Mercury Brewing Company

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Mercury Brewing Company
Location	23 Hayward St, Ipswich, Massachusetts 01938 Essex County, Massachusetts United States
Owner(s)	Robert Martin
Year opened	Originally Ipswich Brewing Co., relaunched as Mercury Brewing Company in 1999

Contents 1 About Mercury Brewing Company 2 Ipswich Ale 3 Stone Cat 4 Mercury Premium Soda Pop 5 Mercury Brewing Company Timeline

[edit] About Mercury Brewing Company

Mercury Brewing Company emerged in 1999 when Rob Martin, then Director of Operations for Ipswich Brewing Company, purchased the brewery and renamed the company Mercury Brewing and Distribution Company. While continuing production of Ipswich Ale, Martin expanded the company with Stone Cat Ales and Lagers, Mercury Premium Sodas, and numerous contract brewing agreements.

In 2007 beer production topped 14,000 bbl (434,000 US gal), a 44% increase from 2006. Soda production came to 1180 bbl (36,580 gal), an increase of 22% from the previous year.

[edit] Ipswich Ale

Ipswich Ales are unfiltered, English style, full-bodied ales. Whether it be our subtly hopped Summer Ale or our robust Oatmeal Stout, Ipswich Ale is synonymous with exceptional craft-brewed beers. Ipswich Ale has been proudly brewed since 1991 in historic Ipswich, MA, the birthplace of American Independence.

Year-round styles include: Ipswich Original Ale, IPA, Dark Ale, Oatmeal Stout, Nut Brown, Porter Seasonal styles include: Ipswich Summer Ale, Harvest Ale, Winter Ale

[edit] Stone Cat

In 1999 Mercury Brewing Company bought the Stone Cat brand from Modern Brewers in Cambridge, MA.

Year-round styles include: Stone Cat I.P.A., E.S.B., Blonde, Blueberry Ale Seasonal styles include: Stone Cat Hefewiezen, Octoberfest, Pumpkin Porter, Winter Lager, and Scotch Ale

[edit] Mercury Premium Soda Pop

Our caffeine free and corn syrup free Mercury Premium Soda Pop use fun flavors coupled with pure cane sugar for a clean and refreshing taste.

Our complete line of soda includes: Root Beer, Diet Root Beer, Cream, Diet Cream, Black Cherry, Diet Black Cherry, Orange Cream, Lemon Lime, Atomic Grape, Birch Beer, Strawberry, Raspberry, Coconut, Kiwiberry, Watermelon, Ginger Ale, Cola, Diet Cola Bubbly Waters also available: Lemon, Lime, Raspberry, Orange

[edit] Mercury Brewing Company Timeline

1991: Ipswich Brewing Company founded by Paul Sylva and Jim Beauvais. Ipswich Ale and Dark Ale introduced on draft and in 64 fl oz growlers and 1 liter swingtops.

1995: Product line extended with Ipswich IPA and Oatmeal Stout; all styles introduced in 12 fl oz bottles.

1996: Ipswich 1722 Commemorative Porter is introduced.

1997: Ipswich Brewing Co. forms alliance with United States Beverage for sales and marketing support. Ipswich Winter Ale is introduced.

1998: Product line extended with Porter and Nut Brown. All packaged product contracted by Clipper City Brewing Co., in Baltimore, MD. Ipswich Ale Mustard is introduced.

1999: January: Ipswich Brand purchased by United States Beverage. Brewery still separately owned and operated.

1999: September: Rob Martin purchases Ipswich Brewing Co. from Sylva and Beauvais and renames brewery “Mercury Brewing and Distribution Company”. Martin buys Stone Cat brand; sells and self-distributes Stone Cat Ale, I.P.A., and E.S.B.

2000: Mercury Premium Soda line is established as 13 flavors of caffeine free, old-school sodas made with real sugar. The Stone Cat brand is expanded to include: Blonde, Blueberry Ale, Hefewiezen, Octoberfest, Pumpkin Ale, Winter Lager, and Scotch Ale. Mercury also starts contract brewing for Dornbush and Farmington River beer companies.

2001: Mercury Bubbly Water line is introduced. Dornbush ceases production.

2002: Cisco Brewers enlist Mercury to brew their Whale's Tail draft.

2003: Mercury purchases Ipswich Ale brand from United States Beverage. All Ipswich production reverts to Mercury. Ipswich Summer is introduced and Ipswich E.S.B. is discontinued. Ipswich is available in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut.

2004: Endurance Brewing Company contracts Mercury to design a recipe and brew Endurance Pale Ale.

2005: Ipswich Harvest Ale is introduced as a Fall seasonal. Contracts grow to include Cisco Brewers Whale's Tail and Sankaty Light, Cape Ann Brewing's Fisherman Ale and Fisherman's IPA, and the entire Z Street portfolio.

2006: New contracts include various Opa-Opa Steakhouse and Brewpub Ales and John Harvard's Pale Ale and Amber Ale. Beer production tops 9700 BBLs and 15,000 cases of soda for 2006. Distribution of Ipswich is expanded to parts of Pennsylvania and New York City.

2007: Capacity is expanded with the addition of three 80BBL fermentation tanks and three 128BBL bright tanks. Contract work expands to include Hook & Ladder, Offshore Ale, Sherwood Forest Brewers, and Kennebec River Brewing Company. Ipswich distribution is expanded to all of New Jersey and New Hampshire. Mercury now produces 47 different beers and 19 soft drinks. In 2007 our beer production topped 14,000 bbl (434,000 gal), a 44% increase from 2006. Soda production came to 1180 bbl (36,580 gal), an increase of 22% from the previous year.