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Flagship beer brand and brewery reimagined to capture the spirit of adventure. Photo of Diesel 'Stoner Sour IPA courtesy Whetstone.

Vermont Business Magazine On the eve of its 10th Anniversary, Whetstone Brands co-founders Amy Brady, Tim Brady, and David Hiler are marking the occasion by refreshing the brand that started it all - Whetstone. Originally opened as Whetstone Station, the legacy brewery will be reborn as Whetstone Beer Co. with new visuals and branding that celebrates their common love of brewing up adventures through beer, travel, shared experiences, and the great outdoors.

When doors opened and brewing began at Whetstone Station in July 2012, the spirit of exploration and discovery through rail travel underpinned the concept. The space at the confluence of Whetstone Brook and the Connecticut River in Brattleboro was designed to pay homage to the building’s role in Brattleboro’s bustling railroad industry. 

The design incorporated elements of the original train station including a round radiator from the base of a column in the old station and interior ticket window featuring a photo of a switchman on the tracks behind the building.

For their 10-year update, Whetstone Beer Co. will be doubling down on this inspiration with a Station makeover including an even bigger tribute to train travel and a more casual, brewery-centered experience. 

Whetstone will introduce a new streamlined cafe menu while also improving the simplified counter-service experience. In addition, more emphasis will be placed on the team’s greatest passion, Whetstone Beer, including offering a selection of extremely limited one-offs and sample batches, which were previously only poured at the brewery. 

Whetstone Beer Co. packaging will also get a slick new look thanks to a local artist.  On shelves and at fine bars and restaurants around New England, the new beer can labels and merchandising will showcase a take on the iconic “travel by rail” posters popular during the golden age of train travel. 

The custom labels, imagined by co-owner Tim Brady, were developed over a year-long process with a label manufacturer and are the first ever to incorporate a built-in, removable sticker within the fully recyclable can label.

“We spend a lot on printing custom can labels, which nearly always just end up in a recycle bin,” said Brady. ‘“I thought, there’s got to be a way to make the label useful beyond simply showcasing the beer on the shelf. Now when you purchase any of our cans, you get a unique sticker for free,” he said. 

The easily removable sticker portion is a miniature poster, meanwhile the wrap portion of the labels include hidden elements with characters and scenes telling stories that harken back to Tim, Amy, and David’s years of adventures. 

It was one of those adventures that brought the co-founders together for the first time at a hospitality conference over a decade ago. In the ten years since, the trio have built nine hospitality brands including: Whetstone Beer Co. (https://www.whetstonebeer.com ), Kampfires Campground, Inn & Entertainment ( https://www.kampfires.com/ ), Scoops Ice Cream Shop, Putters Mini-Golf, The Pit Amphitheater, Cannonballs Swim Club, and the Rollin’ Stone Mobile Bier Garten and food truck.

They most recently added River Garden Marketplace ( https://www.rivergardenmarketplace.com/) pairing a local artisan market with a bright bar, curated beverage selections, elevated menu, river views, and event spaces.

The new Whetstone Beer Co. branding and Station makeover will be revealed on the anniversary of Whetstone Station, the weekend of July 4th.

BRATTLEBORO, VT -  https://www.whetstonebeer.com/

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