The Legend of The Alpha Wolf

Every community has its legends — stories passed down through generations, woven into the fabric of local lore.

In Franklin County, one such tale stands out: the story of Lawrence Brainerd and the great grey wolf.

It was 1839 when Brainerd, a man of grit and determination, encountered a six-foot grey wolf that had been wreaking havoc in the northeast part of Franklin County. The beast, a formidable predator, had terrorized the region, earning a place in the history books — and now, atop Hard’ack, a monument stands as a testament to this encounter.

Inspired by this tale of courage and conquest, we at 14th Star Brewery are proud to introduce our latest limited-release brew: Alpha Wolf Triple IPA.

The Alpha of All IPAs

Much like the legendary wolf it’s named after, Alpha Wolf is bold, wild, and not for the faint of heart. This smooth and hazy Triple IPA is brewed with Citra, Sabro, and Nectaron hops, delivering an intense burst of tropical flavors. Think mango, papaya, and pineapple with every sip—a perfect match for the adventurous spirit that defines Franklin County’s history.

At a commanding 10% ABV, Alpha Wolf is a brew that stands out from the pack. Whether you’re a craft beer enthusiast or just someone with a thirst for the extraordinary, this beer is designed to leave its mark.

Hunt Down Alpha Wolf

Just as Brainerd hunted the legendary wolf, it’s time for you to track down Alpha Wolf. Visit our 14th Star Brewery Taproom, where this beast of a beer is now on tap and available in cans. You can also ask for it at your favorite spots serving craft beer across Vermont.

While you enjoy Alpha Wolf, consider taking a trip to the top of Hard’ack to see the monument commemorating Brainerd’s triumph. It’s a short hike with a big payoff—breathtaking views of Franklin County and a deeper connection to the legend that inspired this brew.

Raise a Glass to Local Legends

At 14th Star Brewery, we take pride in celebrating the stories and history that make our community special. Alpha Wolf Triple IPA is more than just a beer—it’s a tribute to the courage, determination, and adventurous spirit of Franklin County.

So, the question remains: are you ready to take down the Alpha? Grab a pint and become part of the legend!

14th Star Brewery COVID-19 Taproom Update

In light of recent events, please check out this video for an important update from 14th Star Brewery Founders Steve Gagner and Matt Kehaya.⁣⁣
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Filmed prior to GOV Scott’s instruction today, but still in line with his directive, we have made the hard decision to shut down full service in our Brewery Taroom and move to a cans-to-go-only format. Effective immediately and in effect until April 15th all Taproom events and entertainment have been postponed and our hours of operation for can sales and Grazers foodservice to-go will be as follows:⁣⁣
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Tuesday – Friday: 4:00 PM — 8:00 PM⁣⁣
Saturday – Sunday: 12:00 PM — 5:00 PM⁣⁣

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We encourage all of you in our community of 14th Star fans and patrons to be safe and remain calm during these uncertain times. We appreciate you and we will all get through this together.

UPDATE:

Due to the latest Social Distancing protocol, we are unable to sell beer from inside our Brewery Taproom — but we CAN sell our beer online for curbside pickup!

Check out the link for more information about our new Curbside Pickup Hours and how you can place your online orders!

www.14thstarbrewing.com/curbside

Award-Winning Beer

Vermont’s 14th Star Brewery Wins Bronze Medal at the 2019 Great American Beer Festival®

Raspberry Vermonter Weiss recognized for brewing excellence at world’s largest commercial beer competition

St. Albans, VT • October 7th, 2019 — 14th Star Brewing Co. was awarded a bronze medal at the 2019 Great American Beer Festival (GABF) competition, the world’s largest commercial beer competition. The GABF, presented by the Brewers Association, recognizes the most outstanding beers produced in the United States. Gold, silver and bronze medals were awarded on October 5 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, in 107 beer categories covering 174 different beer styles (including all subcategories), establishing the best examples of each style in the country. 

