Yankee Brew News Archive

Ipswich Expands Product Line, Looks Overseas Increased 'Growler' Competition Cited

Originally Published: 02/97

By: Dave Wedge

When most people head to the local beer store, they pick up a six-pack, a 12-pack or a case of their favorite brew. But when people go to pick up Ipswich Brewing Company products, they're usually coming home with just one big bottle. And that's the way the honchos for the four-year old brewery like it.

The brewery, located in Ipswich, Massachusetts, on the North Shore, puts out seven different beverages, five of which come in half-gallon "growlers," in addition to the standard 12-ounce bottles, which were recently added to the Ipswich lineup.

The brewery carved its niche in the craft-brew market with growler bottles full of its flavorful unfiltered ales. Ipswich Pale Ale, Dark Ale, Oatmeal Stout, Porter and its brand new India Pale Ale are all available in the large bottles.

Though Ipswich did not invent the growlers, it was the first craft brewery in the region to put them into widespread commercial use. Ipswich faces increased competition from other brewers in recent years who have opted to use the same bottling idea.

"We continue to grow, but we've lost our uniqueness," said Ipswich president Paul Sylva, who co-founded the brewery with master brewer Jim Beauvais.

Other Bay State brewers, such as Wachusett Brewing Company. of Westminster, and Old Harbor Brewing Company. of Hudson, also bottle beer in growlers.

"We feel we were kind of the leaders in that area," said Sylva, who added that he got the idea from Otter Creek Brewing Company of Middlebury, Vermont, which sold beer in growlers for take-out from the brewery. "Everyone else copied us."

Because of an increased demand for the growler bottles, Sylva opted to pursue the 12-ounce option. "The six-packs are a reaction to us not being able to get as much glass as we needed. The supplier (Arkansas Glass) sometimes is short of that type of container,'' said Sylva.

The growlers remain the brewery's hottest sellers. "They outsell our six-packs right now," said Sylva. Sylva said growlers are attractive to him for a couple of reasons.

"It's a less expensive way to package so you can put the beer out at a less expensive cost to the customer. Plus they're environmentally correct, which is the best part."

The bottles are refundable and fetch a lofty $1.50 deposit. "With growlers recycling isn't an issue. The issue is reusing," said Sylva.

As for the new bottles, Sylva said, "there was a demand for the 12-ounce product, which is a bit more marketable."

Along with adding an IPA to its repertoire, Ipswich also recently started brewing a barleywine called 1084 Barley Wine and a non-alcoholic root beer called Ipswich Great American Root Beer.

The barleywine, the title of which refers to the beer's starting gravity, is available in black, tube-shaped eight-ounce bottles. The root beer is expected to be available in stores in early 1997.

Ipswich Stout and Porter, both popular in the growler size, are also available in liters. All of the brewery's products are found in liquor stores, bars and restaurants throughout Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Maine and New York City.

"Without any question we do better in liquor stores than in restaurants and bars," Sylva noted. He said that 32 percent of the company's sales are through tap accounts.

The company also recently invested in a Japanese brewery that will make beer based on Ipswich recipes. The Shinano Brewery in Nagano will use the Massachusetts company's recipes but will add a pinch of the Far East and use the Japanese name instead of Ipswich.

"We wanted to make a uniquely Japanese beer," Sylva said of the new venture. There are, however, no plans to ship Ipswich overseas. "This beer is not of a quality that would stand up well to shipping," he said.

Ipswich Brewing Company, located at 23 Hayward Street in Ipswich, shipped its first keg of beer in 1993. The company now has 12 employees, including two full-time brewers. It has a 14,000 barrel per year capacity and moved about 9,000 barrels in 1996.