner, and Ella. Free Flow was described as a 6 percent American IPA, Berner as a 7 percent American IPA, and Ella as a 5.5 percent India Pale Lager. The brewery also continued to produce seasonal and occasional releases, most of which were characterized as hop-forward. In 2010, Fulham & Co., a Massachusetts private-equity firm, acquired Otter Creek Brewing through its Long Trail Brewing Company subsidiary. The acquisition placed Otter Creek within the Long Trail corporate structure. In 2011, Otter Creek/Wolaver's acquired the Shed Brewery after the Shed's former owners decided to close. Otter Creek continued brewing Shed products, including Mountain Ale, The Shed IPA, Profanity Ale, and Nosedive Vanilla Porter. The documented history therefore shows Otter Creek developing from a local Middlebury brewery into a regional craft-beer producer with multiple associated labels. Its business has combined branded beer production, seasonal innovation, and the manufacturing of partner or acquired lines. Public reference material does not establish a current executive roster, current ownership detail beyond the Fulham and Long Trail relationship, or a definitive present-day distribution map. Those details require further verification.
- 2015
Wolaver's brewing ends
[1]Long Trail ceased brewing the Wolaver's Organic line in December 2015.
- 2011
Shed Brewery acquisition
[2]Otter Creek/Wolaver's acquired the Shed Brewery and continued producing selected Shed beers.
- 2010
Acquisition by Fulham & Co.
[1]Fulham & Co. acquired Otter Creek Brewing through its Long Trail Brewing Company subsidiary.
- 2005
Reported regional and multistate distribution
[1]Reference material reported approximately 30,000 barrels of production and distribution in 22 states.
- 2002
Wolaver's production consolidated at Otter Creek
[1]Following Wolaver's acquisition of Otter Creek, Wolaver's Organic beers began being brewed at the Middlebury brewery.
- 1995
Expansion to a larger Middlebury facility
[1]The brewery moved to 793 Exchange Street and expanded its stated production capacity to approximately 60,000 barrels.
- 1991
First Otter Creek beer brewed
[1]Otter Creek brewed its first Copper Ale at 616 Exchange Street in Middlebury, Vermont, and shipped its first keg soon afterward.
Products and positioning
A Vermont craft brewery emphasizing small-batch production, hop-forward beers, regional identity, and a portfolio that includes Otter Creek and Shed Brewery brands.
American IPA
Free Flow
A year-round Otter Creek beer described in reference material as a 6 percent American IPA. It belongs to the brewery's later core portfolio and reflects the brand's emphasis on hop-forward beers.
American IPA
Berner
A year-round American IPA described as 7 percent alcohol by volume. Berner is part of the newer core range that followed a major overhaul of Otter Creek's original flagship lineup.
India Pale Lager
Ella
A year-round India Pale Lager with a stated alcohol content of 5.5 percent. Ella extends Otter Creek's hop-focused positioning into a lager format.
Amber ale · 1991
Copper Ale
Otter Creek's first recorded beer, brewed when the company began production in 1991. Copper Ale was one of the brewery's original flagship beers before later portfolio changes retired it.
Porter
Stovepipe Porter
An original Otter Creek flagship porter. It belonged to the brewery's earlier core lineup and was later removed during a substantial production and portfolio overhaul.
Black IPA
Black IPA
A hop-forward dark IPA associated with Otter Creek's earlier lineup. The beer was later retired as the brewery shifted emphasis toward its newer core offerings.
Organic beer · 2002
Wolaver's Organic beers
A line of organic beers brewed at Otter Creek from 2002 through 2015. The range included Brown Ale, IPA, Oatmeal Stout, and seasonal beers, with the beers described as certified organic by Vermont Organic Farmers.
Ale
Shed Mountain Ale
A beer from the Shed Brewery portfolio that Otter Creek continued brewing after the 2011 acquisition of the Shed Brewery.
IPA
The Shed IPA
An India pale ale associated with the Shed Brewery line and produced by Otter Creek after the Shed acquisition.
Brand decisions
2015
Discontinuation of Wolaver's brewingStrategyBackground
Otter Creek had brewed Wolaver's Organic beers in Middlebury since 2002, but the line was later removed from the company's production activities.
Action taken
Long Trail ceased brewing Wolaver's Organic beers in December 2015.
Aftermath
The documented Otter Creek portfolio no longer included Wolaver's production after 2015.
2011
Acquisition of the Shed BreweryM&ABackground
The Shed Brewery's former owners decided to close, creating an opportunity for Otter Creek/Wolaver's to acquire the brand and brewing rights.
Action taken
Otter Creek/Wolaver's acquired the Shed Brewery and continued producing selected Shed beers.
Aftermath
Shed products such as Mountain Ale, The Shed IPA, Profanity Ale, and Nosedive Vanilla Porter were added to the Middlebury production portfolio.
2010
Fulham & Co. acquisition through Long TrailM&ABackground
Otter Creek became part of a larger brewing structure when Massachusetts private-equity firm Fulham & Co. acquired it through Long Trail Brewing Company.
Action taken
The acquisition transferred Otter Creek into the Long Trail subsidiary structure.
Aftermath
Otter Creek continued operating as a Middlebury-based brewery and retained its own beer identity.
Sources3 sources
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