14th Star was recognized in the Specialty Berliner Weisse beer-style category for its Raspberry Vermonter Weiss, a beautiful deep pink Sour Ale brewed with Vermont ingredients and raspberries. 14th Star is a veteran-owned 30 barrel craft brewery located in St. Albans, Vermont “Brewed With A Mission” to create world-class beer while giving back to their community and veteran organizations. Raspberry Vermonter Weiss has become a spring seasonal favorite for fans of the brewery and will be available again in April of 2020.


“We are honored to receive this medal. We are all very proud of how well received this beer has been in the market, but to have it recognized at GABF reminds us of why we take such pride in consistently brewing quality beer,” said Andrea Gagner, CEO at 14th Star Brewing Co.


In the 33rd edition of the GABF competition, 9,497 entries were submitted to the general competition, along with 113 Pro-Am and 70 Collaboration entries. The beer was made by 2,295 breweries from across the nation, with entries from all 50 states plus Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Judging took place over the course of three days, with an international panel of 322 judges from 18 countries. 14th Star’s Raspberry Vermonter Weiss was the only Vermont beer to receive a medal in this year’s competition.

“This year’s GABF competition was the largest and most competitive to date,” said Chris Swersey, competition manager, Great American Beer Festival. “The beers and talent were as impressive as ever, and I’m thrilled to congratulate this year’s winners for their achievements in brewing.”

For more GABF competition information, including the 2019 winners list and photos, visit GreatAmericanBeerFestival.com

SBA Vermont Small Business Person of the Year

Steve Gagner of 14th Star Brewing Company discusses how SBA helped him expand his business, and how he leverages SBA veterans products to help his fellow veterans.

Humbled yet again, by awards and recognition for the efforts of everyone who makes the magic happen every day at the brewery. This time, it is being named the 2019 Vermont Small Business Person of the Year by the SBA.

I can’t emphasize how much this award not only belongs to our talented team as a whole, but also to Matt, my partner in crime, best friend and co-founder. If we can be proud of anything we have done, it’s showing other businesses that caring for other people FIRST helps the bottom line and makes the business a WIN-WIN for the community.

Thank you for your support of our little brewery!

Cheers,

Expanding our Distribution

Earlier this month our team visited New York City to officially launch 14th Star in the Big Apple!

We met some great people on our trip and had a blast at our Launch Parties at The Hop Shoppe, The Park Restaurant, The Baroness Bar + Kitchen, The Jeffrey, Black Tap, and Covenhoven.

Check out our 14th Star Finder Map on our website to track down our brews in cans and on tap at locations throughout Vermont, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and New York.

Find our beer near you!

Military Times Entrepreneur of the Year

I’m equal parts honored, humbled, and embarrassed to announce that The Military Times has selected me as the inaugural Rebootcamp Entrepreneur of the Year from throughout all of the services.

I’m honored and humbled because this award could’ve gone to any number of veterans who are doing spectacular things with their businesses.

I’m also embarrassed. I feel undeserving of an individual recognition or award since the vast majority of everything we do is handled by the family at 14th Star: From Andrea Gagner, Jill Trombly, Jackie White Hawkins and David Rheaume handling the daily activities, art, leadership and management, to Dan Sartwell and Prescott Stanton and their crew of talented brewers – making some of the most under-rated beer on planet earth, to Bailey Buckley, Renee Laroche-Rheaume, Theo Juaire, Erica Anderson, and the whole cast of bar staff that makes each pint enjoyable, all the way down south to our Boston-area sales guy Dan Johnson who’s telling our story and building the brand… these are the folks that deserve the awards and recognition.

I’m blessed to have had the opportunity to pursue this passion with Matt and for the amazing people we’ve met along our short journey. I’ll accept the award on behalf of our whole team and wanted everyone to know that this award doesn’t signify that we’ve “made it”, but that our journey is just getting started. Thank you for all of your support and “Follow Me!”

Cheers

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